On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The third day of the third month in the second year of Shenghui.

When the city of Anzhou was reduced to a scorched earth and the smoke of gunpowder had not yet cleared, Pyongyang, the capital of Goguryeo, hundreds of miles away, was immersed in a false, ecstasy of surviving a disaster.

Late last night, a rider on a fast horse rushed into the sleeping royal city with the news of the so-called "Anzhou victory".

The news said: The Daqian army attacked Anzhou fiercely for several days, suffered heavy casualties, failed to break the city, and had retreated ten miles to rest, with low morale!

This news, like a timely rain after a long drought, instantly ignited the long-suppressed royal court.

The Gyeongbokgung Palace in the Pyongyang Royal Palace is a stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere of the past. Today, the palace is decorated with lights and is bustling with singing and dancing.

The charcoal brazier was burning fiercely, and the air was filled with the aroma of wine, meat and cosmetics.

King Go Zang of Goguryeo, with his face flushed with excitement, had swept away his former timidity and paleness as he sat high on the throne.

Although Regent Gao Yun tried hard to remain calm, he could hardly conceal the joy and relief on his face.

All the civil and military officials in the palace were smiling and toasting each other, as if the catastrophe had already passed.

"God bless Goguryeo! God bless Your Majesty!" A minister raised his glass and shouted excitedly, "The enchanting woman Murong Yan has finally run out of tricks! How can a woman in a weird nightgown like hers, Anzhou, be able to shake the mighty city? After this setback, their army will surely be in turmoil! Our army can make a decisive move and drive them out of the country!"

"That's right! General Cui Renshi is truly a pillar of the country! When he returns triumphantly, Your Majesty will surely reward him generously!" Another person quickly echoed, praising the defending general Cui Renshi to the sky.

They were completely unaware that the "pillar of the country" had already fled the city and his whereabouts were unknown.

Gao Yun raised his wine glass, walked towards the throne, and said to Gao Zang, "Your Majesty, this battle proves that our Goguryeo soldiers are brave and dedicated. The mountains and rivers are rugged and fortified, and they are not something that Daqian can easily disdain! As long as the ruler and his subjects are united, and the military and civilians work together, we will surely protect our country! I propose that we reward the Anzhou defenders generously and send a proclamation to all regions to boost morale and prepare for a counterattack!"

"Alright! Everyone will be rewarded!" The young king, Gao Zang, excitedly waved his hands, as if victory was already in his grasp. "Quick, bring out the best wine and food! Today, I want to drink with you, my dear ministers, and we won't leave until we are drunk!"

The palace maids and eunuchs came in one after another and filled the table with delicious dishes and jars of aged wine.

The sounds of string music became more cheerful, and the dancers twisted their waists more vigorously.

The entire Gyeongbokgung Palace was immersed in a false carnival, as if yesterday's fear and the real storm that was about to come had been completely washed away by this "good news".

They selectively forgot the tragedy in Haizhou and automatically filtered out any doubts that might exist in this "good news". They were only concerned with grasping this life-saving straw and venting their stress.

In sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle of the Pyongyang Royal Palace, the atmosphere in the Daqian Army's military tent, located not far from the former site of Anzhou City, was solemn but with a hint of post-war fatigue and new plans.

The flames in Anzhou City have been extinguished, leaving only broken walls and a burning smell.

Murong Yan did not rest. She stood in front of a huge military map of the area surrounding Pyongyang, her posture erect.

She was still wearing the black and gold Su brocade cotton nightgown with the pattern of "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" - the dress in which the divine phoenix descended to the world.

Days of fighting and fire attack decisions had left a barely perceptible trace of fatigue on her beautiful face, but her phoenix eyes were still as sharp as an eagle, staring intently at every detail on the map.

In the early morning light inside the tent, the Phoenix Dress lost some of the dazzling and intimidating look of the battlefield, and gained some of the calm and elegant elegance of a strategist.

The extremely black Su Jin base material absorbs the light, and the color becomes increasingly deep and restrained. The golden cotton wool and real gold thread woven into it exude a gentle and steady glow.

On the nightgown, the pattern of a giant phoenix holding up the sky appears even more majestic in static state, as if accumulating power for the next wave of impact.

One of her wide bell-shaped sleeves fell softly, brushing the edge of the map, while the other was supported by her hand with her chin, and the tassel at the cuff swayed slightly.

The black jade ring on her left thumb was warm in the light.

The five-meter-long tail of Su Jin stretched behind her, covering a large area of ​​the ground in front of the map, showing an unconscious disorderliness of deep thought - not intentional, but naturally winding with her light pace, and even a few strands were rolled up to the stakes that fixed the tent.

This mess more truly reflects the battle situation that is being fiercely deduced in the master's mind at this moment.

The softness of cotton and the comfort of the nightgown may be her only comfort in this hectic pace.

