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

The bell of Baima Temple rang out from inside the mountain gate, carrying far in the autumn wind.

Li Ju stopped the carriage under the locust tree outside the temple and helped Wei Gui out of the carriage.

The two entered the mountain gate one after the other.

There weren't many worshippers; they were just a few in twos and threes, burning incense and kowtowing in front of the hall.

"Let's go to the Heavenly King's Palace first," Wei Gui said softly.

Li Ju nodded and followed behind her.

Wei Gui lit incense, knelt and prayed in the Hall of Heavenly Kings, then rose. He then went to the Great Buddha Hall. The hall was filled with the fragrance of incense, and the Buddha statues had lowered their eyes and brows, appearing compassionate and silent.

She knelt on the prayer mat, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and silently prayed for a long time.

Li Ju stood behind her, not kneeling. He looked at her back—a plain white dress, black hair like clouds, a straight back, like a magnolia emerging from the water.

He knew she was praying for him.

Just then, footsteps came from outside the palace gate.

A woman dressed in plain clothes entered, accompanied by her maid.

She was fifteen or sixteen years old, plump and slender, with a graceful figure and a tall stature. She was already tall among ordinary women, almost as tall as a man.

She wore a plain white dress with a light blue half-sleeved outer garment, and her black hair was styled into a simple cloud-like bun, adorned only with a single jade hairpin.

Her face was gentle, but her eyes held an indescribable sharpness—like a knife hidden in its sheath.

An autumn breeze blew in from outside the palace, fluttering her robes and bringing a faint fragrance—not from cosmetics, but from orchids.

She saw a man in the hall, paused slightly, and then raised the fan in her hand to cover half of her face.

Li Ju, knowing the situation, nodded slightly to Wei Gui, then turned and left the main hall.

He stood outside the palace gate, his hands behind his back, gazing at the osmanthus tree in the courtyard.

Most of the osmanthus flowers have already faded, leaving only a few clusters of withered buds on the branches, shivering in the wind.

Winter snow is approaching. He recalled this time last year, also at the White Horse Temple, where he spoke softly to Wei Gui through the osmanthus petals under the eaves.

Back then, she was the eldest daughter of the Wei family, and he was a minor official in the Water Conservancy Bureau. Now, she is his wife.

Inside the hall, Wei Gui looked at the woman in plain clothes, his gaze shifting slightly.

Although the woman was tall, she was a head shorter than her.

The woman had clearly noticed it too—she looked up at Wei Gui, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, which was then replaced by a gentle smile.

"Is this lady the Lady Wei?" She put down her fan, revealing her entire face.

Her features were exquisite, her skin as smooth as jade, and her lips held a perfectly balanced smile, neither too deep nor too shallow.

Wei Gui nodded slightly: "Indeed. My wife is..."

"My name is Zheng, and my nickname is Guanyin." The woman curtsied and said, "I have long admired Lady Wei's name. It is my great honor to meet you today."

Wei Gui's heart stirred slightly.

Zheng Guanyin—the woman who refused Li Min's marriage proposal and, after reading Li Ju's poem, predicted that Yang Xuangan would inevitably fail.

She scrutinized the person before her, her gaze moving from the subtle sharpness between her brows to the composed smile at the corner of her lips.

"You're too kind, Madam Zheng," Wei Gui returned the greeting. "I've long heard of your exceptional intelligence, and seeing you today, I can confirm that your reputation is well-deserved."

Zheng Guanyin smiled slightly, put the fan away on her wrist, and took a few steps closer.

"Is Lady Wei here to offer incense?"

"Yes. Pray for my family," Wei Gui said.

"Family..." Zheng Guanyin repeated the two words, her gaze passing over Wei Gui, glancing at the tall, upright figure outside the palace gate, before returning to her own. "Madam Wei and Supervisor Li are newly married, and I have not yet had the chance to offer my congratulations. Congratulations, Madam Wei."

Wei Gui's expression remained unchanged, but several thoughts were already racing through his mind.

Zheng Guanyin spoke these words naturally, as if they were just casual remarks, but the three words "Junior Supervisor Li" that came out of her mouth carried an indescribable sense of proportion—neither too close nor too distant, neither too intimate nor too estranged.

"Thank you, Madam Zheng," Wei Gui said. "Madam Zheng, did you also come to the temple today to worship Buddha?"

"Indeed," Zheng Guanyin said softly. "My mother has been unwell recently, so I've come to ask for a peace talisman." She paused, her gaze falling on the peace talisman in Wei Gui's hand. "Did Madam Wei ask for two?"

Wei Gui looked down at the talisman in his hand and smiled slightly: "One is for my family, and the other is for... my husband."

Zheng Guanyin nodded and did not ask any further questions.

She walked to the prayer cushion, knelt down, lit incense, closed her eyes, and prayed silently.

Her movements were graceful and meticulous. Wei Gui stood to the side, watching her.

From her kneeling posture, the fingers that held the incense, and the expression when she closed her eyes, one could tell that she was a very well-mannered and tactful woman.

Before long, Zheng Guanyin got up, took the peace charm from the monk's hand, and put it into her sleeve.

