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

Chapter 894 must have caused trouble.

Spring has passed in Chang'an for most of the year. The willow catkins are thinning and the pomegranate flowers are beginning to bloom. It is the best time of year.

However, beneath the seemingly calm surface of the imperial court, undercurrents were surging due to the adjustment of interests among various parties.

On this day, a grand court assembly was being held. Inside the Taiji Hall, civil and military officials stood solemnly according to their ranks, the atmosphere more somber than usual. On the dragon throne, Third Lady listened calmly as the Minister of Revenue reported on the grain tax revenue of various circuits this spring.

Below the imperial steps, Li Zhi, dressed in the crown prince's robes, stood tall and straight. The childlike features between his brows had long since disappeared, and he looked exactly like a miniature Xia Lin, which made the people in the court feel somewhat uncomfortable...

He appeared to be listening attentively to the court proceedings, but in his mind he was reviewing the numerous proposals regarding the new performance evaluation system for officials, which Zhang Jianzhi and Xiao Wu had recently compiled. He knew that the military reorganization had already triggered considerable backlash, and the subsequent reforms to improve official conduct, which would affect the interests of the civil service, would inevitably face significant obstacles.

Xiao Wu, who was standing by his side, was dressed in the attire of a female official of the Eastern Palace. With her eyes lowered and her head bowed, she was beautiful in a particularly aggressive way. For a moment, Li Zhi even felt that she was more like an empress than his own mother.

At this moment, she noticed that the prime ministers, led by Changsun Wuji, were unusually silent today. Meanwhile, several censors from the Guanzhong region were exchanging glances from time to time, seemingly uneasy.

Just as the court session was halfway through and about to move on to other topics, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps suddenly broke the silence inside the hall. A courier with a red feather tucked into his back, led by the guards in front of the hall, stumbled into the hall, his voice hoarse and shrill:
"Urgent dispatch! Report from Hedong!"

All eyes in front of the hall instantly focused on the almost exhausted postman.

The chief eunuch standing to the side hurriedly stepped forward, took the urgent document soaked in sweat, and presented it to the emperor with trembling hands.

Third Sister unwrapped the sealing wax, unfolded the letter, and her gaze swept over it. Her previously calm face suddenly turned frosty. Her fingers tightened slightly as she held the letter. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only her slightly heavy breathing audible.

After a long silence, she slowly put down the letter, her gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall. Her voice was as cold as ice: "Liu Ren, the Sima of the Hedong Governor's Office, colluded with local powerful figures and incited dismissed soldiers and some lawless officers to rebel in Luzhou five days ago. The rebels seized the government treasury, murdered officials appointed by the court, and have now gathered more than ten thousand men, occupied Luzhou, and sent troops to plunder several surrounding counties."

Although they were mentally prepared for the reforms to encounter obstacles, the news of their open rebellion was like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, instantly causing a huge uproar in the court.

"Liu Ren? How dare he!"

"Luzhou is a vital town in Hedong and the throat of the Grand Canal. If this place falls into chaos, the grain transport route to Guandong will be in danger!"

"How dare they murder the governor! This is tantamount to treason! Your Majesty, you should immediately send troops to annihilate them!"

Anxiety, fear, and indignation mingled in the air. Many in the military ranks wore furious expressions and were itching for a fight. The civil officials, on the other hand, were mostly filled with worry and whispered amongst themselves.

Li Zhi was also startled, but he quickly suppressed his surging emotions, his gaze fixed on his mother on the imperial steps, while he thought rapidly. He had some impression of Liu Ren; he came from the Liu clan of Hedong and had close ties with several families in Guanzhong. He had cultivated his influence in the army for many years, and his uprising, taking advantage of the resentment caused by the reorganization of the army, was by no means accidental.

Changsun Wuji stepped forward, his face grave: "Your Majesty, Liu Ren's rebellion is unforgivable! However, this matter should also be reflected upon. The military reforms were implemented too hastily, leading to the mutiny of the soldiers and causing this disaster..."

"Lord Changsun, you are mistaken!" Before he could finish speaking, an imperial censor known for his uprightness interrupted him: "Liu Ren's rebellion is due to his own treacherous intentions. What does it have to do with national policy? Are we going to throw the baby out with the bathwater and let the army rot away? It is precisely because of such parasites that reform is all the more necessary!"

"That's right! Liu Ren, that scoundrel, is clearly using this as an excuse to cause trouble, with ulterior motives!"

"The most urgent task is to quickly dispatch a large army to quell the rebellion and deter the villains with overwhelming force!"

The court was immediately divided into two factions: one side took the opportunity to question the new policies, while the other side advocated for a hardline crackdown, and the debate continued.

Third Lady coldly observed the argument below, without immediately stopping it. Only when the noise subsided did she slowly speak: "Liu Ren's rebellion is his own fault, and has nothing to do with national policy. I only have one thing to say."

Her gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on Li Zhi: "How should such a traitor be dealt with?"

