Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 860 In chaotic times, there's no way to be carefree.
As autumn deepened, the hustle and bustle of Shanshan gradually subsided, and guests from all directions began their journeys home, carrying with them their experiences in the Western Regions and a copy of the "Cotton Clouds Over the Vast Sea" painting, spreading the fame of this "Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall" far and wide. Old Zhang, that scoundrel, actually stayed. He said he would stay until spring after the New Year, adding that he had worked hard all these years, so what was wrong with enjoying himself?
So this fellow spent his days either sketching in the cotton fields and irrigation ditches with his easel on his back, or holed up in the quiet room on the top floor of the Yuezhi Tower, studying his "Records of the Western Regions" with his set of Western Region mineral pigments.

Xia Lin was naturally happy to have such a free publicity ambassador. He assigned two clever bodyguards to be his guides, while he, Xu Shiji, and Wang Zhuoheng plunged into the surveying and mapping work of the second canal, Anxi Canal.

This canal will draw water from the Qiemo River, travel hundreds of miles, and connect seven or eight oases of varying sizes. The project is far more massive than the Tongji Canal, and the terrain is also more complex. But once it is completed, unifying the Western Regions will only be a matter of time.

That day, Xia Lin had just returned to the Marshal's Mansion from the planned route of the Anxi Canal. Before he could even brush off the dust, Sun Jiuzhen solemnly handed him a secret report.

"General, urgent news from Chang'an. Li Jiancheng, the Prince of Qin and regent of the Tang Dynasty, is seriously ill."

Xia Lin unfolded the letter, quickly scanned it, and his brows gradually furrowed.

The letter, sent by a spies embedded in Chang'an, detailed the following: Li Jiancheng had fallen ill a month prior, initially with a cold, but the Imperial Hospital's treatment had failed to improve his condition; instead, his illness worsened daily, and in recent days he had become unable to handle state affairs. The government was temporarily being managed by Changsun Wuji and several other prime ministers. Rumors were rife in Chang'an, some saying the Prince of Qin had fallen ill from overwork, others that he had been slowly poisoned.

"The timing of his illness is perfect." Xia Lin handed the secret report to Xu Shiji beside him: "If Li Jiancheng, the regent, falls, the mess in Chang'an will likely fall entirely into the hands of the conservatives."

Xu Shiji carefully read through the document and pondered, "The internal affairs of the Li Tang dynasty are originally none of our Great Wei's concern, but the Prince of Qin is, after all, personally appointed by Her Majesty the Third Empress to oversee the state. If he is unable to perform his duties for an extended period, Changsun Wuji can use the guise of regent to seize power. This man has always been hostile to our Great Wei. If he were to completely control the Li Tang court, I fear our cooperation in the Western Regions would be..."

"Cooperation my ass." Xia Lin sneered: "That bastard is probably just hoping to take this opportunity to muddy the waters, and preferably force Third Sister back to the capital. As long as the emperor returns to the capital, he can advance further. I can hear his plans from two thousand miles away."

He walked to the sand table depicting the Western Regions and pointed to the location of the Anxi Protectorate: "What's going on with Third Sister's side?"

“His Majesty the Tang Emperor has ordered a news blackout, stating publicly that the Prince of Qin has caught a cold and needs to rest. However, according to our people in Anxi, His Majesty has been frequently meeting with military generals in recent days, and the defenses of the Anxi Protectorate have also been adjusted,” Sun Jiuzhen replied.

Xia Lin hummed in agreement and nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad. She's transformed from a fierce general into a competent politician. She's worried that someone in Chang'an might act rashly, or that the likes of Northern Han and Tubo might take advantage of the situation. She's focusing all her efforts on investigating the truth behind Prince Qin's illness, paying particular attention to the movements of the Imperial Hospital and Changsun Wuji's residence. Remember, only investigate, don't interfere. This is Li Tang's internal affair; we can't let them find fault with us."

"clear."

Sun Jiuzhen accepted the order and left.

Xu Shiji sighed softly, "The tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. If the Li Tang dynasty falls into internal strife, the rare favorable situation in the Western Regions will likely be disrupted once again."

“It won’t be chaotic.” Xia Lin’s tone was firm, but his eyes flashed with cold light: “I’ve worked so hard to get the Western Regions to this point. If anyone dares to make a move, I’ll chop off their claws! Third Brother, the progress of the Anxi Canal cannot be stopped. We have to speed it up, otherwise people’s hearts will be scattered.”

He paused, then continued, "In my personal capacity, bypassing His Majesty the Tang Emperor, I will write a letter to express my condolences to Li Jiancheng. Then, under the guise of the Western Regions Construction Corps, we will send several doctors from the medical school to him."

Xu Shiji nodded: "This is a very good move. It is both a gesture of friendship between old friends and a respect for national dignity. I will go and draft the letter now."

No sooner had Xu Shiji left than Old Zhang, with his hair all messy, burst in excitedly, waving a newly completed ink painting sketch in his hand.

"Daosheng! Look! The 'Karez Well Source Map'! I've been working on it for days, and I've finally managed to capture the essence of the earth's veins!"

