On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

"On behalf of all the soldiers of the Northern Frontier, this old minister thanks Your Majesty for your divine grace!" Zhou Qing bowed again with emotion.

After asking a few more questions about specific matters such as the border troops' winter clothing and horse feed, Murong Yan, seeing that her purpose had been achieved, signaled to Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen understood and smiled at Zhou Qing, saying, "Minister Zhou is busy with military affairs, so His Majesty and I will not stay long. Here are some New Year's gifts to express our feelings."

Zhou Qing was moved to tears and led his officers to respectfully escort the Emperor and Empress to the gate of the residence. Just as Murong Yan turned to board the carriage—

The movements conveyed the decisiveness and authority of someone who had finished questioning and was about to return to the capital!

The long, dark gold Suzhou brocade trailing behind the cold stone floor of the Zhou Mansion hall, covered in dust and disheveled, was suddenly agitated by the action of turning around!

The luxurious brocade swept across the ground, creating a stark contrast with the surroundings filled with armor, and made a clear "whoosh" sound.

As the train suddenly billowed up, it revealed the "Golden Embroidery" lining, which was densely woven with gold threads and shimmered with a sharp and dazzling golden light like a drawn sword under the strong afternoon light and the solemn atmosphere of the military compound!

The phoenix pattern covering the entire nightgown and its train burst forth with a radiance as intense and majestic as the scorching sun. The light was filled with praise for loyalty, coldness towards rebellion, and an absolute confidence in controlling the overall situation and discerning potential dangers. It was noble, magnificent, and carried an unquestionable iron will when facing potential threats!

This fleeting glimpse was her inspection of national defense capabilities and her absolute requirement for internal stability as the supreme commander.

The hem of her skirt fell, obscuring the awe-inspiring golden light. Murong Yan and Lin Zhen boarded the carriage amidst the reverent gazes of Zhou Qing and other generals.

Inside the car, Murong Yan let out a soft sigh, leaned back against the cushion, and rubbed her temples.

"Minister Zhou is straightforward, but his loyalty is unquestionable," Lin Zhen said softly, handing over a glass of warm water.

“Hmm,” Murong Yan took the water glass and took a sip. “With him guarding the northern border, we can be safe for the time being. However… that orphan of the Kong family is ultimately a hidden danger.”

She put down her water glass, looked out the car window and gazed northward. "Uwe didn't just push him out here for show."

“Don’t worry,” Lin Zhen said, holding her hand firmly. “No matter what tricks Uvi has up his sleeve, no matter what the Kong family is like, we have already taken action. Right now, we need to continue our operations as planned to stabilize morale.”

The carriage started again, heading towards the next high-ranking official's residence.

......

at dusk.

The emperor and empress's carriages left the solemn residence of the Minister of War and arrived at the last stop of the day's journey—the residence of Li Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites.

The Li family mansion is located in Chongrenfang in the south of the city. The mansion is not as grand as the prime minister's mansion, nor as austere as the mansion of a military family, but it exudes the elegance and refinement of a family that has passed down poetry and books.

Upon hearing that the Emperor and Empress were coming in person, Li Wenyuan and his family had already been waiting outside the mansion gate, their faces showing a mixture of excitement and unease at being so honored.

With Lin Zhen's help, Murong Yan stepped down from the carriage again.

The afterglow of the setting sun bathed everything in a warm golden light, which also shone on her unique phoenix-themed dress.

The deep black Suzhou brocade, bathed in the soft light of the setting sun, exuded a profound luster as calm as ancient ink. The gold cotton velvet woven into it and the phoenix pattern embroidered with gold thread were illuminated, flowing with a warm and restrained glow.

The exquisite craftsmanship of Suzhou brocade ensures that this cotton nightgown, despite its large skirt, remains lightweight and form-fitting, without being particularly heavy.

The long, five-zhang-long Suzhou brocade train, after a whole day of visiting, inevitably picked up a lot of dust, spreading out behind it and leaving even more messy and complicated marks on the smooth stone slabs in front of the Li residence. The wrinkles were layered and the edges were even slightly worn and frayed, presenting an extremely realistic, dusty and messy feeling.

