Guo Yuanzhen - During Wu Zetian's Reign

During Wu Zetian's Reign

Around or before 696, when Guo Yuanzhen was still at Tongquan, he captured over 1,000 local tribespeople and sold them as slaves so that he could have funds to maintain his guests, and the people of Tongquan were distressed. When then-reigning Wu Zetian (Emperor Gaozong's wife) heard of this, she summoned Guo to the capital Luoyang, intending to punish him. When she met him, however, she was impressed by his talent, and she asked him for his past writing. He submitted an essay that he had written about swords, and she was further impressed and showed the essay to the imperial scholar Li Jiao, himself known for his literary talent. She made him Zhoucao Canjun (冑曹參軍), a logistics officer with the imperial guards, as well as an imperial attendant. At that time, Tufan claimed to be seeking peace with Wu Zetian's Zhou Dynasty, and she sent Guo as an emissary to Tufan to discuss the matter. After he arrived, Tufan's regent Lun Qinling (論欽陵) offered peace, but demanded that Zhou withdraw the forces at the four garrisons under the Protectorate General to Pacify the West and cede some of the 10 former Western Tujue tribes to Tufan. After returning to Luoyang, Guo suggested to Wu Zetian that she respond that she was willing to agree to Lun's requests—as long as Tufan was willing to cede territory around the Qinghai Lake, formerly belonging to Tuyuhun -- conditions that he knew Lun Qinling would not agree to. He further suggested that she sent emissaries to Tufan each year to offer peace, to cause the Tufan people to resent Lun Qinling for not agreeing to the conditions for peace.

In 699, the Tufan king Tridu Songtsen, unhappy that Lun Qinling was monopolizing power, took an opportunity when Lun Qinling was away from the capital Lhasa to slaughter Lun Qinling's associates. He then defeated Lun Qinling in battle, and Lun Qinling committed suicide. Lun Qinling's brother Lun Zanpo (論贊婆) and Lun Qinling's son Lun Gongren (論弓仁) surrendered to Zhou. Wu Zetian sent Guo and Fumeng Linqing (夫蒙令卿) to welcome them. She also made Guo Zhuke Langzhong (主客郎中), an official at the ministry of rites in charge of managing visits by foreign ambassadors and maintaining the households of the descendants of the rulers of prior dynasties.

In 701, Guo was made the commandant at Liang Prefecture (涼州, roughly modern Wuwei, Gansu). It was said that previously, Tujue and Tufan forces would often pillage the prefecture, and that fields outside the capital city of the prefecture were often laid waste. Guo ordered the building of two outposts, Baiting Base (白亭軍) to the north, and Herong (和戎) to the south, to serve as warning posts and as counterattack points. Thereafter, the raids decreased, and the people were able to have more rest. He also ordered his subordinate Li Hantong (李漢通) the prefect of Gan Prefecture (甘州, roughly modern Jiuquan, Gansu), to build irrigation and promote farming. This allowed the region, which previously had a food shortage, to have food surplus, allowing the military to be supported. It was generally said that Guo was good at managing the people and governing the troops, and that for the five years when he was at Liang Prefecture, both the Han and the non-Han loved and obeyed him, and that the people began to be wealthy.