On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The one-month period, like a sword hanging over Nan Chu's head, passed quietly in the atmosphere of constant panic in Jinling City.

The sternly worded ultimatum of the Daqian Empress Murong Yan fell on deaf ears, without any substantive response from the new ruler of Nanchu, Gu Chengye.

Inside the Purple Palace in Jinling, the quarrels and buck-passing continued, but panic spread like a plague, eroding the last bit of confidence of this once prosperous capital.

As the sunset of the last day sank into the end of the Yangtze River, the jade chime symbolizing decision was struck heavily in the Purple Palace of the Imperial Capital. The clear sound penetrated the palace and also penetrated the last glimmer of hope of the rulers and ministers of Southern Chu.

Inside the Purple Palace, the candlelight was bright, as bright as day.

The atmosphere was as heavy as iron, and a murderous aura permeated the air.

Empress Murong Yan was clad in bright golden phoenix armor, covered with a scarlet gold-woven cloak, a towering phoenix crown, and hanging pearl curtains, which concealed her beautiful yet cold face.

She sat high on the throne, her phoenix eyes full of majesty as she glanced at the civil and military officials standing solemnly in front of the emperor.

Lin Zhen wore a black coiled dragon armor and a black cloak. He stood at the first position on the left side of the imperial steps, holding his sword. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, and his deep eyes were calm, but contained a sharp edge that could tear apart mountains and rivers.

"Nan Chuchu Tyrant is stubborn and unyielding. He disobeys the imperial order, shields the traitor, and defies the majesty of Heaven!" Murong Yan's voice was as clear as an icy spring, carrying the resoluteness and chill of an emperor. "This is a betrayal of Heaven! This is self-destruction!"

She slowly stood up, her scarlet cloak drawing a sharp arc behind her: "Convey my command!"

"Nan Chu has betrayed its allies, colluded with foreign enemies, funded assassins, and attempted to kill the prince. The evidence is irrefutable! Now, they are defying the imperial order and ignoring the majesty of Heaven. This is a heinous crime that outrages both humans and gods!"

"I have received the order from Heavenly Jing to execute the punishment on Heaven's behalf! From this very day, we will send our troops to attack Chu! To avenge the blood debt! To restore the majesty of Heaven!"

"Lin Zhen is the Grand Marshal of the Chu Campaign, commanding all three armies and controlling all the troops!"

"Zhao Wu is the commander-in-chief of the front army, commanding the troops from Jingzhou and Xiangyang as the vanguard, and heading straight for Nanjing!"

"Minister of Revenue Zhang Heng is in charge of transporting grain and supplies to ensure the army's supplies are safe!"

"Chu Xiling, the head of the Thunder Department, is overseeing the production of military weapons, such as Sky-Burning Thunder and Fire Guns. We must ensure a steady supply!"

"The Minister of Rites, Zhou Zheng, announced to the world the issuance of the edict to attack Chu, letting everyone know!"

"Appreciate this!"

"Your Majesty, we obey your command!" The important officials who were named responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, filled with iron-blooded solemnity.

"Your Majesty is wise! Daqian will win!" The ministers shouted in unison, the sound was like a tide, shaking the palace.

In the northern suburbs of the imperial capital, there is the Shenwu Parade Ground.

The north wind was biting, blowing up snow foam all over the sky.

One hundred thousand elite soldiers in black armor lined up like a forest, their swords and spears were like snow, and their flags blocked out the sun.

The huge black coiled dragon flag fluttered in the cold wind, like a sleeping dragon opening its eyes and letting out a silent roar.

The air was filled with rust, leather, sweat and an almost frozen atmosphere.

The generals' platform is towering.

Murong Yan was wearing golden phoenix armor, and her scarlet cloak fluttered in the wind, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes.

She stood holding her sword, her phoenix crown and pearl curtain swaying in the wind. Her beautiful face was filled with a thrilling majesty and determination under the pale winter sunlight.

Lin Zhen, wearing a black cloak and black armor, stood beside him, like a silent mountain, his eyes calmly sweeping over the torrent of steel below the stage.

"Soldiers!" Murong Yan's voice, clearly transmitted throughout the entire training grounds through a specially amplified brass tube, resonated like thunder in every soldier's ears. "Southern Chu is unjust and treacherous. They aided the traitors and attempted to assassinate the prince. Now they are defying the imperial order and flouted the majesty of Heaven! Such an unjust nation cannot be appeased without attacking the people, cannot demonstrate the majesty of Heaven, and cannot ensure the safety of the country!"

Her voice suddenly rose, carrying a force that pierced the heavens: "Today, I personally lead the army to fight alongside you, my comrades. Together we will face the national crisis, razze Jinling, annihilate the traitors, and enhance the prestige of our Great Qian nation!"

