On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

"It is reported that he was highly regarded by the Left Wise King Uwei, who not only hired famous teachers to teach him the script of the northern desert, horsemanship and archery, but also allowed him to sit in on some tribal meetings."

Lin Zhen's tone was somewhat solemn.

"Moreover, on the surface, he and that little princess Saren seem to get along well."

"Get along well?" Murong Yan raised an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "An eleven or twelve-year-old child and an eight or nine-year-old girl, how can they get along well? It's just a show for others to see."

With her keen senses, she immediately sensed something unusual.

"Yan'er's prediction is correct."

Lin Zhen nodded.

"The report mentioned that Kong Zhiqian was quite 'protective' of Princess Saren in public, and most of the gifts given to him by Uwei were also given to the princess. In private, according to the insider's observation, the two rarely communicated. Kong Zhiqian spent most of his time studying or practicing martial arts alone, and Princess Saren seemed to be somewhat afraid of him. But this 'harmonious couple' scene pleased Uwei quite a bit, and also made some tribal leaders who originally had reservations about adopting Han Chinese orphans temporarily shut their mouths."

Upon hearing this, Murong Yan sneered, lightly tapping the armrest of the phoenix chair with her fingertips: "What a fine Uwei! What a surviving member of the Kong family! One feigns kindness to win people over and package a pawn; the other endures humiliation, flatters and fawns, and lies low waiting for his chance. He's certainly putting on quite a show!"

Her gaze grew cold.

"The more 'harmonious' they appear, the more it proves their ambitions are enormous! Uwe wants to completely mold this Kong Zhiqian into a poisonous blade disguised as 'orthodoxy', aimed at our Great Qian!"

“Exactly so.” A cold glint flashed in Lin Zhen’s eyes. “Uwei’s plan is to use Han people to control Han people. He wants to use his status as a descendant of Confucius to incite the people and reduce resistance when he marches south in the future.”

"wishful thinking!"

Murong Yan spoke resolutely, the dark gold hue of her Phoenix Descent dress seeming to flow and accelerate with her anger.

"If the Confucius family truly possessed even a shred of sagely integrity, how could they associate with the barbarian tribes of the northern deserts who slaughter border people and are accustomed to plundering? Having chosen this path, they have severed themselves from China! When war breaks out, the people of the world will have their own judgment!"

She took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and turned to Lin Zhen, her tone becoming calm: "Husband, we must be wary of this, but we must not lose our composure. The most important thing right now is to consolidate our internal affairs, strengthen our military, and make our Great Qian as solid as a rock. At the same time, we must pay close attention to their movements. Especially after spring, there will definitely be some action in the northern desert."

“I understand.” Lin Zhen grasped her hand, offering her unwavering support. “I have ordered Zheng Jiao to increase scouts and be on high alert along the northern border. The military towns in the interior are also stepping up rotational training and stockpiling of grain. As for public opinion…”

He pondered for a moment,

"Perhaps we can have Prime Minister Du and his associates guide the scholars to engage in open discussion at the right time, stripping away the halo of the 'sage descendant' of Confucius and exposing his true nature of recognizing a thief as his father and forgetting his ancestors."

Murong Yan nodded approvingly: "This matter will be handled by Prime Minister Du. He must do it subtly and carefully, and be mindful of the appropriate measures."

She paused, a hint of weariness on her face, and leaned back slightly in her chair.

"With my husband strategizing and planning, I feel much more at ease."

Just then, she seemed to remember something and got up to get a map from the other side of the table.

Just as she turned and moved—

The movements were slow and deliberate, suggesting a decision to be made afterward, and a hint of weariness.

The long, messy, five-zhang-long dark gold trail on the ground was suddenly stirred!

The luxurious Suzhou brocade brushed across the smooth ground with a soft "swish" sound.

As the train quietly billowed up, it revealed the "Golden Embroidery" lining, which was densely woven with gold thread and shimmered with a mysterious light like a starry river in the dark night under the warm palace lanterns!

The phoenix pattern covering the entire nightgown instantly revealed a more exquisite and intricate magnificent picture within. The golden light was not as calm as its appearance, but was full of restrained grandeur and resilience, as if declaring that no matter how the external world changes, the nobility and power of its core will never be extinguished!

This fleeting glimpse is an outward reflection of her calmness and determination in the face of potential threats.

The hem of her skirt fell, obscuring the dazzling golden light.

Murong Yan retrieved the map and continued to discuss the specific details of the northern border defense with Lin Zhen in hushed tones.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened, and snowflakes began to fall silently again, covering the glazed tiles of the imperial city, as if temporarily covering the threat from the far north.

In the northern desert city of Longcheng, thousands of miles of ice and snow blanket the land.

