On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

In the early autumn of the first year of Shenghui, after several autumn rains, the weather turned cooler, but the city of Chang'an was shrouded in a strange atmosphere.

Murong Yan's lightning-fast takeover of the capital's key warehouses and her move to supply unlimited and affordable necessities from the royal treasury were like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing the flames of the aristocratic families' attempts to create chaos by manipulating the market.

The long lines at the official market, the praises of "Your Majesty's wisdom" as the common people paid far below market price for rice, cloth, and salt, all felt like a resounding slap in the face of the wealthy merchants who hoarded goods. The short-term economic push had completely failed.

However, the family's centuries-long heritage is by no means limited to this.

After suffering setbacks in direct confrontation and economic disruption, they turned to a more insidious and more difficult to prevent method - attacking the heart and mind.

This time, their target was no longer supplies or cities, but the future of the empire and the foundation of people's hearts.

It was a clear and crisp autumn day. The sunlight shone through the long carved windows, casting mottled shadows in the bedroom of Fenghuan Palace.

Murong Yan seemed in a good mood. She wasn't attending to government affairs. Instead, she was wearing her black and gold Sujin cotton nightgown, the "A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix"—the "Divine Phoenix Descent Dress"—and was playing chess with Lin Zhen on the warm couch by the window. The chessboard was made of the finest white and black jade, and the pieces were soft and smooth.

Lin Zhen plays black and Murong Yan plays white.

He made his moves carefully, but often gave way to Murong Yan without leaving a trace, and his eyes lingered more gently on her focused profile.

Murong Yan sometimes frowned in thought, sometimes raised the corner of her mouth slightly, wearing a black jade ring on her fingertips, picked up the white piece, and dropped it gently, making a crisp sound**.

The Divine Phoenix Dress shimmered in the bright autumn sun. The deep black Sujin base absorbed the golden light, its hue becoming increasingly deep and profound, while the golden cotton velvet and genuine gold thread woven into it shone with a warm and dazzling dark golden shimmer.

Above the nightgown, the towering phoenix lost some of its fierceness in the sunlight as it did at night. Its feathers were layered, gorgeous and graceful, like an auspicious sign resting in the warm sun.

One of her wide and light bell sleeves was rolled up slightly to make it easier for her to make her move, while the other hung softly over the edge of the couch.

The black jade ring on her left thumb was translucent and lustrous in the light.

The five-meter-long train of Sujin silk wasn't laid out in a regular pattern, but rather haphazardly and serenely spread across the vast expanse of polished gold-bricked floor in front of the couch. The dark gold brocade, in the sunlight, resembled a flowing river of molten gold, dazzling and gorgeous. The soft cotton and loose fit of her nightgown kept her comfortable and at ease during the game.

"Husband, are you giving me an advantage with this move?" Murong Yan suddenly raised her eyes, looking at Lin Zhen with a sly smile in her phoenix eyes.

Lin Zhen smiled faintly, put down the black piece in his hand, and said calmly: "Yan'er's chess skills are exquisite, and I am willing to admit that I am inferior to her. Why should I give in?"

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair that had fallen from her cheek behind her ear, his movements natural and intimate.

Murong Yan chuckled softly, clearly feeling grateful for his thoughtfulness. Just as she was about to make another move, the commander of the secret guards spoke from outside the palace, his voice deliberately lowered but still solemn: "Your Majesty, I have an important matter to report."

The warm atmosphere of the chess game faltered slightly. Murong Yan's smile faded, but she didn't show any displeasure. She simply leaned back lazily, her fingertips still toying with the white piece. "Come in and tell me."

The commander of the secret guards entered, knelt on one knee, and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, recently some children's songs and rumors have been quietly circulating in the capital and even in the surrounding counties. The content is extremely malicious and sinister."

"Oh?" Murong Yan raised her eyebrows slightly, seeming to be interested. "Tell me about it."

Her tone was as if she was listening to an interesting story.

The Dark Guard Commander took a deep breath and said with a stiff upper lip:

"The children's rhyme goes, 'A golden phoenix nests, a black dragon circles; yin prevails, yang declines, and the universe turns upside down; in the Holy Year, blood rains fall, children without parents, and old men without a nest.' There are also rumors that Your Majesty is wearing demonic clothing (referring to the divine phoenix dress), and is the reincarnation of the evil star from the previous dynasty, brought down to bring chaos to the country. Wherever he goes, there will be war and disaster. They also say that Prince Lin is Your Majesty's puppet controlled by evil magic, and will eventually turn against him."

The viciousness of these nursery rhymes and rumors lies in the fact that they no longer directly attack government decrees, but instead distort destiny, curse the country's fate, and alienate the emperor and empress.

What’s even more terrifying is that they spread through the mouths of children, making it extremely easy to spread and difficult to trace the source. Their intention is to fundamentally shake people’s hearts, especially to make them panic about the future!

Lin Zhen's face instantly turned as gloomy as water, and murderous intent surged in his eyes!

It doesn't matter if someone slanders him, but cursing Murong Yan and alienating their relationship is something he cannot tolerate!

"How dare you! Investigate! Investigate thoroughly for me! Find the rumormongers and tear them into pieces!"

Murong Yan's reaction was once again unexpected. Far from getting angry, she burst out laughing, her laughter crisp and full of undisguised sarcasm.

