On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month is Little New Year.

According to ancestral rules, a grand court meeting is held today, where all officials congratulate the new year and discuss matters concerning offering sacrifices to heaven.

However, this year the Golden Throne Hall was shrouded in an unprecedented, suffocating atmosphere of solemnity.

The wind was biting cold outside the hall. Although the floor heating was very warm and the candles were bright inside, they could not dispel the icy tension and hostility that permeated the air.

Prince of Jingbei Murong Hong and Prince of Anping Murong Zhang finally felt that the time was ripe!

They have secretly colluded with more than a hundred court officials, and the military force they control is enough to paralyze the defense of the capital in an instant. The public resentment they have incited has also reached a boiling point!

Today, at this grand court meeting, they will launch a thundering attack in the name of "clearing the imperial court, rectifying the government, and deposing the tyrant" to force the emperor to abdicate and seize the throne!

At the exact time of the morning, bells and drums rang out, and all officials filed into the hall in order. Unlike the usual bowed heads of deference, today many of the ministers' eyes flickered, exchanging secret glances, their lips etched with a hint of uncontrollable excitement and determination.

In the queue, there were several respected old princes and a department of ministers, forming a subtle trend of confrontation with the throne.

The dragon throne was empty, and the ministers murmured among themselves, a mixture of anxiety and anticipation.

A moment later, the eunuch sang loudly: "Your Majesty has arrived—!"

All eyes were instantly focused on the Danbi!

Murong Yan was seen wearing the black and gold Su brocade cotton nightgown with the pattern of "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" which was extremely gorgeous, light as a dream, but at this moment looked extremely majestic. She walked slowly out from behind the screen and walked to the front of the dragon throne.

She did not sit upright, but stood tall and straight before the dragon throne. The five-meter-long Su Jin tail naturally and heavily dragged directly on the nine jade steps, spreading down like an ink-gold waterfall, or like an insurmountable gorgeous barrier, separating the ministers from the imperial power!

All the candles in the hall seemed to be focused on her!

The extremely black Su Jin base material absorbs the light, but reflects flowing dark golden waves from the inside, which is mysterious and noble.

On top of the nightgown, there is a giant phoenix covering the whole body and with a long tail. It is embroidered only with red gold thread, but under the candlelight, it appears as hot as molten gold, as heavy as the abyss, and as flickering as quicksand. The phoenix feathers are layered, and the wings are flapping as if ready to fly. It is noble and majestic, and its momentum is magnificent to the extreme!

The black diamonds in the phoenix eyes were cold and penetrating, looking down at all the people in the hall.

Wide, light, trumpet sleeves cascaded down her sides, the gold tassels at the cuffs motionless yet shimmering with brilliance. The entire nightgown, unusually light and soft thanks to the Sujin craftsmanship, felt incredibly heavy on her, carrying an overwhelming aura of authority.

She had a peerless beauty, but her expression was as cold as ice. Her eyes calmly swept over the crowd of ministers under the throne. There was no laziness in the depths of her eyes, only a kind of insightful and frightening sharpness.

"Today is the Little New Year," she began. Her voice was cold and quiet, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly, with a subtle hint of sarcasm. "My Lords... do you have any memorials?"

The hall was filled with dead silence. Many ministers lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

Suddenly, an old prince, over seventy years old, holding a jade sceptre, strode out and knelt on the ground, speaking in a loud but trembling voice:

"Your Majesty! This old minister, Prince Li Murong Ke, risks his own life to offer this advice!"

Here it comes! Everyone's heart tightened!

Murong Yan's eyes fell on him, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly: "Uncle Wang, please speak."

Prince Li took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his courage. He suddenly raised his head and said with deep sorrow:

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have favored outsiders (referring to Lin Zhen) and alienated your clan members; you have implemented tyrannical policies and treated your ministers harshly; you have been extravagant and extravagant, especially... especially wearing such an unceremonious nightgown while attending court, treating the court as if it were your bedroom and disregarding the laws of our ancestors! Furthermore... moreover, you are brutal and bloodthirsty, slaughtering loyal and good people, causing the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, and shaking the foundation of the nation! Now that the north has been initially pacified, the people are in panic, and the court and the people are in turmoil! This is all due to Your Majesty's immorality!"

