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

Chapter 873 Equal treatment of everyone
The Lantern Festival banquet continued in an extremely subtle atmosphere. The music and dance were still playing, but everyone's mind was no longer on the festive atmosphere.

Xia Lin indeed sat down next to Changsun Wuji, enjoying the delicacies that should have belonged to the chief minister of the Li Tang dynasty without any hesitation.

The eunuch nervously added wine and meat to his plate, but he ate as if no one else was around. Occasionally, he would strike up a conversation with Changsun Wuji, whose face was stiff beside him. His tone was so familiar that it sounded like he was having a casual chat, but the content of his conversation was infuriating.

"Little Wuji, you seem to be doing quite well as prime minister? I think you've managed Chang'an quite well; the roads are even wider now." Xia Lin gnawed on a chicken leg, his hands greasy, and casually wiped them on an expensive Persian tapestry. "It's just that people's hearts seem a bit narrow."

Changsun Wuji's lips twitched, and he forced a smile: "Marshal Xia is joking... It is all thanks to His Majesty's good fortune. We are merely doing our duty."

"It's good to be conscientious and dutiful." Xia Lin nodded, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the Pei, Cui, and Wei families across the seats, each with a different expression: "I'm just afraid that some people, while guarding their posts, will start to take other people's things for themselves."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for the people at the nearby tables to hear him. Pei Situ lowered his eyes, staring intently at the wine glass in his hand, as if he could see something extraordinary in it. The flush on Cui Situ's face had faded, replaced by a hint of unease. General Wei, on the other hand, straightened his back, and when his eyes met Xia Lin's, there was even a hint of barely perceptible excitement and respect in his gaze.

Sitting below the imperial steps, Li Zhi watched his father's demeanor, and the tension that had been building up in his heart for months finally began to ease.

He knew that as long as his father was alive, the sky over Chang'an would not fall. However... seeing his father causing so much trouble, he felt a headache coming on and wondered how the officials of the court would continue to live their lives.

The gift-giving ceremony ended hastily, and the free banquet began. However, no one dared to move around freely, let alone approach and speak to anyone. The proposed plan for the Crown Princess was abandoned in the womb due to everyone looking at each other and passing the buck. The carefully planned coup had now become a joke.

After all, everyone present knew about this man's fearsome reputation and style of doing things. He was clearly there to support his son, and no one wanted to risk offending him at this time.

Xia Lin, however, seemed completely unaware that he had become the center of attention. After eating and drinking his fill, he patted his stomach and beckoned to Li Zhi: "Son, come here."

Li Zhi quickly got up and walked to his side.

Xia Lin looked him up and down, pinched his arm, and patted his shoulder: "Hmm, you've grown taller and stronger. But your brows are furrowed like a gourd. When I was your age, I had already led a group to overthrow the Turkic royal court."

Li Zhi was both amused and exasperated: "Father..."

"Alright, I know you've had a tough time these days." Xia Lin suppressed the teasing on his face and lowered his voice so that only the two of them could hear: "How's your uncle's teaching you going?"

Li Zhi nodded: "Uncle's plans are flawless. If I follow the plan, I will still be able to manage."

"What a load of crap." Xia Lin scoffed. "You're far from being good enough to play mind games with these old foxes and young foxes. But it doesn't matter, now that your father is here, you don't need to waste your brains."

He stood up, stretched, his bones cracking softly, then looked around the room and said loudly, "I'm a little tired. Please continue drinking. I'm taking my son back to have a private chat."

Without waiting for anyone's reaction, she grabbed Li Zhi and started walking out. Wherever they went, the crowd automatically parted to make way, and no one dared to stop them.

Only after that figure disappeared outside the palace gates did the stagnant air in the hall seem to begin to flow again. Everyone looked at each other, and could see the fear and complexity in each other's eyes.

Changsun Wuji slowly sat back down, picked up a cup of cold wine and drank it all in one gulp. His fingertips were still trembling slightly. He couldn't even utter a protest. He was suppressed by Xia Daosheng both openly and secretly. It has to be said that he was a truly pathetic prime minister of the Tang Dynasty.

Seeing the Crown Prince being taken away like that, Cui Lin's glimmer of hope faded again, and she couldn't help but clench the handkerchief in her hand. Pei Wan, on the other hand, stared at the empty palace gates, her eyes filled with an unfathomable darkness.

Only Wei Tong stroked the ornate Persian dagger in her hand, smiling as if a pear tree had blossomed.

After the main characters leave, the palace banquet is destined to end hastily in an atmosphere where people neither enjoy the food nor speak sincerely.

