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

Chapter 875 Waaaaah, Husband, you're being ridiculous!

The snow in Bingzhou melts quietly, and the dripping water under the eaves is the sound of spring knocking on the door.

Xiao Wu stood under the eaves of the west courtyard of the Wu residence, gazing calmly at the few remaining red petals of the old plum tree in the courtyard.

General Chen strode over, his armor gleaming coldly in the thin spring sunlight: "Miss, the carriage is ready, and we can depart at any time."

Xiao Wu nodded slightly.

In the past month or so, she has used the power of the Crown Prince's procession to bestow favors and establish authority, and has completely subdued the Wu family of Bingzhou.

Yang claimed to be ill and did not leave the house. Wu Yuanqing and Wu Yuanshuang were like mice before a cat when they saw her, and the elders of the clan regarded her as the true support of the Wu family.

Yesterday, the wife of the Governor of Bingzhou personally hosted a farewell banquet, and in her words, she was already being compared to the top noble ladies of Chang'an.

She knew that this action would eventually reach Chang'an, and those who were waiting to see her make a fool of herself or want to trample her into the mud should reconsider.

"Let's go." She said calmly, turned around and boarded the magnificent carriage that symbolized the favor of the Crown Prince. Surrounded by more than a thousand guards, the horse's hooves pounded on the wet bluestone road of Bingzhou City, and it drove toward the city gate with great momentum.

People along the way stopped to watch, and amidst whispers, the name "Miss Wu the Second" was repeatedly mentioned, with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

Xiao Wu sat upright in the car, carefully examining the lingzhi mushroom that had already developed a patina and become jade-like.

At the same time, a fast horse carrying Xia Lin's astonishing proposal to "expand the selection of concubines" rushed into the Anxi Protectorate despite the chilly spring weather.

Inside the Anxi Protectorate, spring was still lingering. Third Sister was discussing with several trusted generals the details of joint exercises with the Wei Kingdom's construction corps after the spring thaw when her personal female attendant rushed in, carrying an urgent letter, her face unusually grave.

"Your Majesty, this is an urgent dispatch from Chang'an, traveling 800 li."

Third Sister opened the envelope, and the familiar handwriting came into view. The few words were like a thunderclap in her ears.

"As the Crown Prince grows older, the selection of a consort has long been decided. Although women from Guanzhong are desirable, the world is vast, and there are countless beauties. The Council of State Affairs has been ordered to draft an edict to inform Wei and Tang, stating that all gentry families of good character may participate in the selection, in order to ensure the continuation of the imperial line and to reassure the people..."

"Notice to Wei and Tang: Both are eligible to participate in the election!"
Third Sister's fingers tightened suddenly as she gripped the letter. She felt a rush of blood to her head, her vision blurred, and the voices of the generals around her became faint and distant.

How dare he! How dare he do this!

Yes, she knew long ago that Zhi'er's marriage could not be entirely according to her own wishes.

This was due to pressure from the Guanlong Group and the imperial clan. Being in the Western Regions, she was powerless to intervene, and she had tacitly approved of and even hoped that Xia Lin would return to resolve the situation quickly.

But she never expected that her father would use such a ridiculous method!

Now the selection of a concubine has been expanded to include all the noble families of Wei and Tang? This is hardly a selection of a concubine. It is clearly turning the marriage of the crown prince of Li Tang into a reshuffling of the world's power, laying bare the foundation of the Li Tang dynasty before the world for all forces to contend for!
Did he consider Zhi'er's feelings? Did he consider her feelings as a mother? Did he consider the dignity and future of the Li Tang dynasty?

Or perhaps, in Xia Lin's eyes, this is a much larger game, and Zhi'er, and even the entire Li Tang, are merely important pieces on his chessboard?
An indescribable sense of bitterness, anger, and loss gripped San Niang's heart.

Now he's going to arrange things for their son in this way!?
"Your Majesty?" An old general below noticed her unusual behavior and tentatively called out.

Third Sister suddenly came to her senses, took a deep breath, suppressed her turbulent emotions, slowly folded the letter, and put it into her sleeve.

When he looked up again, his face had regained the calm of an emperor, but the icy coldness deep in his eyes made everyone present feel a chill.

"Nothing." Her voice was calm, without the slightest hint of emotion. "A letter came from Chang'an, mentioning some trivial matters. Where were we? Continue."

She forced her attention back to military affairs, but her hands, hidden in her sleeves, remained tightly clenched, her nails digging deep into her palms.

The ensuing discussions were much less effective, and San Niang felt increasingly uneasy. Xia Lin's few words echoed repeatedly in her mind like a curse. She could almost imagine the enormous waves this decree would unleash in Chang'an and in both the Wei and Tang kingdoms once it was officially promulgated.

The Guanlong Group will inevitably launch a fierce counterattack, and the gentry of Shandong and Jiangnan will take action upon hearing the news. Even the Northern Han and Tubo may use this as an opportunity to create trouble.

And her son will be pushed to the very center of this storm.

