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

Chapter 924 It's tough...

Seven or eight days have passed since the sensational film screening in front of Xianyang Palace. On the surface, the shock that was enough to tear the court apart has been forcibly suppressed by Her Majesty the Empress's edict of self-reproach and thunderous measures, but in essence, it still cannot change the astonishing energy contained beneath.

The dangerous smell of sulfur emanating from beneath the calm surface has now permeated everywhere. If Xia Lin hadn't been still in Chang'an, something terrible would probably have happened by now.

On the shores of Kunming Pool, in the newly built hydraulic workshop area, the sounds of looms and the roar of rushing water never cease, day and night. Xia Lin squatted beside a huge waterwheel transmission mechanism, his hands covered in black oil. He was wearing coarse work clothes, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, beads of sweat on his forehead, his expression so focused that it seemed the intricate gears before him represented the entire world.

Sun Jiuzhen appeared silently beside him like a shadow and whispered something.

Xia Lin didn't stop moving, but let out a short laugh through his nose: "Changsun Wuji's ability to become prime minister is no exaggeration. He is truly ruthless and can cut off anything he wants. The speed of his transformation was beyond my expectations. I thought he would struggle a bit, but who knew he would raise his hand and start hacking at the heads of his former allies."

“Yes,” Sun Jiuzhen replied, pausing briefly before adding, “The young marshal just relayed a message saying that His Majesty’s imperial carriage has left the palace and is heading towards Kunming Pool.”

Xia Lin tightened the last turn, then casually tossed the wrench into the toolbox with a clanging sound.

"So what if they come?" He said in a flat tone, as if he were talking to a stranger. "This Kunming Pool doesn't belong to me, it belongs to her. By the way, have you found out who put the bounty on my head?"

"It will take a few more days. These people are quite well hidden, and there are many smokescreens among them."

"Yeah, hurry up. I can't wait to stomp on their heads."

Meanwhile, on the palace road leading to Kunming Pool, the royal procession appeared somewhat simplified. Inside the imperial carriage, Third Sister closed her eyes to rest. Today, she was not wearing elaborate court attire, but only a dark blue long robe, which made her face appear even paler, and her eyes held a hint of weariness and anger that was difficult to conceal.

Xia Lin's resounding "three-day deadline" in the palace that day, and the subsequent mobilization of the four border armies, were like two invisible whips lashing her back. She had no choice but to back down, to issue an edict of self-reproach, and to re-employ Changsun Wuji, a sharp blade that had already gone out of control.

All of this left her with a tightness in her chest, a feeling she couldn't spit out or swallow.

The imperial carriage stopped in front of the newly built government offices on the shore of Kunming Pool. Officials from the Ministry of Works were already kneeling, trembling with fear, not daring to utter a sound. After all, everyone knew that the Empress had been in a very bad mood lately, and they were afraid that they might become the target of her anger if they were not careful.

Third Sister ignored them and walked straight towards the noisy workshop area. She wanted to see with her own eyes where that scoundrel who had caused so much trouble was hiding and enjoying himself.

Li Zhi and Xiao Wu were already waiting at the entrance of the workshop. When they saw their mother arrive, they quickly stepped forward to pay their respects.

“Mother.” Li Zhi’s voice was tinged with caution.

Third Sister glanced at her son, hummed in agreement, and continued walking: "Where is your father?"

"Father... is debugging the newly improved waterwheel transmission system." Li Zhi stepped aside to lead the way: "This way, please."

The workshop was filled with the sounds of flowing water, clanging metal, and the shouts of craftsmen. The air was thick with the mixture of wood, metal, and machine oil, along with a slightly fishy smell. Third Sister frowned slightly; she wasn't used to this overly realistic environment, especially since the Chinese characters were all shirtless, which was rather unseemly.

She saw Xia Lin in front of a set of wooden gears that were over two zhang tall. He was pointing to an ingeniously designed linkage device and explaining something to several master craftsmen beside him.

Sunlight streamed in through the high window, casting dappled shadows on his oil-stained profile. In that moment, he didn't resemble the all-powerful Marshal Xia, nor the behind-the-scenes controller who could rival the emperor; rather, he seemed like a pure craftsman immersed in his own world.

Third Sister stopped in her tracks. Looking at Xia Lin like that, the fire in her heart rose again.

Xia Lin seemed to sense the gaze behind him and stopped explaining. He slowly turned around, his gaze calmly meeting that of Third Sister.

There were no bows, no greetings, not even a single extra expression. The two stood a few steps apart, staring at each other in the noisy workshop, the air seemingly frozen.

The surrounding craftsmen and officials from the Ministry of Works held their breath, wishing they could disappear into the ground. Li Zhi watched his parents nervously, his palms slightly sweaty. Xiao Wu, on the other hand, lowered his eyes, appearing obedient, but in reality, all his senses were engaged, capturing every subtle change in the atmosphere.

In the end, Xia Lin spoke first: "What brings Your Majesty to this filthy place?"

Third Sister frowned, her voice deliberately cold and hard: "Let me see what kind of ingenious device it is that has kept Marshal Xia from showing his face for several days."

Xia Lin twitched the corner of his mouth: "It can't compare to His Majesty's busy schedule. He has to issue edicts to repent, rectify the court, and also guard against whether the border troops are being transferred as a routine change of guard."

