On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The night was as dark as ink, and the candlelight flickered in the Yangxin Palace. Murong Yan shed her court robes and donned a jet-black nightgown. Woven from the finest black silk, it was as light and soft as clouds, yet shimmered with a dull, flowing light.

Each silk thread was laced with gold, appearing and disappearing in the candlelight like twinkling stars in the night sky. The skirt, which stretched to the ground, was embroidered with nine golden phoenixes, their eyes closed in repose. Each phoenix's wings were embroidered with gold thread mixed with black silk, the layers of feathers delicate and lifelike, and the phoenix's tail stretched out, almost covering the entire hem of the skirt.

The most stunning feature was the pair of trumpet sleeves, crafted from translucent black gauze. The cuffs were as wide as phoenix wings, more than two feet in diameter. Embroidered on the sleeves was an intricate pattern of a flying phoenix. Starting from the shoulders, a golden phoenix spread its wings high in the sky, its feathers gradually unfurling until they were fully extended at the cuffs, as if ready to burst through the sleeves at any moment.

The hem of her sleeve was adorned with nine hundred and ninety-nine tiny black pearls, each meticulously polished, gleaming softly in the candlelight. Every time she raised her hand, the pearls clashed softly, like the whisper of a phoenix, crisp and melodious.

The nightgown's waistband is made of linked black jade pieces, each carved with a phoenix feather pattern and inlaid with a pigeon-blood ruby ​​in the center, resembling a phoenix holding a pearl. Twelve strings of black jade beads dangle from the waistband, gently swaying with movement, harmonizing with the clinking of pearls on the cuffs to create a unique rhythm.

Lin Zhen pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing his wife's outfit, he was stunned: "This nightgown... is it newly made by the Shangyi Bureau?" He walked closer to take a closer look, and his fingertips lightly touched the black silk cuffs.

"This embroidery is extraordinary. The phoenix is ​​so lifelike, especially the layering of its feathers..." He suddenly frowned, "But Yan'er specially changed into such a gorgeous dress today. Is there something on your mind?"

Murong Yan sat down at the dressing table, her jet-black nightgown spreading like a cloud. The golden phoenix on the hem seemed to breathe softly in the candlelight. "Today, Prince Jing's Mansion sent another memorial, saying that the railway vibrations are disturbing the ancestral tomb and requesting that construction be halted. This is the third time this month."

She pulled out a secret report from her makeup box. "The secret guards discovered that Prince Yong's Mansion recently transported a large amount of stone from the West Mountain under the pretext of repairing the ancestral hall. But strangely, these stones were not transported to Prince Yong's Mansion."

Lin Zhen took the report and examined it carefully, his expression growing serious. "The stone from the West Mountain is very hard, making it ideal for building fortifications. But if they're going to build fortifications, why keep it so secret?"

A thought suddenly occurred to him, "Unless... they're not building fortifications, but destroying something."

The candlelight crackled, and a cold light flashed in Murong Yan's eyes: "What's even more suspicious is that Prince Jing's Mansion also purchased a large amount of medicinal herbs, but no one in the mansion is sick."

"Medicinal herbs?" Lin Zhen looked up sharply. "Which herbs?"

"Mostly the raw materials for making gunpowder." Murong Yan stood up, the train of her jet-black nightgown sweeping across the ground with a rustling sound. "Saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal... Husband, don't you think this is too much of a coincidence?"

Suddenly, three bird calls were heard outside the window—an urgent signal from the secret guards. Murong Yan donned a black velvet cloak, its wide, trumpet-shaped sleeves faintly visible beneath it, the black pearls on the cuffs gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

A moment later, the secret guard knelt and reported, "Your Majesty, a Northern Desert merchant visited Prince Jing's residence tonight, and they were carrying weapons hidden among the furs they were transporting. Even more suspicious, they used the Northern Desert royal sign language during the handover."

Murong Yan tapped her fingertips lightly on the dressing table, and the black jade ring made a crisp sound when it hit the surface. "As expected. Continue to monitor, but do not alert the enemy." She turned to Lin Zhen and said, "Husband, is the new telegraph ready?"

Lin Zhen nodded. "It was debugged yesterday and can transmit messages up to a hundred miles away. However..." He hesitated, "The contents of the telegram need to be encrypted, otherwise it can be easily intercepted."

Murong Yan raised the corners of her lips slightly and took out an ancient book from the bottom of the dressing box. "This is the 'Golden Phoenix Secret Code' left by Emperor Taizu. Historically, only the emperor could read it. From today on, all telegrams must use this secret code."

She flipped open the pages, revealing densely packed phoenix symbols. "Each symbol represents a syllable. To outsiders, it just looks like a phoenix pattern."

Suddenly, the night watch drum sounded, signaling midnight. Murong Yan removed her cloak, her dark nightgown gleaming faintly in the candlelight. "Tomorrow I will summon my two uncles to see how they act."

Lin Zhen was tidying up her bedding when he suddenly noticed a special phoenix embroidered on the back of her nightgown. Unlike other phoenixes that closed their eyes to rest, this phoenix had its eyes slightly open, as if peeping.

"This phoenix..."

Murong Yan chuckled. "The Imperial Clothing Bureau's ingenuity. They call it 'Golden Phoenix with Downcast Eyes.' It appears to be resting with its eyes closed, but in reality, it sees everything." She suddenly lowered her voice. "Just like my two uncles, who pretended to be ill and stayed away from court, but were secretly constantly on the move."