And then there's Xiao Wu... That child is deeply devoted to Zhi'er, intelligent and patient. She was originally Zhi'er's most preferred daughter-in-law, or at least the one who could best understand and support Zhi'er.

But now that the selection of concubines has expanded so much, with noble ladies from prominent families and backed by powerful forces flooding into the Eastern Palace, how will Xiao Wu cope? And how much can Zhi'er protect her?
After the deliberations concluded, the generals took their leave.

In the empty hall, only Third Sister remained. She walked to the window, gazing at the vast, dusky sky of the Western Regions. The setting sun cast a long shadow of her, conveying an indescribable loneliness.

“Xia Lin…” she murmured the name, her tone complex and difficult to decipher, finally turning into an almost inaudible sigh: “You are still that willful and reckless bastard.”

She knew that writing another letter to object at this point would be futile, because given Xia Lin's personality, once she made a decision, she would never turn back.

He's probably in Chang'an right now, happily waiting to see the chaos unfold on all sides.

The only solution now is to stabilize the situation in the Western Regions as soon as possible, and then... she must return to Chang'an.

It wasn't to stop the selection of concubines, but to personally oversee her son's marriage as the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. She wanted to see who would dare to go too far in her son's marriage, including that bastard, her son's own father.

"Pass down the order." The Third Lady's voice was cold and decisive, leaving no room for doubt: "Accelerate the progress of joint exercises with the Wei army. I want to see results within ten days. Also, secretly prepare the imperial carriage. I will be returning to the capital soon."

Springtime in Chang'an is naturally more bustling than in the Western Regions.

As the ice and snow melted and willow catkins began to drift, Zhuque Avenue was bustling with carriages and people of all kinds, creating a more lively atmosphere than usual. The source of this commotion was the Crown Prince's selection of a consort, open to all women from the Wei and Tang aristocratic families, regardless of their origins or social status!
The official charter issued by the Council of State Affairs has not yet been released, but Xia Lin's resounding words at the palace banquet that day have already spread to every corner through countless channels, embellished and exaggerated.

For a time, Chang'an seemed to be a pot of water that was about to boil, maintaining the prosperity of a peaceful and prosperous era on the surface, but inside, bubbles were churning and steam was rising.

The Eastern Palace remains tightly closed, and the Crown Prince is recuperating from an illness. However, this recuperation has been interpreted in countless ways by the world.

Inside the Pei residence, the atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

Pei Wan knelt before her father, Pei Situ, her tears still wet on her face. Her once beautiful face had become thinner, making her look even more pitiful.

On the ground in front of her lay several pages of letters, sent from the clan elders back in their hometown. The letters were sternly worded, rebuking her for missing a golden opportunity and bringing shame to the family, and implying that if she could not salvage the situation, the family would consider abandoning her branch of the clan.

"Father..." Pei Wan's voice choked with sobs, "Your daughter is now... a laughingstock in Chang'an..."

The story of the Crown Prince's retreat that night has been spread in such unbearable terms that she no longer has the courage to even go out.

Pei Situ's face was ashen. He looked at his most prized daughter, his heart filled with a mixture of pain and anger. How could he not know that his daughter had been wronged? But circumstances were beyond his control. Xia Lin's move had disrupted all plans, pushing the Pei family, and even the entire Guanlong Group, to the brink of disaster.

"What's the use of crying!" Pei Situ said in a low voice, his tone unconsciously carrying a hint of weariness: "Xia Lin's actions are intended to divide and weaken our Guanzhong region. Now, those families in Shandong and Jiangnan are probably already itching for a fight. Wan'er, if you still want to compete, you can no longer hold onto the dignity of a well-bred young lady!"

Pei Wan raised her tearful eyes and looked blankly at her father.

"Xia Lin wants to choose, doesn't he? Fine! Let him choose!" A ruthless glint flashed in Pei Situ's eyes. "Do you think our Pei family's centuries-old heritage is inferior to those out-of-town aristocratic families? You should brace yourself and prepare well. When the selection rules are announced, it will be your time to compete with all the ladies of the land as the legitimate daughter of the Pei family! Remember, what you are fighting for is not only the position of Crown Princess, but also the honor of our Guanzhong aristocratic families!"

A similar scene unfolded at the Cui residence.

Cui Lin carefully drew her eyebrows in front of the bronze mirror, her hands trembling slightly. Her father, Cui Situ, paced anxiously beside her, his voice strained: "Lin'er, regarding the Zhongnan Mountain matter, although you gained the upper hand, the situation has changed drastically! The matter of the false pregnancy must not be mentioned again! Now, what matters is family background, talent, and moral character! You must remain steadfast and absolutely cannot make another mistake!"

Cui Lin put down her eyebrow pencil, looked at her beautiful face in the mirror, and bit her lip: "I understand. But... His Highness is currently staying indoors, and we can't even see him..."

"Even if we can't see him, we must find a way!" Cui Situ said resolutely. "I have already made arrangements in the palace to host a banquet for everyone, including the Emperor Emeritus. At that time, you must be the first to win!"

