On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

It was a cold winter morning, and before daybreak, the Regent's Palace was already brightly lit.

In the bedroom, Murong Yan sat in front of the mirror, being carefully dressed by the maids.

Today was no ordinary day; it was the day for the grand court meeting on the first day of each month. Although she had handed over all important military and political affairs to Lin Zhen, according to ancestral rules and Lin Zhen's wishes, she still had to attend court occasionally to demonstrate that imperial power remained and the world was at peace.

So, she once again donned her extremely solemn, dark black phoenix robe. Illuminated by countless candles and carbide lamps, the inky satin shone with a deep, majestic luster. Embroidered with dark gold thread, it featured a phoenix soaring over a sea of ​​clouds, which swayed subtly with her breathing, as if alive.

The wide sleeves hang down, and the edges are trimmed with gold thread, which makes it look extremely expensive.

The ten-foot-long train was now being carefully spread out behind the back by four maids, ensuring that every wrinkle was smoothed out and every embroidered pattern showed its due splendor.

Lin Zhen was already dressed. He wasn't wearing work clothes today, but a crimson-purple dragon robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a golden crown to tie his hair. He looked handsome and handsome, adding a touch of dignity and majesty to his appearance.

He stood behind Murong Yan, looking at his wife in the mirror, who was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had a stunning appearance and an imposing aura, his eyes full of admiration and a hint of barely perceptible pride.

"My Yan'er is always the most dazzling existence in Daqian." He took the last nine-tailed phoenix golden hairpin from the maid and personally inserted it into the center of her meticulously combed bun.

Murong Yan looked back at him in the mirror, her lips curled up slightly, with a hint of helplessness and dependence: "My husband is teasing me again. If you hadn't insisted, I wouldn't have wanted to get up so early and wear such heavy clothes to go to that cold palace."

She moved her shoulders slightly, feeling the heavy weight of the phoenix robe and the crown.

"How can it be more comfortable than counting money in the mansion?"

Lin Zhen chuckled and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Just think of it as a formality, to reassure those veteran officials. I'll take care of everything."

His breath was warm, brushing against her ear, bringing a sense of comfort and strength.

Murong Yan nodded, took a deep breath, and slowly stood up with the help of her maid. The ten-foot-long black tail moved with it, gliding across the smooth ground as if it had life, with extraordinary momentum.

In the Golden Throne Hall, all officials had already stood in awe. When the eunuch in charge of ceremonies outside the hall loudly chanted, "Your Majesty has arrived—The Regent has arrived—" all the officials knelt and shouted "Long live the emperor!"

Accompanied by Lin Zhen, Murong Yan ascended the jade steps, step by step, towards the lofty dragon throne. The trail of her phoenix robe swayed behind her, brushing against the cold golden brick floor with a solemn rustling sound.

She sat down gracefully, while Lin Zhen stood beside the dragon throne, slightly in front.

"Everyone, please stand up." Murong Yan spoke in a clear, cool and steady voice, with her usual majesty, and her eyes swept calmly over the officials below.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" All the officials stood up and lined up on both sides.

When the court meeting began, ministers from various departments came out one by one to report on their affairs.

Most of the content is about the implementation of new policies, workshop construction, railway exploration, taxation and finance, etc., which are all new issues brought about by the Industrial Revolution.

Murong Yan sat upright with a calm expression, seemingly listening attentively, but in fact, she was confused by most of the terms.

She only needed to maintain her dignity, and occasionally nod slightly or utter words such as "approved" or "as agreed" in response to Lin Zhen's eye contact.

The real decisions all came from Lin Zhen who stood beside her.

He sometimes listened intently, sometimes asked pointed questions, and sometimes gave clear instructions. His quick thinking and decisive decisions drew frequent nods of approval from the ministers. The entire court's focus had implicitly shifted completely towards him.

Murong Yan's gaze mostly rested on Lin Zhen's profile. Seeing his focused and confident expression, his calm control over the overall situation, she felt a sense of security and pride in her heart.

However, the heavy court robes and the hard throne made her back ache. She adjusted her sitting posture slightly, imperceptibly, and gently squeezed the copper coin with her portrait hidden within her wide sleeves, as if this could help her gain some patience.