These words were like needles piercing her heart; her face darkened instantly, and anger flared in her eyes: "Xia Lin! Don't go too far!"

"Too much?" Xia Lin scoffed, casually picking up a small waterwheel model from the table beside him and weighing it in his hand. "No, no, His Majesty loves to shut people up, so just give the order to shut me up." "You!" Third Sister's chest heaved violently as she pointed at him, her fingertips trembling slightly.

The humiliation of that argument in the hall that day surged back into her mind. She suppressed the harsh rebuke that almost escaped her lips, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down. She knew that losing her composure here, in front of so many people, would only make her look more pathetic.

"I am not here today to engage in a verbal dispute with you." She flicked her sleeves, placed her hands behind her back, and once again adopted the majesty of an emperor: "The new Inspectorate has launched an investigation in accordance with the law, which involves a wide range of people and has caused turmoil in the court and the country. As the father of the Crown Prince, do you have no concerns at all?"

"Concerns?" He laughed as if he had heard something amusing. "What concerns could I possibly have? Do you think the people would eat me? They're not blind."

The undisguised cruelty in his words forced San Niang to take a half-step back, her face turning even paler. Looking at Xia Lin, she suddenly felt a wave of powerlessness. He was always like this, using the most direct and ruthless methods to tear away all pretense and force her to face the bloody reality.

"I... know my limits." She turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

"I hope so." Xia Lin stopped looking at her, turned around and walked back to the huge waterwheel mechanism, picked up the tools, and seemed to be about to start working again, leaving only a light sentence: "Zhi'er, take your mother around to see the place. If this new waterwheel can be promoted, the irrigation efficiency in Guanzhong can be increased by more than 30%."

This means to see the guest off.

San Niang stood there, watching Xia Lin's back as he once again immersed himself in the gears and levers, feeling a chill spread from the soles of her feet to her entire body. Her anger and grievances had nowhere to be vented in the face of his almost indifferent calm.

Seeing this, Li Zhi quickly stepped forward and said softly, "Mother, Father has spent several days working on improving this transmission mechanism. If this waterwheel is completed, it will truly benefit the country and its people. Perhaps... I could explain it to you?"

Xiao Wu also spoke up softly at the right moment: "Your Majesty, the workshop is noisy and there is a lot of oil stains, which may soil Your Majesty's clothes. Why don't we move to the viewing platform? There is a wide view from there, and we can also see the entire panorama of Kunming Pool."

After a moment of silence, San Niang finally nodded slowly. She took one last look at Xia Lin's retreating figure, her eyes filled with complex emotions, before turning and leaving the workshop that had left her feeling suffocated and frustrated, accompanied by Li Zhi and Xiao Wu.

Stepping out of the workshop, the bright sunshine and fresh air helped her catch her breath. Standing on the high viewing platform, overlooking the vast Kunming Pool and the vibrant yet turbulent new city of Xianyang on its banks, San Niang remained silent for a long time.

Li Zhi stood cautiously by his side, carefully choosing his words: "Mother, Father... his words may have been harsh, but he truly cared for the country and its people. As for the movie..."

"No need to say anything more," Third Sister interrupted him, her voice weary. "I know what is right and wrong."

She didn't continue, only sighed softly. But this way of saying "right" was too hurtful, too ruthless, almost trampling her dignity as an emperor underfoot.

Xiao Wu quietly handed over a cup of warm ginseng tea.

Third Sister took the drink, but didn't drink it; she simply held it in her hands. Gazing into the distance, she suddenly asked Li Zhi softly, "Zhi'er, if you were in your father's position, what would you do?"

Li Zhi was taken aback, clearly not expecting his mother to suddenly ask this question. He pondered for a long time before cautiously replying, "Your son... may not be as drastic as Father. But I think that if we cannot use swift and decisive measures to tear away the surface, those deep-seated ailments will probably never be eradicated. Father has probably just chosen the fastest path."

Upon hearing this, a ripple flashed in San Niang's eyes, and then she fell silent again.

Yes, it was the fastest, but also the most painful. The pain was almost unbearable for her.

Just then, a palace attendant hurriedly climbed onto the viewing platform, knelt down and reported: "Your Majesty, Chancellor Changsun, along with Chancellor Fang and General Wei, are waiting in the palace with important matters to report. It concerns... there has been significant progress in the case of Zhao Deming and others' embezzlement."

Third Sister's grip on the teacup tightened slightly. The bone-scraping treatment was only just beginning.

She took a deep breath, drank the slightly cooled ginseng tea in one gulp, and when she turned around, her face had regained its usual calm and composure.

"Prepare the carriage and return to the palace."

Li Zhi and Xiao Wu bowed to see her off. Watching his mother's departing figure, Li Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, glanced back at Xiao Wu, and said helplessly, "It's so annoying when parents argue."

Xiao Wu whispered beside him, his voice so soft that only the two of them could hear: "His Majesty has already made up his mind, but he just needs time. Your Highness need not worry too much."

Li Zhi nodded, but his gaze unconsciously drifted back to the workshop below, still emanating a deafening roar. He then patted the railing, a wry smile on his face, and said, "I know, but I feel so useless as a son. Sister Wu, do you think it would be better if I suddenly fell seriously ill?"

(End of this chapter)