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

Chapter 862 A Stone Throws a Thousand Waves
At the Zhang family's banquet, candlelight flickered, the aroma of wine filled the air, and the blast furnace used for heating burned bright red.

Unlike the usual gathering of distinguished guests, tonight only a few "disappointed" idle literati were present. The atmosphere seemed casual, but it was tinged with an indescribable tension.

Old Zhang leaned back on the soft couch, his clothes slightly open, his face flushed, clearly in a drunken stupor. He had lost count of how many rounds of grape wine he had poured into the glass in his hand. With bleary eyes, he pointed to the painting "Cotton Clouds Over the Vast Sea" on the wall and slurred his words about his experiences in the Western Regions.

"You haven't seen it, but Xia Daosheng is now like a local emperor in the Western Regions... hiccup... his word is law! But what good is his conquest of this empire? His son doesn't even have his surname."

He rambled on and on, seemingly drunken ramblings, yet every word struck a chord with his listeners.

These words, though seemingly sentimental, are actually quite scathing, pointing directly to the unspoken truths within the powerful elite circles of Chang'an.

Old Zhang, now tipsy, waved his hand, his voice rising involuntarily, tinged with the exhilaration of drunken revelry: "You've all probably heard the rumors about your Empress Li Tang's ambiguous relationship with that Xia Daosheng in the Western Regions, haven't you? Hahaha, didn't you even try to dissuade her in court? Hahaha, to be honest, they were a match made in heaven. Otherwise, why do you think your Crown Prince could live so peacefully in Fuliang? It's because he was..."

He was speaking when he suddenly hiccuped, seemingly realizing his slip of the tongue. A flicker of panic crossed his cloudy eyes, and he quickly grabbed his glass and gulped down his drink, slurring as he tried to cover it up: "Drink, drink! Why bring this up? It's all their family business... family business..."

However, that half-spoken statement, which was almost explicitly stated, exploded like a thunderclap in the silent banquet.

A guest's chopsticks fell to the table with a "clatter," and the other scholars looked at each other, their faces turning pale instantly, their hearts pounding like drums.

The Crown Prince of Li Tang was originally Xia Lin's son! Zhang Shuo's almost explicit drunken words confirmed the most shocking yet reasonable guess that had been made over the years!
The banquet ended hastily in an eerie atmosphere. Several literati bid farewell absentmindedly, their steps hurried, as if raging flames were burning behind them.

After they left, Old Zhang slumped on the couch, seemingly dead drunk, but he crossed his legs and started singing. His voice didn't tremble at all; he didn't look like a drunkard at all.

Within half a day, the shocking news that "Minister Zhang, after drinking, made a slip of the tongue, saying that the Crown Prince of Li Tang was the son of the Empress and Marshal Xia" spread like wildfire, instantly igniting various secret circles in Chang'an.

Although no one dared to proclaim it openly, the whispers in private, the shock and undisguised glances exchanged, had already caused the temperature in this capital city to rise sharply.

Although this matter has been a popular gossip topic for many years, some things may seem insignificant until they are weighed, but once weighed, they can be incredibly heavy.

The news immediately reached Changsun Wuji, who was already overwhelmed by the recent factional strife.

He was in his study discussing with his confidants how to further suppress the influence of Lao Zhang when he heard the news. He was stunned at first, then his face turned ashen, and finally he slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, smashing it to pieces!

"Zhang Zhongchun!!!" Changsun Wuji practically spat out these three words through gritted teeth, his chest heaving violently, his vision blurring, and he almost lost his balance.

He had taken every precaution, but he never expected that scoundrel would dare to use such a ruthless and devastating move! This was no longer an undercurrent; it was a direct exposure of the royal family's secrets!

Once this matter becomes widely known, what a fatal blow will it strike the Empress's authority and the legitimacy of the Li Tang dynasty's rule? And how awkward and powerless will his image as a loyal minister, which he has been trying so hard to maintain, and the policy basis for suppressing Xia Lin and opposing cooperation, become?

All his previous opposition has become a joke, now that the crown prince, who rightfully has the blood of an "enemy country" flowing through his veins, is gone!
"How dare he... He's trying to destroy the foundation of our Great Tang Dynasty in an instant!" Changsun Wuji trembled with rage, his voice hoarse.

"My lord, this matter must be suppressed immediately!" a trusted advisor said urgently. "The source is Zhang Shuo, perhaps..."

"Suppress? How can we suppress him?" Changsun Wuji turned around abruptly, his breathing rapid, his eyes already devoid of composure. He almost gritted his teeth as he said, "To move against Zhang Shuo now would be tantamount to admitting guilt without being asked! Everyone in the world would say that I was guilty and wanted to silence him! Zhang Zhongchun calculated this precisely, which is why he dared to act so recklessly! And let me ask you, do you know what the consequences are of killing the prime minister of another country in Chang'an?"

He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Zhang Shuo's actions, seemingly reckless, were in fact a meticulously planned and treacherous scheme.

Revealing the Crown Prince's true identity not only instantly shattered the power struggle in the Chang'an court caused by the Prince of Qin's serious illness, but also shifted all the internal conflicts of the Li Tang dynasty to the ultimate question of how to deal with this special Crown Prince.

Supporting the Crown Prince means acknowledging and even accepting Xia Lin's existence and influence. Opposing the Crown Prince, on the other hand, would shake the very foundation of the nation and inevitably lead to greater turmoil and division!

Whichever side you choose, it will play right into their hands.

What's even more terrifying is that if it's confirmed that Li Zhi is Xia Lin's son, then the position of crown prince will be absolutely secure...

