On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Hu Yanzhuo's curved saber was agile and ruthless, each move aimed at Zhao Polu's vital points. Zhao Polu's long saber, on the other hand, was wide and powerful, each strike carrying the might to split mountains and shatter rocks.

The two exchanged dozens of blows in an instant, their weapons clashing with ear-piercing sounds and sparks flying everywhere.

Huyan Zhuo was getting on in years, and after a series of bloody battles, his strength was gradually waning. In a moment of carelessness, Zhao Polu seized an opening and slashed his left shoulder with a single blow!

"Ah!" Hu Yanzhuo screamed in agony as his left arm was instantly covered in blood, and the scimitar in his hand almost slipped from his grasp.

"Die!" Zhao Polu roared, sweeping his Mo Dao horizontally towards Hu Yanzhuo's neck!

At this critical moment, several guards from the northern desert rushed forward without regard for their own safety, using their bodies to shield Hu Yanzhuo.

"Pfft!"

The Mo Dao, with its unstoppable power, instantly severed the bodies of several people, splattering blood and internal organs everywhere.

Taking advantage of this brief respite, a resolute glint flashed in Hu Yanzhuo's eyes. He yanked the reins sharply, turned his horse around, and charged recklessly toward the edge of the battlefield. He knew the tide had turned; his only option now was to escape and bring this bloody lesson back to Uvi!

"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Zhao Polu wasn't about to let him get away with it and immediately spurred his horse to give chase.

However, just as he was about to catch up with Hu Yanzhuo, a cold arrow shot from nowhere, fast and swift, and struck Zhao Polu's mount!

The warhorse let out a mournful neigh and crashed to the ground, throwing Zhao Polu to the ground as well.

By the time he got up from the ground, Hu Yanzhuo had already broken out of the encirclement under the desperate cover of his last few guards and disappeared into the morning mist in the distance.

As the bloody battle at Eagle's Beak Cliff in the northern frontier came to an end, the imperial capital Chang'an, thousands of miles away, was just awakening from its slumber. The morning light pierced through the thick clouds, casting a hazy golden hue over the ancient city. The morning court session at the Taiji Hall began, as always, at precisely the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

But the atmosphere today is completely different from usual.

Since the declaration of war was issued, and especially after Regent Lin Zhen personally went to the northern frontier to oversee the war, the entire city of Chang'an has been shrouded in a tense and solemn wartime atmosphere.

In the imperial court, reports on military affairs became the top priority every day. The leisure and idle talk of the civil officials in the past had long been replaced by specific and tedious matters such as the allocation of grain and the conscription of soldiers.

Murong Yan sat upright on the crimson-gold phoenix chair atop the nine-tiered platform, her phoenix eyes calmly sweeping over the assembled officials below.

She still wore only the Phoenix Descent Dress, which was her only attire, and solemnly covered it with the matching black and gold shawl to signify the formality of the court assembly.

Inside the hall, the candlelight shone brightly on the huge golden dragon pillars, illuminating her unique imperial robes.

The Phoenix Descends to Earth dress, made of the deepest black Suzhou brocade, incorporates fine, soft gold cotton fibers during its weaving. Under the candlelight, it appears as if countless tiny gold grains are slowly flowing within the dark background, exuding endless nobility in its tranquility.

Su Jin's exquisite craftsmanship endowed this cotton nightgown with ultimate lightness and softness. Even with its layers and large skirt, she did not feel heavy at all when sitting on it. On the contrary, its close-fitting comfort became a silent comfort for her under the high pressure of government affairs.

On the skirt, a colossal phoenix, embroidered with the finest gold thread and exquisite craftsmanship, shimmered brilliantly in the candlelight. The phoenix's wings covered the wide, ornate bell sleeves, while its tail flowed seamlessly into the five-zhang-long Suzhou brocade train, trailing behind it.

At this moment, the long train stretched out from behind the phoenix throne, winding down the nine-tiered steps, piling and twisting on the smooth, mirror-like gold brick floor, forming a majestic and magnificent mess.

Her wide, flared sleeves were adorned with gold tassels that hung silently. The dark jade thumb ring on her left hand gleamed with a deep and resolute luster in the candlelight.