Xia Lin pulled Li Zhi along, but instead of riding in a carriage, they walked on the palace road that had been cleared of snow. The guards followed at a distance, not daring to disturb them.

The biting wind dispersed the slight smell of alcohol from Xia Lin's body, making the weariness on his face even more apparent.

"Father, why did you arrive so quickly? What about the Western Regions..." Li Zhi couldn't help but ask.

“With Brother Xu and your Uncle Wang keeping an eye on things in the Western Regions, nothing will go wrong.” Xia Lin waved his hand. “Your uncle’s letter said it was extremely urgent. If I don’t come soon, my precious son might be devoured by those people.”

Li Zhi felt a warmth in his heart and said softly, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Father."

"Nonsense, you're my son, if I don't worry about you, who will?" Xia Lin stopped and looked at Li Zhi, then pinched his cheek like he did when they were children: "The letter was vague, now tell me what happened? How many of those three little girls did you eat?"

Li Zhi hadn't expected his father to ask so directly, and his face flushed with embarrassment: "Father! This matter... this matter..."

"Don't give me that crap." Xia Lin raised her hand to interrupt him: "A real man should be responsible for his actions. If I slept with someone, I slept with them; if I didn't, I didn't. This is about what I do next."

Li Zhi took a deep breath, knowing that it was useless to hide it from his father, so he had no choice but to tell the truth: "Zhongnan Mountain... had a one-time affair with Cui Lin. Pei Wan and Wei Tong did not overstep any boundaries."

Xia Lin stroked her chin and clicked her tongue: "That one from the Cui family... tsk, she has good taste, but she's a bit too cunning. As for the Pei family one, you were right to leave her hanging; you can't indulge her haughtiness, it's just like a hypocrite trying to maintain a virtuous image. And that little dark-skinned girl from the Wei family..."

He suddenly chuckled, "Actually, I personally think he's the most suitable candidate to be the Crown Princess, but that might mean Xiao Wu has to suffer. Aren't you and Xiao Wu already an old married couple?"

Li Zhi: "...Father!"

"Alright, let's get down to business." Xia Lin's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Changsun Wuji, in collusion with the imperial clan, is forcing you to take a concubine. They want to use marriage to tie you to the Guanzhong region, and ideally, they want you to give birth to a grandson with their bloodline, so that the Li Tang dynasty will take their surname in the future. Your uncle was right to let you delay, but now we can't delay any longer."

"What are Father's plans?"

"How about it?" Xia Lin sneered. "I hate being schemed against the most. They want to send people? Fine! Let them send them! But who they send, and how they send them, is up to me!"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "Starting tomorrow, you will feign illness and close your door to all visitors. Leave the affairs outside to me."

"Pretend to be ill?" Li Zhi was taken aback.

“Yes, feign illness.” Xia Lin patted his shoulder: “Just stay in the East Palace, read some books, practice martial arts. I’ll go and call Xiao Heipi over so you two can get to know each other. As for the rest, you don’t need to worry about it. I’ll find a way to set up a council of beautiful girls in the East Palace for you. Cricket fighting in the harem is the most interesting thing.”

"Father... there's no need for that, too much isn't good either."

“Good! How could it be bad? Let me tell you, that Pei family girl looks exactly like your second mother, she’s the best of the best. If you let her eat that thing, you’ll wake up in the middle of the night one day and slap yourself.”

"Father..." Li Zhi remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Is this the third lesson Uncle spoke of?"

"What?! It's already the third lesson?! Lesson?! Lesson my ass!"

The next day, news that the Crown Prince had fallen ill and that all government affairs and activities had been suspended spread throughout Chang'an.

The gates of the Eastern Palace were tightly closed, refusing all visitors and even the daily greetings. Only the head of the Imperial Medical Academy came and went each day, looking solemn. He only told the outside world that the Crown Prince was overworked and needed to rest for some time.

This news left the various factions, already bewildered by Xia Lin's return, even more confused.

When Changsun Wuji heard about this in his residence, his brows furrowed.

The Crown Prince fell ill as soon as Xia Lin arrived? This illness is too suspicious. Is it true or false? If it's true, it's too much of a coincidence. If it's false, what is Xia Lin's intention?
However, he was too lazy to guess Xia Lin's thoughts. If it were anyone else, Changsun Wuji might have been willing to put up a fight, but now it was Xia Lin, and he didn't even have the energy to do so. It wasn't worth it. If he really angered her, he could strip himself naked, tie a stone to his body, throw himself into the river, and then claim that he, Changsun Wuji, had committed suicide out of fear of punishment.

Inside the Pei residence, Uncle Pei stroked his beard and pondered: "..."

