On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

The second year of Shenghui, mid-April.

The news of the gradual reconstruction of Pyongyang and its surroundings quietly seeped into the ears of the remaining ruling class of Goguryeo like a stream in early spring.

Murong Yan's actions of inspecting the countryside, distributing grain, and repairing houses formed a strong contrast with her previous cruel image of massacring two cities, stirring up complex ripples deep in this royal capital still filled with the atmosphere of failure and fear.

Inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, the atmosphere was more oppressive and eerie than usual.

The charcoal brazier was still burning, but it could not dispel the chill that came from suspicion and despair.

King Go Zang of Goguryeo curled up on the throne with empty eyes, as if he was numb to everything in the outside world.

Regent Gao Yun sat at the bottom, his brows furrowed, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the back of the chair. Spread out in front of him was a summary of intelligence that the spy had risked his life to send back, which briefly recorded Murong Yan's words and deeds in Qingxili and other places.

Your Highness, all the civil and military officials were standing in line, and everyone had an expression of disbelief and deep doubt on their faces.

A few days ago, they were still trembling with fear for Murong Yan's butcher knife, but today, they have to face the news of her "favor", which makes them feel extremely confused and uneasy.

After a long silence, Gao Yun finally raised his head, glanced at everyone, and spoke in a hoarse voice, "You've all heard, right? Murong Yan is distributing food and repairing houses in the villages west of Pyongyang, and she's even working in the fields herself."

His tone was full of sarcasm and disbelief.

These words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, immediately stirring up waves.

"Regent! This is a trick of a witch to deceive the people! Don't believe it!" Park Jung-woong, the war advocate, was the first to jump out, his face flushed with excitement.

"Who is Murong Yan? She slaughtered tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians from Haizhou and Anzhou without blinking an eye! Could she truly care about the people of Goguryeo? What a joke! This must be her treacherous scheme to win over people and lure me into complacency! She must want us to think she's laid down her butcher knife, let down our guard, and then wait for an opportunity to wipe us out!"

Before he finished speaking, Wen Zhengchun, a member of the peace faction, stepped out tremblingly, his old face full of complicated expressions:

"General Park, though, I've heard that she has indeed distributed grain and farm tools, and has also requisitioned prisoners to repair civilian houses. This is undeniable. If she truly regrets her actions, or wants to adopt a conciliatory policy, can Goguryeo seize this opportunity?"

"Minister Wen! Are you getting senile?!" Park Jung-woong interrupted harshly. "Murong Yan, wearing that incongruous black and gold nightgown, just finished slaughtering the city, and now she's showing mercy? This is clearly the cat crying wolf! It's a humiliation! It's to make the blood on her hands look less glaring! If you believe it, you're walking into a trap! She's trying to break our will to resist without bloodshed!"

Another minister echoed, "General Park is absolutely right! Murong Yan's actions are incredibly unusual! Something must be fishy when things are out of the ordinary! She must have seen Pyongyang's strength and the losses from a full-scale attack, so she resorted to this soft-knife-cutting tactic! She wants us to surrender voluntarily so she can easily conquer Goguryeo! She deserves death!"

"But, if she was really putting on a show, why would she fetch water herself? After all, she is the queen of a country. How could she easily fake it when her luxurious clothes are stained with mud?" A few people were skeptical, but their voices were weak.

Gao Yun listened to the argument below, his expression changing from gloomy to bright.

Didn't he think this was strange?

Murong Yan's cruelty was deeply engraved in his mind. However, the intelligence before him, the specific materials and concrete actions, gave rise to a very faint fantasy in his heart, one that he himself was unwilling to admit.

Perhaps, after overwhelming the enemy with absolute strength, the enemy really needs to appease the locals in order to consolidate its rule?

Perhaps Goguryeo still has a glimmer of hope?

"Be quiet!" Gao Yun shouted irritably, and the hall suddenly became quiet.

He took a deep breath, looked at the silent King Gao Zang, and then glanced at the crowd.

"Whether Murong Yan is truly sympathetic or just putting on a show is difficult to discern at this moment. However, regardless of her motives, one thing is certain—Pyongyang remains in our hands! The fortifications outside the city are becoming increasingly strong. Perhaps, with this news, the morale of the defenders will actually improve."

