On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

In the summer of the first year of the Holy Emblem, beneath the surface calm, the undercurrent finally turned into real waves.

Murong Yan's cold treatment and reverse use of the aristocratic family's "networking" behavior did not completely curb the desperate counterattack.

On the contrary, when the noble families saw that spreading rumors and economic constraints had little effect and instead led to Murong Yan's more severe division and disintegration (such as using small families to retaliate), they finally put their most vicious move on the table - to cooperate with the Mobei barbarians from both inside and outside.

Urgent news from the border, on a sultry afternoon, reached the imperial city like thunder.

It was not the harassment of a small group of cavalry, but the Khan of the Mobei Tatar tribe, Bater, who personally led 50,000 elite cavalry and suddenly crossed the border. The troops were divided into two groups, one group pretended to attack the important town "Zhenbei Pass", while the other main force bypassed the dangerous place and raided the relatively weakly defended "Shufeng City"!

The offensive was swift and they clearly knew the border defenses well.

What is even more shocking is that a deputy general under the command of the commander of Shufeng City suddenly rebelled when the enemy army was at the gates of the city, opened the city gate and let the enemy in!

Despite a bloody battle, Shufeng City was eventually lost, and the defending general died fighting for his country. The rebellious deputy general, upon investigation, was found to be a descendant of a branch of the Fanyang Lu family!

When the news came, the government and the public were shocked!

This is no longer a border friction, but a naked invasion, and there are traitors behind it!

The "collusion between insiders and outsiders" that Murong Yan had always worried about became a reality in the most tragic way.

However, when this blood-stained 800-mile urgent military report was rushed to Fenghuan Palace, the atmosphere inside the palace was completely different from the tension and grief outside.

In the bedroom, in order to resist the summer heat, huge ice jars are placed in the four corners, emitting a hint of cool air, which is in sharp contrast to the scorching summer outside the hall.

Murong Yan did not change into military uniform or court dress because of the urgent military situation. She was still wearing the light and breathable, yet gorgeous and noble black and gold Su brocade cotton nightgown with the pattern of "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" - the "Divine Phoenix Descent Dress", and was lazily lying on the couch in the ventilated place in the hall.

The couch is made of cold jade and covered with a smooth bamboo mat, making it extremely cool.

Lin Zhen sat on a small stool beside the couch, holding a large peacock feather fan, and was fanning her slowly and steadily. His movements were steady, but his eyes were sharper than usual, clearly having been informed of the military situation.

The Divine Phoenix Dress took on a peculiar beauty under the combined effect of the cool air emitted by the Ice Mirror and the strong summer light shining through the window screen.

The extremely dark black Su Jin base material seemed to absorb all heat, presenting an abyss-like coolness, while the golden cotton wool and real gold thread woven into it flowed with cold and dazzling dark golden waves under the light, mysterious and noble, forming a strange contrast with the atmosphere of this hot summer and the urgent military report.

Above the nightgown, the wings of the towering phoenix seemed frozen in the cold air. The layers of phoenix feathers embroidered with red gold thread emanated a chilling calm within their noble majesty. The black diamonds in the phoenix's eyes reflected the cold light of an icy mirror.

One of her wide, light, trumpet-shaped sleeves draped over the edge of the couch, the other resting on Murong Yan's bent knee. The black jade ring on her left thumb felt cold to the touch.

The five-meter-long Su Jin train was not spread on the couch, but hung down to the edge of the couch and directly spread on the mirror-like, cool black jade floor. The dark gold brocade looked even more calm and gorgeous on the cold and hard ground.

The breathable and moisture-absorbing cotton material and the looseness of the nightgown allowed her to remain extraordinarily calm and comfortable despite the sweltering weather and urgent military situations.

An eunuch was kneeling ten steps away from the couch, holding the urgent military report high in both hands, and reporting in a trembling voice the tragic news that Shufeng City had fallen, the defending general had died for his country, and the Lu family's children had rebelled.

Murong Yan listened quietly, her face expressionless, neither shock nor anger, not even an eyelash fluttering. She simply raised her hand slightly, signaling Lin Zhen to stop fanning.

Lin Zhen put down his feather fan and looked at her calmly.

After the eunuch finished his report, he prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to get up. The hall was completely silent, with only the occasional sound of water dripping from the melting ice jar.

After a long pause, Murong Yan uttered a soft, lazy "hmm," as if she had just heard something insignificant. She didn't even reach for the military newspaper, but instead reached out to Lin Zhen.

Lin Zhen understood and handed the feather fan back to her. Murong Yan took it and fanned it casually twice, her wide, flared sleeves swaying gently. Her gaze, however, passed over the kneeling eunuchs and cast towards the massive sand table in the corner of the hall, which depicted the terrain of the northern border.

"Shuofeng City was lost?" she asked softly, her tone as calm as if she was checking the weather.

"Yes, Your Majesty! The Lu family is a traitor who committed treason and invited the barbarians to invade. General Zhao..." The eunuch's voice choked with sobs.

"I know." Murong Yan interrupted him, her tone still calm, "The Lu family really can't help but jump out."

