On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Murong Yan responded softly, her arms beneath her flared sleeves unconsciously wrapping around his neck, her fingertips weaving into his thick hair. The three-foot-long, inky black train slid slightly across the velvet couch as she moved, the gemstones inlaid on it reflecting a hazy glimmer.

After a long moment, Lin Zhen finally let go of her, their breathing unsteady. Murong Yan's cheeks flushed, her eyes blurred as she leaned against his shoulder, breathing softly. The collar of her black robe opened slightly, revealing a small section of her delicate collarbone.

Lin Zhen's arms were still around her waist, his fingertips occasionally stroking the cool and silky phoenix feather embroidery on her black robe, his eyes still fixed on her blushing face.

"Yan'er..." he called softly, his voice hoarse with passion.

"Hmm..." Murong Yan responded softly, her voice so sweet that it seemed like water could drip out of it.

"Are you tired?" he asked in a low voice, brushing his fingertips across her slightly hot cheek.

Murong Yan shook her head, rubbing a more comfortable position in his arms, looking up at him with a hint of dependence and coquettishness in her eyes: "Husband, please read to me... Don't look at those drawings..."

"Okay," Lin Zhen agreed without hesitation. He leaned over and picked up the collection of poems from the small table beside the couch. He flipped open a page at random, but instead of reading the content, he looked down at her. "What do you want to hear?"

"Whatever..." Murong Yan closed her eyes, put her ear close to his chest, and listened to his steady and strong heartbeat, feeling extremely at ease.

Lin Zhen chuckled softly, holding her with one hand and holding the book in the other. He did not really read from the book, but used his low and pleasant voice to improvise some nonsensical little stories. The content was nothing more than talented men and beautiful women, flower fairies and fox spirits. His tone was soothing and his voice was gentle.

Murong Yan closed her eyes, listening to his made-up stories, feeling the vibration of his chest and the gentle touch of his fingertips, with a sweet smile always on her lips.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the screened windows, becoming incredibly soft, casting a shadow over the two embracing figures. The rich, heavy black robes intertwined with the plain linen casual attire, their winding trains draped across the sides of the couch, creating a scene of both ultimate luxury and intimacy.

Gradually, his voice became lower and slower. Murong Yan's breathing became even and long, and she fell asleep in his arms.

Lin Zhen noticed the change in the breath of the person in his arms, stopped talking, lowered his head and stared at her peaceful sleeping face for a long time, then carefully adjusted his posture to make her sleep more comfortably, carefully pulled up her loose collar, and pulled the thin silk quilt over to cover her, carefully covering even the trailing quilt.

He placed a feather-soft kiss on her smooth forehead.

"Go to sleep, my Yan'er." He murmured softly, keeping her in his arms, closed his eyes, and fell into a quiet nap with her.

The cicadas chirped outside the window, and the room was pleasantly cool. The inky phoenix rested in the warm embrace of its lover, its magnificent garments swirling like the gentlest of swaddling clothes. Time seemed to have quietly stopped at this moment, leaving only endless tenderness and tranquility.

......

At three quarters past noon, the sun began to rise, and the 108 golden pillars of the Golden Throne Hall gleamed brightly in the morning light. Murong Yan sat upright on the Nine Phoenix Rising Sun Throne, clad in a dark black phoenix robe, looking solemn and majestic.

The robe is made of ink-colored brocade with nine phoenixes of different shapes embroidered with dark gold thread. The wings of each phoenix are delicate and lifelike, and the phoenix eyes are inlaid with obsidian, flashing a deep light in the flow of light and shadow.

The most eye-catching feature is the pair of wide flared sleeves, made of light black gauze, with cuffs three feet wide and embroidered with a pattern of a golden phoenix spreading its wings.

Whenever she raised her hand, her black gauze trumpet sleeves unfurled like phoenix wings, dark gold threads shimmering in the sunlight. A train, over two feet long, stretched across the jade steps, edged with silver thread and adorned with nine hundred and ninety-nine tiny black iron beads. When she moved, it emitted a clear, melodious sound, like the cry of a phoenix in the heavens.

"Everyone, please stand up." Murong Yan's voice was clear and steady, and her flared sleeves gently brushed across the gilded armrests.

