On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Murong Yan walked slowly along the edge of the dock, not disturbing the busy unloading process, but observing quietly.

She saw the engineers and soldiers of Daqian commanding with confidence and moving swiftly; she also saw the conscripted Goguryeo civilians, most of whom were ragged, pale and thin. Under the command of the supervisors, they struggled to carry heavy boxes, or shouted slogans to push fully loaded vehicles.

There was fatigue and numbness on their faces, but the initial extreme fear seemed to be missing, replaced by a focus on trying to survive.

Murong Yan's gaze fell on a few old Goguryeo people who were taking a rest and squatting in the corner, chewing on dry and hard biscuits.

They ate very slowly, and it was obvious that the food was not delicious and even difficult to swallow.

Her brows furrowed slightly.

She waved her hand and called over a Daqian captain who was in charge of dock dispatch.

"What do those civilians usually eat?" Murong Yan asked in a calm voice.

The captain quickly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, according to military regulations, we must conscript civilians and provide them with a daily meal of millet and rice, with pickles as a side dish, to sustain their labor."

Murong Yan was silent for a moment. She turned to look at Lin Zhen, a hint of questioning and pity in her eyes: "Husband, look at them eating that kind of food, how can they have the energy to work? Don't we have plenty of food on the ship?"

Lin Zhen saw the rare tenderness in his wife's eyes and understood. He said softly, "Yan'er is kind-hearted. While military regulations may be like this, they can be used as a compromise in times of emergency. Besides, having them eat better and work harder will also benefit the project's progress."

Murong Yan nodded, and when she turned to the captain, her tone was filled with unquestionable majesty: "Pass on my decree. From now on, all Goguryeo civilians involved in unloading the cargo will be fed the same daily diet as our Daqian auxiliary troops! Everyone will be guaranteed two meals of dry rice per day, an additional meal of thick porridge at noon, and meat once every three days! The required rice, grain, meat and vegetables will be immediately allocated from the supplies just unloaded! No mistakes!"

Upon hearing this, the captain was stunned for a moment, then he sternly agreed: "I obey your command! Your Majesty is benevolent!"

He immediately turned around and ran to make arrangements.

Murong Yan did not lower her voice deliberately when she spoke. Some civilians nearby seemed to understand what the interpreter conveyed, or rather, they guessed something from the captain's running movements and Murong Yan's expression.

They all stopped what they were doing and looked over here in disbelief, their eyes filled with surprise, confusion, and a glimmer of hope that gradually grew.

Soon, several firemen came to the area where the laborers were resting, carrying several large buckets of freshly cooked, steaming corn rice and a large pot of stewed meat with pickles.

The fragrance immediately spread.

The interpreter loudly announced the Emperor's grace in Goguryeo.

Silence, deathly silence.

Then, someone uttered a sob, and soon after, more and more laborers put down their tools and knelt down in the direction of Murong Yan.

They did not shout "Long live the emperor", but just kowtowed continuously and expressed gratitude in Goguryeo language, with tears mixed with the dust on their faces and sliding down.

The old men who had just been eating hard biscuits were in tears and almost fainted.

For these civilians who have been struggling to survive in the war and have long been accustomed to hunger and cold, being able to eat enough food, and the same food as the "heavenly soldiers", is something they dare not even dream of!

Murong Yan stood quietly, looking at the crowd of people kneeling down in front of her, shedding tears of gratitude.

The sea breeze blew her hair and dress, and the dark golden train spread quietly in the dust.

There was not much expression on her face, but a complex glimmer flashed in her phoenix eyes, with pity, satisfaction, and perhaps a sense of responsibility as a ruler.

She turned her head and looked at Lin Zhen. Her voice was soft, with a hint of uncertainty and a coquettish look seeking affirmation: "Husband, am I doing this right? Will they really be grateful to me?"

Lin Zhen walked forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with her. Looking at the people who were so excited about a full meal, he said softly, "Yan'er did the right thing. Combining kindness and severity is the long-term solution. A meal costs very little, but it can win the hearts of thousands of people. Look at them,"

He pointed to the civilians who were beginning to line up for food, their faces filled with genuine smiles. "At this moment, their gratitude to Your Majesty is undoubtedly genuine. This will bring them back to their hearts far more than swords can."

After hearing this, Murong Yan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a pure smile with a sense of accomplishment.

Subconsciously, she reached out and took Lin Zhen's arm, resting her head gently on his shoulder. Although it was only for a short moment, her dependence on him was evident: "Well, my husband is right. As long as they treat me well, I will treat them well."

At this time, the laborers began to receive their meals in an orderly manner.

After receiving the delicious food, they did not wolf it down immediately. Instead, they bowed deeply in the direction of Murong Yan again, and then began to eat carefully.

Moreover, it was obvious that they ate much faster. After eating, without the supervisor urging them, they took the initiative and worked harder to unload the goods, and their enthusiasm was much greater than before.

Murong Yan saw all this, and her smile grew even brighter. She said to Lin Zhen in a cheerful tone, "Husband, look, they're working even harder! That's great."

"Yes, this is Yan'er's kindness." Lin Zhen nodded with a smile.

After inspecting for a while and making sure the order was carried out, Murong Yan felt that her goal had been achieved.

She said to Lin Zhen, "My dear husband, it's too dusty here. Let's go back."

Lin Zhen nodded: "Okay."

Murong Yan turned around and prepared to leave the dock.

The moment she turned around——

The action carries the ease and pleasure of completing a "small thing"!

The five-foot-long dark-golden train and cape, stained with dust and water, tangled and tangled on the muddy dock, were swept up by this turn! The luxurious brocade and mink brushed against the rough ground, rustling and raising a hint of dust!

As the tail suddenly floated up, the densely woven golden lining inside was revealed, which seemed to contain vitality and hope in the noisy and dusty environment of the dock!

The pattern of Hundred Phoenixes Facing the Sun flashed a warm and dazzling golden light in an instant. The light was no longer cold, but full of warmth of nourishment, blessing and harvest. It was noble and brilliant, and carried a profound implication of bestowing favors on the people and establishing a solid foundation!

This fleeting glimpse was the most beautiful footnote to her good deed just now.

The hem of her skirt fell, covering up the warm golden light and the gratitude that filled the dock.

Murong Yan took Lin Zhen's arm and slowly left the dock surrounded by guards.

Behind them is an even more bustling scene of labor, the heartfelt gratitude of the laborers, and the continuous infusion of imperial power.