No, no, no, not only the Crown Prince, but even the Empress of Li Tang was impregnable, because she was that mad dog's wife and children.

As long as His Majesty doesn't deny this, no one can touch them. Why? Is there even a need to ask why? Why the hell do you need to ask? If anyone were to poison the Crown Prince or force the Empress to abdicate, just look at the result—they would be utterly crushed to ashes.

"What a Xia Daosheng! What a Zhang Zhongchun!" Changsun Wuji slumped into his chair, feeling a profound sense of powerlessness. Faced with such stark truth, all schemes and calculations seemed pale in comparison.

"Immediately issue the order," he said wearily, rubbing his temples. "Use all available resources to strictly prohibit the spread of this rumor! Maintain a unified narrative: this is a malicious rumor spread by traitors from Wei, intended to sow discord between the Tang emperor and his ministers, and to tarnish the imperial reputation! Anyone who dares to speak out again will be executed without exception as a traitor." However, issuing orders is easy; controlling public sentiment is difficult.

The news was too shocking, and this kind of gossip spread at a speed that could match the speed of light. He had just learned about it here, and it had already been spreading like a virus throughout all levels of Chang'an.

Changsun Wuji's forceful suppression only fueled people's curiosity and rebellion.

Inside the palace of Third Sister in the Anxi Protectorate.

By candlelight, San Niang looked at the secret message sent by carrier pigeon from Chang'an. Her face showed no emotion, only her erratic breathing betrayed the turmoil in her heart.

In fact, she knew all along that this matter couldn't be kept secret, and she never thought of hiding it forever, since Zhi'er had known who her father was since she was a child.

She just didn't expect to be thrust into the spotlight so abruptly in this way.

Old Zhang's "drunken words" were less a leak and more a declaration made on Xia Lin's orders.

"Your Majesty, the carrier pigeons are arriving one after another. Changsun Wuji is currently suppressing the rumors in Chang'an with all his might, but with little effect," his trusted female official whispered.

Third Sister snorted coldly: "Suppression? The more he suppresses, the more people will believe him. Zhongchun's move has saved me a lot of trouble."

She stood up, walked to the window, and sighed softly, "Well, it's good that this thin veil has been torn down; now everything is clean."

She pondered for a moment, then ordered, "Ignore the rumors in Chang'an. Strengthen the secret guards in the direction of Fuliang to ensure Zhi'er's safety. Also, in my name, send Minister Zhang a jar of newly brewed wine. Tell him I thank him for remembering his old friends in Chang'an, and that this wine will soothe his throat."

This order was significant. It indicated that she was aware of and tacitly approved of Zhang Shuo's actions, and it was also a strong retaliation, showing that she was not afraid of the truth being exposed.

In fact, what Xiao Wuji in Chang'an is waiting for is not anything else, but a denial from Her Majesty the Empress. As long as Her Majesty firmly and without reservation announces to the world that her child has no relation to Xia Lin whatsoever, then everything else will be much easier.

However, he did not receive any news. Although he knew that if His Majesty wanted to refuse the urgent message, it would have arrived by now, it was clear that Third Sister did not give him any hopeful response. Instead, it seemed as if she had tacitly agreed.

This nonchalant attitude was like pouring hot oil on the fire of suppression that Changsun Wuji had ignited.

The winds of change in Chang'an began to shift subtly and rapidly. Some royalists and centrists who had previously been intimidated by Changsun Wuji's power and dared not speak out quickly switched sides to the Emperor's camp. Whether you call it loyalty to the Emperor and patriotism or being suppressed by military force, this news alone had already tipped the balance of power in the court.

If the Crown Prince's true identity is confirmed and publicly acknowledged by His Majesty, his position will not only remain unshaken, but because he possesses the bloodline of Xia Lin, he will have the entire Western Regions' powerful army and the Fuliang system behind him. This gives him a unique stability that makes people dare not act rashly.

Changsun Wuji sensed this shift in pressure and found himself in an even deeper predicament. Suppressing the rumors seemed foolish and futile, but letting them go unchecked meant they would become the consensus. The exchange between the Western Regions and Chang'an felt more like a slap in the face followed by complete isolation.

He felt as if he were trapped in a well that was tightening, and the light at the wellhead was getting farther and farther away.

"We can't just sit here and wait to die..." A resolute glint flashed in Changsun Wuji's eyes: "No, no..."

However, just as this ruthless thought crossed his mind, a trusted aide rushed in from outside the door, his voice filled with fear: "My lord, something terrible has happened!"

Changsun Wuji's heart sank, a chill running from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, but he still remained calm and rebuked, "What's making you so flustered!"

"Your Majesty... His Majesty admitted it, and she sent someone to deliver a bottle of wine to Zhang Zhongchun."

Upon hearing this news, Xiao Wuji was struck dumb for the third time. He sat down on the steps in a daze, looked up, and said blankly, "It's over... the situation is hopeless."

Almost simultaneously, in Shanshan City in the Western Regions, Xia Lin received a report from Sun Jiuzhen.

"General, the rumors in Chang'an have spread and are having a significant effect. Changsun Wuji seems to be desperate and ready to take drastic measures."

Xia Lin sat there reading a book, not even looking up, her tone calm and even: "Peace and tranquility at home is the bottom line. Go and inform him that I said so. Let him come up with whatever tricks he has up his sleeve. Don't use underhanded methods. Otherwise, whether it succeeds or not, I'll split his earthworms upright and smash his eggs."

(End of this chapter)