Li Zhi took a deep breath. At this moment, he only needed a glance to know what to do. So he stepped forward from the crowd, bowed, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, the traitor Liu Ren has brazenly rebelled, attacked and killed an official, and occupied the prefecture. His actions deserve punishment, and his heart deserves to be condemned! Your son believes that a general should be immediately dispatched to lead the elite troops to Hedong. With the force of Mount Tai crushing an egg, he should sweep away the enemy's stronghold, quell the rebellion, capture the ringleaders, and bring them to justice! This will proclaim to the world that anyone who dares to shake the foundations of the nation will surely be punished by Heaven!"

His voice was clear and resonant, carrying an unwavering resolve. At this moment, he was no longer the boy who needed to hide under his parents' wings, but rather displayed the responsibility and courage befitting a crown prince.

Third Sister's eyes showed approval, but her face remained cold and stern: "What do you all think of the Crown Prince's words?"

"Your Highness is absolutely right!"

"I second the proposal!"

Most of the court officials, regardless of their original stance, quickly reached a consensus on the general direction of suppressing the rebellion.

"Then, who should be appointed as general? And from which troops should be deployed?" Third Sister asked again.

A brief silence fell over the hall once again. This was an opportunity, a chance to earn military merit and seize military power, and all the factions were quickly calculating in their minds.

Just then, Li Zhi spoke again, his voice firm: "Mother, I am willing to go!"

These words caused a stir throughout the hall. Even Xiao Wu, who had been keeping his eyes down, slightly raised his eyes to glance at Li Zhi.

"Your Highness, your body is of utmost importance; how can you lightly venture into dangerous places?"

"Swords and blades have no eyes on the battlefield, Your Highness, please reconsider!"

Immediately, experienced and prudent officials spoke up to dissuade him.

Changsun Wuji also frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Li Zhi remained unmoved, meeting the scrutinizing gaze of his mother, the Third Mother: "Mother, the new policies were jointly promoted by your son and me. The rebels' spearhead is aimed directly at the Eastern Palace. If your son retreats, wouldn't that be showing weakness to the world? This battle is not only to quell the rebellion, but also to vindicate our nation and establish our prestige! Your son begs Mother to grant him this opportunity to gain experience. Your son will certainly live up to your expectations, wipe out the villains, and uphold the prestige of our Li Tang dynasty!"

His tone was sincere, his reasons were sound, and he was filled with unwavering determination.

Third Sister looked at him silently. The hall was eerily quiet. Everyone knew that the Empress's next decision was of paramount importance.

After a long silence, Third Sister slowly said, "I am very pleased that the Crown Prince has such ambition. However, matters of state are not child's play. Tell me, if you were to lead the troops, how would you proceed?"

This was a test, and also an opportunity for Li Zhi to convince everyone and demonstrate his abilities.

Li Zhi clearly had a plan in mind. He spoke calmly and clearly, saying, "Firstly, the rebels are just starting out and are a motley crew. Speed ​​is of the essence. I request that the well-trained Northern Army be used as the backbone, supplemented by elite troops from nearby prefectures. We should set off immediately and head straight for Luzhou to catch them off guard."

"Secondly, although Liu Ren occupies Luzhou, his power base lies with local magnates. Your son should divide your troops to clear out the surrounding areas, cut off his wings, isolate the city, and then implement a strategy of psychological warfare to undermine him."

"Thirdly, the situation in Hedong is complex. Your son should take the twelve general's orders given to him by his father to control the various armies in Hedong and ensure unified command, so that they can be used as one's own arm."

"Fourth," he paused, his voice slightly lowered, "I wish to invite Father to serve as a military advisor, to assist in military affairs, and to oversee the central army." This last point brought a sigh of relief to many, but also caused some eyes to flicker. With Xia Lin, this killing god, watching over things, the Crown Prince's safety was undoubtedly greatly enhanced, but it also meant that this campaign to quell the rebellion would have far greater weight and unpredictability than usual.

After listening, Third Lady's gaze swept over the assembled officials in the palace again, lingering for a moment on the faces of important officials such as Changsun Wuji. Seeing that no one raised any strong objections, she finally nodded.

"Accurate."

Two words set the tone for this matter.

"Crown Prince Li Zhi is hereby appointed Grand Commander of the Hedong Army, commanding 30,000 troops, primarily from the newly formed Northern Army, supplemented by 5,000 Iron Cavalry from Hexi. Preparations are to begin immediately, with a swearing-in ceremony to mark the start of the campaign in three days. Xia Lin is appointed Military Advisor and accompanying military counselor. All troops from the various prefectures of Hedong are also under your command. The task is to quell the rebellion and capture the ringleader within one month!"

"My son, I accept the decree!"

Actually, this is against the rules. Xia Lin can indeed lead troops in the Li Tang dynasty, but the problem is that Xia Lin's rank is higher than Li Zhi's, and even higher than San Niang's. They can only be called generals when they lead troops. Now the marshal is being called a deputy general. The Ministry of Rites must be rolling their eyes at this.

