My wife, Wei Gui, was 1.9 meters tall and fought against the Tang dynasty for the throne.

A cool night breeze blew as Li Ju rode his horse to the alley entrance and saw the lights on in front of his house in the distance.

Wei Gui stood on the steps, her eight-month-old belly bulging high, her hands supporting her waist.

Yuwen Yue stood beside her, holding a lantern in his hand. The orange glow cast long shadows of the two of them.

Wei Nizi stood on tiptoe, peering out from the door frame.

"Li Huairun is back!" Wei Nizi saw him as soon as he saw him and ran out.

Li Ju dismounted, tossed the reins to Chen Wu, and strode up the steps.

He first took Wei Gui's arm and frowned, saying, "It's chilly at night, why don't you wait inside? Be careful not to catch a cold."

Wei Gui smiled slightly and raised his hand to brush away the unseen dust from his shoulder: "When Liu Lang returns, I can wait a little longer."

Yuwen Yue, carrying a lantern, curtsied and said, "My lord."

Li Ju nodded, supporting Wei Gui with one hand and holding Wei Nizi's hand with the other, and walked into the courtyard.

Chen Wu led the horse to the stable, and the steward closed the gate.

The leaves of the old locust tree in the courtyard have begun to turn yellow. A few leaves fall softly in the autumn wind, swirling in the lantern light.

Inside the main room, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

Wei Gui leaned back on the couch, a soft pillow behind his back, his belly stretching his clothes taut.

Wei Nizi moved a small stool to sit by the couch, peeling an orange in his hand, putting one segment into his mouth and handing the other segment to Wei Gui.

Li Ju sat by the couch, holding Wei Gui's hand, and remained silent for a moment.

"Today His Majesty has promoted me," he said, his voice not loud, "to the position of Commander of Waterways, a third-rank official."

Wei Gui's eyes lit up slightly, a hint of joy flashing across them, before slowly dimming again—she knew better than anyone that reaching the third rank at nineteen was both an honor and a source of disaster.

Wei Nizi interjected, "What rank is 'third grade'?"

Wei Gui patted her head: "Very big. Bigger than the magistrate of Luoyang."

Wei Nizi's eyes widened, a segment of orange in his mouth, and he mumbled, "Isn't Li Huairun even more powerful than the magistrate of Luoyang?"

Li Ju did not respond.

Wei Gui looked at him and said softly, "But Liu Lang, the faster you rise in rank, the more suspicious the Emperor will become of you."

Li Ju nodded and recounted Yang Guang's admonitions at the banquet that day, including the phrase "the handling of the situation is exquisite" and the statement "Liyang needs a senior official to be stationed there for a long time."

After listening, Wei Gui remained silent for a long time.

"Sixth Brother, your decision to join the canal transport industry back then was incredibly wise," she said softly. "Without the opportunity presented by the three campaigns against Goguryeo, no matter how capable a person is, it would be impossible to rise from a low-ranking official to a high-ranking official in just three years. Your insight is sharper than anyone else's."

Li Ju smiled bitterly: "What's the use of having a sharp eye? The Emperor has already begun to suspect me. Today, the way he looked at me was like looking at a thorn."

Wei Gui gripped his hand tightly, without saying a word.

After peeling the last orange, Wei Nizi yawned, leaned on Wei Gui's shoulder, and his eyelids began to droop.

Wei Gui said softly, "Ni Zi is sleepy, Liu Lang, take her to sleep. I should go to sleep too."

Li Ju stood up, bent down and gently kissed Wei Gui's forehead: "You should rest well."

Wei Gui nodded with a smile.

Li Ju bent down and scooped Wei Nizi up from the stool, then carried him on his back.

The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, and mumbled something indistinctly.

The adjacent side room was specially prepared for Wei Nizi to live in; it was right next to Wei Gui's main room, making it convenient to take care of him at night.

Li Ju placed her on the bed and was about to sit up when Wei Nizi suddenly opened her eyes and tightly hugged his neck with both hands.

"Don't leave."

Li Ju chuckled: "Nizi, let go. You should go to sleep."

"I won't let go." Wei Ni buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "You're leaving and never coming back."

Li Ju's heart softened, and he sat down by the bed and pulled her into his arms.

Wei Nizi curled up in his arms like a kitten, her fingers gripping his clothes, but gradually loosening her grip.

After a moment, her breathing became even, her eyelashes stopped fluttering, and a soft snore came from the tip of her nose.

Li Ju looked down at her, moonlight filtering through the window paper and falling on her face.

The little girl slept peacefully, a slight smile on her lips.

He gently placed her back on the pillow, covered her with the blanket, and tucked the corners of the blanket in.

Wei Nizi turned over, hugged the quilt, mumbled "Li Huairun" indistinctly, and fell into a deep sleep again.

Li Ju stood up, blew out the lamp, and pushed open the door to go out.

At the end of the corridor, the light in the east wing was still on.

Orange light shone through the window paper, bathing the wooden pillars under the eaves in a warm hue.

Li Ju did not hesitate and stepped forward.

The door was ajar, and he pushed it open and went inside.

Yuwen Yue sat under the lamp, holding a book in his hand, but he didn't read it.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, stood up to greet him, took off his outer robe, and hung it on the hanger.

"My lord, what about the lady—"

"I'm going to sleep." Li Ju sat down on the edge of the bed.

Yuwen Yue poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to him, saying softly, "My lord, you've had a long night."

Li Ju took the tea, took a sip, and then held her hand.

Yuwen Yue's hands were slightly cool, but they slowly warmed up in his palm.

She didn't ask about matters of the court, nor whether he would be promoted or demoted. She simply sat quietly beside him, like an ever-burning lamp.

Outside the window, the autumn wind rustled through the old locust tree.

Li Ju placed the teacup on the table and pulled her into his arms.

Yuwen Yue leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, steady and strong.

"Official duties are numerous and complicated, and I am burdened by the tasks of transporting grain and military affairs. I have no choice but to do what I want," Li Ju said calmly.

"Everything is fine in the manor. Madam's pregnancy is progressing smoothly. Lady Wei keeps Madam company and talks to her every day, so Madam is in a good mood." Yuwen Yue spoke softly about recent events in the manor, without any haste or impatience.

Li Ju looked up at her, a hint of guilt in his eyes: "I have been away from home for a long time, and I have troubled you to take care of everything in the manor."

Yuwen Yue gently shook her head, her lips slightly parted, without a trace of resentment:

"This is my duty as a concubine." Yuwen Yue paused. "My lord bears heavy responsibilities for the court, and his future rests on your shoulders. Only when the inner quarters are secure can you act with peace of mind in the outside world."

Li Ju opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her.

Under the lamplight, her face was gentle and beautiful, lacking the breathtaking beauty of Wei Gui, but possessing a reassuring warmth.

"Upon returning from the imperial banquet today, everyone in the manor said that my lord has been promoted and is enjoying great prestige." Yuwen Yue lowered her eyes slightly, her tone as light as the night breeze, "But I noticed that my lord's expression was melancholy. Although he appears to be enjoying a promotion, he is actually burdened with many worries."

Li Ju was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "A high position is not necessarily a blessing. The higher the position, the greater the suspicion, and the more difficult the journey will be."

Yuwen Yue did not ask any further questions.

She simply held his hand and said softly, "No matter what lies ahead, there will always be peace at home. Your wife hopes for your safety, and I only wish that you have warm meals and peaceful nights. May you have less to worry about and less hardship."