On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The city of Jinling was shrouded in the bluish-gray color before dawn. In the Purple Palace, the whale candle had burned to the very end, its wax tears piling up like red coral.

Murong Yan stood before a massive sheepskin sea chart, uncrowned. Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a scarlet-gold phoenix hairpin, a few strands cascading down her cheeks. She wore a floor-length phoenix robe, embroidered in black with gold thread, depicting hundreds of phoenixes traversing clouds. The robe was as dark as the midnight sea, yet the golden phoenixes on it shone with dazzling fiery brilliance in the candlelight as she turned.

The two-meter-long tail stretched out behind her like a flowing river of molten gold. The fine gold tassels at the edge made a very slight "rustling" sound on the smooth gold brick floor as her fingertips moved across the sea chart, like a poisonous snake swimming over dead leaves.

The chief eunuch almost crawled on his hands and knees as he presented the urgent battle report from eight hundred miles away, which was tainted with the smell of sea and gunpowder.

Murong Yan took it and her cold fingertips brushed across the silk surface that had become rough after being soaked in sea water and dried.

The handwriting on the battle report was a bit sloppy due to haste, but every word was as sharp as a knife: "Fifteen ships of the Western Fleet, bypassing the natural barrier of Devil's Cape, suddenly attacked the Borneo Fortress! The three outer artillery batteries were completely destroyed, and more than half of the defenders were killed or wounded! The Zhenhai was ambushed while rushing to the rescue and the ship was severely damaged!"

The hall was dead silent, the only sound being the crackling candlelight. Murong Yan's figure remained motionless beneath her dark phoenix robe, the only difference being the fluttering feathers of a golden phoenix on the robe, which rose and fell slightly with her rapid breathing.

She suddenly raised her eyes, and the cold light in her phoenix eyes pierced through the dull air in the hall like an ice cone, shooting straight at the heavy rain outside the hall, as if to penetrate the thousands of miles of smoke and waves and see the bloody and fiery coast of Borneo.

"Where is my husband?" Her voice was clear, penetrating the sound of rain, with a kind of quenched coldness.

"His Highness is already in the Grand Council, reviewing the Nanyang defense deployment." The eunuch's voice trembled.

"Move to the Military Affairs Hall." Murong Yan turned around, and the trail of her black gold phoenix robe swept across the imperial steps like an inky tide. The friction sound of heavy silk echoed in the empty hall, and every step seemed to step on people's hearts.

Inside the Grand Council Hall, candles were brightly lit, and a huge map of Borneo's coastal defense covered the long rosewood table.

Lin Zhen was wearing a black dragon-patterned uniform, his shoulders slightly wet, and he was quickly sketching on the picture with charcoal.

The door opened, and Murong Yan stepped in. Her dark golden phoenix robe carried the damp, cold air from outside, instantly causing the temperature inside to plummet. The phoenix pattern on the robe seemed to come alive in the candlelight, radiating a golden glow and exuding awe-inspiring pressure.

"Yan'er." Lin Zhen raised his head, his deep gaze sweeping across the battle report in her hand, instantly sharp as a cold blade. "How dare Devil Horn and the others force their way in?"

"If you want to break through the dangerous place by force, there must be a traitor leading the way." Murong Yan's voice was like ice beads falling on a plate. She walked to the front of the table, and the tail of her black gold phoenix robe meandered across the cold ground, almost touching the corner of Lin Zhen's black robe.

She pointed her finger at the crumbling mark of the Borneo fortress on the nautical chart, and then crossed the inky sea area of ​​Devil's Cape marked as the "Death Whirlpool".

"The fortress cannot be lost. Devil's Corner will be their burial place."

She took the red brush from the desk, dipped it in thick ink, but instead of writing an imperial edict, she wrote directly on the blank space of the sea chart:

"Order: The Nanyang Fleet's Dingyuan and Polang ships, abandon their patrols and rush to Borneo at full speed! Regardless of loss of life and crew, break the blockade and rescue the defenders!"

"Order: All Burning Sky Thunder Chain Ammunition and Incendiary Bombs from the Quanzhou Depot of the Burning Sky Thunder Division must be immediately loaded onto Exocet-class speedboats and dispatched to Borneo as quickly as possible! The fortress defenders will wait for reinforcements to arrive, and use Burning Sky Thunder to cover the enemy's rear, and cut off the Burning Sky Thunder ships from sailing!"

"Order!" She suddenly changed her pen, her cinnabar red like blood, and pointed at the Jinling city defense map. "Nine-Gate Admirals, Embroidered Uniform Guard Commanders, listen immediately! Thoroughly investigate all post stations, docks, and trading companies from Jinling to the coastal areas! Anyone who collaborates with the enemy, regardless of whether they are royalty or noble, will be beheaded immediately! The blood debt of Borneo must be atoned for with the blood of rebels!"

Cinnabar dripped, each word as if cast in iron. Lin Zhen took the sea chart, imbued with murderous intent, his fingertips touching the cold golden phoenix feathers on her sleeve. "As you wish." His dark figure shot like an arrow, plunging into the torrential rain outside the palace, a murderous aura etched in his veins.

Off the coast of Borneo, the rainstorm has just subsided, but the smoke of war has not yet dissipated.

