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

Rumors, like willow catkins in spring, drifted up from who-knows-where and soon filled the city of Luoyang.

"Have you heard? The eldest daughter of the Wei family has extremely high standards; she looks down on ordinary powerful and wealthy people."

"That's right. General Li Zixiong personally came to propose marriage, but he refused."

"What kind of person does she want? Does she perhaps want to marry a prince?"

"Who knows? She's so arrogant, she'll never get married."

It was being talked about everywhere – at tea stalls, in taverns, and in alleyways.

Some people told it as a joke, some as a strange story, and some felt sorry for the Wei family—such a proper daughter, but she's been talked about like this, who would dare to come to their door in the future?

Li Ju also heard about it at the Grand Canal Transport Office.

Several subordinates were chatting idly under the corridor, their faces beaming with excitement.

"The eldest daughter of the Wei family is said to be as beautiful as a celestial being, no wonder she looks down on ordinary people."

"What's the use of being beautiful? Once word gets out, who would dare to marry her and worship her?"

"That's true. For a woman, being too picky is not a good thing."

Li Ju walked through the corridor without stopping, his expression unchanged.

He entered the duty room, closed the door, and slowly sat down behind the desk, his face darkening.

Li Zixiong.

He didn't need to investigate to know who did it. Having been rejected in person by a fourteen-year-old girl, he lost face and, not daring to touch the Wei family, resorted to such despicable means to ruin her reputation.

A dignified Right Martial Guard General, and this is all he's got.

Li Ju clenched his fist, then relaxed it.

He's currently in a lowly official position and can't protect her. He can't even get a word in edgewise, let alone get a piece of the Wei family's gossip.

But he will remember.

Those who slander her now will pay a hundredfold in the future.

"Master," Wang Yu said, pushing open the door and carrying a bowl of tea. "What are we going to do next?"

Li Ju took the tea and took a sip: "Stockpile grain."

Wang Yu sat down: "Stockpiling grain?"

Li Ju put down his teacup and opened a document on the table: "Of the grain handled by the Grain Transport Office, the losses recorded in the accounts actually amount to a large amount embezzled by clerks. Previously, the whereabouts of this grain were unknown, but now—"

"Now that you're in charge of the Grand Canal Transport Office, can you intercept these 'losses'?" Wang Yu's eyes lit up.

"It's not interception," Li Ju said, looking at him. "It's 'recovery' after 'verification.' The recovered grain will be stored in another granary for unforeseen circumstances."

Wang Yu grinned: "Boss, it's a shame you're not in business with a brain like that."

"That's business," Li Ju said. "Except our chips are our lives."

From that day on, Li Ju began to operate in secret.

He kept meticulous accounts, overstating losses for each batch of grain entering the warehouse and actually storing it in his private granary. The quantities were small, only a few dozen bushels at a time, but they added up over time.

Wang Yu was in charge of finding warehouses and transportation; he had about a hundred men working under him, which was perfect for the job.

After half a month, three thousand bushels of grain were stored in the private granary.

Three thousand bushels of grain are enough to feed a thousand people for a year.

The Wei residence.

Wei Kuangbo's face was very pale.

The rumors circulated for half a month, becoming increasingly outrageous. Some said Wei Gui "compared herself to the Empress," others said she "disliked Li Zixiong's low rank," and still others fabricated stories that she "had secret dealings with other men."

The Wei family members could no longer sit still.

"Uncle Kuang, Gui'er's matter cannot be delayed any longer." An elder of the clan spoke in the hall, his tone unfriendly. "If this drags on any longer, the Wei family will lose all face."

"Yes, if an unmarried woman is spread like this, it will affect the marriage prospects of other daughters in the clan."

"Hurry up and find someone to marry, and the rumors will naturally disappear."

Wei Kuangbo said with a stern face, "Marriage is a serious matter, how can it be treated lightly? Besides, Gui'er herself is unwilling, how can I force her?"

"You're her uncle, how can you not make the decision?" The elder slammed his hand on the table. "With parents gone, the eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest uncle like a mother. If you don't make the decision, who will?"

Wei Kuangbo took a deep breath and stopped arguing.

After the meeting, he went to find Wei Gui.

Wei Gui sat by the window, a book in her hand, her expression calm. On the table lay a letter she had just written.

"Gui'er." Wei Kuangbo stood at the door for a while before coming in.

"Uncle." Wei Gui put down his book, stood up, and bowed.

Wei Kuangbo looked at her and sighed inwardly. This niece was more stubborn than any man.

He carefully chose his words before speaking: "Gui'er, you know what the clan means. It's not that your uncle is forcing you, it's just that—"

"Uncle," Wei Gui interrupted him, her voice calm, "I will not marry."

