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

Chapter 879 When the Phoenix Returns to Its Nest, a Stormy Night Arrives

When the Empress returned to the capital, the streets of Chang'an were deserted as everyone flocked to the city.

The Imperial Guards, clad in gleaming armor, stood solemnly like a forest on both sides of Zhuque Avenue. The people knelt behind the soldiers, their shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" rising and falling like a tidal wave, their voices shaking the heavens.

Li Zhi, along with civil and military officials, knelt to welcome him outside Chengtian Gate. The ceremonial procession was magnificent, and the music and ceremony were solemn. The Third Lady sat regally on the phoenix carriage, wearing a dragon robe with twelve imperial symbols and a crown with pearl tassels. Her face was majestic and beautiful. Her gaze swept calmly over the kneeling people, lingered briefly on her son Li Zhi, and then looked at the figure standing on the small earthen mound, which seemed out of place in this grand and solemn scene.

Xia Lin, still with his arms crossed, met her gaze from afar, a smile spreading across his face. He even raised his hand as a greeting. San Niang's lips twitched almost imperceptibly before she quickly looked away, inwardly cursing, "Incorrigible scoundrel," but her face remained that of a solemn emperor.

"All of you, rise." Third Sister's voice echoed throughout the hall through the ceremonial music.

The elaborate welcoming ceremony lasted for nearly an hour. The imperial carriage entered the palace and went straight to the Taiji Hall. The Third Lady ascended the throne to receive the congratulations of the officials. By the time the entire process was completed, it was already afternoon.

However, the real turmoil had only just begun.

Before the Third Lady could catch her breath, several high-ranking officials, led by Changsun Wuji, stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "We have something to report."

"Your Majesty!" Changsun Wuji's voice was heavy with sorrow as he held up a memorial with both hands. "We are all condemned to death, yet there are some words that are stuck in our throats and must be spoken! Since Your Majesty's western tour, Xia Lin, as the Crown Prince's tutor and a minister of Wei, has remained in Chang'an. Although he nominally assists the Crown Prince, in fact..."

He took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind: "However, their actions are extremely presumptuous! They control the council of state affairs and disregard the laws of our Great Tang! Moreover, their actions are cruel. The other day, without any evidence, they killed dozens of merchants and displayed their heads in public, causing panic in Chang'an and blocking trade routes! How is such behavior any different from tyranny? I implore Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several censors and officials from the Guanzhong Plain echoed his sentiments.

"Your Majesty, Xia Lin is not a subject of our Li Tang dynasty, yet he has repeatedly interfered in our internal affairs, even meddling in the affairs of the imperial clan and forcing the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs. This is a grave offense!"

"The selection of a consort for the Crown Prince is a matter of national importance. Xia Lin has brazenly issued an order to extend this to all the aristocratic families of Wei and Tang, causing turmoil throughout the land. Various forces are eager to make their move, and their intentions are unfathomable!"

"Your Majesty, Xia Lin in Chang'an treats all the officials and ministers as if they were nothing, often scolding them and even threatening the prime minister with force. Prime Minister Changsun has also been humiliated by him many times! If this continues, the country will cease to exist, Your Majesty!"

Accusations rose and fell, pointing the finger directly at Xia Lin, listing one "crime" after another he had committed in Chang'an, from abusing his power to indiscriminate killing, from interfering in internal affairs to humiliating ministers, with strong words and tears streaming down their faces.

It was as if Xia Lin hadn't come to help the Crown Prince stabilize the situation, but rather to wreak havoc on the Li Tang dynasty.

The atmosphere inside the hall instantly became extremely tense. Many neutral officials lowered their heads, not daring to speak. Some officials who were already dissatisfied with or afraid of Xia Lin secretly exchanged glances.

Li Zhi stood below the imperial steps, his hands clenched slightly within his sleeves.

He knew his father's style of doing things would invite impeachment, but he didn't expect the attack to be so fierce, and to break out in such a way that it was almost a coup on the very first day his mother returned to Beijing.

Third Lady sat upright on the dragon throne, listening expressionlessly, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrests, revealing neither joy nor anger. Only when the voices of the crowd gradually subsided did she slowly speak, her voice devoid of any emotion: "I am aware of what you have said. As for Xia Lin's matter, I have my own plans."

Her words were brief, without an immediate statement. She neither reprimanded her subjects nor defended Xia Lin, which left Changsun Wuji and the others feeling somewhat uncertain.

However, this is only the first wave.

Following this, the imperial clan and core families of Guanzhong, represented by several elders of the Li clan of Longxi and the Li clan of Zhaojun, turned their attention to officials who had been rewarded by the Crown Prince at the "Spring Banquet" or who had been close to the Crown Prince on a regular basis.

A duke from the Li clan of Longxi stepped forward shakily, pointing to a Ministry of Works official who had just been rewarded for proposing improvements to the waterwheel, and said: "Your Majesty! Such a trivial skill has been so richly rewarded by the Crown Prince. Isn't this putting the cart before the horse? Furthermore, people like Wang Yan of the Secretariat and Zhang Han of the Ministry of Personnel have been frequently visiting the Eastern Palace lately, making many remarks that contradict the established laws of our ancestors, advocating so-called new policies, and shaking the foundation of the nation! The Crown Prince is young and may be misled by such treacherous officials. I hope Your Majesty will see this clearly and purge the court of corrupt officials!"

Unable to attack the crown prince directly, they focused their firepower on his supporters, accusing them of inciting the crown prince, sowing discord within the royal family, and attempting to overthrow the existing power structure.

This move was even more insidious; it was aimed at eliminating the Crown Prince's supporters and also at testing the Empress's attitude towards the Crown Prince's recent deviation from the Guanzhong route.

