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

Chapter 919 A ​​Sound Shakes the Four Directions
Today, Xianyang is filled with song and dance, and the main theme is happiness. Everyone has cast aside the pressures of life and is fully immersed in a sea of ​​peace and joy.

But inside the Ganlu Hall of Taiji Palace, the scene was quite different.

The atmosphere was extremely solemn; even the palace servants standing there were barely breathing. On the throne, Third Lady held a secret report between her fingers, her hand trembling. Her chest heaved, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

"He...he actually dares!" The voice was squeezed out from between his teeth, with a slight tremor: "A dignified ruler of a nation treats diplomatic relations like a child's game, regarding the borders of my Li Tang Dynasty as if they were uninhabited?!"

The secret report clearly stated that Emperor Tuoba Jing of the Great Wei Dynasty entered Xianyang alone, without any ceremonial regalia or official documents. He even got into a fight with someone in a tavern in the West Market and was almost taken to the authorities as a troublemaker.

Xia Lin, who was standing to the side, touched his nose and remained silent. Bean Sprout was still dressed in his neat men's clothing, leaning against a pillar, his face full of amusement and amusement.

"Your Majesty, please calm down." Fang Xuanling exchanged a solemn glance with Changsun Wuji and stepped forward: "The Wei ruler's actions have always been unpredictable. However, since he has not openly revealed his identity, perhaps... perhaps we can find a way to turn things around."

“A turnaround?” Third Sister’s eyes were sharp as knives as she swept over the assembled officials in the hall: “The envoys from all nations have not yet left the country, and countless eyes are fixed on Xianyang! At this moment, he is like a thorn in my throat! If outsiders were to know that the Wei Emperor is so frivolous, where would our dynasty’s dignity be? Where would the diplomatic order be?”

She grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, her fingertips trembling slightly: "According to the law, crossing the border illegally is tantamount to being a spy! I...I can order his arrest right now!"

A deathly silence fell over the hall. Capture the Wei Emperor? The moment these words were uttered, the air seemed to freeze. No one doubted Her Majesty the Empress's resolve, yet everyone knew that this action would unleash a massive upheaval.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!" Changsun Wuji said urgently, "Judging from the Wei ruler's actions, it seems he is not here to provoke us, but rather to target the grand event in Xianyang, and to General Xia and the international trade fair. In particular, he also brought a newly produced... movie."

"A movie?" Third Sister frowned and turned her gaze to Xia Lin.

Xia Lin straightened up a bit and said, "Yes, he's come up with something new. The film has sound; it's no longer a silent movie. He wants to premiere it here. I've seen it briefly, and the technique is far superior to before; it's a complete transformation."

"With audio?" Third Sister caught the key point and pressed, "What about the content?"

Xia Lin grinned, his smile tinged with helplessness: "It's a story about a king who lost his country. He acted it himself, and he was very into it."

"A fallen monarch... personally playing the role..." Third Lady repeated slowly, and the atmosphere in the hall, which had just eased slightly, instantly became heavy again. The faces of the high-ranking officials drained of color, and they looked at each other in horror. A monarch of a nation going to play the role of a fallen monarch, and even doing it publicly in the capital of another country? This was not just absurd, this was madness, the most utter trampling on the dignity of a monarch!
Douyazi scoffed and then added fuel to the fire: "I heard that he went to great lengths to film this movie, using the Imperial Palace in Nanjing as a real set, with the Imperial Guards and palace maids all acting as performers, spending no less than 300,000 taels of silver."

Three hundred thousand taels! Just for a play? A suppressed gasp filled the hall.

Third Sister closed her eyes and took a deep breath: "He's gone mad, he's completely gone mad. This film must never be shown to the world!"

“Your Majesty,” Xia Lin said, “the film itself is unprecedented in its innovative technology. The inclusion of sound is a groundbreaking achievement. Screening it would greatly benefit the promotion of this product. Besides, the die is cast, and forcibly suppressing it might backfire.”

"You want me to stand by and watch him use this strange object in my own land to project his own image as a fallen monarch, letting all the people hear the lament of a king's demise, and letting envoys from other countries laugh at my imperial power?" Third Sister's voice trembled with excitement: "If this precedent is set, the emperor's authority will be completely undermined! Not to mention whether the Li Tang or the Tian Wei could conquer this unified country, at least we can't let this undermine our dignity in front of outsiders, can we?"

"Your Majesty," Fang Xuanling said after a moment's thought, his voice steady as a mountain, "this old minister has a plan that may temporarily alleviate the immediate crisis."

"speak."

"Since the Wei ruler's infiltration has already occurred, it is better to guide than to suppress. It would be better for His Majesty to issue an edict, stating that he has long invited the Wei ruler to attend the grand event in Xianyang, to participate in the culinary competition and the international trade fair. His advance visit incognito was to observe the people's conditions and experience the folk customs of our Great Tang. In this way, we can preserve the dignity of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and also keep this matter under control."

