Ni Ruoshui is from Yucheng, Hengzhou. In the early years of Kaiyuan, Ren Zhongshu Scheeren and Shangshu Youcheng successively left Beijing and served as the secretariat of Bianzhou (now Kaifeng, Henan). His political philosophy advocates quietness, so people and officials are very happy. Confucius Temple and state schools were built to encourage scholars to study hard, so Confucianism was very popular in Bianzhou, and Ni Ruoshui was highly praised in the Yellow River.
In the fourth year of Kaiyuan, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty ordered eunuchs to go to Jiangnan to collect birds such as pond herons and pass through Bianzhou. After knowing this, Ni Ruoshui wrote a letter of advice, saying, "Now is the summer harvest season. The farmers are working hard. Fu Tian is ploughing the fields, and the peasant woman is picking mulberry and raising silkworms. At this time, exotic birds were collected and captured and kept in the garden pond for appreciation. They were transported from the far south of the Yangtze River to the capital. Ships and boats must be prepared by water, and people on land are exhausted by heavy burdens. There is no need to feed these birds fish, but they can also feed them rice. Don't people who watched along the way think that your majesty treats people very cheaply and birds very seriously! Your majesty should treat the phoenix as an ordinary bird and the unicorn as an ordinary beast. In this way, even the pond heron and Yuanyang are of little value. Your majesty once lived in the palace like a hidden dragon and went through all kinds of hardships. Now that the counter-insurgency has been eliminated, your majesty has a high position, and the courtyard is full of courtyards and treasures contributed by officials, which are full of houses. Besides, what else does your majesty want? I owe my country, and I am incapable of shouldering heavy responsibilities. My life is as low as dirt, and I have always wanted to dedicate my loyalty to death; My little heart, like a sunflower, has always hoped to repay the monarch with my liver and brain. I looked at the imperial court and boldly revealed my true thoughts. I speak so directly, which violates your majesty's will and is willing to accept the punishment of wok cooking. "
The emperor personally wrote a letter and replied, "I sent people to collect several different kinds of birds, but those messengers ignored my will and collected more birds." You have explained this matter in detail, and your words and heart are sincere, which is in line with my idea. You are a knowledgeable person who helps the world. You abide by the norms, and you are cautious but not biased. Therefore, you are required to give up your position as the general manager of the imperial court center (referring to the position of Mr. Sheren in the Chinese book) and hand it over to you for exclusive power (referring to the Bianzhou secretariat). I can really guard against evil, be honest, be loyal to my duties, be more determined, be upright, and not hide my opinions when things go wrong. I am deeply gratified that what you say and think is loyal and upright. I estimated the situation of the people I sent, flogged them, and ordered the birds to be released together. I sent you forty pieces of silks and satins to thank you for your outspoken advice. "
Soon, Ni Ruoshui returned to the imperial court and was appointed assistant minister of the Ministry. In the seventh year of Kaiyuan, he was awarded the post of Right Cheng and died in the same year.