Tang Dynasty Hidden Guards

Xue Wei followed her into an elegant little private room. Outside the window was a small river, and a row of green willows were sprouting tender buds. Two black and white swallows flew through the green willows, chirping merrily. Across the river was an empty house with high walls.

"Please sit down!"

Yuan Min pointed to the couch opposite, and Xue Wei sat down cross-legged, looking around the private room. "Are you the owner of this restaurant?"

Yuan Min sat down opposite him and said coldly, "I own hundreds of shops, this is just one of them."

Xue Wei gave a wry smile. His words had a hint of defiance. He knew who Yuan Min was: the daughter of the Yuan family, one of the Eight Pillars of Guanzhong, and a descendant of the Northern Wei royal family.

"Regardless, thank you for helping me out today!"

Yuan Min stared at him, her gaze sharp. "You were such a coward today. You should have rushed up and slapped her twice."

Xue Wei said indifferently, "I find it dirty!"

Xue Wei thought of Li Guo'er, the woman in history who poisoned her father, yet her father loved her so much.

Yuan Min was stunned. She had thought of all sorts of answers, but she hadn't expected this one: that the man opposite her would actually look down on Li Guo'er.

The two fell silent. Xue Wei spoke first: "I've forgotten all the people and things from the past. It's not selective forgetting, it's complete forgetting."

"I know!"

Yuan Min's tone softened slightly, "You spent a whole year in the water dungeon; those days were incredibly tough!"

A thought suddenly struck Xue Wei, and he cautiously inquired, "That blue stone slab in the water dungeon, is it yours...?"

"It was me. I spent ten thousand taels of silver to arrange this for you. At that time, I had not yet inherited my father's property. Ten thousand taels was my entire dowry. It was the last bit of dignity I left for you after our marriage."

Xue Wei felt a slight pang of emotion, and a surge of gratitude welled up in his heart. That blue stone slab was a ray of light in the darkest part of his life.

"Thank you!"

Yuan Min turned her face away and said coldly, "Your thanks are too cheap; I don't need them!"

The two fell silent again, when the door opened and several maids brought them wine and food.

Yuan Min picked up the wine pot and filled the wine cup in front of him. "This is the Heavenly Dew that my grandfather brewed himself. You've always wanted to get the recipe for it."

Xue Wei suddenly realized that what she had just said—that she owned hundreds of shops—was just a coincidence that she happened to be here today?

"I'm here to practice polo today!"

"I know, I know Li Guo'er will embarrass you today."

Xue Wei was silent for a moment before saying, "To be honest, she and I are cousins. I don't know where I offended her."

Yuan Min's lips curled down slightly, revealing a mocking smile. "You think she went to the polo field to see Chong Jian? No, she actually went to see you."

Xue Wei was taken aback. "Why?"

"It seems you've forgotten everything. She used to be madly in love with you, her cousin. Four years ago, on our wedding day, she even went to cause trouble at the wedding. After the marriage, she haunted you relentlessly. You never refused her, often bringing her home to spend the night in your bed. Later, you dumped her for Zhou Yinfeng, so she hates you to the core."

Xue Wei's face flushed red and then paled, and after a long pause, he asked, "How old is she this year?"

"Seventeen years old!"

Xue Wei was a little confused. Li Guo'er was only thirteen years old four years ago! Would he make a move on a thirteen-year-old girl?

Yuan Min snorted in dissatisfaction, "Why didn't you ask me how old I am?"

"I'm sorry, I..."

"You don't need to apologize to me, we're no longer husband and wife."

"So, this year...."

"I'm also seventeen, just like Li Guo'er."

Xue Wei wanted to slap himself hard; this woman had married him when she was only thirteen.

Yuan Min looked at him, puzzled. "But you actually pushed Wu Suisui away today, which surprised me. If it were before, you would have been drinking with her. I don't understand, why?"

Xue Wei picked up his wine cup, his voice becoming low and deep, "Anyone would change after enduring a whole year in darkness."

He downed the wine in one gulp, staring at Yuan Min across from him, his eyes gradually reddening.

"My gratitude to you is not cheap; that bluestone slab was the only light in the darkest part of my life, saving me from hell and keeping me company through the loneliest years!"

He stood up, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you!"

He took a deep breath and continued, "The Xue Wei of the past is dead in Dali Temple. I apologize to you for all his past absurdity and bastardism. I'm sorry!"

He bowed again.

Yuan Min stared quietly at Xue Wei, her originally calm eyes churning with emotions Xue Wei couldn't understand—shock, pain, and a faint glimmer of light.