She turned and walked towards Wei Gui, smiling brightly: "Madam Wei, I have something to ask you, but I'm not sure if I should say it."

"Please speak, Madam Zheng."

"How did Lady Wei and Supervisor Li meet?" Zheng Guanyin asked casually, as if chatting among close friends. "I heard it was through a poem at the Luo River Gathering?"

Wei Gui looked at her, a slight stirring in his heart. What was she trying to say by asking that question?

"Madam Zheng has such good connections," Wei Gui said casually. "It was a poem he wrote at the Luo River gathering. He was composing the poem on the shore, and I found the manuscript in the painted boat."

"Fate," Zheng Guanyin sighed softly. "A poem sealed their love; such a rare thing in this world."

The two chatted for a while longer. Zheng Guanyin asked Wei Gui about things in Luoyang, and Wei Gui asked her about the scenery and customs of Xingyang.

As they talked, they found themselves getting along better and better.

Zheng Guanyin speaks with tact, is warm but not impolite, and can be easily engaged in conversation with anyone.

She never mentioned Li Ju, but every word she spoke seemed to be related to him—asking Wei Gui if he was settling in well after his marriage, if he was comfortable living in the Li residence, and if his duties at the Water Conservancy Bureau were still busy.

Wei Gui knew in his heart that this woman was no ordinary person.

Today's "chance encounter" may not actually be a chance encounter.

However, the Zheng family has good relations with the Wei and Li families, and Zheng Guanyin is the eldest daughter of the Zheng family. If she deliberately distances herself from them, it would seem petty.

Moreover, after chatting for so long, she found Zheng Guanyin to be easy to get along with—not in a deliberate attempt to please, but with a genuine composure and wisdom.

Wei Gui felt as if he had known this woman, whom he was meeting for the first time, for a long time.

Outside the palace gate, Li Ju could faintly hear low voices and soft laughter coming from inside the palace, including Wei Gui's voice and the voice of another woman.

Li Ju turned around.

Zheng Guanyin's gaze fell directly on his face.

The fan in her hand had once again covered half of her face, leaving only her eyes visible.

Those eyes were extremely bright and deep, like two ancient wells, with no bottom in sight.

He looked into those eyes and felt that her gaze was deep and discerning, as if she were scrutinizing him, yet her expression was measured and unfathomable—like spider silk, fine yet resilient, seemingly there yet not there.

Wei Gui gently tugged at Li Ju's sleeve, turned slightly to Zheng Guanyin with a smile, then turned to Li Ju, his voice soft yet clear:

"Sixth Brother, this is Madam Zheng of the Zheng family, Zheng Guanyin."

Upon hearing this, Li Ju nodded slightly and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Madam Zheng."

Zheng Guanyin curtsied in return, covering her face with a round fan, revealing only a pair of bright eyes: "Junior Supervisor Li, I have long admired your name. Today, I had a very pleasant chat with the young mistress."

Li Ju said, "You're too kind, Madam Zheng."

Wei Gui stood between the two, looking at one and then at the other, a smile playing on his lips.

"Sixth Brother, Madam Zheng has come to ask for a peace charm for your aunt."

Li Ju nodded: "Madam Zheng's filial piety is truly commendable."

Zheng Guanyin smiled slightly, lowered her fan a little, revealing half of her face: "Without disturbing the young mistress and Supervisor Li's enjoyment, I shall take my leave now. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will meet with the young mistress again."

She paused, her gaze sweeping lightly over the two of them, curtsied, and led her maid out of the hall.

As she reached the corner of the corridor, she suddenly stopped, moved the fan in her hand away from her face, turned slightly, and glanced back.

At the palace gate, Li Ju was talking to Wei Gui and didn't look at her.

She looked for a moment, then looked away and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

In the courtyard, Li Ju and Wei Gui strolled slowly along the corridor, hand in hand. Ginkgo leaves rustled under their feet.

"Sixth Brother," Wei Gui said softly.

"Um."

What do you think of Zheng Guanyin?

Li Ju remained silent for a moment.

"This woman is very perceptive," he said. "She is no ordinary woman."

Wei Gui nodded: "I've talked with her for quite a while, and I think she's someone worth befriending."

Li Ju glanced at her: "Don't you think... today's events are too coincidental?"

Wei Gui smiled slightly: "Whether it's a coincidence or not is unimportant. What's important is that she meant no harm." She paused, "Besides, the Zheng family, the Wei family, and the Li family are all in the same boat."

Li Ju didn't say anything more, but simply tightened his grip on her hand.

The two walked to the front of the main hall. Wei Gui stopped, took out the two peace talismans from his sleeve, unfolded them, looked at them, and then folded them again.

"This is for you." She handed him one of the dishes. "Keep it close to your body and don't take it off."

Li Ju took it, put it in his bosom, and placed it together with the jade and the love knot.

"What's the last one?" he asked.

"This dish is for...our future child." Wei Gui lowered his head, his voice as soft as the wind blowing through flower petals.

Li Ju paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Then we need to hurry."

Wei Gui lightly punched him, his ears turning slightly red.