"Guo'er—"

"I'm fourteen this year, still young. If the rumors persist in two years, I will follow the clan's arrangements."

Wei Kuangbo looked at her, wanting to say something, but then swallowed his words.

"You..." He hesitated for a moment, "...do you have someone in your heart?"

Wei Gui lowered his eyes and did not answer.

Wei Kuangbo stood there for a while, then turned and left.

The next day, the clan elders exerted pressure again.

Wei Gui did not go to the hall to argue. She closed the door and refused to eat.

On the first day, the meal that the maid had brought was returned exactly as it was. Wei Kuangbo tried to persuade him for a long time outside the door, but there was no response from inside.

The next day, he hadn't eaten or drunk anything. Wei Kuangbo anxiously knocked on the door: "Gui'er, open the door! Let's talk things out! Don't hurt yourself!"

There was still no sound from inside the door.

Wei Gui sat on the edge of the bed, his face pale and his lips bloodless.

She held the jade piece engraved with "Chang Le · Huai Run" in her hand, her fingertips gently stroking the words on it.

She closed her eyes and pressed the jade against her chest.

Wei Nizi stood on the veranda, looking at the tightly closed door, tears welling up in her eyes.

She turned and ran.

Wei Nizi ran to the vicinity of the Grand Canal Transport Office, but did not rush in directly.

She went around to the side alley and peered out from the corner for a while. She saw a familiar clerk coming out of the side door—his surname was Zhou, and he had helped her deliver a letter before.

"Uncle Zhou! Uncle Zhou!" she called in a low voice.

Zhou Xiaoli recognized her and quickly walked over: "Miss Wei? What are you doing here?"

"I need to see Manager Li! It's urgent! Could you please call him out for me? Quietly, so no one can see us."

Zhou Xiaoli hesitated for a moment, then nodded and turned to go inside.

A short while later, Li Ju came out from the side door with a solemn expression.

As soon as Wei Nizi saw him, tears streamed down her face.

"Li Huairun! You have to think of something! My sister—she's gone on a hunger strike!"

Li Ju's expression changed: "What's going on?"

Wei Nizi sobbed as he recounted the events: rumors, pressure from his clansmen, and Wei Gui locked himself in his room, refusing to eat for two days.

"She said she wouldn't marry no matter who tried," Wei Nizi said, wiping away her tears. "But those old men in the clan are so fierce; they come and pressure Father every day. My sister had no choice but to lock herself up..."

Li Ju remained silent for a moment.

How is your older sister now?

"She's lost weight! And her complexion is terrible! She won't eat a single bite of the food I bring her!" Wei Nizi grabbed his sleeve. "Li Huairun, help her! Aren't you so capable? Help her!"

Li Ju squatted down and looked directly into Wei Nizi's eyes.

"I will help her," he said, his voice steady. "Go back and tell your sister to eat first. I'll figure out how to deal with the rumors."

"real?"

"real."

Wei Nizi looked at him, tears still on her face, but a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.

"Then...then think quickly." She loosened her grip on his sleeve and pulled a letter from her bosom. "My sister asked me to give this to you."

Li Ju took the letter and put it into his pocket.

"Go back. Tell your sister to eat. Just say—just say it was me who said it."

Wei Nizi nodded vigorously, turned and ran. After a few steps, he turned back: "You have to keep your word!"

"You keep your word."

Wei Nizi left.

Li Ju returned to his duty room, closed the door, and opened the letter.

The letter contained no lengthy discourse, only a poem:

Undeterred by wind and frost, undeterred by rumors,

Magnolias are seedlings that sprout in the snow.

If spring breezes grace us in future years

Its fragrance still permeates the heavens.

The poem was unsigned, and only a small magnolia was drawn.

Below, there is a strand of black hair. It is gently tied with plain cotton thread and pressed at the end of the poem.

Li Ju picked up a strand of hair and placed it in his palm.

It's very light and soft, with a faint fragrance.

His fingertips trembled slightly.

Then, he lowered his eyes, pressed that strand of black hair to his palm, and clenched it tightly. When he looked up again, a faint red tinge appeared in his usually calm and serene eyes.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then she put her hair and the letter together into her inner pocket.

Outside the window, it was getting dark.

The city of Luoyang was shrouded in a gray-blue twilight, and the distant sound of bells drifted over.

Li Ju stood by the window, looking in that direction.

The Wei residence is located to the east.

He clenched his fist.

He couldn't stop the rumors for the time being. He couldn't silence the mouths of the Wei family members. And he couldn't shake Li Zixiong's power yet.

But there is one thing he can do.

What rumors fear most is not explanation.

Instead, they used a larger, more reasonable, and more positive rumor to cover up the old one.