"If there is something to report, step forward and speak early; if there is nothing to report, roll up the curtain and leave the court—" The high-pitched voice of the eunuchs from the Directorate of Ceremonial echoed in the hall.

The Minister of Revenue stepped forward first and reported on the latest batch of military rations being procured and shipped.

The Minister of Works followed closely behind, reporting on the production progress of the siege weapons and crossbows that were being rushed into production.

Everything seemed to be proceeding in an orderly manner.

Murong Yan listened quietly, nodding occasionally, and sometimes asking a question or two about certain details. Her words were concise and to the point, leaving the responsible official no room for negligence.

Just then, Cui Mingyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites, stepped out of the ranks of civil officials and bowed in greeting.

“Your Majesty,” his voice was as gentle and refined as ever, exuding a convincing composure, “I have something to report.”

Murong Yan's gaze fell on him, and she said calmly, "Please speak, Minister Cui."

"Your Majesty," Cui Mingyuan said calmly, "the war in the northern frontier is a matter of national importance and has incurred enormous costs. The Ministry of Revenue has been making requisitions for days, and although the national treasury can still support it, this is not a good long-term solution. I have heard that the weather in the Jiangnan region has been favorable this year, and a bumper summer harvest is expected. However, the grain transport is difficult, and transporting grain over thousands of miles is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and extremely costly."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, and then offered a suggestion that sounded perfectly reasonable:

"In my humble opinion, perhaps we could procure some grain and fodder locally from the prosperous Jiangnan region to alleviate the urgent needs of the northern frontier. This would shorten the transport route, save manpower and resources, and allow the gentry and common people of Jiangnan to share the nation's burdens and overcome these difficult times together. However..."

He changed the subject, a hint of embarrassment appearing on his face:

"The gentry of Jiangnan have always been eager to donate, but this time the amount collected is enormous. It may be necessary for the court to send a highly respected official who is familiar with the affairs of Jiangnan to appease and coordinate the matter in order to achieve twice the result with half the effort and avoid causing local unrest."

Upon hearing this, many civil officials in the hall nodded in agreement. The plan certainly sounded like a win-win solution.

However, Murong Yan sat upright on the phoenix chair, her face expressionless. Only her fingertips, adorned with a black jade thumb ring, rested on the armrest and tapped almost imperceptibly.

She sneered inwardly.

What a shrewd Cui Mingyuan!

What a fine example of "sharing the nation's burdens"!

Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice, and also the foundation of prominent families.

The Cui family of Qinghe had extensive connections and influence in Jiangnan, with numerous relatives, friends, and disciples.

His proposal to requisition grain in Jiangnan and his demand to send a "highly respected" minister are utterly despicable!

Firstly, requisitioning grain during wartime is inherently prone to inciting public resentment. If handled improperly, it can easily lead to local instability, in which case the imperial court will have to bear the responsibility.

Secondly, who should be sent? If people from the Cui family are sent, it would be tantamount to letting them use the pretext of collecting grain for the country to expand their own power in Jiangnan and win over the people.

If someone else were sent, the Cui family could easily create the illusion that the imperial decrees were not being implemented in Chang'an and had lost the support of the people by secretly hindering the grain requisition process. This would undermine the prestige of the court and shake the foundation of the northern expedition.

This seemingly benevolent strategy to share the nation's burdens is actually a treacherous, insidious tactic!

“What Minister Cui says is not without reason,” Murong Yan said, her voice calm and unreadable. “The difficulty of transporting grain by canal is indeed a reality. Requisitioning grain locally is not a bad idea. However, I wonder if Minister Cui has a suitable candidate in mind to take on this important task?”

She threw the question back at her directly.

Cui Mingyuan seemed to have been prepared, and immediately bowed and replied:

"Your Majesty, I dare not presume to comment on state affairs. However, Zhang Jianzhi, a retired official from the previous dynasty and now the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, is renowned for his integrity and is highly respected among the local gentry in Jiangnan. If we could persuade Elder Zhang to step down from his post and assume the title of 'Pacification Commissioner of Jiangnan' to oversee this matter, we might achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Another low murmur rippled through the hall.