On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Outside Guangling City, at the canal dock.

The docks today are completely different from those of the past. Clean water is poured onto the streets, yellow earth paves the road, flags flutter, and soldiers in distinctive armor stand at attention along the path that stretches from the city gate to the dock's widest square. In the center of the square, a tall imperial ceremonial gate and an incense table have long been erected.

Guangling City's civil and military officials, gentry, and even many ordinary people who had heard the news had already knelt in the designated areas inside and outside the docks. The air was filled with a grand, solemn, and somewhat reluctant atmosphere.

Today is the day when Empress Murong Yan ends her southern tour and sets out to return to the capital.

The auspicious time has arrived, bells and drums are ringing, and trumpets are blaring through the sky.

Under the gaze of thousands of people, the empress's procession slowly appeared at the entrance of the city gate and marched towards the dock.

Murong Yan sat upright on the dragon and phoenix sedan chair carried by thirty-six people, and once again put on the extremely solemn bright yellow kesi court robe with nine dragons and four phoenixes, which represented the highest imperial power. On her head she wore a nine dragon and four phoenix crown with twelve tassels of white jade beads hanging down, obscuring her face and leaving only supreme majesty.

The two-meter-long train, woven with the finest brocade and embroidered with a picture of the vast rivers and mountains and the country, was held in two rows by sixteen carefully selected palace maids with the most respectful and pious attitude. It stretched out behind the imperial carriage like a flowing, golden river carrying the entire world.

The sunlight poured down without reservation, shining on the bright yellow kesi silk, the golden dragon patterns, the colorful embroidered scrolls of rivers and mountains, and the pearls and gems that embellished them, reflecting a dazzling light that was impossible to look directly at, sacred, majestic, and supreme.

The people held their breath, knelt deeply, and dared not look up, but could not help but chase the glorious sight that they would never see in their lifetime with the corner of their eyes. Many elderly people were so excited that they trembled all over and burst into tears.

The imperial carriage stopped steadily in front of the incense table in the center of the square.

Lin Zhen was also wearing the highest-standard court dress of a duke today, with a black base and solemn golden patterns. He was the first to dismount and stand beside the imperial carriage.

The eunuchs sang: "Your Majesty has arrived—kneel—!"

"Long live! Long live! Long, long live!" The roar like a tsunami rose into the sky, making people's eardrums buzz.

With the support of Lin Zhen, Murong Yan slowly stepped down from the imperial carriage.

Each step she took was as steady as a mountain, and the heavy phoenix crown and court robes did not seem to cause her any trouble.

The two-meter-long tail followed her movement, and under the support of sixteen palace maids, it slid smoothly across the red carpet floor. The scroll of Jiangshan slowly unfolded, as if presenting the map of the empire to all the subjects.

She walked to the incense table, lit incense, and prayed, asking the river god to bless the smooth transport of the canal and the peace and prosperity of the country. The ceremony was solemn and complicated, but she was meticulous, each movement precise and full of dignity.

After the ceremony, the governor of Guangling led the officials to come forward, presented farewell wine, and on behalf of the people of the city, presented the "Wanmin Umbrella" and a rubbing of the inscription recording the achievements of the southern tour to Guangling.

Murong Yan took the wine glass, her fingertips as smooth as jade. She raised her hand slightly, signaling everyone to stand up.

Through the swaying jade pendant, her gaze swept across the mass of kneeling subjects. Her clear and peaceful voice spread far and wide through her inner energy, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"During my southern tour of Guangling, I saw that the canal transport was running smoothly, trade was flourishing, the people were well-off, and the literary style was flourishing. I was very pleased. This is the result of the diligence of you officials and the hard work of the people of Guangling. I hope that you will continue to perform your duties conscientiously, live and work in peace and contentment, and ensure the eternal prosperity of our Great Zhou!"

"Your Highness, we will obey the Imperial edict! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long, long live the emperor!" Officials and common people kowtowed again, the sound like a tide.

Afterwards, Murong Yan boarded the royal dragon boat that had been prepared long ago. The dragon boat was tall and majestic, with gorgeous decorations, like a mobile palace on the water.

She stood on the highest platform at the bow of the dragon boat. The river breeze blew, blowing her bright yellow robe sleeves and the pearl tassels hanging from her phoenix crown, but it could not blow away her majestic demeanor as solid as a mountain.