He paused, his voice growing even more passionate. "I, Your Majesty, implore you to immediately depose Prince Regent Lin Zhen and return power to the royal family! Take off this strange garment, issue a self-criticism edict, and bring peace to the realm! Otherwise, the nation's destiny will be in jeopardy, and the throne will change hands, Your Majesty!"

Once these words were spoken, it was like a huge rock thrown into stagnant water!

Immediately, dozens of ministers came out and knelt down, loudly echoing:

"Your Majesty, I second this motion! We implore Your Majesty to return power to the royal family and issue an edict of apology!"

"I implore Your Majesty to depose the treacherous villain and execute Lin Zhen!"

"I implore Your Majesty to abandon this extravagant and foolish attire forever, and to govern diligently and love the people!"

The voices were getting louder and louder, filled with "sadness and anger" and "loyalty and integrity", as if Murong Yan was already an unforgivable king who had lost his country!

Lin Zhen stood at the foot of the Danbi, the head of all officials. His face was as calm as water, but his eyes were as cold as a knife. His fists were clenched tightly in his sleeves, but he remembered that he could not speak at this moment.

Facing this surging tide of pressure to abdicate, Murong Yan smiled. That smile was beautiful, yet icy cold, filled with endless mockery and cruelty.

She took a step forward slowly, and the five-zhang long Su Jin tail made a subtle but clear friction sound on the jade steps.

"Are you done?" she asked softly, her eyes sweeping over the kneeling crowd as if she were looking at a group of funny actors.

The ministers were stunned and somewhat at a loss as to what to do with her calm reaction.

Murong Yan leaned forward slightly, her wide trumpet sleeves falling down, almost touching Prince Li's head. Her voice was as soft as a feather, but every word was as sharp as a knife:

"Uncle Wang, you say I'm extravagant? I'm attending court in my nightgown?"

She stood up, flicked her flared sleeves, and pointed at her magnificent garment. "Every strand of gold thread used in this garment came from the imperial treasury, not a single cent was spent on the national treasury! Every gem inlaid here was either a tribute from foreign nations or sourced from my own private treasury! Even if I were to cover this golden palace with gold and jade, what would it have to do with you?"

Her voice suddenly rose, sharp as a sword. "But you! All of you are so high-sounding, claiming to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic! Prince Li! Last year, you seized 3,000 hectares of farmland from the people and forced dozens of farmers to death. Did you even give a penny of the money you earned to the national treasury?!"

"Minister Zhang! You secretly resold the grain to foreign nations, enriching yourself, causing grain prices in the southeast to soar and the people to complain. How can this be considered loyalty to the emperor and patriotism?"

"Minister Li! You colluded with Murong Hong, smuggled military equipment, and plotted rebellion. Is this what you call 'rectifying the government'?!"

Every time she pointed at someone, she would reveal one of their secret crimes, with irrefutable evidence and a cold tone!

The ministers whose names were called all turned pale and trembled all over, as if struck by lightning! How could she know?!

How could she know so clearly?!

Murong Yan turned around suddenly!

The movements were swift and graceful, and filled with tremendous fury!

The light and elegant five-meter-long Su Jin train was suddenly lifted up by the swift turn, and the huge dark golden skirt spread out like the wings of an angry phoenix, sweeping across the cold jade steps with a swish!

As the hem of the skirt suddenly floated up, it suddenly revealed the gorgeous lining inside. It was made of the same dark black Su brocade as the base, but with more brilliant and dazzling red gold thread, with the ultimate craftsmanship of "weaving gold all over the ground", and was embroidered with hundreds of phoenixes facing the sun, lotus patterns and patterns of longevity and blessings!