A moment of silence fell over the hall. Changsun Wuji clapped his hands: "Prime Minister Fang's plan is brilliant! Turning a passive situation into an active one, transforming a storm into a beautiful story. Only… that movie…"

"We'll discuss the film later," Third Sister said decisively. "Let's follow Prime Minister Fang's plan first. I'll draft an imperial edict and personally write it to invite the Wei Emperor to move to Chang'an. I will host a banquet to welcome him."

After she finished speaking, she looked at Xia Lin: "Since you found him, you are the one to deliver the message and make sure he comes to Chang'an. That document must not be leaked out until I make my decision!"

Xia Lin cupped his hands in greeting: "Understood."

When Xia Lin returned to her residence in Xianyang with the letter written by her third mother, Tuoba Jing had just finished bathing. His wet hair was casually disheveled, and he was sitting at the table with his legs crossed, devouring the freshly presented snacks. Tuoba Shang, with a bruised and swollen face, sat beside him, occasionally stealing glances at his father, daring not to speak out in anger.

"Here, your letter." Xia Lin handed over the letter.

Tuoba Jing wiped his hands, took the letter, glanced at it, and chuckled, "Inviting me to witness a ceremony? To observe the people's conditions? Third Sister, you've certainly found a way to save face." He carelessly crumpled the letter into a ball and tossed it aside, then picked up a piece of almond milk: "Furious, aren't you?"

"What do you think?" Xia Lin sat down opposite him. "If it were you, wouldn't you be angry?"

Tuoba Jing chewed on the food nonchalantly: "What's there to be angry about? I'm just adding glory to her Xianyang! What's so special about all the nations coming to pay homage? With the Emperor of Wei personally coming, that's what a truly prosperous era looks like! I always said women can't run the household, they're too petty."

Squatting to the side, Tuoba Shang couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Yes, yes, your arrival has brought great honor to our humble abode, causing quite a stir..."

"You little brat, are you itching for a beating again?!" Tuoba Jing glared at him, and Shang Ge'er immediately shrank back and fell silent.

"Alright, enough with the small talk." Xia Lin said seriously, "Pack your things, and come back to Chang'an with me tomorrow. Third Sister will be hosting a banquet. As for your film..."

Tuoba Jing immediately perked up and leaned closer, asking, "What's wrong with the film? Did Third Sister allow it to be shown?"

“She might not be right.” Xia Lin looked at his face, which had instantly fallen, and said slowly, “But I plan to have a few people listen to her first. If everyone thinks it won’t work, you should give up on the idea as soon as possible.”

"Listen! You have to hear it!" Tuoba Jing slapped his thigh, his eyes shining with excitement: "I spent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, sold everything I owned to make this happen! Let me show you something amazing!"

The following evening, at Xia Lin's courtyard in Chang'an City.

The atmosphere was subtle in a room with its doors and windows tightly shut.

A white screen hangs on the wall, and a projector with an exquisite design and several copper wires attached to it is ready to go, emitting a deep hum.

The audience invited by Xia Lin was small, but they were all key figures. Third Sister sat upright in the main seat, her face calm and serene, her hands folded on her knees. When her eyes swept over Tuoba Jing, it seemed as if she could eat eight children in one sitting.

Beside him were important officials of the court, several prime ministers and several ministers.

Li Zhi, Li Chengqian, Xiao Wu, Zhang Jianzhi, and others sat at the lower end, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and solemnity. Tuoba Shang was also allowed to be present, but he huddled in a corner, trying to minimize his presence.

Tuoba Jing personally operated the machine, his face radiating an almost frenzied devotion.

The lights are off, and the only light source comes from the beam of light emitted from the lens.

The screen lit up, and it was no longer a silent black and white film; the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, as well as the chirping of insects and birds, could be heard from within.

The grand palace scene unfolds slowly, accompanied by a magnetic male voice-over that carries the vicissitudes and weight of history, instantly captivating everyone's attention!
"A sound... there really is a sound!" Li Zhi couldn't help but exclaim softly, his body leaning forward subconsciously, his eyes gleaming with extreme novelty and excitement. He had been influenced by Xia Lin since childhood and had an extraordinary capacity to accept new things, but even Li Zhi, at this moment, couldn't help but widen his eyes in astonishment.

As the plot unfolds, the final scenes of a dynasty become incredibly vivid with the aid of spoken language. Arguments in the court are no longer silent physical actions, but are filled with angry roars and cold-blooded scheming.

