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

Red candles burned brightly, brocade curtains hung low, and on the table were betrothal gifts such as geese, wine, and silk, creating a solemn yet festive atmosphere.

Wei Kuangbo, dressed in official robes, sat upright in the main seat, his solemn expression concealing a hint of satisfaction.

Wei Nizi pulled Wei Gui behind the screen and secretly peeked outside.

She gripped the edge of the screen with both hands, resting her chin on the back of her hands, her eyes unblinking.

"Sister, Li Huairun looks so smart today!" she said in a low voice, her tone full of excitement.

Wei Gui stood behind her without answering.

Her fingers were clutching the handkerchief, the tips of which were slightly white.

Looking through the gap in the screen, one could see everything in the main hall—red candles, brocade curtains, ritual objects on the table, and the figure walking in from outside the door.

Today, Li Ju changed into a crimson official robe, with a silver fish-shaped pouch at his waist and an official hat, and walked with a steady gait.

As he entered, he slightly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the main hall, pausing for a moment in the direction of the screen, before withdrawing his gaze and respectfully bowing to Wei Kuangbo.

Fan Zigai served as the envoy, reading the betrothal document aloud in a loud and clear voice:

"In the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Wu of the Ming Dynasty, the year of Guiyou, the first day of the eighth month was Bingshen, and the sixth day of the following month was the same day."

Li Ju, Junior Supervisor of the Imperial Waterways and Marquis of Wu'an County, dares to appeal to the Wei family of Jingzhao:

Ju Wen, Heaven and Earth are in their proper places, and husband and wife are bound by their nature. Since ancient times, the way of marriage has been to unite two families, to carry on the affairs of the ancestral temple, and to extend the blessings of the world to future generations.

Ju, of humble origins, has been promoted by the Holy Dynasty and humbly joined the ranks of the court. Yet, he remains constantly anxious and fearful, never daring to forget his original aspirations. Now, there is the Wei family of Jingzhao, a renowned and virtuous clan, known for generations for their integrity. Lord Wei Kuangbo is the pride of the clan. Their niece, Gui, possesses a graceful and refined appearance, a gentle and kind heart, and is well-versed in etiquette; truly a model of virtue among women.

Ju has long admired me and yearns for me. I wish to accept your betrothal to establish a happy marriage, to bring joy to both families, to serve my parents-in-law, to manage the household affairs, and to jointly take care of the family matters.

We respectfully present this gift of geese, silk, wine, and dried meat, along with a gift list. We humbly hope that Lord Wei will consider and accept it.

Ju bows again.

After reading it, Fan Zigai folded the document neatly and presented it to Wei Kuangbo with both hands.

Wei Kuangbo accepted it, nodded solemnly, and indicated that he would take it.

The betrothal ceremony is now complete.

Li Ju knelt to receive the bow, kowtowed, and rose, performing the entire set of etiquette flawlessly.

Wei Nizi watched intently and whispered, "Sister, has he practiced it many times? His movements are so smooth."

Wei Gui did not answer, but the corners of her mouth curved slightly.

After the betrothal ceremony, Li Ju withdrew outside the door.

Wei Kuangbo saw them to the door, and the two exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

it is more than words.

Behind the screen, Wei Nizi tugged at Wei Gui's sleeve: "Sister, he's gone. Did you see him clearly? Has he lost weight?"

Wei Gui gently pulled back his sleeve and turned to walk towards the backyard.

Her steps were neither fast nor slow, but the handkerchief in her hand was clenched so tightly that it had deep creases.

Back in her room, she sat by the window, took out the jade pendant engraved with "Chang Le · Huai Run" from her sleeve, and held it in her palm.

A few days later, Zheng Jibo and Wei Kuangbo "coincidentally" met at a teahouse in the south of Luoyang.

The teahouse was small, and the private rooms were quiet. Zheng Jibo arrived first, followed by Wei Kuangbo. The two greeted each other with clasped hands and sat down on either side.

Zheng Jibo picked up his teacup and said with a smile, "Master Wei, congratulations! With such a fine son-in-law, the Wei family will surely prosper even more in the future."

Wei Kuangbo smiled slightly: "You're too kind, Lord Zheng. Your daughter has excellent judgment in judging people; the news of her refusing the marriage is all over Luoyang. The Zheng family has done a good job raising their daughter."

The two exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's meaning—the Zheng family and the Wei family should not be enemies, but rather cooperate.

Zheng Jibo put down his teacup and said slowly, "Junior Supervisor Li is a promising young man, and Lord Wei has a good eye. Although I am not fortunate enough to have such a fine son-in-law, I am still happy for him."

Wei Kuangbo nodded: "You flatter me, Zheng Gong. Our two families should visit each other more often in the future and exchange information."

"That suits me perfectly." Zheng Jibo raised his glass.

The two drank a cup of tea instead of wine.

There was no alliance, no written agreement, but from then on, the Zheng and Wei families tacitly understood each other.

Wei Nizi heard about Zheng Guanyin from Wei Feng and ran back to the backyard.

"Sister! Sister!" She rushed to Wei Gui's window, her face flushed and panting. "Guess what I heard?"

Wei Gui, who was embroidering, didn't even look up: "What?"

"That Zheng Guanyin! The one who refused Li Min's marriage proposal!" Wei Nizi lowered his voice, his eyes sparkling. "I heard she's incredibly beautiful and exceptionally intelligent. She understood Li Huairun's poem at a glance! She even praised Li Huairun to her father!"

Wei Gui paused for a moment.

"Sister, do you think she is—" Wei Nizi stopped mid-sentence, looking cautiously at Wei Gui.

Wei Gui's expression remained unchanged as she continued embroidering. However, her stitches slowed down slightly.

"Sister, aren't you worried?" Wei Nizi leaned closer.

"What are you worried about?" Wei Gui's voice remained calm, but his ears were slightly burning.

"I'm worried about that Zheng Guanyin," Wei Nizi muttered. "She's so smart and beautiful, what if—"

"Nizi," Wei Gui put down his needlework and looked at her, "she is the eldest daughter of the Zheng family, knowledgeable and discerning. Her rejection of Li Min's marriage proposal shows that she is not an opportunist."

Wei Nizi nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Wei Gui picked up her needle and thread again, embroidered two stitches, and then stopped.

She wasn't unmoved. Having just gotten engaged, her heart was filled with a sweet sense of peace, when suddenly a woman appeared who could understand his poetry—intelligent and beautiful—how could she not care at all?

But she didn't want to show that bitterness in front of Wei Nizi.

She lowered her head and continued embroidering. Her stitches were steady, but a small voice inside her wondered: Would that person, like her, understand his poetry, understand him as a person?

She bit her lip, suppressing her unease.

She believed him.

Xingyang, Zheng Prefecture.

Zheng Guanyin sat alone in her boudoir, the poem spread out under the lamp.

She read it once, and then read it again.

Outside the window, the night sky over Xingyang is vast, with sparse stars.

She put down the poem, got up and walked to the window, gazing southwest.

That's the direction of Luoyang.

Refusing the marriage proposal was just the first step. Next, the Zheng family needed a new backer. And the person who wrote this poem was the one truly worth investing in.

Her gaze was deep and unfathomable, like two bottomless pools of water.

"Li Ju..." she murmured the name, a slight smile curving her lips.

It wasn't a smile, it was a firm conviction.