The reason no one objected was mainly because it was a father-son situation. It's perfectly normal for a father to raise his son. Although there are many loopholes, including but not limited to who has military authority and who has power, these things are really nothing in the face of a father-son relationship.

There are only sons who bring trouble to their fathers, and very few fathers who bring trouble to their sons. Especially someone like Li Zhi, who was clearly groomed by his parents to be a super heir to become a great emperor for all time, leaves one speechless.

After the court session ended, the news quickly spread throughout Chang'an, becoming a popular topic of conversation among the people. However, most people generally felt that the military reform was the right thing to do. At least the soldiers who used to oppress the people on the streets were gone, replaced by soldiers who obeyed orders and maintained strict military discipline.

Not long after Li Zhi left court, Xia Lin strolled back to his small courtyard. He had gone to the West Market early that morning to queue up and buy a freshly roasted lamb leg. He was now squatting on a stone bench in the courtyard, gnawing on the lamb leg and feeding the dog with the bones.

Li Zhi quickly found his way over and, seeing his father in this state, felt both helpless and amused.

"Father, we will be setting off on a campaign in three days." Li Zhi sat down next to him.

"Okay, I got it." Xia Lin didn't even look up, focusing on the lamb leg. "What's wrong, are you nervous?"

Li Zhi nodded honestly: "A little. After all, it's the first time I've really led troops, and I'm not facing a drill, but real rebels with real weapons."

Xia Lin tore off a piece of meat and handed it to him: "Try it, it tastes good."

Li Zhi took it and ate it without tasting it.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Xia Lin wiped the grease from his mouth. "Theory is no substitute for practice. This is a good opportunity to get some real experience. Remember, you are the commander-in-chief, not the vanguard. Stabilize the central army, grasp the overall situation, and leave the specifics of the battle to the professionals. Observe more, listen more, and give less blind orders."

“Then Father…” Li Zhi looked at him.

"Me?" Xia Lin chuckled. "I'll just stroll around and enjoy the scenery. Unless you really can't handle it or someone bullies my son, I won't bother moving."

He spoke casually, yet his words revealed a strong sense of confidence and a deep protectiveness towards his own.

Li Zhi felt a warmth in his heart, and the tension caused by the unknown dissipated considerably.

“We’ll go to the construction site later to check on the progress. Spring plowing should have started there by now. You’ve been busy lately, so it must have been a while since you’ve been there.” Xia Lin handed her son a bottle of osmanthus wine. “The forty waterwheels and the Gaoxing Canal are all ready.”

"Father, I have something on my mind."

"You said."

"Second Aunt, Third Aunt, and my younger brother and sister, are you really not going to bring them here? I miss Kasyapa a little."

Xia Lin scratched his chin: "By the way, what do you usually call bean sprouts?"

“I…” Li Zhi lowered his head, somewhat embarrassed: “Actually, I rarely call her that, because I don’t know whether to call her Father or Mother. But in private, I call her Mother, just like Kasyapa.”

“Okay.” Xia Lin rubbed his hand on the tree trunk next to him. “Go write to them and invite them to Chang’an. Your mother won’t say anything, and you are now the Crown Prince, so there are some things you don’t need your mother’s permission for.”

"Is this... not good?"

“Brother,” Xia Lin patted Li Zhi on the shoulder, “Even if you rebelled now, your mother would have a dragon robe made for you overnight. You are the only legal heir, so you don’t need to worry too much. You are not much different from the emperor in essence.”

“Father… it’s not appropriate to call him ‘brother’.” Li Zhi’s expression twisted, both amused and exasperated: “That would shorten my lifespan.”

"Why haven't we heard about the selection of concubines lately?" Xia Lin continued to ask. "It seems like there's been no movement at all."

"Because they are busy, all the noble ladies in the world are still waiting in Chang'an."

"Okay." Xia Lin nodded and smiled, "Tell your sister to mess with these young sluts. I heard from Xiao Wu that you crossed out the young ladies from the Cui family or someone else?"

“Cui Lin, yes. Crossed out, my son saw him oppressing the people.”

Xia Lin waved her hand: "She wants them all."

"Why..."

"He's good-looking." Xia Lin patted her son's shoulder: "Earn some money and put it in the house to make it smell nice."

"Father...is this alright?"

Xia Lin didn't answer again, but instead put on a stern face and said, "Of course, if we look at it from another angle, a large part of her arrogance comes from you. Your casual affair with her has given her a false sense of security."

"Father...it's my fault for not handling things well."

Xia Lin chuckled and said, "Next time, you have to listen to Uncle Zhang, but you have to be selective. He's a top-tier scumbag. As for Cui Lin, send her a message saying I want to see her, and also that Wan what's her name again?"

"Pei Wan".

"Let her come too." Xia Lin straightened up and said, "I need to teach them a lesson before we send out the troops."

(End of this chapter)