Li Zhi's face paled slightly. Wang Yan, Zhang Han, and others were indeed officials he had been secretly observing and trying to win over under the guidance of his uncle and father. They were either talented or had relatively open-minded ideas, and were talents he wanted to rely on in the future.

Now, however, he has been singled out by the powerful families of Longxi and labeled a treacherous official.

The hall fell silent once more. The officials who had been named all looked grim, yet dared not utter a word of protest.

Third Sister's gaze swept over the officials who were being criticized, then lingered on her son's face for a moment, still revealing no emotion.

Finally, the topic inevitably returned to the most sensitive issue of selecting a concubine.

Minister Cui took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said, “Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is already fourteen years old. His marriage is a matter of national stability and the well-being of the people. Previously, due to Your Majesty’s absence and numerous other disturbances, the matter was delayed. Now that Your Majesty has returned, it is appropriate to determine the Crown Princess as soon as possible to reassure the people. I believe that a noblewoman of high social standing, virtuous character, and knowledgeable in literature and reason should be chosen to match the Crown Prince.”

Although he didn't say it explicitly, his words still emphasized "noble family background," advocating for his daughter and the entire Guanlong Group. Pei Situ immediately echoed, "What Prime Minister Cui said is absolutely right. The Crown Princess is the future Empress, a model for the nation, and should be chosen with utmost care. Women from Guanlong have been officials for generations, are familiar with court etiquette, and know how to conduct themselves appropriately; they are truly the best choice."

They made no mention of Xia Lin's chaotic decree to expand the selection of concubines, only hoping that the Empress would choose the Crown Princess from among the noble ladies of Guanzhong according to tradition.

For a time, the palace almost became a rally for the Guanlong Group to denounce Xia Lin and the Crown Prince's new policies, as well as a petition against the traditional route for selecting imperial concubines.

The pressure was like an invisible mountain, pressing down on the Empress on the throne and also on the young Crown Prince.

Third Sister remained silent, her gaze deep, slowly sweeping over each of the prince's faces—whether filled with excitement, fear, or anticipation. During her absence, that scoundrel had indeed stirred up a storm in Chang'an, and these officials hadn't been idle either.

In the suffocating silence, a clear, youthful voice suddenly rang out, breaking the stillness.

"His Majesty."

Li Zhi stepped forward and bowed. He raised his head, his previous nervousness gone, replaced by a youthful naiveté befitting his age, yet with an undeniable composure.

"The concerns of all the ministers are for the sake of the nation. However, I believe that while the selection of imperial concubines is indeed important, Your Majesty has just returned to the capital and is weary from the journey. Should Your Majesty be allowed to rest for a while before discussing this matter further? As for the various statements made by the ministers, whether they are right or wrong, Your Majesty's wise mind will make the decision and you will have a clear understanding."

He did not defend his father, nor refute the accusations, nor did he rush to express his opinion on the issue of choosing a concubine. Instead, he cleverly used the excuse of "being considerate of the Empress Dowager" to temporarily resolve the current aggressive situation and respectfully returned the final decision-making power to his mother.

This move not only fulfilled filial piety and demonstrated magnanimity, but also gave the Third Sister time to adjust and observe.

Third Sister gave her son a deep look, her eyes flashing with approval.

This kid has really made a lot of progress in the past few months in Chang'an.

“What the Crown Prince says makes sense.” Third Lady finally spoke: “I am indeed a little tired today. I am aware of what you have said. Please allow me to think about it. Court is adjourned.”

After saying this, she stood up and left the Taiji Hall surrounded by eunuchs.

When she returned to the inner palace, she saw someone sitting in the sun under the corridor bridge of the palace, with the retired Emperor Li Yuan next to them. The two of them were reminiscing about the past.

"Of the three great figures in the world today, only you remain," Xia Lin said with a sigh. "General Li Jing passed away early, and my father Guo also left last year. Life is unpredictable."

"Yes."

Li Yuan gently rocked the recliner: "When I first met you, you were about the same age as Zhi'er. Now, nearly twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye. As for people, birth, aging, sickness, and death are the natural order of things. Let's go with the flow. I estimate that my old bones don't have many years left."

"Oh! That's not how it works. You had a son at the age of sixty, and you're living a very carefree life."

"Hahaha, just killing time."

As the two were chatting, Li Yuan looked up and saw that San Niang was already standing in front of him. He didn't say anything, but silently got up and asked the attendant to take away the chair that Xia Lin had given him. He left without even saying goodbye to San Niang.

As San Niang watched her father's departing figure, she said with a hint of grievance, "He still hates me."

"How could he not hate it?" Xia Lin said, crossing his legs. "The old man is petty to begin with. He was forced to work as a septic tank in his prime. How could he feel good about it?"

Third Sister stepped forward, paused for a moment, then dismissed everyone around her. She then kicked Xia Lin, saying, "Look what you've done to my Chang'an!"

"You, Chang'an. You, Chang'an, are truly a small temple with a strong wind, shallow water with many turtles. What? You even dare to bully my son? Are the turtles of Chang'an so bold?"

After a moment of silence, San Niang asked, "Why did you kill him?"

"Hoarding and price gouging, killing them is just punishment," Xia Lin said nonchalantly. "They're all coming to you to complain now, what are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided yet; it has far-reaching implications."

Xia Lin raised his eyelids, looked her up and down, smiled without saying a word, and got up to walk towards the backyard, singing a song as he went: "This letter came at the perfect time, Heaven helps Huang Zhong achieve his goal. Standing at the camp gate to issue the order, all the young men and women listen up..."

"Hey, don't do anything reckless!" Third Sister chased after her, "It's not the right time yet!"

(End of this chapter)