The black and gold shawl was still hanging outside, and the golden phoenix pattern on it looked lifelike in the sunset.

The wide, flared sleeves, with gold thread tassels, swayed gently with her movements.

The black jade thumb ring on her left thumb gleamed with a warm luster in the sunset.

"Your humble servant Li Wenyuan, along with his entire family, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty and His Highness the Prince! Your Majesty and His Highness's presence is an honor to our humble abode!"

Li Wenyuan's voice carried the unique respect and excitement of a civil official as he bowed deeply, and his family members behind him also knelt down in worship.

"Minister Li, please rise. All of you, please rise." Murong Yan's voice seemed a little softer than when she was at the Du and Zhou residences, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue, but her dignity remained undiminished. "It's just a casual family visit during the holidays, no need for such formalities."

Lin Zhen smiled and raised his hand, saying, "Please rise, Minister Li. Your Majesty and I were just passing by and thought we'd drop by. Please don't be so formal."

Li Wenyuan repeatedly expressed his gratitude and respectfully welcomed the Emperor and Empress into the residence.

The halls of the Li residence were decorated with great elegance. Ancient books and jade artifacts were displayed on the display cabinets, and landscape paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls. The air was filled with a faint fragrance of books and ink.

After the guests and host took their seats, Murong Yan sat at the head of the table, her long, dark gold train flowing naturally, blending strangely with the scholarly atmosphere of the room. Lin Zhen sat beside her.

A maidservant served tea, the finest Longjing tea, with a delightful fragrance.

Murong Yan picked up the teacup but did not drink it immediately. Her gaze swept gently over the family members who stood respectfully behind Li Wenyuan.

Li Wenyuan had few children, only one son and one daughter. His son was about seven or eight years old, wearing a brand-new brocade robe. He had a round face and bright eyes, and was secretly looking up at the emperor and empress.

The daughter was even younger, about four or five years old, with her hair in two buns. She hid behind her mother, only revealing a pair of big, dark eyes, looking at Murong Yan's magnificent dress with curiosity and timidity.

Murong Yan's gaze lingered on the little girl for a moment, and the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up, revealing a very faint but genuine and gentle smile.

She put down her teacup and said gently to Li Wenyuan, "Minister Li, these two young masters and ladies are so lovely and charming, they are simply delightful to behold."

Li Wenyuan was flattered and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty is too kind. My son is unruly and my daughter is ignorant. We are not worthy of Your Majesty's praise." As he spoke, he quickly gestured for the two children to step forward and kowtow.

The little boy was quite generous. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Student Li Yun greets Your Majesty and Your Highness the Prince."

The voice was young but clear.

The little girl was somewhat shy and hesitated to step forward. Only after her mother gently pushed her forward did she softly say, "Your subject, Li Xuan, pays her respects to Your Majesty..."

After saying that, he tried to shrink back.

Upon seeing this, Murong Yan's smile deepened.

She leaned slightly forward, extending her hand to the little girl, her voice becoming even softer, with a natural warmth: "Come, come to me, let me see you."

The black jade thumb ring on her finger gleamed with a warm glow in the soft light.

The little girl, Li Xuan, hesitated for a moment, looked up at her parents' encouraging eyes, and then at Murong Yan's gaze, which was not stern but full of kindness. Finally, she timidly took two steps forward.

Murong Yan didn't let her get any closer to her skirt, lest she touch the untouchable train. She simply reached out and gently stroked the little girl's soft hair, smiling, "What a well-behaved child. How old are you this year?"

"Yes... Your Majesty, I'm four years old," the little girl answered softly, seemingly less afraid.

"Four years old, the most adorable age." Murong Yan smiled, looking up at Lin Zhen with obvious affection and... perhaps a fleeting hint of envy?

She turned to signal to the palace maid who was attending her.

The palace maid immediately presented a delicate brocade box.

Murong Yan opened it, and inside were two pairs of lifelike rabbit paperweights carved from the finest mutton-fat jade, as well as several boxes of palace-made, adorable animal-shaped candies.