Lin Zhen had just returned from a patrol outside, still wearing his armor, and was covered in the chill of the early morning and the faint smell of gunpowder.

He walked over to Murong Yan, his eyes also falling on the map, and whispered, "Yan'er, Anzhou has been conquered, and the spoils have been counted. The soldiers are resting. Next, should we head straight for Pyongyang, or..."

Murong Yan did not answer immediately. Her finger gently ran along the route from Anzhou to Pyongyang on the map.

After a while, she frowned slightly and spoke with a hint of annoyance.

"My dear, Pyongyang is the capital of Goguryeo after all. The walls are high and the moats are deep, so there must be more defenders. If we attack it with the same force as we did in Anzhou, I'm afraid there will be heavy casualties."

Her tone didn't sound like she was deciding a war to destroy a country, but rather like she was complaining about a troublesome family matter.

Lin Zhen looked at her slightly furrowed brows and felt pity in his heart.

He reached out and gently brushed a stray strand of hair away from her cheek. "Yan'er, you're right. Pyongyang is not like Anzhou. A brute force attack is certainly not the best strategy. I think we can take it by strategizing."

"Outsmart them?" Murong Yan raised her eyes, a hint of interest flashing in them. Like a little girl hearing something new, she leaned into Lin Zhen's arms and looked up at him. "Husband, tell me what's the best way? I don't want our soldiers to bleed any more."

As she spoke, she gently poked Lin Zhen's cold breastplate with her hand and muttered, "This iron lump is so cold."

Lin Zhen's heart softened by her little gesture of dependence, and he quickly covered her fingertips with his palm to warm her, and whispered at the same time.

"According to 'Night Owl' secret report,' Pyongyang is currently celebrating and lax due to the misinformed 'Anzhou victory,' and the defenses are inevitably lax. This is one reason. Secondly, east of Pyongyang lies Moran Peak, which is higher than the city and densely forested. If we can send a special force, we can secretly infiltrate and control this peak."

Murong Yan's eyes lit up and she interrupted him, "Like burning the mountains in Anzhou? But Pyongyang is much bigger, so a fire attack wouldn't be that effective, right?"

"No," Lin Zhen smiled faintly, confident in his plan. "We won't set fire this time. After we take control of Moran Peak, we can secretly transport dozens of our newly built 'Thunderbolt Cannons' to the summit. The summit is only a thousand steps away from the Pyongyang Palace, and well beyond the range of arrows. Then, there's no need to attack the city. We can simply work day and night, throwing boulders, fire pots, and even the remains of plague victims into the palace and the heavily defended areas."

When Murong Yan heard this, a cold light flashed in her phoenix eyes, but then a sly smile appeared on her face.

She buried her face in Lin Zhen's breastplate, laughed darkly, and shrugged her shoulders slightly: "Husband, you are so bad, but I like it."

She raised her head, her eyes full of approval and dependence, "That's it! Let them celebrate in the palace. After the celebration, it's time to listen to the bell!"

As she spoke, she stood up from Lin Zhen's arms, and the decisiveness of an empress returned to her face.

"Order! Select five thousand elite mountain troops, led by Han Meng, carrying the 'Thunderbolt Cannon' components. Tonight at midnight, sneak under cover of darkness to the foot of Moran Peak and seize the summit! The army will march tomorrow, slowly advancing towards Pyongyang, creating the illusion of a slow recovery!"

"Yes!" Lin Zhen responded sternly and immediately turned around and went out of the tent to make arrangements.

Murong Yan was the only one left in the tent.

She turned her gaze back to the capital on the map, which symbolized Goguryeo's last resistance, and a cold arc appeared at the corner of her mouth.

In her eyes, the carnival in Pyongyang was nothing more than the last dance before death.

At this moment, she seemed to think of something, turned around, and wanted to take the water cup on the table.

The moment she turned around——

The movements were calm and planned with a hint of cat-and-mouse playfulness!

The five-meter-long dark-gold tail that was scattered on the ground was moved by this action, and with a swish, it slid across the ground like an undercurrent!

As the tail suddenly floated up, the "gold woven all over the ground" lining inside was revealed, which was densely woven with gold threads and sparkled with a wise and cold light under the light inside the tent!

The pattern of a hundred phoenixes facing the sun flashed in an instant, and golden light flowed. That light was no longer just a symbol of power, but was also full of meaning of strategy and control. It was noble, glorious, and carried an absolute confidence that one could play with the enemy at will!

This glimpse is the most ruthless mockery of the false celebration of the Pyongyang royal court!

The hem of her skirt fell, covering the cold golden light.

Murong Yan picked up the water glass and took a sip.

My eyes turned to Pyongyang on the map again, as if I had already seen the scene of huge rocks falling from the sky and smashing the banquet.