The next morning, Murong Yan deliberately chose a jet-black court robe embroidered with nine golden phoenixes with drooping eyes. The robe had a dark brocade base, with the phoenix motif embroidered with dark gold thread. Each phoenix's eye was inlaid with obsidian, which shifted in the light.

The wide bell-shaped sleeves are embroidered with a golden phoenix with spread wings, and the cuffs are decorated with tiny black jade beads, which sound as crisp as the cry of a phoenix when moving.

When the two princes were summoned to the palace, she was sitting upright on the phoenix chair, with her wide flared sleeves spread over the armrests like phoenix wings ready to spread.

"Is the emperor's uncle feeling better now?" Murong Yan's tone was gentle, but a sharp light flashed in her eyes.

Murong Hong bowed and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. This is an old problem of mine that comes back every spring and autumn."

Murong Zhang continued, "My old illness has relapsed, so I have to rest."

Murong Yan chuckled softly, her trumpet sleeves trembling slightly. "What a coincidence! I found a good medicine yesterday, said to be able to cure all kinds of difficult and complicated diseases." She gestured for the female official to present a brocade box. "This is the snow lotus tribute from the Northern Desert. It is extremely nourishing. Give it to the two imperial uncles."

The two kings' expressions changed slightly - Bei Mo was the person they were secretly contacting.

Murong Yan acted as if she hadn't noticed their unusual behavior and continued, "Also, the railway will be completed tomorrow. Since the two imperial uncles are elders of the royal family, they should go with me to witness the ceremony."

After leaving the court, Lin Zhen whispered, "Yan'er, are you trying to alert the enemy?"

Murong Yan sneered, and the golden phoenix with drooping eyes on the dark court robes seemed to have a sharp gaze: "I just want to see where the startled snake will go."

Sure enough, that night, the secret guards reported: unusual movements were taking place in both palaces. Murong Hong sent his trusted confidants to the Western Hills, while Murong Zhang secretly met with merchants from the Northern Desert late at night.

Murong Yan listened to the report, her fingertips gently stroking the phoenix embroidery on her nightgown: "Continue to monitor, I want to see what tricks they are up to."

At three o'clock in the morning, another secret report arrived: the stones from Xishan were not used to build fortifications, but... disappeared.

Murong Yan suddenly stood up, the train of her dark nightgown sweeping over the candlesticks. "Oh no! They're going to..."

Lin Zhen hurriedly supported her: "What's wrong?"

"The Xishan stone has a special texture, making it perfect for building an altar!" Murong Yan's face suddenly changed. "Tomorrow at the railway completion ceremony, they're going to attack the altar! Those gunpowder raw materials...are going to create an explosion during the ceremony!"

She immediately issued an order: "Hurry and summon the Minister of Works to the palace! And have the commander of the Imperial Guards come to see him immediately!"

The night was as dark as ink, and the lights in the Yangxin Palace were bright. Murong Yan was still wearing her jet-black nightgown, covered by a black velvet cloak. She looked like a phoenix in the dark night, her eyes burning with a blazing light.

After the Minister of Works and the Commander of the Imperial Guards left, Lin Zhen said worriedly, "Yan'er, if something unexpected really happens tomorrow..."

Murong Yan turned around, and the golden phoenix with drooping eyes on her nightgown seemed to open its eyes in the candlelight: "Then let the world see what a true phoenix nirvana is like."

She walked to the window, gazing at the dark night, her wide, bell-shaped sleeves fluttering in the night breeze. "Husband, no matter what happens tomorrow, you must protect the telegraph. It will be the key to our victory."

Lin Zhen nodded solemnly and tied her cloak. "Don't worry, the new telegraph has been modified and can transmit messages even on the move."

Murong Yan suddenly chuckled and took something out of her sleeve: "Look, what is this?"

Lin Zhen took it and looked at it. It turned out to be a miniature telegraph key, made of gold, with an intricate phoenix pattern engraved on the key button. "This is..."

"Specially made by the Imperial Clothing Bureau." Murong Yan displayed the waistband of her jet-black nightgown, a microcircuit hidden inside. "If anything unexpected happens tomorrow, I can send a message at any time. Each phoenix pattern represents an order, for example..." She gently stroked a phoenix with outstretched wings on the waistband with her fingertips. "This is an order to mobilize the Imperial Guards."

Lin Zhen was amazed and couldn't help but hug his wife: "My Yan'er is truly...unparalleled in the world."

Murong Yan leaned in his arms, and the golden phoenix in her dark nightgown seemed to soften her gaze: "Because I know that no matter what happens, you will be by my side."

As the night deepened, the two stood embraced. Murong Yan's jet-black nightgown blended with the night, with only the golden phoenix embroidery flowing in the moonlight, like a dormant phoenix in the dark night, waiting to spread its wings at dawn.

Meanwhile, in the distant West Mountain, a group of dark figures toiled in secret. The altar's outline gradually became clear in the moonlight, yet within its core, a murderous intent lay hidden. Murong De stood before the altar, a blueprint in hand, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Tomorrow, let that phoenix taste the bittersweetness of falling."

Unbeknownst to him, several shadowy figures were quietly watching all this unfold on the distant hillside. The leading dark guard gently pressed the telegraph key, and an encrypted message silently traveled to the palace.

"The phoenix rests on the wutong tree, waiting to spread its wings."