On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Inside Qifeng Pavilion, candlelight blazed brightly.

Murong Yan waved her hand to dismiss all the palace servants and paced back and forth alone in the hall.

The bloody public execution in front of the Meridian Gate during the day, and the secret report she had just received about the unusual activities in Jiangnan and other places, left her in a state of turmoil.

She was still only wearing the Phoenix Descent Dress, which served as her only nightgown, and had not covered herself with the embroidered robe.

At this moment, she shed her imperial coldness and majesty, leaving only the weariness and worries of a woman.

The deep black Suzhou brocade base, under the soft light of the palace lanterns, resembled a bottomless vortex, absorbing all the light.

This cotton nightgown, woven with the light and breathable Suzhou brocade technique, feels weightless despite its large size; the soft fabric against the skin only brings a slightly cool touch.

Because of her restlessness, she paced back and forth, and the five-zhang-long dark gold brocade trail behind her was dragged, tangled, and piled up on the smooth gold brick floor, forming a messy and unruly scene full of anxiety and unease.

Her wide, bell-shaped sleeves swayed back and forth with her movements, and the intricate gold tassels at the cuffs occasionally brushed against the ground, making a soft sound.

She walked to the window and stopped.

The moment she turned to look out the window at the night—her movement carried a sense of restlessness and melancholy, as if she were enveloped by immense pressure!

The long, flowing, messy, dark gold train was suddenly agitated by her turning motion, which was filled with frustration! The luxurious brocade drew a dull arc on the floor tiles.

As the train suddenly billowed up, it revealed the "all-over gold" lining woven with gold thread!

Under the dim candlelight inside the hall, the golden light was no longer the brilliance of daytime, but shimmered with a dark golden light that seemed to be obscured by dark clouds, anxious and worried!

The phoenix pattern covering the entire nightgown and its train instantly evoked a sense of heaviness, as if one were trapped in a predicament and their thoughts were in turmoil!

The light was filled with vigilance against unknown enemies, deep concern about internal hidden dangers, and a heavy and oppressive feeling of being bound by an invisible net.

The hem of her skirt fell, concealing the worried, dark golden light.

“Kong Zhiqian…” Murong Yan chewed on the name again, her eyes filled with coldness.

This stray dog, whom she once looked down upon, has now become an enemy that poses a greater challenge to her than Uwe's iron cavalry.

Military confrontations are open and straightforward, with clear victors and vanquished.

However, such insidious tricks as spreading rumors and poisoning the country behind its back are difficult to guard against, and if one is not careful, they will shake the foundation of the nation.

"Guards, summon Prime Minister Du and Minister Zhou to the palace for an audience immediately!" She could not wait any longer and had to respond immediately.

Soon, Du Ruhui, with his white hair and beard, and Zhou Xing, the Minister of Revenue with a serious expression, hurried to Qifeng Pavilion.

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects."

"Rise, my two esteemed subjects, and please take seats." Murong Yanyan handed them the "Night Owl" secret report. "Take a look."

Du Ruhui and Zhou Xing received the secret report, and after only a few glances, their expressions changed drastically at the same time.

"Your Majesty! This...this is no coincidence!" Du Ruhui's aged voice was filled with shock. "Similar rumors have appeared simultaneously in several places in Jiangnan and the Central Plains, accompanied by epidemics...there must be a dark hand manipulating this!"

“Indeed,” Zhou Xing said in a deep voice, “and spreading rumors, directly targeting His Majesty, is utterly despicable! This is an attempt to shake the morale of the people of our Great Qian and destabilize our rear! The war in the northern frontier is intense; if the rear is unstable, the consequences will be unimaginable!”

Seeing the worry on the faces of her two trusted ministers, Murong Yan felt somewhat relieved. At least, she wasn't fighting alone.

"My two esteemed ministers, what wise counsel do you have?"

Du Ruhui pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, this matter should be guided rather than suppressed. If rumors are forcibly suppressed, they will only arouse suspicion and spread further. The best course of action now is to adopt two strategies."