Charred planks, torn canvas and swollen corpses floated on the sea, and blood dyed the turbid waves a strange dark red.

The Castilian fleet, led by the Santa Maria, was a behemoth of steel, tearing at the battered fortress with a barrage of artillery fire. Stone walls crumbled, artillery emplacements were reduced to rubble, and the defenders, clinging to their flesh and blood amid the rubble, held out for dear life.

"General! Northeast!" The lookout's hoarse shout was trembling with the feeling of having escaped from despair.

The defending commander, leaning on his sword with one arm, his robe stained with blood, looked up. In the rain and fog, the massive silhouettes of the Dingyuan and Polang warships resembled blood-soaked dragons, splitting the waves and ignoring the locust-like artillery fire around them as they charged towards the battlefield at full speed! The muzzles of the main guns, the Burning Heaven Divine Thunder, were silent, their dark armor covered in hideous bullet marks!

"Thunder Guards! Maneuver the guns!" the defending commander roared with his last breath. "Chain bombs! Incendiary bombs! Reload! Target—the enemy's rear guard! Cut off their retreat!"

At the remaining gun positions, the Thunder Guards fought desperately to operate amidst the arrows. Specialized chain bullets were loaded into the gun barrels, and the incendiary bomb fuses were lit!

"put!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The chain bullets whistled and spun, the iron chains like the whip of death, fiercely lashing the mast of the frigate behind the Western Fleet! Snap! The huge mast broke! The sails collapsed with a loud bang! The battleship was instantly paralyzed!

The incendiary bombs followed closely, landing precisely on the enemy ship's deck and crippling it!

"boom--!"

Flames shot up into the sky! Sticky kerosene splattered everywhere! Western sailors turned into howling infernos! Warships became floating coffins of fire!

On the "Santa Maria", Count Alvarez's face was as pale as paper. Looking at the fleet behind him engulfed in flames, his retreat was cut off!

"Count! The Dingyuan is coming!" the adjutant screamed.

Although the bow of the Dingyuan was riddled with holes, it was still determined to fight to the death, and its ferocious ramming pierced the side of the Santa Maria!

"No--!" Alvarez's desperate roar was drowned out by the deafening sound of steel colliding!

In the Purple Palace, the morning light is breaking.

Murong Yan was still standing in front of the sea chart, her dark phoenix robe emitting a faint golden glow in the gradually brightening sky. The rain stains on the tail edge last night had dried up, leaving only faint marks, like dried blood.

The eunuch silently presented the latest report: the Borneo fortress remained standing, the Dingyuan and Polang severely damaged the enemy ships, the Santa Maria was severely damaged by the collision, and Alvarez led the remnants to flee and were trapped on the deserted island of Devil's Cape.

Murong Yan's eyes were calm, and her fingertips lightly touched the location of the "Devil's Corner" deserted island, as if touching a dying insect.

"A trapped beast will still fight." Her voice was cold and clear, and no emotion could be heard.

She turned and walked towards the imperial desk. The trail of her dark gold phoenix robe swept across the polished gold bricks, making a heavy, distinct rustling sound. Each step carried an invisible pressure. The scarlet brush, dipped in thick ink, did not touch the paper, but hovered in mid-air.

"Send a message to Lin Zhen." Her voice was not loud, but it penetrated the palace.

Lin Zhen's black robe was stained with dust as he strode in, bringing with him a murderous aura.

"Husband," Murong Yan said, without looking up. A drop of thick ink from the tip of her red brush fell on the blank memorial, spreading a glaring red. "The enemy trapped on the island, cut off their food supplies, and force them to surrender. If Western reinforcements arrive..." She raised her phoenix eyes slightly, a cold glint like lightning. "Can the newly made mines be laid in the Devil's Corner waterway?"

"The new type of submerged mine from the Burning Thunder Division will explode the moment it is triggered, destroying ships and breaking masts. It can be deployed in three days." Lin Zhen said in a deep voice.

"Okay." Murong Yan nodded, and finally put down her red pen, but she didn't write. Instead, she used the pen as a knife, carving a sharp scar on the memorial. "The garrison commander of Borneo will be promoted to General Zhenhai and awarded golden armor. Soldiers killed in battle will receive triple compensation, and a temple will be built to honor them forever."

She put down her pen and turned her gaze to Lin Zhen: "Has the traitor in Jinling been found?"

"The evidence is solid that Minister of the Ministry of Revenue Zhou Xian is collaborating with the enemy and selling shipping. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrested his entire family." Lin Zhen's voice was cold.

Murong Yan's lips curled up in a cold arc, and the phoenix pattern on her black gold phoenix robe seemed to flutter in the morning light. "Three days later, at the West Market Gate, I will personally witness the execution. Let the world see what the fate of traitors is."

She walked slowly toward the palace gate, the tail of her black gold phoenix robe spreading out behind her like the spread wings of death.

The morning light filtered through the high windows and fell on her. The dark black background swallowed the light, but the golden phoenix reflected a dazzling edge.

The golden phoenix of the empire has spread its wings and sharpened its claws, waiting for the next baptism of blood.

The rustling sound of the tail, like the drumbeat of fate, sounded a solemn chapter in the silent palace.