He tried to find a glimmer of positivity.

"The Regent is wise!" Park Jung-woong said immediately. "Because of this, we must be even more vigilant! We must not be deceived by the little favors of this enchanting woman! We must take advantage of her feigned appeasement and the possibility of her guard being lowered. We must strengthen the city defenses, store food and fodder, and contact loyalists from all directions, waiting for the opportunity! We must not harbor even the slightest hope of luck!"

Wen Zhengchun opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but when he saw the lingering doubt in Gao Yun's eyes and the excitement of Park Zhengxiong and others, he finally let out a long sigh and dejectedly returned to the train.

He knew in his heart that after this great defeat, trust had long been lost, and any seemingly good signal would be interpreted as a deeper conspiracy.

Murong Yan's bloody past has cast an indelible shadow on any of her actions today.

Seeing that no one strongly objected anymore, Gao Yun's faint fantasy was quickly replaced by the cold reality.

He said in a deep voice, "General Park is right. No matter what Murong Yan intends, Pyongyang is the last bastion of Goguryeo and must not be lost! Pass the order, the guards at all gates should be on high alert to prevent the enemy from deceiving the city! Also, send more spies to closely monitor Murong Yan's every move and discover her true intentions!"

"We obey your command!" Everyone responded in unison, but their voices lacked the resolution of the past and were filled with confusion and heaviness.

The court meeting dispersed in an atmosphere of suspicion and depression.

Gyeongbokgung Palace returned to dead silence, but a new, more complex sense of fear enveloped everyone like an invisible spider web.

In their minds, Murong Yan's dark gold nightgown was no longer just a symbol of killing, but also added a layer of strange and unpredictable fog.

They would rather believe that it is a hypocritical show and a more insidious trap, because believing that the other party may have good intentions is actually a greater risk and despair in the current situation.

At the same time, inside the headquarters outside Pyongyang, the scene was quite different.

Murong Yan had just finished reviewing a batch of memorials regarding the resettlement of refugees and the distribution of farm tools, and rubbed her brows tiredly.

She was reclining on the cushioned couch, still wearing the same dress that resembled a divine phoenix descending from the earth.

The Phoenix Dress glowed with a quiet brilliance under the soft evening light.

The extremely black Su Jin base material absorbs the warm light, and its color is gentle. The golden cotton wool and real gold thread woven into it exude a soft glow.

On the nightgown, the pattern of the giant phoenix holding up the sky looks less aggressive in a relaxed state, like a king taking rest.

One of the wide bell sleeves hung softly on the edge of the couch, while the other was used by Murong Yan to support her chin.

The black jade ring on her left thumb shone with a lustrous luster under the light.

The five-meter-long Su Jin train stretched out under the couch, showing a lazy and messy look after finishing official business. A few strands even slipped onto the carpet beside the couch.

The softness of the cotton and the comfort of the nightgown allowed her to find a moment of peace in between her busy official duties.

Lin Zhen walked in with a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest with rock sugar.

Seeing Murong Yan's tired look, a look of heartache flashed in his eyes, and he walked lightly to the side of the couch.

"Yan'er, are you tired? Drink some bird's nest and take a rest first." He said softly, sat down beside the couch, carefully scooped up a spoonful with a silver spoon, blew it gently, and handed it to her lips.

Murong Yan opened her eyes and saw that it was him, and a dependent smile immediately appeared on her face.

She took his hand and drank the bird's nest obediently, then leaned her head on his shoulder like a spoiled child: "Husband, these trivial matters are really annoying. They are more tiring than fighting a war. If I had known earlier, I would have killed them all and saved myself the trouble."

Lin Zhen laughed, put down the bowl, and gently embraced her: "You're talking nonsense again. Governing a territory is a long-term process. Killing can only frighten temporarily, while appeasement can bring long-term stability. Yan'er's actions today may seem tedious, but they are laying the foundation for the eternal success of our Daqian."

Murong Yan rubbed his shoulder and muttered, "I understand the reason, but I just find it troublesome, and..."

She raised her head, a sly look in her eyes. "My dear husband, are those guys in Pyongyang trying to figure out what I'm up to? Do they think I'm putting on a show to trick them?"