"First, to reassure the people. The court can issue an edict to reduce or exempt taxes for the regions affected by the rumors this year, and immediately allocate special funds from the national treasury to dispatch capable physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy, carrying medicines, to the epidemic area to treat the people. The people should see that the court has not abandoned them, but is doing its best to help them. With the emperor's boundless grace, the rumors will be dispelled on their own."

"Secondly, we should do the opposite." A glint of shrewdness flashed in Du Ruhui's eyes.

"Since the enemy attacks us with rumors, we can fight back with 'facts'! News of the great victory at Eagle's Beak Cliff should have spread by now. We can order all the prefectural and county governments to publicize this victory extensively! How bravely our soldiers fought the enemy, and how His Highness the Prince strategized. At the same time, we should also announce to the world that Cui Mingyuan betrayed the country and was publicly executed! We must let the people know who the real traitor is, and who is the culprit who caused the fighting and their suffering!"

"What Prime Minister Du said is absolutely right!" Zhou Xing immediately echoed.

"By extending benevolence on one hand and demonstrating national power on the other, we can stabilize the people's hearts! As for the epidemic, I suggest that in addition to dispatching medical officers, we must immediately seal off the affected area and strictly prohibit the movement of people to prevent the spread of the disease. All dead people and livestock must be buried deeply or cremated. We must not be careless!"

"Alright." After listening to the analysis of the two important ministers, Murong Yan's chaotic thoughts gradually cleared. She immediately made a decision:

"As you two ministers have suggested! Prime Minister Du, immediately draft an edict to reduce taxes, proclaim the great victory, and denounce the traitors! Minister Zhou, you are responsible for allocating funds, grain, and medicine from the Ministry of Revenue, ensuring they are delivered to the epidemic area within three days! As for the Imperial Hospital, I will personally issue the order. Furthermore, issue my decree ordering 'Night Owl' to investigate the source of the rumors and the poisoner with all their might. Once verified, there is no need to report; kill them on the spot!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Du Ruhui and Zhou Xing replied in unison.

After arranging everything, the two senior officials withdrew. Once again, only Murong Yan remained in Qifeng Pavilion.

She walked to the desk and looked at the mountain of memorials piled up on it, feeling utterly exhausted. How she wished Lin Zhen were by her side right now, so she could lean on him as usual and pour out all her troubles to him.

Just then, a palace maid quietly entered, holding a waterproof wax pill in both hands.

"Your Majesty, a letter from His Highness the Prince of the Northern Frontier."

Murong Yan's eyes lit up instantly!

She quickly stepped forward, took the wax pellet, and somewhat hastily crushed it to extract the letter inside.

It's his handwriting!

His strokes were vigorous and powerful, just like his personality.

In the letter, he did not mention any of the hardships of the war, but wrote in a lighthearted tone about the interesting things that happened in the military camp. He said that Marshal Zheng Jiao's voice was so loud that it hurt his ears; and that the whole roasted lamb in the army was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, but lacked some seasoning.

He also said that he was doing well and told her to make sure to eat on time and not stay up late...

Looking at these heartwarming words, Murong Yan's eyes welled up with tears, and she almost shed one.

This fool, he's always like this, bearing all the hardships himself, only showing her his best side.

At the end of the letter, he wrote: "...Recently, the enemy's tactics have changed, becoming increasingly cunning and unpredictable, quite like the treacherous style of the Southerners. It seems as if a master is guiding them from behind, but these are all minor ailments and not worth worrying about. Yan'er, don't worry."

That one sentence made Murong Yan's heart sink!

Is the southerners' cunning and treacherous nature evident?

Any advice from an expert?

She immediately thought of Kong Zhiqian!

She instantly understood that Lin Zhen wasn't unaware of the danger; he was simply using this understated approach to subtly remind her to be on guard from behind!

He must be facing immense pressure and danger!

A strong sense of worry and heartache instantly gripped her heart. She pressed the letter tightly to her chest, as if that could share some of his weight.

"My husband..." she murmured to herself, her eyes filled with tenderness and worry.