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

Wei Nizi ran out again.

The maidservant chased after her, panting, "Young lady, slow down! Don't go too far!"

Wei Nizi wasn't about to linger. Like a frolicking rabbit, she slipped out of the back door of the Wei residence, crossed the alley, turned onto the main street, and ran towards the bustling area.

In the neighborhood, people were chatting idly at a tea stall.

"Have you heard? The Grand Canal Transport Office has a new head!"

Who is it?

"That's the young master Li who cleaned up the docks before! From the Li family of Longxi, so young, only sixteen!"

"He's in charge at sixteen? That's incredible."

Wei Nizi pricked up his ears and slowed down.

At the dock, the boatmen were also discussing it.

"The new manager, Li, is a ruthless character. He cleared the blockade of boats in just three days and arrested several corrupt officials."

"That's right. In the past, which of those clerks didn't take bribes? Now they're all behaving themselves."

"I heard he's only sixteen this year, quite good-looking, and not married yet."

Upon hearing this, Wei Nizi's lips curled into a wide smile.

In the alley, an old man selling candied hawthorns chatted with someone: "That Chief Li from the Grand Canal Transport Office passed by here yesterday. He was riding a tall horse, wearing official robes. Tsk tsk, quite the handsome man."

Wei Ni couldn't resist, so he ran over and bought a string of candied hawthorns. He ate them while listening, feeling very happy.

She listened to "Manager Li" all the way back before running back, completely satisfied.

The maid finally caught up with her, sweating profusely: "Young lady, you've finally decided to go back..."

Wei Nizi made a face at her and skipped into the Wei residence.

Wei Gui was reading in the courtyard. The spring sunlight shone on her, and her lotus-colored spring dress made her skin look as white as snow. Her expression was serene.

"Sister! Sister!" Wei Nizi ran in, panting, her little face flushed.

Wei Gui put down his book: "Where did you run off to this time?"

"On the street! In the neighborhood! At the dock!" Wei Nizi plopped down next to her, her eyes sparkling. "Sister, guess what I heard?"

"What?"

"Li Huairun has been promoted!" Wei Nizi exclaimed excitedly, "So many people are talking about it! They say the Grand Canal Transport Office has a new head, and it's him! They say he's so young to be a head, that's amazing! They also say he's handsome and talented, and he's still unmarried—"

As soon as she uttered the last sentence, she abruptly covered her mouth, her eyes darting around as she peeked at Wei Gui's reaction.

Wei Gui's expression remained unchanged; he simply picked up the book and turned a page.

"That's all?"

"That's all?" Wei Nizi leaned closer. "Sister, aren't you happy?"

"What does his promotion have to do with me?" Wei Gui said indifferently.

Wei Nizi pouted: "You're just pretending. When you read the letter this morning, the corners of your mouth were turned up. Don't think I didn't see it."

Wei Gui ignored her.

But her fingers, gently stroking the edge of the pages, paused for a moment.

She saw Li Ju's reply that morning. The letter said that the canal transport had been dredged and that Li Zixiong and his son would surely suffer misfortune in the future. The letter ended with the sentence, "In these chaotic times, to have a true friend is enough."

After reading the letter, she folded it and put it in the box under her pillow.

Then someone sat by the window for a long time.

He said she was his confidante.

Her lips curved slightly, then closed again.

Wei Nizi was still chattering: "I also heard that he investigated and caught several corrupt officials at the docks. He's really something! All the boatmen are afraid of him and respect him. Sister, how come he can do everything? He can write poetry, bake pastries, and even be an official—"

"Nizi," Wei Gui interrupted her.

"Um?"

"Did you do your homework today?"

Wei Nizi's face fell: "...No."

"Then why aren't you going?"

Wei Nizi pouted, reluctantly stood up, took two steps, then turned back: "Sister, are you shy?"

"Weini!"

"Let's go, let's go!"

Wei Nizi ran away.

The courtyard fell silent.

Wei Gui put down his book and got up to walk slowly in the courtyard.

The warm spring sunshine shone on the bluestone path and on the newly sprouting branches.

As she walked to the corner of the corridor, she suddenly heard voices coming from the front hall.

It was the voice of my uncle, Wei Kuangbo, along with several other members of the clan.

"...Today's newly appointed head of the Grand Canal Transport Office is Li Ju, the illegitimate son of the Li family of Longxi. He is quite capable despite his young age."

"A son born out of wedlock? A son born out of wedlock from the Li family of Longxi, able to become the head of the Grand Canal Transport Office?"

"They said he made a great contribution to dredging the waterway and was appreciated by his superiors. Chief Liu was promoted and recommended him to succeed him."

"At sixteen, he's already in charge; he's a truly formidable young man."

Wei Kuangbo smiled and said, "It's truly remarkable that someone born out of wedlock has reached this position. However, the Grand Canal Transport Office is currently in a precarious situation, and whether he can maintain his position depends on him."

Wei Gui stood in the shadows of the corridor, listening to these words without expression.

But her heart skipped a beat.

He really did take it one step at a time.

She lowered her eyes, turned around, and walked back.

I had only taken a few steps when an announcement came from the front yard—

"General Li, the Right Martial Guard, has arrived!"

Wei Gui paused in his steps.

Lee Chi-hung is here again.

This time, he didn't come alone.

Wei Gui walked quickly back to the backyard. As soon as he entered the passageway, he heard the voice of an unfamiliar young man coming from the front hall—deep and deliberately composed.

She didn't have time to avoid it.

There was only one path leading from the front hall to the inner courtyard. As she walked along the corridor, she saw Li Zixiong and his son walking in from the outer courtyard with their uncle. There was no way to avoid them.

Behind Li Zixiong was a young man of about seventeen or eighteen years old.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a square face and the heroic air of a military general's son, he wore a black brocade robe and a silver belt, and walked with a brisk pace.

Li Min.

He looked up and saw Wei Gui standing in the hallway.

Just one glance.

She stood under the eaves, the spring sunlight shining from the side, outlining her slender and graceful figure.

She wore a lotus-colored spring robe and a plain white shawl; her black hair was like clouds, and her skin was as white as snow. Her brows and eyes held the dignified and serene air unique to daughters of noble families; when she did not smile, she was like a plum blossom reflecting snow, and when she slightly turned her head, she was like a peony holding dew.

Elegant without being vulgar, beautiful without being gaudy.

Li Min stopped in his tracks.

He stared straight at her, as if he were nailed to the spot, unable to look away.

Wei Gui frowned slightly, stepped aside behind a pillar, quickly crossed the passageway, and disappeared at the end of the corridor.

Li Min stood still, motionless for a long time.

"Min'er?" Li Zixiong turned around, saw his son's expression, and understood.

He smiled, said nothing, and followed Wei Kuangbo into the main hall.

Wei Gui returned to the backyard, closed the door, leaned against the door panel, and took a deep breath.

Her palms were a little cold.

It wasn't because of Li Min, but because—what was bound to happen, finally happened.

She walked to the window, opened it, and looked at the magnolia tree in the yard to calm herself down.

About half an hour later, a maid came to deliver a message: "Madam, your master requests your presence in the front hall."