"The reincarnation of a demon star? Bringing disaster to the country? Haha, they are really getting more and more creative."

She put down the chess piece in her hand and glanced at the commander of the secret guards. "Anything else? That's all?"

The commander of the secret guards was stunned and said hurriedly, "There are also some who say that the food sold at the Pingzheng official market is made from the flesh and blood of fallen soldiers. Eating it will bring heavenly punishment and curse Your Majesty to be childless and ruin the country."

These words, each one more vicious than the last, directly target Murong Yan's legitimacy of rule and future hopes.

Lin Zhen was so angry that he was shaking all over. He stood up suddenly and said, "Yan'er! These rats! How dare you be so vicious! Let me go."

"Husband, please calm down." Murong Yan reached out and grabbed his sleeve. Her force was not strong, but her expression was undeniable. Her face still had that sardonic smile, but her eyes were as cold as ice.

"They are just clowns, at the end of their rope. Their only remaining skill is gossip."

She turned to the leader of the secret guards, her tone lazy, but every word clear:

"I have issued my decree. First, the Jingzhao Yin and other local officials are not required to suppress these rumors, much less arrest anyone. However, anyone who openly spreads or sings them in the streets will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane for 'spreading evil and confusing the people, disturbing their hearts,' paraded through the streets, and then exiled to the frontier. I want to see whether their words are stronger than mine."

This is a loosening in appearance but tightening in reality, establishing authority by taking typical cases without provoking widespread resistance.

"Second," she tapped the chessboard lightly with her fingertips, "organize the writers of the Hanlin Academy to write for me! Write poems and songs praising the Holy Emblem's new policies and the peace and prosperity of the country! Write about my achievements in pacifying the four directions, as well as the harmonious relationship between me and my husband! Let storytellers and opera troupes perform and sing for me in teahouses, taverns, and brothels! I want to use the true 'elegant voice' to drown out the 'rat barking' in the gutter!"

This is a counter-offensive against public opinion and an occupation of the cultural front.

"Third," Murong Yan's eyes grew dark, "and this is the most crucial investigation! But don't investigate those foolish people and women who spread rumors. Keep a close eye on us. Which noble families have been frequently hosting banquets for scholars and poets recently? Which academies are suddenly teaching the theory of 'prophecies and disasters'? Which temples and Taoist temples have suddenly seen a surge in incense donations? Especially in Taiyuan and Qinghe!"

Her spearhead is directed at the mastermind behind the scenes!

Nursery rhymes and rumors require organization and planning, financial support, and channels for dissemination, all of which are inseparable from the shadow of the aristocratic family!

"I obey your command!" The leader of the secret guards responded solemnly and retreated quickly.

There were only two people left in the hall again. Lin Zhen was still furious, his chest heaving.

Murong Yan stood up, walked to him, and reached out to gently smooth his frown.

"Husband, why get so upset over a few flies?" Her voice softened. "The more they curse me for being childless and drive a wedge between us, the more it proves they're afraid of us, afraid of our unity as king and minister, afraid of our eternal rule, afraid of their own future!"

Her insights hit the nail on the head!

Lin Zhen held her hand, feeling the coolness and firmness of her fingertips. The anger in his heart was gradually replaced by a mixture of heartache and admiration: "Yan'er, as your husband, I just can't stand anyone slandering you."

"I know." Murong Yan smiled slightly, snuggled into his arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, and put her face on his chest.

"With my husband by my side, I fear nothing. These rumors won't hurt me in the slightest. Instead, they'll make me more aware of which unnecessary branches to cut off."

She said gloomily in his arms, "But they say I have no heir."

Her voice suddenly lowered, with a hint of subtle strange emotion.

Lin Zhen's heart trembled, and he hugged her tighter: "Yan'er! Don't listen to those nonsense! We are still young, and there is a long way to go! Even if we really have no children, as long as you and I work together, why should we be afraid of no one inheriting this vast kingdom? As long as I am here, I will protect you and keep this kingdom safe!"

This is not a comfort, but a vow.

Murong Yan trembled slightly in his arms, without looking up, but just hugged him tighter.

After a while, she raised her head, her face had returned to calm, even with a hint of mischief: "My husband, I am hungry. Today I want to try the silver thread rolls you made by hand."

This sudden request made Lin Zhen startled, then he laughed, his heart overflowing with tenderness: "Okay, I will do it for Yan'er right away."

He turned around and was about to walk towards the small kitchen. But the moment he turned around, Murong Yan suddenly turned around too!

The movements are filled with a sense of relief and lightness!

The light and elegant five-meter-long Su Jin train was suddenly lifted up by the synchronized rotation, and the huge dark golden skirt unfolded gracefully and synchronously like the wings of a pair of phoenixes flying together, sweeping across the smooth ground with a swish!

As the hem of her skirt suddenly rose, revealing the densely woven gold lining beneath, gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight! Golden light streamed, and the pattern of a hundred phoenixes facing the sun shone instantly, dignified and dazzling, carrying a solid warmth and tacit understanding that no rumors could erode!

The skirt falls down, and the brilliance is restrained.

Murong Yan looked at Lin Zhen's back as he walked towards the small kitchen, and a warm and genuine smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.

Rumors are like knives, but she has him.

The country has experienced many ups and downs, but they stand shoulder to shoulder.

that's enough.