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

Several women stood beside the sedan chair, some wearing veils and others holding round fans, chatting and laughing in hushed tones.

One of them was not wearing a veil.

She stood under an old pine tree, tall and slender, wearing a light blue spring robe with a plain white half-sleeved outer garment, her black hair styled in a simple cloud-like bun, adorned only with a white jade hairpin.

Sunlight filtered through the pine branches, casting a glow on her skin, making it appear as white as snow and her features as exquisite as a painting.

She was tilting her head slightly, listening to her female companion speak, a very faint smile on her lips.

Li Ju stopped breathing.

This was the first time Li Ju had seen her face clearly.

Not a blurry outline in the twilight of the Luo River. It is clear and distinct under the bright sun, right up close.

nice.

It was even more beautiful than he had imagined.

It's not the kind of glamorous, overt beauty, but a gentle, refined, and understated beauty.

Her eyebrows resembled distant mountains, her eyes were like autumn water, her nose was high and straight, and her lips were naturally tinged with a faint red.

Her skin was so white it was almost transparent; when sunlight shone on it, it looked like the finest mutton fat jade.

He finally saw her clearly.

She wasn't a celestial being. Celestial beings are too far removed from reality. She was just a person, a living, breathing woman standing under a pine tree, the wind ruffling the hem of her dress.

But it was precisely because she was human that he felt—

How can there be such a person in this world?

The moment he looked at her, she seemed to sense something, tilting her head slightly and letting her gaze pass through the crowd to land on his face.

Eyes facing each other.

She froze for a moment.

Then, a very faint blush rose to her cheeks, and she turned to the side, raising the fan in her hand to cover half of her face.

The round fan has a plain white silk surface, embroidered with a magnolia branch.

Only her eyes were visible as she looked at him.

Li Ju's heart skipped a beat, as if something had exploded in his chest.

Wei Nizi stood beside Wei Gui, glancing at Wei Gui one moment and then following her gaze to Li Ju the next, a wide smile playing on her lips.

She tugged at Wei Gui's sleeve and whispered, "Sister, you're blushing."

Wei Gui ignored her and covered his face even more tightly with his fan.

Ahead, Li Xiaochang and Wei Kuangbo met by the mountain path, exchanging greetings and pleasantries. Both families' groups stopped.

This is the proper etiquette between established families. When elders meet, juniors wait respectfully.

Li Ju, mounted on his horse, kept his gaze fixed on the figure who was covering his face with a round fan, even through the crowd.

Just then, Wei Nizi suddenly exclaimed, "Oh dear!"

The sound wasn't loud, but everyone around heard it.

"Sister, your handkerchief is missing!"

She bent down to search on the ground, looking left and right, then raised her head, her gaze passing over the crowd and landing precisely on Li Ju.

He gave a wink.

Li Ju followed her gaze and saw a plain white handkerchief half-hidden among the roadside grass, embroidered with a magnolia branch.

He smiled inwardly.

He dismounted, walked to the edge of the grass, and bent down to pick up the handkerchief.

The handkerchief was made of the finest Yue silk, soft to the touch and carrying a faint fragrance. He held it in his hand and walked towards Wei Gui.

Wei Nizi had already made way for them.

Li Ju walked up to Wei Gui and stopped.

She still covered her face with a round fan, revealing only her eyes. Those eyes looked at him, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

"Madam Wei," Li Ju said, handing her a handkerchief.

Wei Gui did not answer immediately.

There was silence for a moment, then for two.

Then, she slowly lowered the fan, revealing her entire face.

This time, there was no obstruction, no twilight. Under the clear blue sky, their eyes met.

Li Ju saw her eyelashes clearly; they were long and slightly upturned.

I noticed the faint redness on her lips and the gentle curve of her lips when she pursed them slightly.

He could even smell her scent—not the fragrance of cosmetics, but a clean scent, like the air of a spring morning.

Wei Gui reached out and took the handkerchief.

Her fingers were long and slender, white, and slightly warm at the tips.

The moment they touched, both of their fingers trembled slightly.

The touch was so brief, so brief, that no one else would have noticed. But Li Ju felt it—her fingers were burning hot the instant they touched his palm.

It was as hot as his hands.

"Thank you, Mr. Li," she said softly, her voice as light as the wind rustling through pine branches.

"You're too kind, Madam Wei," Li Ju nodded.

Just then—

"oops!"

For some reason, Wei Nizi slipped and crashed into Wei Gui.

Caught off guard, Wei Gui lost his balance and fell forward.

Li Ju almost instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm with one hand, while supporting her waist with the other.

She fell into his arms.

soft.

Scalding hot.

Through her spring dress, he could feel the warmth of her body and her rapid heartbeat.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment.

Wei Gui placed her hands on his chest, raised her head, and looked at him. Her face was very close to his, so close that he could see his reflection in her eyes.

Her eyes were bright, like they held a pool of spring water.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Wei Nizi poked her head out from the side, looking completely innocent. "The pine needles on the ground are so slippery! Are you alright, sister?"

Wei Gui then came to his senses, broke free from Li Ju's embrace, took two steps back, and lowered his eyes.

"It's alright," she said, her voice steady, but her ears were as red as if they were about to bleed.

Li Ju withdrew his hand, the warmth of her waist still lingering in his palm.

He stepped back and cupped his hands in greeting: "Madam Wei, please be careful."

Then he turned around, walked back to his horse, and mounted it.

His movements were fluid and graceful, and his expression remained unchanged.

But his heart was pounding louder than a drum.

Ahead, Li Xiaochang and Wei Kuangbo finished their greetings, and their respective groups proceeded separately.

Li Ju rode behind the group on horseback, his eyes fixed ahead, without uttering a word.

Behind him, among the illegitimate sons, some whispered among themselves.

"Did you see that? The eldest daughter of the Wei family is really beautiful."

"Absolutely, just like the people in the painting."

"Who was that person who picked up the handkerchief just now? Rokuro?"

"It's him. How come he's so lucky? Why didn't Madam Wei let us pick them up?"

"Don't you even know what Liu Lang's status is now? He's the head of the Grand Canal Transport Office, a proper eighth-rank official. And what about you?"

"So what if he's an eighth-rank official? He's still a son of a concubine!"

"Even a son born out of wedlock can become an official. You're not even an official."

The voice wasn't loud, but Li Ju heard it clearly. He didn't turn around, nor did he say anything.

The eldest sons were also discussing it ahead.

"The eldest daughter of the Wei family truly lives up to her reputation."

"I heard that Li Zixiong went to propose to her, but she rejected him to his face."

"She has backbone. Marrying a woman like that is a blessing."

"You want to marry me? Are you worthy?"

"Just kidding, just kidding."

An elder coughed lightly, and everyone immediately fell silent.

Ancient cypress trees line both sides of the mountain path, and the spring breeze rustles through the pines.

Li Ju rode on his horse, silently following the procession.

His right hand slowly tightened its grip on the reins.

Her warmth still lingered in my palm.