On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Lin Zhen sat on a low couch opposite her, which was covered with a complete white tiger skin.

He did not deal with the documents, but instead had an extremely detailed map of the Western Regions spread out in front of him, covered with dense annotations marked with different colors of vermilion.

He held a smooth, white Go stone in his hand, unconsciously rubbing it between his fingers, but his gaze lingered on the location of "Dayuan Kingdom" on the map for a long time, his brows furrowed, lost in deep thought.

The silver-boned charcoal in the charcoal brazier occasionally crackled with a crisp sound, becoming the only rhythm in this tranquil space.

After a long while, Murong Yan gently put down the vermilion brush in her hand, and the vermilion at the tip of the brush made a soft sound as it tapped against the white jade brush mountain.

She raised her eyes, rubbed her slightly sore temples, and looked at Lin Zhen, who was deep in thought opposite her. Her voice was soft with a hint of weariness: "Husband, after looking for so long, have you gained anything?"

Hearing the sound, Lin Zhen snapped out of his reverie and gently placed the chess piece from his fingertips into the jade chess jar beside him, making a clear "click" sound.

He looked up at Murong Yan. In the candlelight, her face was still somewhat pale, but after days of rest, the dark circles under her eyes had faded considerably.

He smiled slightly, revealing a gentle expression: "Did I disturb you?"

“No,” Murong Yan shook her head slightly, leaning back in her chair to make herself more comfortable, the dark gold train of her train shifting slightly on the ground. “I just saw you staring at that picture for half a day, you must have encountered some difficulties.”

Lin Zhen stood up, walked to her desk, and slowly unfolded the map of the Western Regions in front of her, pointing his finger to the location of the Dayuan Kingdom:

"There are difficulties, but we need to weigh the options. Dayuan is thousands of miles away from our Great Qian Dynasty, separated by a vast desert and many small states. Its ruler, Liejiaomi, has always been two-faced, both fearing the majesty of our Celestial Empire and coveting the great benefits promised by the northern desert. Uwei's secret dispatch of envoys this time must be for something big."

His finger moved slowly along the blurry route drawn on the map:

"If we want to send someone infiltrate to sow discord or gather information, the journey is not only arduous, but time is also extremely tight. The selection of personnel, the route, the rendezvous, how to gain the trust of the forces within Dayuan that are at odds with Wuwei... every step requires meticulous planning. The slightest mistake will alert the enemy, or even result in the loss of our elite troops."

Murong Yan leaned forward, resting her elbow on the table, carefully examining the map. The dark black of her phoenix-emerging dress appeared even more somber against the yellowed paper of the map.

She stretched out her slender fingers, tracing the wavy lines representing the desert on the map, and murmured:

"It's really not easy. It's like searching for a specific grain of sand in a vast sea of ​​sand."

She raised her eyes and looked at Lin Zhen, her gaze clear and firm.

"But no matter how difficult it is, we must do it. We absolutely cannot sit idly by and watch Uvi acquire the fine horses and weapons of the Western Regions. My husband, do you already have a preliminary plan in mind?"

Lin Zhen nodded, pointing to an inconspicuous little country on the other side of the map—"Jingjue":

"Although Jingjue is a small country, its royal family has long maintained relations with our dynasty. Its prince was once a hostage in Chang'an, where he was influenced by Chinese culture and his heart is set on the Great Qian. Moreover, Jingjue is located at a key point on the trade route to Dayuan, so it can serve as a transit point. I suggest that we send a shrewd and capable person, either as a caravan guard or a scholar, to accompany the caravan to Jingjue first. Then, the prince of Jingjue can secretly introduce him to the nobles in Dayuan who are pro-our side."

"Where is the candidate?" Murong Yan pressed, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder.

“There is a man under Shadow One’s command, codenamed ‘Grey Falcon’. He is fluent in several languages ​​of the Western Regions, has traveled the Silk Road many times, is familiar with the local customs and culture, and is meticulous and highly adaptable. He is the most suitable candidate.”

Lin Zhen replied, his tone quite certain of the choice.

Murong Yan pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "The person Yingyi recommended must be reliable. However... this trip is extremely dangerous, so we must give him the authority to make decisions on the spot, promise him a generous reward, and ensure his family's safety in order to motivate him to fight to the death."

“That’s natural,” Lin Zhen replied. “The reward has been prepared, and his family will receive the best care and absolute confidentiality. In addition, I will have him take the latest ‘Sparrow Tongue’ secret message transmission method to ensure that the message can be sent back in time.”

After this secret matter was settled, the warm pavilion fell into a brief silence. Murong Yan's gaze returned to the mountain of memorials on the table, and she sighed softly: "At the end of the year, it should be a time for families to reunite and enjoy each other's company, but because of this matter in the northern frontier, people are in a state of panic, and even this palace can hardly have a moment of peace."

Lin Zhen walked behind her, gently pressed his hands on her temples, massaging them with moderate pressure, and said softly:

"Those in positions of power must fulfill their responsibilities. Since we govern this vast land, we are destined to bear burdens unimaginable to ordinary people. When the world is at peace and the people are happy, I will accompany you to find a quiet place to rest for a few years, how about that?"

His massage effectively relieved Murong Yan's headache. She closed her eyes comfortably, rested her head on his warm palm, and a faint, dependent smile appeared on her lips.

"You said it yourself, you can't go back on your word. When the time comes, I want you to be with me every day, and you can't interfere with anything."

"Okay, whatever you say." Lin Zhen chuckled softly, his tone full of doting affection.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the window, growing louder as they approached, and were particularly clear in the quiet snowy night.

Immediately afterward, a low but urgent voice of a palace attendant rang out from outside the warm pavilion: "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Prince, an urgent military report from the northern frontier, six hundred li away!"

Murong Yan suddenly opened her eyes, exchanged a glance with Lin Zhen, and a hint of seriousness flashed in both of their eyes. Lin Zhen said in a deep voice, "Bring it in!"

A messenger, travel-worn and with snowflakes still clinging to his armor, was led in. He knelt on one knee, holding a sealed copper tube aloft with both hands, his breath slightly ragged: "Your Majesty, Your Highness, General Zheng Jiao has sent an urgent report!"

Lin Zhen quickly stepped forward, took the copper tube, checked that the sealing wax was correct, and then swiftly opened it, taking out the silk book inside and quickly browsing through it.

His expression gradually turned stern as he read on.

"What's wrong?" Murong Yan stood up, walked to his side, and asked with concern.

Lin Zhen handed her the silk book, his voice low:

"Five days ago, the Left Wise King of the Northern Desert, Uwei, held a large-scale winter hunt and sacrificial ceremony in Longcheng, with leaders of various tribes gathering. During the ceremony, Uwei publicly announced that he would establish his youngest daughter, Princess Saren, as the 'Pearl of the Grasslands,' and bestow upon her husband, Kong Zhiqian, the title of 'Sage's Son-in-Law,' ordering him to participate in the military and political affairs of the royal court. This move was intended to legitimize his southward advance!"

Murong Yan looked at the words on the silk book, her fingertips feeling slightly cold.

She could almost see a young man named Kong Zhiqian in the distant northern desert city, amidst the ice and snow, dressed in the fine clothes of a foreign race, standing on a high altar, receiving the attention of thousands of northern knights. His gaze was filled with greed for the rich lands of the south, as well as carefully incited hatred directed at her, Murong Yan, and Lin Zhen.

She slowly raised her head and looked out the window at the dark night sky, where snowflakes were falling silently.