On the wedding day, my wife was abnormal

Chapter 1104 The Art of War is Deception

Murong Yan wore the extremely black "Phoenix Descending to Earth Dress," and under the wide skirt and soft cotton fabric, she appeared even thinner and weaker.

The golden phoenix on the skirt seemed to have lost its former brilliance and dimmed considerably.

She lay on the phoenix couch, her face pale, coughing occasionally in a weak voice, which led the officials who came to visit her to believe it was real and to express their concern.

Lin Zhen stayed by her side without leaving for a moment, never taking off his clothes, personally feeding her medicine, and showing concern for her well-being, looking extremely anxious.

He wore a black satin casual suit, which lacked the coldness of armor and gave him a gentler appearance, but his eyes often flashed with a sharpness that was not easily detected.

Rumors spread like wildfire. Some said the Empress was ill from overwork and would soon die; others said Regent Lin Zhen was seriously injured in the northern frontier and his condition worsened after returning to the capital, possibly even threatening his life.

Various rumors and gossip spread like wildfire, casting a shadow of unease over the entire city of Chang'an.

These rumors were also relayed verbatim to Jiangnan by "Night Owl's" spies.

In a secluded courtyard in Suzhou.

Kong Zhiqian listened to the news from his subordinates and a smug smile appeared on his face.

"The Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty is seriously ill, and Lin Zhen is severely injured?" He toyed with the teacup in his hand, his tone full of contempt. "It seems my wicked scheme has indeed worked. This Murong Yan is, after all, just a woman, unable to withstand the slightest storm. As for Lin Zhen, hmph, even if he is a war god, he is still just a mortal. How could he possibly be unscathed?"

He turned to look at the young man beside him, who was dressed in coarse linen clothes and had a thin face.

Although the young man was dressed simply, he had an air of nobility about him, which was none other than Li Xian, the former crown prince.

"Your Highness, it seems Heaven is blessing the Li family," Kong Zhiqian said with a cupped-hands bow and a smile.

"With the Emperor and Empress of the Great Qian falling seriously ill, this is the perfect opportunity for us to rise up! The people are in turmoil and the court is in chaos. When Your Highness raises your voice, righteous men from all over the land will surely gather in response!"

Excitement gleamed in Li Xian's eyes. He had waited for this day for a full twenty years!

"Mr. Kong's strategic planning is truly admirable!" Li Xian said excitedly. "Then, could we launch our uprising ahead of schedule? While they are seriously ill, we can take Jiangnan in one fell swoop, and then march our troops straight towards Chang'an!"

Kong Zhiqian shook his head, a sinister glint in his eyes:

"Your Highness, please do not be hasty. Warfare is based on deception. The more advantageous the opportunity seems, the more cautious we must be. Although the news that the Emperor and Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty are seriously ill is encouraging, we cannot believe it entirely. We must wait until their wedding day. At that time, all eyes in the world will be on Chang'an. That will be the best time for us to truly exert our strength!"

"Moreover..." A cold smile curled at the corner of Kong Zhiqian's lips.

"According to our informants in Chang'an, Murong Yan is still stubbornly holding on, preparing to hold a wedding ceremony with Lin Zhen on the eighth day of the month! Hahaha, she's really courting death! Does she think that a grand wedding can cover up the news of her serious illness? Does she think that she can still win people's hearts with her so-called 'empress's virtue' as before?"

"But she doesn't realize that this is her biggest weakness! We must strike her hardest when she's at her most triumphant! We must let her know that everything she possesses is nothing but a mirage, utterly vulnerable!"

Upon hearing this, Li Xian's eyes revealed a mixture of excitement and cruelty.

He couldn't wait to see Murong Yan and Lin Zhen's panicked faces.

"Mr. Kong is absolutely right!" Li Xian slammed his hand on the table excitedly. "Then let's do as Mr. Kong says. On the eighth day of the month, the day of our wedding, we will launch our uprising on time! Let the whole world see who is the true master of this land!"

"Your Highness is wise!" Kong Zhiqian said with a cupped-hands gesture and a smile, his eyes gleaming with the light of a successful scheme.

He knew that he had successfully put Li Xian, the pawn he had carefully cultivated, onto the stage.

Meanwhile, in Chang'an, Lin Zhen and Murong Yan were busy preparing for their "wedding".

Inside Qifeng Pavilion.

Murong Yan wore the black and gold "Divine Phoenix Descends to Earth Dress." In the soft candlelight, the golden phoenix on the hem of the dress seemed to come alive, shining brightly.

She leaned lazily against the phoenix couch, holding a memorial in her hand, but hesitated to open it.

Lin Zhen sat beside her, holding a warm jade comb in his hand, carefully combing her long, black hair.

"Husband, do you think Kong Zhiqian will believe we are really seriously ill?" Murong Yan asked softly, her voice tinged with worry.

Lin Zhen put down the jade comb, pulled her into his arms, gently kissed the top of her head, and said softly:

“He will believe it. He knows you too well, and he knows me too well. He knows that we are both the kind of people who don’t easily show weakness. So, when we really show weakness, he will believe it without a doubt.”

"Moreover..." A cold glint flashed in Lin Zhen's eyes, "He's too eager for quick success. He waited twenty years and finally got Li Xian as a pawn. He'd love for us to fall into disarray now so he can take advantage of the situation."

"Then... are we really going to hold the wedding on the eighth day of the month?" Murong Yan asked again, her tone tinged with complexity.

“Of course.” Lin Zhen’s tone was firm. “The wedding will proceed as planned, and it will be even grander and more luxurious than originally intended. We want everyone to know that the Emperor and Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty are deeply in love, and the country is peaceful and prosperous. In this way, when Kong Zhiqian and Li Xian launch their rebellion in Jiangnan, they will appear even more like clowns.”

"But wouldn't that make us the target of everyone's criticism?" Murong Yan asked with some worry.

"So what?" Lin Zhen sneered. "They want to slap us in the face in public, then we'll slap them in the face in public! We'll let them know that the Emperor and Empress of the Great Qian Dynasty are not to be trifled with!"

He paused, his gaze becoming profound: "Moreover, in this way, we can also take the opportunity to wipe out those scoundrels lurking in the shadows."

Upon hearing this, a look of understanding flashed in Murong Yan's eyes. She understood Lin Zhen's intention.

He intends to use this wedding to lure out all those with ill intentions, and then wipe them out in one fell swoop!

"Then...when do we set off for Jiangnan?" she asked softly.

"No rush." ​​Lin Zhen's lips curled into a mysterious smile. "Let's put on a good show for them in Chang'an first. When they think we've completely let our guard down, we'll give them a surprise."

He paused, a hint of coldness in his voice: "They want to give us a big gift at our wedding. Well, we'll give them a 'return gift' they'll never forget!"

Murong Yan's heart was immediately filled with anticipation.

She knew that a good show was about to begin.

She leaned against Lin Zhen's chest, feeling the warmth and sense of security emanating from him.

She knew that as long as he was there, she could calmly deal with any difficulties or obstacles she faced.

Outside the window, night was deepening.

Inside Qifeng Pavilion, the flickering candlelight cast long, intertwined shadows of the two people, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.