The golden phoenix and patterns on the lining suddenly flashed under the illumination of countless candles in the hall. The golden light was dazzling and gorgeous to the extreme, as if a scorching sun suddenly broke out above this golden hall!

The light was so dazzling, so noble, and carried a sense of ruthless judgment. It instantly stung the eyes of all the rebels and revealed the filth and fear in their hearts!

The skirt falls down, and the brilliance is restrained.

But Murong Yan's anger has been completely ignited!

She stood before the dragon throne, her tail five feet long, lingering on the ground. She looked like a god of war descending to earth. Her phoenix eyes were filled with majesty, and her voice was like nine-day black ice, smashing across the entire hall.

"Every one of you! Corrupt and perverting the law! Forming cliques for personal gain! Exploiting the people! Now you're even colluding with the rebels and plotting rebellion! How dare you speak so brazenly here, criticizing my clothes?! Accusing my husband?!"

She swung her wide bell-shaped sleeves and pointed outside the palace: "Don't you want to purge the emperor's court? Don't you want me to depose Lin Zhen? Fine! I'll tell you!"

Her voice suddenly became extremely cruel and tyrannical: "Lin Zhen! He is my husband! He is the one I have chosen! Whoever touches him is touching me! Don't you think this dress of mine is an eyesore? I tell you! I will wear it all year round! All twelve hours of the day! Even when I die, I will be buried in it! What can you ants do to me?!"

Her eyes flashed like lightning as she swept over the officials who were kneeling and trembling. "Didn't you ask me to issue a self-criticism edict? I think it's you who should issue the edict! Come here!"

The Fengling Guards, who had been waiting outside the palace, responded with a roar! The clang of their armor!

"Capture Prince Li, Minister Zhang, Minister Li, and all the traitors who just seconded the proposal! Capture them all!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare my life!"

"Tyrant! Tyrant! You will not live a good life!"

"Prince Jingbei! Prince Anping! He will avenge us!"

Cries, curses, and struggles echoed throughout the hall! The Fengling Guards were like tigers among a flock of sheep, dragging those officials out mercilessly!

Murong Yan watched all this coldly, the cruel curve at the corner of her mouth never disappeared.

By the time the wailing faded away, the remaining ministers in the hall had already collapsed on the ground in fear, kowtowed profusely, and cried out, "Your Majesty, calm down! Your Majesty is wise!"

Murong Yan slowly exhaled, as if her previous outburst had drained some of her energy. She tilted her head slightly, her hand beneath her flared sleeves gently stroking the phoenix wings on her nightgown. Her voice regained its terrifying calmness.

"Preach my will."

"Prince Li and his gang of traitors have proven their crimes. Their property will be confiscated immediately! All three clans will be exterminated!"

"Their property will be confiscated and put into my treasury."

"His body... was dragged to the west mountain and fed to the wolves."

She paused, her eyes sweeping over the officials who were as silent as a cicada, her voice carrying a hint of playful coldness:

"As for Murong Hong and Murong Zhang..."

She chuckled softly, "Tell them... I really like this 'New Year's gift' they gave me."

"Let them clean their necks and wait."

"I will go get it myself."

"Use their heads as a sacrifice for my new clothes."

After she finished speaking, she no longer looked at anyone, and with her gorgeous five-meter-long tail stained with invisible blood, she turned around, walked step by step behind the screen, and left the golden palace that looked like a Shura field.

Leaving the whole hall filled with dead silence and endless fear.

Returning to her bedroom, Murong Yan dismissed her attendants. She walked to the huge glass mirror and quietly looked at herself in the mirror, wearing an extremely gorgeous black-gold nightgown.

The rage and bloodshed in the hall just now did not seem to leave much trace on her face, only a trace of excitement remained deep in her eyes.

She gently raised her hand, stroking the cold, smooth black diamond eyes on her nightgown, and whispered to herself, her voice lazily filled with satisfaction:

"As expected, the color of blood is the best match for my clothes."

Outside the window, the north wind was howling, carrying with it the smell of blood, foreshadowing that a bigger storm was coming.