Pei Wan sat at the lower end, her eyes lowered, and said softly, "Is there no hope for our Pei family now?" "Alas... Wan'er, you have missed a golden opportunity. In a few days, the family will probably have to marry you off to some impoverished family as punishment."

Upon hearing this, Pei Wan silently lowered her head and shed tears. She was so beautiful, yet now she was destined for this fate. Why had she taken that step back back in the Eastern Palace...?

Cui Situ was even more anxious: "Don't provoke him. Lin'er, go and tell His Highness that your pregnancy was a misdiagnosis and that it was just a cold and indigestion."

If she is truly pregnant, that would be fine. But if Xia Daosheng finds out that his daughter deceived His Highness, wouldn't that be...?

Wei Tong was selected by Xia Lin to enter the Eastern Palace to accompany the "sick" Crown Prince in boxing and archery, fostering a relationship. The little dark-skinned boy was interesting and didn't have any messy thoughts. Although his robust physique made him completely different from those delicate, fair-skinned girls, Xia Lin told Li Zhi not to worry and that he would know how exciting this little dark-skinned boy was when summer came.

At this moment, Xia Lin, who was the subject of much speculation, was not at the East Palace with her son who was "recuperating".

He changed into an ordinary blue cotton robe, looking like a typical wealthy man in Chang'an. He only brought two bodyguards dressed as attendants with him as he strolled out the door.

His first stop was not the residence of any prime minister or nobleman, but the Imperial Clan Court.

When Prince Lu, Li Yuanchang, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, heard that Xia Lin was coming to visit, he was so shocked that he fell off his couch and scrambled out the door to greet him.

"General Xia... General Xia! I was unaware of your presence and have failed to greet you properly. My apologies!"

Li Yuanchang was no young man, but at this moment he was so frightened that his face turned pale and his voice trembled. He had heard of Xia Lin's fearsome reputation, not to mention that the horrifying scene at yesterday's palace banquet was still fresh in his mind.

Xia Lin smiled and helped him up: "Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities. I was just taking a stroll and happened to pass by the Imperial Clan Court. I was reminded of some old things, so I came in to take a look."

The old stories he recounted made Li Yuanchang's legs go weak even more. Everyone knew that when Xia Lin was in Chang'an, he had dealt with the imperial family quite a bit, and those dealings were far from pleasant.

Inviting Xia Lin into the main hall and serving him fragrant tea, Li Yuanchang cautiously asked, "I wonder what you mean by 'old story' that Commander Xia is referring to..."

Xia Lin blew on the tea foam and said slowly, "It's nothing, I just heard that the Imperial Clan Court has been busy selecting concubines for my son lately?"

Li Yuanchang broke out in a cold sweat instantly: "This...this is a matter of national importance, we are merely following precedent..."

"According to precedent?" Xia Lin put down his teacup, making a crisp clinking sound. "What precedent? His mother is far away in the Western Regions, and the child is young. Since when has it become the business of ministers and members of the royal family to interfere in such important matters as marriage? Prince Lu, you're getting old. Have you forgotten what the Li Tang dynasty belongs to?"

"Your surname is Li... What's wrong? No, no, any surname will do, whatever you say is fine."

"Marshal Xia, please calm down! I had no such intention! It was all... it was all the fault of Chancellor Changsun and the others..." Li Yuanchang hurriedly shifted the blame to Changsun Wuji: "The court officials felt that the Crown Prince was capable of handling things independently, so they..."

“Changsun Wuji?” Xia Lin raised an eyebrow: “He is a subject from outside the royal family. Your Highness, Prince Lu, you are an elder of the royal family, you should understand what your duty is.”

He stood up, walked to the front of the hall, and looked at the snow in the courtyard: "I came here today to remind Prince Lu that the Imperial Clan Court should just manage the imperial genealogy and sacrificial rites. Don't meddle in other things."

He turned around, his gaze like a knife scraping across Li Yuanchang's pale face: "Without my and his mother's approval, no one else's approval is of any use. Do you understand?"

Li Yuanchang nodded hurriedly and said, "I understand...I understand! This old man gets it!"

After leaving the Imperial Clan Court, Xia Lin strolled over to the Prefectural Governor's office, chatting with the governor for half an hour and inquiring about Chang'an's security, rice prices, and oil prices. He then went to the West Market, where he drank two cups of turbid wine at a tavern frequented by foreigners and listened to some local gossip. Finally, he even went to Pingkang Ward, pausing briefly in front of a brothel, eliciting gasps of surprise from the women inside. He simply smiled and turned to leave.

His whereabouts were completely undisguised, and news of them quickly spread to various residences through different channels.

