On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Inside the Yangxin Palace, candlelight flickered as Murong Yan sat at a phoenix-patterned desk, a map of the Daqian territory spread out before her. Railway lines, embroidered with gold thread, stretched across the map like veins, the newly completed Gyeonggi Line prominently marked with red ink.

"Your Majesty, it's time to eat." The maid reminded softly, holding a silver tray with a green jade bowl on it, and the bowl was carved with a pattern of a phoenix holding a zhi.

Murong Yan rubbed her brows, and the sleeves of her phoenix robe slipped down, revealing a pair of gold-threaded jade phoenix bracelets on her wrists. "Let's put them aside for now. Has Lord Lin returned to the palace?"

"Your Majesty, Lord Lin just sent someone to say that he will be inspecting the new looms at the Ministry of Works tonight and will be back later."

Murong Yan sighed softly and was about to pick up her pen to continue reviewing the memorials when she saw a figure hurriedly approaching from outside the hall. Lin Zhen entered the hall shrouded in the darkness, a hint of rain and dew still stained his shoulders.

"Why are you back at this time?" Murong Yan stood up to greet him. Her two-meter-long phoenix robe dragged on the ground, shedding a golden-red luster in the candlelight.

Lin Zhen took out a roll of blueprints from his arms, his face looking a bit serious: "Yan'er, take a look at this."

The drawing was spread out on the phoenix-patterned desk. It was a design for an improved steam loom, but there were several strange symbols drawn in red ink next to it.

"This was found in a pile of drawings from the Ministry of Industry." Lin Zhen pointed at the symbols. "It looks like some kind of cipher."

Murong Yan leaned over to take a closer look. The beads dangling from her golden phoenix hair ornaments swayed gently. "This pattern... seems to be a symbol used in imperial household affairs."

As the two were talking, a message suddenly came from outside the palace: "Prince Jing's Mansion has sent a gift to congratulate His Majesty and Lord Lin on their third wedding anniversary."

Murong Yan and Lin Zhen exchanged a glance, each seeing the surprise in the other's eyes. Prince Jing had claimed illness and was absent from court, yet he remembered their wedding day?

Eight eunuchs in brocade robes carried four agarwood chests into the hall. Carved on the chests were a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, but the phoenix was subtly carved to appear humble. When the chest lids were opened, the room suddenly lit up.

The first box contained pearls from the East China Sea, all of them were round and plump; the second box contained gems from the Western Regions, with red and blue sapphires complementing each other; the third box contained sable furs from the Northern Frontier, with shiny fur; and the fourth box contained some strange mechanical dolls.

"Uncle Jing, you've taken so much trouble." Murong Yan said calmly, her fingertips lightly stroking a night-shining pearl. "But such a valuable gift makes me feel uneasy."

The leading eunuch bowed and said, "His Royal Highness Prince Jing said that he has been unwell recently and was unable to attend the railway opening ceremony. He has prepared a small gift to express his apology and congratulations."

After the eunuch left, Lin Zhen carefully checked the gift box and suddenly found a special object among the mechanical dolls - a wooden phoenix whose wings could flap regularly.

"This mechanism..." Lin Zhen disassembled the phoenix's abdomen, revealing a sophisticated gear set. "This craftsmanship far exceeds current standards."

Murong Yan picked up the wooden phoenix, her eyes narrowed slightly, "When did such a skilled craftsman appear in Prince Jing's mansion?"

It was late at night, and Murong Yan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She whispered, "Husband, I'm feeling uneasy. Uncle Jing's behavior is extremely unusual."

Lin Zhen put his arm around her shoulders and noticed the slight chill on her fingertips. "Tomorrow I'll have the Imperial Guards investigate the recent guests that Prince Jing's residence has recruited."

"Be careful, don't alert the enemy." Murong Yan leaned in his arms, her phoenix robe loose, the phoenix embroidered with gold thread looming in the dark night. "The ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heaven is about to begin, and we can't make any mistakes."

The next day at court, Murong Yan had specially changed into a dark black phoenix robe, embroidered with dark phoenix patterns in gold thread, which made her look solemn and majestic. The two-foot-long tail brushed against the jade steps, making a rustling sound.