The two-meter-long train was carefully adjusted by the palace maids, and spread out behind her like a peacock spreading its tail. Facing the river breeze and sunshine, the picture of the vast rivers and mountains on it seemed to be injected with life, shining brightly, and it complemented the real canal and mountains in front of her, forming a very impactful picture.

Lin Zhen stood slightly beside her, guarding her silently.

The dragon boat slowly set sail, and the huge fleet followed.

The people on the shore knelt down again to bid farewell, and many people reluctantly chased the dragon boat for a while until they were stopped by the guards.

Murong Yan stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the gradually receding Guangling city and the crowd on the shore who were reluctant to leave for a long time, and remained silent for a long time.

Not until the outline of Guangling City completely disappeared from her sight did she slowly turn around and whispered to Lin Zhen, "Husband, let's go back."

Murong Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief after returning to the most spacious and magnificent cabin inside the dragon boat. With the help of the palace maids, she carefully removed the extremely heavy phoenix crown. Suddenly, her head felt much lighter.

She walked to the window, looked at the pastoral scenery on both sides of the canal that was receding outside, and gently rubbed her forehead which was sore from the pressure of the phoenix crown.

Lin Zhen walked over and took over naturally, massaging her neck and shoulders with his warm fingers with moderate force.

"Tired?" he asked in a low voice, his tone full of heartache.

"Hmm." Murong Yan closed her eyes, enjoying his massage, her voice lazily filled with fatigue. "This dress is beautiful, but it's too exhausting. Standing here for a while is more tiring than practicing swordplay."

Lin Zhen chuckled: "But when Yan'er wears it, she will be the most dazzling existence in the world, enough to shock people and unite the people."

Murong Ye opened her eyes and looked back at him with a cunning look in her eyes: "My husband can say these coaxing words now?"

"From the bottom of my heart," Lin Zhen said seriously, his eyes fixed on the phoenix crown she had taken off and placed on a tray beside her. "However, sometimes I wonder, this crown and robes are so heavy, and the kingdom they represent must be weighed down by millions of pounds. Do you ever feel tired carrying them every day?"

Murong Yan was silent for a moment, and her gaze returned to the rushing canal outside the window.

"Tired," she said frankly, her voice soft. "How can I not be tired? Endless memorials to review, endless political decisions to make, endless forces to balance, and all those sneak attacks lurking in the dark."

She recalled the several disturbances in Guangling.

"But," she changed the subject, her tone becoming firm, "seeing the peaceful and happy lives of the people at Guangling Wharf, seeing the light in the eyes of the students at Zhanyuan, hearing Mr. Su's song 'Xiaoxiang Water Clouds' at Tingyu Pavilion, and even feeling the soft touch of that little girl's hair, I feel that all this heaviness is worth it."

She turned and looked at Lin Zhen, her eyes gentle yet full of strength: "The weight of this country cannot be shouldered by me alone. I have wise ministers and generals, the common people, and you, my husband, who are always by my side, supporting this country with me."

As she spoke, her eyes fell on the bright yellow phoenix robe and its huge train that the palace maids were beginning to carefully gather up.

"Just like this robe," she walked over, gently stroking the smooth kesi silk and delicate embroidery. "It's certainly heavy, but without the sixteen palace maids holding up the train, I wouldn't be able to move freely and display my dignity. The same is true of the world."

Lin Zhen walked to her side and looked at the gorgeous dress that symbolized supreme power and responsibility with her.

"I want to be the one who holds you up forever." He held her hand, his voice low and serious, "so that you can focus on moving forward."

Murong Yan interlocked her fingers with his, and a beautiful smile appeared on her lips, free of all pressure, a smile that only belonged to a wife: "I know. So, I'm never afraid."

The dragon boat broke through the water, sailing steadily toward the northern capital. Inside the cabin, the figures of the emperor and empress leaning against each other were stretched long by the sunlight streaming in through the window, softly shrouding the two-foot-long train embroidered with a vast expanse of rivers and mountains, which was already being carefully put away.

The journey to Guangling began with dignity, endured turmoil, and ultimately yielded warmth and a deeper bond. And the phoenix robe, the trailing tail that had witnessed it all, had completed its final mission on this southern tour, quietly awaiting its next journey, carrying its owner to face the changing circumstances of the Forbidden City.