On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

In the northern land of Zhuozhou, a thousand miles of barren land lay. Cracked fields, like the withered skin of an old man, stretched to the horizon. Withered seedlings curled up, making subtle crackling sounds in the scorching, drought-stricken wind.

The river had long since dried up, its bed exposed and riddled with deep, ravine-like cracks, like the earth's desperate cry. The air was dry and hot, the smell of dust filling the air. The sky was a dull gray-yellow, devoid of a single cloud, and the scorching sun mercilessly scorched this lifeless land.

The ceremonial procession of Regent Lin Zhen and Empress Murong Yan did not stop at the relatively unscathed provincial capital, but instead headed directly into Zhuobei County, the hardest-hit area. The loess official road was bumpy and dusty. Despite the imperial carriage's luxurious design and excellent shock absorption, it still inevitably jolted under such road conditions.

Within the imperial chariot, Murong Yan sat peacefully, clad in her incredibly gorgeous, heavy black and gold nightgown. Even in the dim light filtering through the glazed windows, the profound black of the dress still possessed a tranquil quality that swallowed up the light, while the faint blue and dark purple light reflected from within added a touch of mystery.

The wings of the giant phoenix above the nightgown, with the slight sway of the carriage, flow with a restrained and tenacious brilliance. The silk threads of red gold, rose gold, silver white and purple gold still flicker persistently in the dim environment, and the gems in the phoenix eyes are like dormant stars.

Wide, bell-shaped sleeves cascaded across the cushions beside her, the black pearl tassels at the cuffs unmoving. The three-foot-long, immensely heavy, jewel-encrusted train, instead of being restrained, stretched naturally and meandered across most of the chariot's floor, like a galaxy flowing in the darkness, its gemstones gleaming faintly but undeniably in the dim light.

She looked calm, as if the turbulence around her and the desolation outside the window had nothing to do with her. This detached calmness itself was a powerful aura.

Lin Zhen sat beside her, his eyes through the car window, sharply scanning the tragic scenes along the way. His face was solemn, and his fingertips unconsciously slid across the map on his knees.

The imperial chariot finally came to a halt at the edge of a vast field, completely barren and scarred with cracks deep enough to fit a finger. Gathered there were the magistrate of Zhuobei County, water conservancy officials from the Ministry of Works, and a team of technicians dispatched by the Institute of Geography. All of them were dusty and had solemn expressions.

The chariot door opened, and Lin Zhen stepped out first. The scorching air and the smell of dust hit him in the face. He squinted, adjusting to the glaring light and desolate scene, then turned and reached into the chariot.

When Murong Yan held Lin Zhen's hand and slowly walked down from the imperial carriage, all the waiting officials and attendants, as well as the scattered disaster victims who were stopped by officers and soldiers in the distance and were eagerly watching, fell into deathly silence in an instant, followed by the sound of people gasping for breath!

In this world dominated by the gray and yellow of despair, the sudden appearance of the extremely dark gold gorgeous clothes created an unimaginable visual impact!

The dark black background of the nightgown is like bringing the deepest night to the scorched earth. The giant phoenix embroidery with gold thread bursts out with astonishing brilliance under the scorching sun. The red gold is dazzling, the rose gold is gorgeous, the silver is bright, and the purple gold is noble. The phoenix eye gem reflects sharp light, as if it has brought the only light source and color to this dead place!

The pearls and black diamonds on the cuffs of the wide, flared sleeves swayed slightly in the hot wind. And the three-meter-long train, adorned with precious stones, dragged unreservedly and heavily on the cracked, rough, dusty, burnt-yellow ground!

The extremely luxurious tail forms a tragic contrast with the barren and filthy land. The gems on it madly reflect the light of the scorching sun, like a burning ink-gold river, forcibly pouring into this withered world!

She had a peerless beauty and a calm expression. Wrapped in this nightgown, she looked noble, mysterious, and possessed an almost inhuman composure, as if she was not descending on a disaster area but inspecting her own garden.

"Long live His Majesty! Long, long live His Majesty!" The officials knelt hurriedly, their voices trembling with shock.

The victims in the distance also knelt down, staring in amazement at the incredible splendor.

Lin Zhen said in a deep voice, "Stand up. What's the situation?"

His voice brought everyone back to reality from their shock.

The Zhuobei County Magistrate stepped forward tremblingly, his voice hoarse, "Your Majesty, Your Highness... It's been nearly five months since there's been any rain here. The underground water veins are extremely deep, and the existing wells have all dried up... The people... I'm afraid the people will have to eat their own children..."

Murong Yan's eyes swept quietly across the cracked fields, and her hand under her flared sleeves raised slightly, pointing to a huge crack in the ground in the distance.

Lin Zhen immediately understood: "Lead the way, to see the deepest fissure."

A group of people walked on the cracked fields, one step deep and one step shallow.

The heavy train of Murong Yan's nightgown dragged behind her unhindered, leaving a clear, luxurious mark on the thick dust wherever it passed. The gems and gold threads scraped against the ground, making an extremely subtle rustling sound.

Dust tried to cling, but was repelled by the special fabric, sliding off, maintaining an astonishing cleanliness and brilliance. Her steps were steady, showing no sign of effort, as if the weight of the three-meter tail was nothing to her.

They arrived at a massive fissure over a foot wide and bottomless, from which scorching earth air rose. Officials from the Ministry of Industry reported on the difficulties of the exploration, while technicians from the Institute of Geography displayed blueprints of their new deep-drilling machinery and discussed the possible depth of the aquifer.