Compared to the anxiety of the Pei and Cui families, the Wei family seemed much calmer. General Wei patted his daughter's shoulder, his voice booming: "Tong'er, what are you afraid of! My Wei family's daughter is upright and honest! Doesn't Commander Xia value real talent and learning? Your horsemanship, archery, and household management skills are no less than those delicate ladies. Go and choose openly and honestly! If you don't get chosen, your father will find you an even better young general. I heard that Wang Zhuoheng is still unmarried. He's a bit older, but only in his twenties. When the time comes, I'll give that old dog Wang Shichong a heads-up and mention that his son is the commander of the Northwest Army, second only to Xia Daosheng!"

Wei Tong, who was wiping a long spear, looked up at the words, grinned, and revealed her snow-white teeth: "Father, I'm not afraid. I just feel... isn't this choice too unfair to His Highness? I've been with His Highness these past few days, and I feel that he's not like what people say. He's really too good, unlike any of the纨绔 (spoiled brats) I've met. He's quite likable, and a very gentlemanly person."

General Wei was taken aback, sighed, and remained silent.

However, among the many residences that were originally not destined for the Eastern Palace, the situation was quite different.

Members of the Shandong and Jiangnan clans residing in Chang'an sprang into action, sending letters like snowflakes to various regions, and gathering portraits, records of talents, and evaluations of virtues of eligible daughters from their clans. Some surnames that had been dormant for many years were once again brought to the forefront.

Inns in Chang'an suddenly became scarce, and many unfamiliar faces with accents from all over the country checked into various post stations and guild halls, secretly gathering information and making connections.

Meanwhile, Xia Lin was reclining on a chaise lounge in the East Palace, listening to Li Zhi report on his recent experiences of "recuperating."

“The Pei family sent invitations several times, but my son declined them all, citing the need for rest, as my father had instructed. The tonics sent by the Cui family were also examined and accepted by the imperial physician, but no response was given. Miss Wei… still comes to accompany my son in martial arts practice every day.” Li Zhi said, secretly glancing at his father’s expression. “Other families have also made attempts to probe, but compared to these three, they are not as attentive, probably because their current momentum is not as strong as these three powerful families.”

Xia Lin gave a lazy "hmm" without even opening his eyes: "That's right. Once those people have calmed down, we'll go out and clean up the mess. We'll take this opportunity to try and bring together the families we didn't manage to deal with before, and see if they're really interested. You have to understand that these bastards are now scattered and control more than 40% of the land in the world. If that land stays in their hands, I won't feel at ease."

"Father," Li Zhi hesitated for a moment before asking, "With such a grand display, what about Mother's side...?"

"Your mother?" Xia Lin finally opened his eyes and chuckled, "Oh dear... she's probably cursing me right now while packing her bags to go back to Beijing."

Just then, a palace attendant entered silently: "General Xia, a report from Bingzhou states that Miss Wu's carriage has passed Tongguan and will arrive in the capital tomorrow."

Xia Lin took the letter, glanced at it, and casually handed it to Li Zhi: "Here, your confidante is back."

Li Zhi took the letter and looked at the familiar, neat handwriting on it. It described the scenery and people's lives in Bingzhou, and only mentioned the return date at the end. His heart warmed instantly, and the worries of the past few days seemed to have dissipated a lot.

Xia Lin took in his expression, slowly sat up, and patted her son's shoulder: "Your little sister Wu came back at just the right time. From now on, it's up to you two to see how things go."

Then a meaningful smile appeared on his face: "Remember, sometimes having too many choices is the same as having no choices at all. The key is not how many people want to squeeze in, but who you can keep."

As night fell over Chang'an and the lights of every household lit up one after another, Li Zhi rested his chin on his hand, glancing at his father every now and then, because his father was checking his homework.

No joke, anyone else, even a great scholar of the time, would praise Li Zhi for his excellent studies, but only in front of his father would Li Zhi become extremely nervous.

However, it seems that fate is on Li Zhi's side today. Just as Xia Lin frowned and was about to scold his son, someone came from outside: "General Xia, Your Highness. Various families in Chang'an are urging the Emperor Emeritus to hold a spring banquet at Qujiang Pool."

“Damn those two big bastards.” Xia Lin raised his eyelids: “Go tell them that there will be a lot of ice in Tang this spring, and spring plowing will be late. From the palace to the common people, the standard for each banquet table shall not exceed one tael of silver, so as to show the Emperor’s compassion for the people’s hard work in farming. Except for the Emperor Emeritus, the standard for his table shall be doubled to two taels of silver.”

Li Zhi exclaimed in horror: "Father...!"

“It’s alright, this extravagance needs to be addressed. They’ll definitely say I’m going too far, but I’ve already told them not to try anything under my nose.” Xia Lin rubbed her son’s head. “Besides, that way, when your mother comes back, her words will carry more weight.”

Little Li Zhi suddenly realized...

(End of this chapter)