Lai Ji

Lai Ji (來濟) (610–662) was an official of the Chinese dynasty Tang Dynasty, serving as a chancellor during the reign of Emperor Gaozong. He later offended Emperor Gaozong by opposing the ascension of Emperor Gaozong's second wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian) and was exiled to be a prefect in the extreme western part of the state. In 662, he died in battle while defending his prefecture against a Western Tujue attack. His brother Lai Heng also served as a chancellor during Emperor Gaozong's reign.

Lai Ji's family was from Jiangdu (江都, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu). His father Lai Hu'er (來護兒) was a major general during Sui Dynasty and carried the title of Duke of Rong. In 618, while Emperor Yang of Sui was at Jiangdu with the Sui state engulfed in agrarian rebellions, the general Yuwen Huaji led a coup and overthrew Emperor Yang. Yuwen executed a large number of high level officials, and Lai Hu'er, along with most of his family, was killed. Only Lai Ji and his older brother Lai Heng escaped death.

It was said that Lai Ji, because his family had suffered such disaster and he had himself escaped many dangers, was particularly studious. He was said to be a good writer and good at rhetoric and analyzing situations. He did well in imperial examinations and was able to become an imperial official.

As of 643, during the reign of Tang Dynasty's second emperor Emperor Taizong, Lai Ji was serving as a low level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng). That year, Emperor Taizong's son and crown prince Li Chengqian was discovered to have plotted to overthrow Emperor Taizong, and Emperor Taizong requested opinions from his officials as to what to do with Li Chengqian. No one dared to speak up, but Lai said, "The best possible outcome is that Your Imperial Majesty can remain a kind father and that the Crown Prince can live out his years." Emperor Taizong agreed, and he deposed Li Chengqian to commoner rank but spared Li Chengqian's life. In 644, after Emperor Taizong had created another son, Li Zhi, to be the new crown prince, he could not find an appropriate person to serve the role of brainstormer for Li Zhi, and so he commissioned Lai. Lai was also made a scholar at the imperial think tank, Chongxian Pavilion (崇賢館). He was soon made a mid-level official at the legislative bureau and commissioned to edit the Book of Jin—the official history of Jin Dynasty—with Linhu Defen (令狐德棻).

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