Civil and military officials stood up and lined up on either side. On the left, led by Prime Minister Zhang Wenyuan, were traditional civil officials wearing wide-sleeved robes. On the right, stood a number of young officials wearing new, narrow-sleeved court robes—these were all technocrats promoted by the Empress and Lin Zhen in recent years.

"Your Majesty," the Minister of Works stepped out and bowed, holding a jade tablet engraved with a phoenix pattern. "The Gyeonggi Railway was fully operational yesterday. The first steam locomotive, the 'Xuanyuan,' departed from the South Gate at noon and is expected to arrive at Hejian Prefecture, a hundred miles away, by noon."

A slight commotion erupted in the court. The veteran officials exchanged glances, some stroked their beards and nodded, while others frowned and remained silent.

Murong Yan raised the corners of her lips slightly, and her phoenix eyes swept over the ministers: "Lord Lin, have you been working all night in the Ministry of Works again?"

Before he finished speaking, a clear and loud voice suddenly came from outside the palace gate: "I am fortunate to have fulfilled my mission!"

Everyone turned around and saw Lin Zhen striding into the hall. He was not wearing court robes today, but instead a dark blue work suit, with a few greasy stains on his cuffs, which looked out of place in the magnificent hall.

Several old ministers couldn't help but shake their heads and look sideways.

"I have just returned from the Xuanyuan's test run," Lin Zhen bowed to the throne, looking up and exchanging a look with Murong Yan that only they understood. "A round trip of 200 miles took only two hours, more than three times faster than the fastest post horse."

A smile flashed in Murong Yan's eyes, and her wide trumpet sleeves swayed gently: "Lord Lin, you have worked hard and made great contributions. However, you are late for the court meeting today."

"I acknowledge my guilt." Lin Zhen apologized, but there was a sly glint in his eyes. "I wish to atone for my sins with my merits. Your Majesty and all my colleagues, please come to the South Gate to witness the grand opening of the Xuanyuan."

Before the old ministers could object, Murong Yan stood up with a flick of her sleeves, the tail of her jet-black phoenix robe spreading like a cloud on the jade steps: "Approved."

After the court session, Murong Yan and Lin Zhen walked side by side, their dark train trailing behind them. When they reached a deserted area, she naturally took his arm, her flared sleeves gently covering his wrist like phoenix wings.

"Did my husband stay at the Ministry of Works again last night?" she asked softly, with concern in her tone.

Lin Zhen straightened her slightly tilted phoenix crown, his fingertips brushing against her temples. "The Xuanyuan is undergoing final adjustments, so I have to keep an eye on it. Yan'er, on the other hand, seemed preoccupied at the court today."

Murong Yan's eyes dimmed slightly, and her hands clenched lightly in her trumpet sleeves: "The two imperial uncles are absent from court again today, claiming illness. This is the third time this month."

Lin Zhen frowned slightly. "Ever since the railway was planned to pass through their fiefdom, the two imperial uncles have been claiming to be ill. Yesterday, Prince Jing's Mansion even submitted a memorial stating that the railway was disturbing the feng shui of the ancestral tomb."

"More than that." Murong Yan sneered, the golden phoenix on her jet-black robe flapping its wings in anger. "The Prince Yong's Mansion reported the other day that the roar of the steam engine cracked the beams and pillars of the ancestral temple, and they demanded compensation of 100,000 taels of silver from the court."

As they spoke, they had already reached the imperial study. Murong dismissed his attendants and gently waved his wide, trumpet-shaped sleeves. The image of a phoenix with closed eyes appeared faintly in the candlelight.

Lin Zhen poured her a cup of ginseng tea and said, "The two imperial uncles are just using this as an excuse to exaggerate. You and I have personally surveyed the railway line, and it's more than ten miles away from the ancestral tombs of the two prefectures."

Murong Yan took the teacup, and her black gauze flared sleeves slipped down, revealing a pair of gold-threaded and jadeite phoenix bracelets on her fair wrists: "Of course I know. But..." She hesitated to speak, and a trace of worry flashed in her phoenix eyes.

Lin Zhen held her hand: "Just what?"