Just then, faint shouts and the sound of a table being overturned came from outside. A maid rushed in to report.

"Master, the Wu brothers led their men into Haitang's room and started fighting with Young Master Xue."

"Boom!" Xue Wei felt a surge of heat rush to his head, and he turned and left.

"Xue Wei, wait a minute!"

Yuan Min stopped him, "This is my shop, I'll handle it."

She stood up and walked quickly outside. Xue Wei clenched his fist and followed behind her.

The room was in a mess, with broken porcelain plates scattered all over the floor. The woman, her maid, and the other guests were all frightened and kept their distance.

In the hall, the two groups were on the verge of exchanging blows, glaring at each other. Xue Chongjian had some bruises on his face, as if he had been punched. On the other side were the brothers Wu Jizhi and Wu Chonglie, along with seven or eight servants and warriors. Wu Chongxun was not seen.

Li Guo'er was pointing her finger at Wu Jizhi and yelling, "What's wrong with you all? I'm having dinner with my cousin, what's it to you? Where's Wu Chongxun? Tell him to come see me."

"I'm here!" Wu Chongxun appeared.

He glanced at Xue Chongjian and said to Li Guo'er indifferently, "Whether we are cousins ​​or not, you know it in your heart. I don't care about your past, but since we are engaged, please consider the reputation of our Wu family."

"You've really got some nerve, daring to hit my cousin! You'd better apologize to him right now!"

"Bullshit! What's there to apologize for?"

Wu Chonglie drew his sword and said fiercely, "Anyone who dares to touch my elder brother's woman, no matter who they are, even if they are my sister's man, I will kill them all."

"Whom do you want to kill in my restaurant?"

A clear, cold voice rang out, and everyone turned to look. A stunningly beautiful woman appeared at the end of the corridor, her gaze sharp as she stared at the Wu brothers. Xue Wei stood silently beside her.

The crowd fell silent. Wu Jizhi and Wu Chonglie involuntarily swallowed. Wu Chongxun stared intently at Yuan Min, his eyes gleaming with a burning intensity, like a cheetah that had been starving for a long time and had suddenly spotted its prey.

Wu Chongxun suddenly laughed, "Miss Yuan, it's been a long time since we last met. The last time was at your grandfather's birthday banquet last year. Miss Yuan's heavenly zither music still lingers in my ears and accompanies me to sleep. We have offended you today, and I will compensate for all the losses. I will send the steward to contact you."

He glanced once more at Yuan Min's exquisite figure, his eyes gleaming with lust, before turning back to Li Guo'er and coldly saying, "Princess, I've said what I needed to say. You'd better watch yourself!"

He waved his hand, "Let's go!"

The Wu family left like a gust of wind. Xue Wei stood beside Yuan Min and could see clearly that Wu Chongxun's eyes burned with undisguised possessiveness; he was infatuated with Yuan Min.

Yuan Min ignored everyone and turned to leave.

Watching Yuan Min's retreating figure, Xue Wei's heart suddenly felt as if it had been pierced by a needle, a sharp pain that was extremely uncomfortable. Although Yuan Min was not his wife, and was no longer Xue Wei's wife in the Tang Dynasty, she was just his ex-wife.

He has no stance now, only an indescribable sense of loss and powerlessness.

"Brother Wei, let me help you pick up the ball this afternoon!" Wu Suisui ran over and took Xue Wei's arm with a smile.

"No!"

Xue Wei pulled his arm away, feeling utterly exhausted.

"I don't want to train this afternoon, I want to go home and rest. Go watch Chongjian train!"

He ignored everyone, not even caring about the injury on his brother Xue Chongjian's face, and turned to walk downstairs.

Upon reaching the second floor, he unexpectedly encountered Yuan Min, who seemed to be waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

"Where do you live now?" Yuan Min asked.

Xue Wei hesitated for a moment, but still answered honestly, "Tongjifang, a small house I bought before, right next to the entrance of Tongji Canal into the city, with a red tile roof, very eye-catching."

Yuan Min nodded. "We can talk again when we have time. Be careful, Wu Sansi won't let you off the hook, especially Wu Chongxun. He's vicious and cunning, and he'll stop at nothing. Don't let him know where you live."

"Thanks! You should also be careful; it seems like he's got his eye on you."

Yuan Min laughed. "Are you worried about me?"

Xue Wei's ears turned red, and he lowered his head somewhat flusteredly. "I'm a little tired, I'll go back and rest first!"

He turned and ran quickly down the stairs. Yuan Min watched him run away, and the corners of her mouth slowly curved up.