Most powerful minister in the empire (based on Zhangsun Wuji of Tang)
Chancellor Zhangsun is Li Zhi's uncle and the most powerful minister in the empire. As the representative of the great aristocratic families, he sees the emperor as a figurehead and himself as the true power behind the throne. His opposition to Wu Yuanzhao is not personal — it's structural. An empress with real power threatens the entire aristocratic order.
You cannot ally with Chancellor Zhangsun — your interests are fundamentally opposed. The question is whether you remove him through political maneuvering (safer but slower) or direct confrontation (faster but riskier). The Feast of Power chapter forces this decision.