"Yesterday, the secret guards reported that although the two uncles were absent from court due to illness, they were still reveling every night in the palace." Murong Yan's voice gradually turned cold. "Even more suspicious is that Prince Jing's palace recently transported a large amount of stone from the West Mountain Quarry under the pretext of repairing the ancestral mausoleum."

"Stone?" Lin Zhen looked up sharply. "The Xishan stone has a special texture and is most suitable..."

"Build fortifications." Murong Yan interjected, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the phoenix pattern on the teacup.

As the two were talking, a female official hurried in: "Your Majesty, a secret memorial has been sent from Prince Jing's Mansion."

Murong unfolded it and saw that it was written by Prince Jing himself, earnestly requesting to preside over the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven: "Although I am still ill, I am willing to do my best to perform the ceremony, as offering sacrifices to heaven is related to the fate of the country."

Lin Zhen read the memorial and frowned, "The Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony has always been presided over by His Majesty himself. What is the intention of Prince Jing's move?"

Murong Yan sneered, the golden phoenix on her jet-black phoenix robe seeming to gleam coldly. "The Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony requires the mobilization of three thousand imperial guards and ten thousand ceremonial guards. If he were to preside over it..." She suddenly stood up, her trumpet sleeves spread out like phoenix wings, "Pass on my decree, granting Prince Jing's request."

"Yan'er!" Lin Zhen said anxiously, "This is too risky."

Murong Yan turned, her dark tail sweeping across the ground. "I was just about to see what they were up to." She raised the corners of her lips slightly. "Besides, didn't my husband develop those new 'gadgets'?"

Lin Zhen immediately understood: "You mean... the telegraph and that..."

"That's right." Murong Yan's eyes flashed, "Let this grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens become a testing ground for testing new equipment."

In the evening, Murong Yan changed into a dark black dress with narrow trumpet sleeves, but still embroidered with dark golden phoenix patterns. She and Lin Zhen stood side by side on the palace wall, looking at the lights of thousands of houses gradually lighting up in the distance.

"Do you remember three years ago?" Lin Zhen suddenly asked, "When you first ascended the throne, your two uncles also claimed illness and stayed away from court."

Murong Yan chuckled softly, her trumpet sleeves fluttering in the evening breeze. "At that time, they thought women were easy to bully and wanted to embarrass me in court. Unfortunately..." Her tone turned cold, "They underestimated this phoenix."

Lin Zhen put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Now that you're implementing new policies that affect their interests, I'm afraid they won't be able to sit still."

Murong Yan leaned on his shoulder, the dark phoenix on her dark uniform looming in the twilight: "Husband, if one day... I have to go to war with my uncle..."

"Then I will fight alongside you." Lin Zhen said firmly, "Whether in modern times or ancient times, I will always stand by your side."

As the night deepened, the two of them walked down the steps hand in hand. Murong Yan's dark tail glided slowly along the stone steps, like a phoenix returning to its nest.

Far away, in the Yongwang Mansion, candlelight was ablaze as Murong Hong and Murong Zhang sat opposite each other, playing chess, the black and white pieces locked in a fierce battle.

"Your Majesty has actually approved the grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven." Murong Hong put down his son with a smile on his lips.

Murong Zhang chuckled, "Of course she will. This little girl loves playing hard to get." He suddenly lowered his voice, "Are all the things ready?"

Murong Hong nodded, a fierce look flashing in his eyes: "The Xishan stones have been transported to the designated location, and the assassins are in place. We are just waiting for the day of the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony..."

Suddenly, a black shadow passed by the window, like a phoenix soaring into the sky, and disappeared into the night in an instant.

On the palace wall, a black-clad guard knelt before Murong Yan and said, "Your Majesty, there are indeed unusual movements in Prince Yong's mansion."

Murong Yan waved her hand to order him to leave, and when she turned around, her jet-black flared sleeves spread out like phoenix wings under the moonlight.

"The storm is coming," she whispered, her eyes blazing with light. "It's a good opportunity for me to see if the phoenix I've nurtured these years can tear these demons and monsters apart."

The night wind blew up her wide trumpet sleeves, and the dark golden phoenix pattern flowed in the moonlight, like a real phoenix spreading its wings and ready to fly in the night.