The music and dances of the imperial harem were no longer a silent spectacle, but a raw display of extravagance and depravity. Battlefield combat was no longer a silent charge, but the clashing of metal and the screams of agony. The suffering of the people was no longer met with indifferent expressions, but with desperate wails and cries of despair…

Tuoba Jing's portrayal of the emperor, with his voice shifting between passionate and dejected, vividly reveals the complex inner world of the last monarch. When the country falls, he walks towards the dragon throne amidst raging flames, and his long sigh, a mixture of endless regret and relief, is like tearing silk, piercing straight to the heart.

The film ends, and the lights come back on.

The room was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was speechless, stunned by this unprecedented audiovisual experience. The magic of the sound was far more impactful than the visuals alone; it gave the images a soul, completely drawing the viewer into that tragic era.

Third Sister's face was even paler than before, and her hands, resting on her knees, trembled slightly. The more realistic and moving the film was, the more chilling it felt to the bone. It wasn't just depicting the fall of a dynasty; it was using its lifelike sound and visuals to question the very foundations of imperial power!
Bean Sprout let out a long breath, her tone complicated: "With sound... it's definitely different. So good... it sends chills down my spine."

Li Chengqian was also still in shock, trying to calm himself down: "His skill has reached a state of perfection, unheard of before. However, its content... is too piercing to the soul."

Zhang Jianzhi murmured, "If this film were to circulate, its impact would likely far surpass that of silent films of the past..."

Li Zhi's eyes lit up as he turned to Xia Lin, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement: "Father! This sound film is truly a marvelous technology! If used properly, its benefits in education and dissemination are immeasurable!"

"How is it?" Tuoba Jing's voice was filled with barely suppressed elation, as if he were showing off like a child.

But which of the people here dared to answer him? Even the courtiers were speechless. Although they were also shocked by the content, they could only stand there as human backdrops.

Xia Lin had been silent until now, when he slowly rose under everyone's gaze. He walked to the curtain, as if he could still feel the lingering warmth of the intertwined sound and image from just now.

“This film is groundbreaking.” He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Third Sister’s solemn face. “This act of giving voice is like giving a mute a voice. It brings cinema to life. I know what you’re worried about—that this voice might utter rebellious words and shake people’s hearts.”

He paused, his tone steady and firm: "But the sound is here, the technology is here. We can stifle it out of fear, pretending not to hear it. Or we can choose to face it, guide it, and let it emit the sound we want to hear. Limiting the screening scope and providing guidance and explanation are both better than letting it become an underground taboo, breeding even more uncontrollable forces in the darkness."

He looked at Tuoba Jing and made the final decision: "I agree to release this film."

"Xia Lin!" Third Sister suddenly stood up, her voice carrying a hint of anger at being betrayed.

“Your Majesty.” Xia Lin met her gaze, his tone calm but undeniable: “The power of film has already begun to emerge; we cannot hide from it, nor can we cover it up.”

The room was once again enveloped in a suffocating silence. Only the advanced projector was still radiating heat, and Tuoba Jing's heavy breathing was heard.

Third Sister stared intently at Xia Lin, her chest heaving violently, her eyes swirling with emotion. Then, she abruptly flicked her sleeve, turned around, and left.

"You take care of yourself!"

The door slammed shut with a dull thud, startling the Tang officials, who filed out in single file behind His Majesty the Emperor, not daring to linger for a moment.

Douyazi glanced at Xia Lin, whose expression was resolute, and then at Tuoba Jing, whose joy was overflowing. She shook her head gently, sighed, and silently followed him out.

Li Zhi and the others exchanged glances, and finally focused their attention on Xia Lin.

In fact, everyone present knew that this did not mean that Her Majesty the Empress was conservative, but rather that her understanding of imperial power was still stuck in the previous stage. This gap in understanding would take time to bridge.

As for Tuoba Jing, it should be noted that he was once someone who was single-mindedly trying to seize power from Xia Lin, but after giving up, he developed his own set of survival wisdom.

It may be a bit abstract, but if you ask what's wrong with it, there's nothing wrong with it. In fact, his meticulous craftsmanship in art even subtly resonates with Xia Lin's ideas.

The saying "when the time is right, everything moves in harmony" probably refers to this principle.

Xia Lin walked up to Tuoba Jing and patted him on the shoulder: "Get ready, the premiere will be held at the former site of Xianyang Palace. However..." He changed the subject: "If this noise causes uncontrollable chaos, I'll be the first to smash your precious machine, then tie you up like a dumpling and throw you back to Jinling."

Tuoba Jing was overwhelmed with joy and nodded repeatedly, patting his chest to assure him, "Don't worry! There won't be any trouble! This is art! It's true art of sound and image!"

Looking at his father's near-madness from the corner, and then at his brothers and Xia Lin with their varied expressions, Tuoba Shang couldn't help but put his hand to his forehead and let out a sigh:
"It's over... This is not only going to cause a huge uproar, but it's going to deafen us..."

(End of this chapter)