The Minister of Works stepped forward and reported on the preparations for the establishment of a "Telegraph Bureau".

This is another novel idea proposed by Lin Zhen, who claims that electric current can be used to instantly transmit information thousands of miles away, which is countless times faster than 800 miles.

As soon as these words were spoken, not only did some of the veteran officials look suspicious, but even Murong Yan frowned slightly. Electric current? Transmitting information? This sounded even more mysterious than a steam locomotive, like magic.

She couldn't imagine how a copper wire could carry a message faster than a horse.

Lin Zhen was explaining the principles and plans in detail. His eyes swept across the dragon throne and he saw the subtle confusion and resistance between Murong Yan's brows.

He knew in his heart that it would take time for his Empress to accept these things that were far beyond the understanding of the times, from the earliest steam engines to trains.

He didn't force her to understand immediately, but ended the topic at the right time, speaking calmly, "This matter involves national secrets and a major investment. The specific details can be discussed later. Exploration and planning will begin first, and we'll report back once the plan is mature."

The Minister of Works understood and withdrew respectfully.

Murong Yan's slightly furrowed brows softened upon hearing this. She didn't understand, but she trusted Lin Zhen. Since her husband had said they could discuss it later, there was no need for her to fret now. She only needed to maintain her dignified demeanor.

After discussing a few more matters, the court meeting finally drew to a close. Murong Yan felt the weight of her crown, her neck aching, and the ten-foot-long train seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. She quietly cast a look toward Lin Zhen, a look that hinted at fatigue and a plea for help.

Lin Zhen immediately understood and stepped forward, facing the officials. He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is tired. We will stop here today. If you have a copy, please send it to the study in the Prince Regent's Palace."

"Dismiss the court--" the eunuch in charge of ceremonies sang loudly.

All the officials knelt down again to see him off respectfully.

Murong Yan breathed a sigh of relief. With Lin Zhen's help, she stood up, turned with impeccable grace, and descended the jade steps. The inky phoenix robe and its ten-foot train once again became the focal point of the entire gathering as it slowly moved out of the hall.

As soon as she left the officials' sight and boarded the carriage back to the palace, Murong Yan felt as if all her strength had been drained away. She leaned softly into the thickly cushioned carriage and complained, "I'm so tired... This court meeting is more tiring than counting ten thousand copper coins..."

Lin Zhen smiled as he sat down beside her and expertly helped her take off the heavy crown. He then reached behind her neck and kneaded it gently to relieve her pain. "Thank you for your hard work, Yan'er. Didn't I say it was just a formality?"

Murong enjoyed his massage, squinting her eyes comfortably, like a cat being stroked. Suddenly, she remembered what happened in the court and asked curiously, "Husband, is that 'telegraph' really that magical? Is it faster than a thousand-mile horse?"

"In principle, it is true." Lin Zhen explained patiently, "Once we build it and give it a try, you'll know. I'll be the first to show it to you then."

Murong Yan was skeptical, but seeing her husband's determined eyes, she nodded: "Okay... Anyway, anything my husband makes is always useful." She paused and added softly, "It's just... It sounds a little scary..."

Lin Zhen was amused by her slightly timid look and couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her forehead: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

After returning to the palace, Murong Yan couldn't wait to change out of the extremely heavy court dress, but she did not change into casual clothes. Instead, she changed into a relatively lighter palace dress, which was also dark black but with simpler embroidery and a train that was still ten feet long. Only then did she feel relaxed and comfortable.

She stepped barefoot on the warm carpet, watching the maids carefully put away the court dress and phoenix robe, and breathed a sigh of relief: "Home is still comfortable."

She turned around and walked naturally towards Lin Zhen, who was reading the telegram draft. She put her arms around his waist from behind and put her cheek on his broad back. "Husband, can we have a longer time between our next court meeting?"

Lin Zhen put down the blueprint, took her hand that was around his waist, and chuckled: "Okay, whatever you say."

The wind outside the window was still cold, but the room was warm as spring. The turbulent and unpredictable technology in the court seemed to be isolated from the outside, leaving only the warmth of dependence and the simple sweetness.