As Changsun Wuji listened to his confidant's report, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper. Going to the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs was a warning; going to the Prefect of the Capital was a show of force; going to the West Market was to observe the people's conditions? Going to Pingkang Ward… what was he planning? This man acted as haphazardly as ever, yet every step he took was fraught with trepidation.

However, what caught Changsun Wuji and everyone else completely off guard happened that afternoon.

Xia Lin appeared directly at the entrance of the Political Affairs Hall.

At that moment, several prime ministers were discussing matters in the hall. Upon hearing that Xia Lin had arrived, they were all startled. Without waiting for an announcement, Xia Lin had already lifted the curtain and entered.

He was still wearing that blue cotton robe, standing out from the other prime ministers in purple robes and jade belts in the Hall of State Affairs.

"Gentlemen, are you busy?" He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, then found an empty seat and sat down, right opposite Changsun Wuji.

The prime ministers exchanged glances, and finally Changsun Wuji mustered his courage and spoke up: "What brings you here, Marshal Xia?"

"I wouldn't presume to offer advice." Xia Lin crossed his legs. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you all."

He glanced at everyone present, his tone as relaxed as if discussing what to eat for dinner: "The Crown Prince is not young anymore, so it is indeed time to put the matter of choosing a consort on the agenda."

Everyone was taken aback, not expecting him to bring up the matter on his own initiative.

Changsun Wuji cautiously replied, "What Marshal Xia says is absolutely right. May I ask what insightful opinion Marshal Xia may have?"

"I wouldn't call it a brilliant insight," Xia Lin waved his hand. "I just think that the selection of concubines could be broadened. Focusing only on the families of Guanzhong is too narrow-minded. Aren't there good women in the Shandong gentry and the culturally rich Jiangnan region? I've heard that the Wang family of Langya and the Xie family of Chenjun both have eligible daughters, as well as the Lu and Gu families of Wujun, whose families are known for their upright character and virtuous women. Oh, and by the way, the granddaughters of Feng Ang's family in Lingnan are also quite good; they're healthy and fertile."

With each place name and surname he mentioned, the expressions of the prime ministers present changed. These families were either far from the political center or had long-standing estrangement from the Guanlong Group. If the crown prince were to choose a consort from among these families, it would be a pipe dream for the Guanlong Group to maintain its control over the court as it does now!
"Marshal Xia!" Changsun Wuji couldn't help but raise his voice: "The selection of the Crown Princess concerns the foundation of the nation; how can it be treated so lightly! Family background and character should be the primary considerations!"

"Hmm?" Xia Lin scoffed, "Lord Changsun, what kind of family do you think I come from? I'm just a lowly pageboy from Luoyang who makes a living by collecting swill."

Changsun Wuji kept his mouth shut, fearing he would be beaten up for saying the wrong thing.

He stood up, walked up to Changsun Wuji, and looked down at him: "I'm not here today to discuss things with you."

"The selection of the Crown Prince's consort will be expanded to include all aristocratic families, regardless of whether they are from the north or south, east or west. As long as they are talented and virtuous, they can participate. I will have someone draft the specific rules and send them to the Council of State Affairs. You just need to follow them. Thinking about it, there are still quite a few aristocratic families left. It seems that we haven't cleaned them up yet. But oh well, they are all fathers now, and they are about to become grandfathers. It's not good for them to have too much blood on their hands."

Having said that, he ignored the ashen faces of the crowd, turned and walked out. Reaching the door, he seemed to remember something and turned back to add:
"By the way, before the charter is issued, anyone who dares to engage in any underhanded activities, such as sending people to the Crown Prince's Palace or spreading rumors, must be dealt with."

He paused, a chilling smile spreading across his face.

"I'll show him what real childishness is."

The curtain fell, and his figure disappeared outside the door.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, there was a deathly silence, with only the heavy breathing of the prime ministers and the cracking sound of Changsun Wuji's clenched fists.

No joke, Xia Linping bullied everyone in Chang'an with such an arrogant attitude that it made people feel uncomfortable. After getting off work, Changsun Wuji cried at home and then silently began to submit his resignation.

But the next day, Xia Lin found him again and threw his resignation form back in front of him: "You're not allowed to resign!"

"Why? You're not the emperor of my Great Tang Dynasty, why are you bullying me like this!" Changsun Wuji was full of grievances, and his voice was trembling.

"I don't care about any of that." Xia Lin paused on the resignation form with his finger, and emphasized again, "You're not allowed to resign! If you dare to resign, I'll drag you to the Western Regions to perform belly dancing for people. You just try it."

(End of this chapter)