Xia Lin took the sketch and saw that the painting used dry brushstrokes and light ink to outline the winding course of the underground canal, while the above-ground part depicted the busy scene of craftsmen digging wells. The interplay of reality and illusion created a profound artistic conception. Although he didn't understand painting, he felt a vibrant vitality emanating from it.

"Not bad, not bad, that's interesting." Xia Lin casually praised, handing the drawing back to him: "But Lao Zhang, don't just focus on drawing for now. Something might happen in Chang'an."

The excitement on Zhang Shuo's face vanished instantly. He put down the sketch and his expression turned serious: "The Prince of Qin of the Tang Dynasty?"

"You found out too?"

“I guessed.” Zhang Shuo walked to the table, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it all in one gulp. “A few days ago, I saw that the Li Tang delegation planned to stay a few more days. I even made plans with them to go to the foot of Tianshan Mountain together. But who knew that they would hurriedly return to Anxi with your third aunt the next day? I guessed something must have happened there.” He looked at Xia Lin: “What do you plan to do?”

"Let's wait and see." Xia Lin rubbed his temples. "It's not appropriate for us to interfere in Li Tang's internal affairs. However..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the worry in his eyes was obvious.

Zhang Shuo was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I'm going to Chang'an."

Xia Lin raised an eyebrow: "What can you do back there? Paint a portrait of Li Jiancheng to bring him good luck? Don't forget you're now the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat of the Great Wei!"

"Bullshit!" Zhang Shuo cursed, then said seriously, "Can't I ask for a day off to go back and visit friends in my private capacity? I have many old friends in Chang'an and Luoyang. If I go back, I can at least help you see the winds blowing in their court. It's much better than your spies listening through the walls."

Xia Lin looked at him, knowing that his old friend, though seemingly unrestrained, was actually meticulous. He pondered for a moment and nodded: "Alright. But remember, you are an official of the Great Wei. This trip is just a private visit, and you must not interfere in the politics of the Li Tang Dynasty. If anyone gets hold of something against you, then throw a tantrum. If anyone makes things difficult for you, then die there, and then I'll go and burn Chang'an down."

"Damn it..." Zhang Shuo pointed at Xia Lin and cursed, "You son of a bitch, you just can't stand to see me do well. My child is only a tiny little thing. Besides, once we're in Chang'an, I'll just be a leisurely person visiting friends and painting. What can Changsun Wuji do? No matter what, he's no match for me. Kill me? He'd be crazy not to dare kill me."

"Be careful on the road. I'll have Jiuzhen arrange for guards along the way." Xia Lin leaned forward and whispered, "If you see any old friends, please give them my regards."

Zhang Shuo nodded emphatically, the two of them understanding each other without saying a word.

After seeing Old Zhang off, Xia Lin stood alone in the courtyard of the Marshal's Mansion, gazing southeast. The evening breeze carried the chill of the Gobi Desert, and the winds and rains of Chang'an seemed to have blown across thousands of mountains and rivers to the Western Regions, casting a shadow over his heart.

He knew, of course, that Third Sister was under immense pressure. The Regent was seriously ill, the court was unstable, Changsun Wuji was watching with predatory eyes from within, and the Northern Han and Tubo were waiting for an opportunity to act from without. If something major were to happen, Xia Lin's eldest son, Li Zhi, would certainly be in danger. Although the child was still at the main camp, he couldn't possibly stay away from Chang'an forever.

"Pass the order to General Wang," Xia Lin instructed his personal guards. "Starting tomorrow, the entire Western Regions army will enter a state of Level Two combat readiness. Strengthen vigilance at all passes and outposts. Report to the outside world that it's a routine autumn maneuver."

"Yes!"

As night deepened, the lights of Shanshan City dwindled. In Xia Lin's study, however, the candlelight burned late into the night. He studied maps of the Western Regions and the Central Plains, repeatedly considering various possible scenarios, his fingers still unconsciously tapping the table.

"Wuji, Wuji..." he muttered to himself, "You'd better behave yourself and not force me to beat you up when I'm happiest. If you cause less trouble, you'll have a peaceful end."

Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered why Brother Wuji hated him so much. That guy was Gao Shilian's nephew... and all the clues about Gao Shilian's downfall pointed to Xia Lin.

"Oh...no wonder, no wonder. Damn, this causal thread is so long."

Meanwhile, far away in the Anxi Protectorate, Third Sister was also lost in thought, staring at a secret report. In the candlelight, her brows were furrowed with deep worry. Li Jiancheng's illness was suspicious, the situation in Chang'an was chaotic, and she had already received word that Changsun Wuji was secretly conspiring to bring her back to Chang'an.

"Trying to force me back?" Third Sister sneered, holding the secret report up to the candlelight and lighting it: "I'll stay in the Western Regions and see what kind of trouble you can stir up."

She walked to the window and looked towards Shanshan City. At that moment, she suddenly missed the person who was always unserious but could always give her a sense of peace in this chaos.

“You scoundrel…” she said softly, “You must not disappoint me.”

(End of this chapter)