"Long live! Long live! Long, long live!" One hundred thousand soldiers roared in unison, and the sound waves swept across the sky and earth like a tsunami!

Swords and guns were raised high, flashing cold light, forming a forest of steel, and the earth trembled!

"March!" Lin Zhen's low and powerful voice sounded, like an attack horn!

“Woo! Woo! Woo!”

The deep and powerful sound of the horn, like the roar of an ancient beast, resounded through the sky!

"Rumble--"

The huge "Iron Dragon" train, spewing thick smoke and emitting a deafening roar, slowly drove onto the dedicated track beside the parade grounds. The steel wheels rolled over the cold rails, making a dull but powerful sound.

Rows of carriages loaded with elite soldiers in black armor, food and supplies, and huge "Burning Sky Thunder" artillery carriages covered with oilcloth, like a long steel dragon, began to slowly start and head south under the propulsion of steam!

The infantry phalanx followed closely behind with their uniform, earth-shaking steps!

The cavalry formation, the war horses neighing, the iron hooves thundering, stirring up a sky full of snow dust!

The entire training ground turned into a boiling torrent of steel, rolling southward with an indestructible momentum!

Murong Yan stood on the platform for commanding generals, her scarlet cloak fluttering in the wind.

She looked at the receding torrent of steel, a cold flame burning in her phoenix eyes.

Lin Zhen stood beside her, his black cloak fluttering in the wind, his deep gaze looking towards the southern skyline, where the outline of Jinling City seemed to be looming in the smoke.

The royal palace, "Qihuang Garden".

The candlelight is still on in the warm room.

The cold wind outside the window seemed to be even colder than usual, rolling up snow foam and whipping the window frames, making a whimpering sound.

Princess Yuhua was dressed in white and stood quietly in front of the window.

On her face, the half-gold fire phoenix mask flickered with a cold and eerie light in the candlelight.

Under the mask, the uncovered left eye was still clear, but like the surface of an ice-covered lake, reflecting the raging snow and wind outside the window, silent and calm.

A trusted maid stumbled into the warm room, her face as pale as paper, her voice filled with tears and extreme fear: "Princess, the fighting has begun! His Majesty is leading the army in person! The army has set out! Nanjing is finished!"

Princess Yuhua's body trembled slightly when she heard the words "the emperor leads the army in person" and "Jinling is finished".

She still had her back to the maid, her eyes fixed on the old plum tree swaying in the blizzard outside the window.

A few stubborn plum blossoms bloomed on the branches, their petals trembling in the wind and snow, but never withering.

"I understand." Her voice was cold and calm, without any emotion.

The maid looked at her lonely and straight back, like an ice sculpture, and collapsed to the ground in despair, sobbing softly: "Princess, what should we do? General Meng Lie and his men died in vain, and the Qin State is finished."

Princess Yuhua slowly turned around.

Under the mask, the left eye calmly swept over the maid who collapsed on the ground and cried inconsolably.

There was no rebuke, no comfort, only a silent ice field.

"Go down." Her voice was still cold.

The maid raised her tearful eyes and met those calm eyes. The last glimmer of hope in her heart was completely extinguished.

She struggled to her feet and staggered back out.

Silence returned to the warm room, with only the howling of the wind and snow and the flickering candlelight.

Princess Yuhua walked to the desk. A sheet of plain white rice paper lay spread out on it. She picked up her brush and dipped it in thick ink. The tip of the pen hovered over the paper, trembling slightly.

Jinling is finished.

These four words, like a red-hot iron, burned deeply into her heart.

The blood of Meng Lie and others and the demise of the old Qin army failed to stop the war, but instead became the fuse that ignited the war.

And she, the "princess" who was treated as a chess piece, the "pearl" who was protected by the former Qin army with her life, is now trapped in this golden cage, wearing a cold mask, waiting for the destruction of her homeland.

A very faint, almost self-deprecating arc spread across her tightly pursed lips.

She put down her pen and lightly brushed her fingertips across the cold Fire Phoenix mask. The metal edge of the mask felt icy cold.

She walked to the window and opened it.

The biting cold wind mixed with snow foam instantly rushed into the warm room, causing the candlelight to sway violently.

She stretched out her hand, and a cold snowflake fell on her white palm, melting instantly, leaving only a trace of cold water.

Outside the window, the old plum tree stands proudly in the wind and snow. The plum blossoms on the branches bloom stubbornly in the strong wind, emitting a cool and subtle fragrance.

The left eye that was not covered under Princess Yuhua's mask was quietly gazing at the winter plum blossoms in the wind and snow.

Deep in the depths of my eyes, beneath the silent ice field, something seemed to be silently shattering and surging, and finally returning to a deeper and colder silence.

She slowly closed the window to keep the wind and snow out.

In the warm room, the candlelight stabilized again, illuminating her lonely figure and the cold fire phoenix mask on her face.