Lin Zhen listened intently, occasionally asking questions with a sharp gaze. Murong Yan stood quietly to the side, her dark gold nightgown a silent statue of a deity against the gray-yellow background, its train draped over the edge of the crack, a shimmering light.

Her eyes occasionally swept across the complex mechanical drawings, then fell back to the bottomless crack in the ground, her eyes calm and unperturbed.

Suddenly, her hand under her flared sleeves moved slightly, and her fingertips pointed to a drill structure on the drawing.

Lin Zhen, who had been paying attention to her, immediately noticed and looked in the direction she pointed. A gleam in his eyes flashed: "Here... can we change it to a spiral barb style? It will be more conducive to breaking deep and hard rock formations."

The technician at the Institute of Gewu was stunned for a moment. He took a closer look, then suddenly realized something and said excitedly, "Your Highness is brilliant! This method could greatly increase drilling efficiency! We will revise the drawings immediately!"

The corners of Murong Yan's mouth curved slightly, almost imperceptibly.

After a long survey, the sun was scorching in the sky.

Lin Zhen saw beads of sweat oozing from Murong Yan's forehead. Although he knew that her nightgown was made of a special material that had a cooling effect, he still said with concern, "Yan'er, can you go to the temporary tent and rest for a while?"

Murong shook his head, his gaze fixed on the vague remains of an abandoned ancient river channel in the distance, his flared sleeves waving slightly.

Lin Zhen immediately understood: "Send the order! Mobilize manpower and explore that ancient river channel! If there are traces of water veins, prioritize digging along the ancient river channel and digging deep wells!"

"Yes!"

Back in the relatively cool, makeshift military tent, Lin Zhen dismissed his attendants, leaving only key officials and technicians. The tent was carpeted, providing some protection from the dust.

Murong Yan sat down naturally, and the heavy train covered the floor of the tent behind her, illuminating the simple curtains like a shrine.

Lin Zhen spread out the map and discussed it with everyone. The final plan was to split the troops into three groups. One group, led by technicians from the Institute of Gewu, would use a new drilling rig to drill the "Dragon Head Well" at the deepest point of the suspected water vein.

One route followed the remains of the ancient river channel, digging deep wells and water diversion channels in sections; the third route organized laborers to dig large reservoirs in low-lying areas to collect any water sources that might be found.

The decision was made and the officials took their orders and left.

For the time being, only the Emperor and Empress were left in the tent. Lin Zhen walked over to Murong Yan, squatted down, and without caring about his imperial majesty, carefully brushed away the dust from the edge of her dress, his movements gentle and considerate.

"I'm sorry for ruining Yan'er's clothes." He whispered.

Murong Yan shook her head, and the hand under her flared sleeves gently covered the back of his hand: "It's good that you can get out of the water." Her voice was clear, but with a rare concern for specific matters.

Lin Zhen's heart moved, and he looked up at her: "Tomorrow, I will go to supervise the digging of the well myself. Does Yan'er want to go with me?"

Murong Yan nodded without hesitation, her eyes clear and firm.

Lin Zhen smiled and squeezed her hand. "Okay. Then, Yan'er, get some rest today." He stood up and summoned someone to bring some water and some cool fruits. The north was short of water, so these were shipped from far away and were extremely valuable.

He personally tested the water temperature, wrung the soaked silk scarf half dry, and carefully wiped Murong Yan's cheeks and neck. Moisturized by the clean water, her skin looked even more translucent, forming a perfect contrast with the dark gold nightgown.

The servants brought her some chilled fruit. Lin Zhen peeled the fruit for her, cut it into small pieces, and placed them before her lips. Murong Yan ate in small, elegant sips, her wide, flared sleeves slightly covering her face.

After a short rest, Lin Zhen took her out of the tent to inspect the newly assembled civilians and supplies. Everywhere they went, civilians and soldiers alike prostrated themselves, not daring to look up. The trailing train of her dark gold nightgown, like an imperial banner, announced the arrival of hope for redemption.

As the sun set, the heat wave receded slightly. The first well, dug along the ancient riverbed, began to take shape. Murong Yan stood at the edge of the well, the hem of her nightgown drooping over the edge, the brilliant light and dust intertwining once again.

She watched the laborers sweating profusely, her eyes still calm, but with a little more focus than usual.

Lin Zhen stood beside her, the setting sun lengthened their shadows, and the winding trailing shadows were so long that they seemed to touch the horizon.

"Tomorrow will be different." Lin Zhen said softly.

Murong Yan nodded slightly, and her hand under her flared sleeves gently hooked his fingers.

Night fell, and the stars began to rise. The temporary palace was brightly lit. After bathing and changing, Murong Yan changed into another similar-style black and gold phoenix-patterned nightgown with a long train, and sat at the desk.

Lin Zhen worked late into the night to further refine tomorrow's construction plan with officials from the Ministry of Works and the Academy of Sciences.

She accompanied him quietly, occasionally handing him a cup of ginseng tea, the fragrance lingering from her cuffs.

By late at night, the plan was finalized. Lin Zhen dismissed his officials and returned to the inner chamber, only to find Murong Yan leaning against the couch, half asleep. Her dark gold nightgown covered the edge of the couch, its train trailing to the ground. In her hand, she loosely grasped an ancient tome on the northern water veins.

His heart was warmed. He walked forward, gently took away the book, and covered her with a silk quilt.

"Go to sleep, Yan'er. Tomorrow, join me in bestowing rain upon this land."

She vaguely responded in her sleep, and the giant phoenix on her nightgown rested peacefully under the lamp.