The biting wind, carrying snowflakes, howled across the continuous felt tent dome, emitting a mournful sound like the wailing of ghosts.

Compared to the refinement and bustle of the southern capital, the winter here is more rugged, harsh, and has a kind of dormant, oppressive power.

In the very heart of Longcheng, inside the most magnificent royal tent, covered with pure white yak wool felt and gleaming with a golden roof, steam rose and the aroma of wine and meat filled the air, a stark contrast to the bitter cold outside.

The Great Khan of the Northern Desert, Modu Chanyu, sat high on a wolf-head throne covered with a complete snow leopard skin.

He was about fifty years old, with a tall and strong build, a ruddy complexion, a bushy beard like a halberd, and a pair of eagle eyes that shone brightly when they opened and closed, exuding an imposing aura without anger.

Wearing a heavy mink cloak added to his domineering aura.

Seated to the left and right of the tent were various members of the royal family, Yabghu, and generals, led by the Left Wise King Uwei. Each person had a large bowl of mare's milk wine and sizzling roasted beef and mutton in front of them. The atmosphere seemed lively, but it was permeated with an invisible solemnity.

"Great Khan!" A scout in charge of the southern outposts prostrated himself on the ground and respectfully reported.

"Breaking news from the south! Empress Murong Yan of the Great Qian Dynasty has recovered from her illness and resumed her regency, jointly governing the country with Regent Lin Zhen. The relationship between the ruler and his ministers appears harmonious, and they seem to be working diligently to govern. Since the beginning of winter, the northern border defenses have been exceptionally heavily guarded, with the number and frequency of patrols and scouts increasing by more than 30%! Military garrisons in various regions are also stepping up their efforts to stockpile provisions and train their troops!"

Modu Chanyu picked up the silver bowl in front of him, drank the strong mare's milk wine in one gulp, casually wiped the wine stains off his bushy beard, and spoke in a voice as loud as a bell:

"Hmph! That woman Murong Yan is really tough! I heard she almost met her end in Penglai, and she still managed to recover? That little brat Lin Zhen is quite a character too, she's learned all of her father's tricks perfectly!"

Upon hearing this, Left Wise King Uwei put down the meat-cutting knife in his hand and replied:

"Your Majesty is wise. Murong Yan has recovered from his illness and will surely be more vigilant. Although our army achieved some minor victories last autumn and winter, breaking through several border passes, we failed to shake their foundation. Now that they are on high alert, it will be difficult for them to easily raid our borders and plunder as they have in previous years after spring."

"Difficult?" The hot-tempered Right Guli King slammed his hand on the table, causing the dishes to rattle loudly.

"What's so difficult about that! The Southerners are cowardly, they only know how to hide behind the city walls! As long as the Great Khan gives the order, my iron cavalry from the Northern Desert will surely break through the Great Wall again, slaughtering them and causing chaos! We'll plunder money, grain, and women!"

"Reckless!" Uvi glared at the Right Valley King, his tone reprimanding.

"If we relied solely on brute force in warfare, we would have already unified the grasslands. Why would we need to discuss this here? The Great Qian Dynasty has been established for decades, with a solid foundation and excellent military. Are we lambs to be slaughtered? Murong Yan and Lin Zhen are no incompetent rulers either! We must use a strategy!"

"Use a scheme? What scheme?" King Youguli asked, unconvinced.

Uvi did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to a small, thin figure sitting at the back of the tent.

Instantly, everyone's eyes turned to that direction.

There sat Kong Zhiqian, who was only eleven years old.

He wore a well-fitting fur robe of a nobleman from the northern desert, his small face flushed slightly from the heat inside the tent, but his dark eyes were frighteningly calm, completely out of place with the noisy surroundings.

Beside him sat Princess Saren, who was only eight years old. The little girl seemed somewhat intimidated by the solemn scene, keeping her head down and nibbling on a piece of milk cake, occasionally stealing glances at her nominal "husband" beside her.

"The strategy is both far away and right before our eyes." Uvi pointed meaningfully at Kong Zhiqian. "Great Khan, gentlemen, do you know what this young prince consort means to us?"

Kong Zhiqian felt the gazes of the crowd and his body tensed slightly, but he kept his eyes down and remained expressionless.

Uvi continued, "He is a direct descendant of Confucius! He holds an extraordinary position in the hearts of scholars in the South! Even the Southern people themselves may not be entirely convinced by Murong Yan's ruthless massacre of the entire Confucius family, especially those self-proclaimed high-minded scholars! If we can make good use of this banner..."

"A flag?" King Youguli scoffed. "What use is a little kid who hasn't even grown his first hair? Do you think the Southerners' city walls will crumble on their own just by holding it up?"