There was even a faint, cold arc at the corner of her mouth. It was not a smile, but an expected sneer.

She slowly sat up, handed the feather fan to Lin Zhen, and then walked towards the sand table with her bare feet on the cold floor.

The five-meter-long tail slid silently behind her.

Walking to the sand table, she stared quietly at the tiny model representing Shufeng City for a long time.

On the sand table, the small black flag representing the Mobei Cavalry has been planted on Shufeng City.

Lin Zhen walked silently to her side and handed her a slender golden rod.

Murong Yan took the golden rod and gently pointed at the enemy and our situation on the sand table with the tip of her black jade ring. "Bater is good at choosing a place.

Although Shuofeng City is not the most dangerous pass, it is located at a strategic point. Once it is lost, it can be attacked from the east or west, tying down a large number of our troops."

Her voice was as calm as if she was analyzing a chess game.

"Furthermore," Lin Zhen interjected, his tone grave, "the presence of a traitor within the clan indicates a deep-seated collusion between the noble families and Mobei. This invasion is probably just the beginning."

"Let's start?" Murong Yan chuckled, gently moving the golden rod across the sand table. "This will save me the trouble of searching for them one by one."

She pointed her golden staff at Zhenbei Pass and said, "Order the commander of Zhenbei Pass to close the gates tightly and defend the city to the death. Without my order, not a single soldier is allowed to leave the gate to fight. If Bater dares to attack, I will bombard him with my Thunder God Cannon!"

She moved her golden staff towards both sides of Shuofeng City. "Order the Feiyu Army and Tielin Army on the left and right wings to immediately move towards Shuofeng City, but there is no need to rush to attack the city. Build a defensive line around the city to cut off its connection with Mobei and its food supply. I want to trap these 50,000 men!"

Finally, she tapped the golden rod heavily on the spot representing Fan Yang, and her eyes instantly became icy cold:

"As for the Lu family, I have passed on my decree that the Fanyang Lu family is guilty of treason and collaborating with the enemy. The evidence is solid and their entire clan must be exterminated! All property will be confiscated immediately, all male members will be beheaded, and the female members will be imprisoned in the Imperial Music Bureau! Their crimes will be made public! I want everyone to see what the consequences are for betraying me and the Great Qian!"

This order was bloody and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. This was not only a punishment, but also a warning to all the noble families who harbored dissenting ambitions!

"Also," Murong Yan's golden rod drew a circle on the sand table, representing the distant Mobei Royal Court, "tell Bater I thank him for helping me clean up my mess. Also, ask him what kind of wood he prefers for his son's coffin? I can give him one."

This extremely humiliating response formed a thrilling contrast with her lazy attire at the moment.

Orders were issued one after another, clear, cold, and precise. There was no panic, no anger, only a calmness that came from someone in control and a casual indifference like someone just cleaning up trash.

After giving the order, Murong Yan seemed a little tired. She threw the golden rod back onto the sand table and turned to face Lin Zhen.

The moment she turned around——

The movements are done with a sense of ease after making a decision!

The light and elegant five-meter-long Su Jin train was moved by the turn, and the huge dark golden skirt spread out gracefully like the wings of a triumphant phoenix, brushing across the cold ground with a swish!

As the hem of her skirt suddenly rose, revealing the densely woven gold lining within, gleaming brilliantly in the halllight! As the golden light shone, the pattern of a hundred phoenixes facing the sun shone instantly, regal and dazzling, carrying the absolute confidence to crush any and all enemies who came their way!

The skirt falls, and the brilliance is restrained in the quiet ink color.

Murong Yan walked up to Lin Zhen, put her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his chest. There was a hint of weariness in her voice, but it was no longer laziness, but the exhaustion after strategizing: "My husband, I feel a little cold."

Lin Zhen's heart trembled, and he immediately hugged her tightly, warming her with the warmth of his body. He knew that her coldness did not come from the icy mirror in the palace, but from the loneliness and chill that had penetrated deep into her bones, brought about by the murderous decision just now.

"I'm here," he whispered, his voice steady and firm. "Yan'er did the right thing. In extraordinary times, severe punishments are necessary. The Lu family is courting its own destruction."

Murong Yan hummed softly in his arms, and after a long while, she said sullenly, "I know, but many more people are going to die."

At this moment, she seemed to have shed the coldness of an emperor, revealing a hint of the fragility of "Yan'er." But this fragility was fleeting.

She raised her head, her eyes calm. "My dear husband, please accompany me to have some soup. Then we have to think carefully about how to entertain Bater, our guest from afar."

Lin Zhen nodded and embraced her as they walked towards the side hall. The winding five-meter-long tail behind them was like an inky golden river, flowing silently across the sand table filled with murderous intent and flowing towards the dining table filled with warmth.

Outside the window, the northern border raged with flames; inside, the emperor and empress shared a meal. The war had escalated, and Murong Yan's response had only just begun. Her divine phoenix dress, still her most magnificent battle attire, bore witness to her effortless transition between tenderness and murder.