"Do you have anything to report, ministers?" She sat upright on the phoenix chair and glanced at the ministers.

A man stepped out from the ranks of civil officials. "Your Majesty, I have heard that the Gyeonggi Railway has been completed, and the people are rejoicing. However, a scholar recently knelt down to complain, saying that the railway is disturbing the mausoleum. How will Your Majesty deal with this?"

Murong Yan said calmly, "The railway site was chosen to be ten miles away from the imperial mausoleum, so how could it be a disturbance? As for those scholars..." She paused, "I have ordered an investigation, and many of them were instructed by others."

Silence fell over the court. Suddenly, an urgent report came from outside the palace: "Eight hundred miles away, urgent! The railway in Hejian Prefecture has been vandalized. The sleepers have been burned, and the tracks have shifted!"

The entire court was in uproar. Lin Zhen immediately stepped forward and said, "I request your permission to personally inspect the matter!"

Murong Yan pondered for a moment and said, "Approved. Also, have Jinyiwei Commander Lu Bing assist in the investigation."

After the court session, Murong Yan summoned Lin Zhen to the imperial study: "This matter is by no means simple. Hejian Prefecture is the fiefdom of Prince Jing, and yet something happened at this very moment."

Lin Zhen frowned: "I will leave immediately. Yan'er must be careful in the palace."

"Bring the Phoenix Feather Guards." Murong Yan took out a golden phoenix token from her waist. "Seeing this token is like seeing me. You can mobilize the troops along the way."

Three days later, Lin Zhen returned with the results of his investigation. Inside the imperial study, he appeared dusty and exhausted, but his gaze was sharp. "It was definitely vandalism, and they used professional tools. We found this at the scene—"

He took out a charred wooden plaque, on which was faintly visible half a carved phoenix pattern.

Murong Yan took the wooden sign, her fingertips trembling slightly: "This is... the mark of the Royal Workshop."

At this moment, a maid hurried in: "Your Majesty, the Prince Yong's Mansion has sent an invitation, inviting Your Majesty and Lord Lin to come to the mansion for a banquet tomorrow. They say they have obtained the best Jiangnan shad, and they would like Your Majesty to taste it."

Murong Yan and Lin Zhen looked at each other and saw the vigilance in each other's eyes.

"Reply to Uncle Yong, I will attend the banquet on time tomorrow."

After the maid left, Lin Zhen whispered, "Yan'er, this might be a Hongmen Banquet."

Murong Yan gently stroked the embroidery on the phoenix robe, her eyes gradually colder: "I want to see what the two imperial uncles are going to do."

She stood up and walked to the window, looking at the century-old phoenix tree in the yard - legend has it that the phoenix only roosts on the phoenix tree.

"My dear husband, do you know why I love the phoenix pattern so much?" she suddenly asked.

Lin Zhen shook his head.

"The phoenix rises from the ashes, reborn." Murong Yan turned around, her black phoenix robe gleaming golden in the sunlight. "When I first ascended the throne, the court was in turmoil, and my two uncles both believed that women could be deceived. Now, if they still want to test me..."

She didn't say anything else, but the sharp light in her eyes made Lin Zhen understand: the phoenix perched on the paulownia tree was already prepared to face any storm.

That night, the lights in Prince Yong's mansion were brightly lit. Murong Hong and Murong Zhang sat opposite each other playing chess, the black and white pieces on the board locked in a fierce battle.

"Fourth brother, this move is brilliant." Murong Hong placed a piece. "First, he presented a gift to show goodwill, then he sabotaged the railway and framed the enemy. At the banquet tomorrow, we'll see how Your Majesty responds."

Murong Zhang chuckled: "The shad from Second Brother's house is the highlight. As long as Your Majesty tastes the fish..."

The two looked at each other and smiled. On the chessboard, the black pieces had already formed a siege.

The night wind blew outside the window, making the wind chimes under the eaves tinkle. The shape of the wind chimes was surprisingly a series of upside-down bronze phoenixes.