In the Northern Song Dynasty, he started by marrying the eighth daughter of the Su family.

The shopkeeper took the silver with a beaming smile and patted his chest, assuring him, "Young master, rest assured, our shop has always been committed to integrity. This crystal ball will be crafted to perfection and will live up to your expectations."

Wei Wan clutched her wooden rabbit carving, her eyes red-rimmed, and choked out:

"Young Master Zhou, thank you... Young Master Zhou has already spent a lot of money on Yu Ru today."

It wasn't because no one had ever treated Wei Wan so well before, but because her current family instilled in her ethical and moral principles—always saying that women should be thrifty and manage the household well, emphasizing that women should be dutiful and not accept valuables casually, and that they should be careful with money.

She must not let her lover spend money on her; matters of the heart must be restrained and patient. In previous conversations with Han Zhi, even with Su Zhen and the servants present, she was always scolded by her mother until she couldn't lift her head. Her mother believed that a woman should never leave the house, and any transgression would be a disgrace to the family.

Those reprimanding words were like sharp needles, causing her to grow up in repression and self-doubt. She could only move within the narrow circle defined by her mother, and every time she had her own thoughts and desires, they were suppressed by her mother with a few words.

She envied other girls who could play and laugh freely, but even when she wrote lyrics at home, she was repeatedly questioned by her mother.

Over time, she grew accustomed to burying her true feelings deep inside, walking cautiously, afraid of making even the slightest mistake and incurring her mother's displeasure. She became accustomed to being taciturn in front of others, not daring to easily reveal her emotions, for fear of accidentally crossing her mother's bottom line.

The only time she ever showed her truest self was when she was studying with Su Zhen.

Su Zhen's gentleness and tolerance, like a man's generosity and loyalty, were like the warm sun in spring. In Su Zhen's study, she could freely discuss the subtleties of poetry and share the unique thoughts of a young girl.

At those moments, she felt no different from the young girl she saw, yet they were both wives. But Zhou Xi's actions caused those suppressed feelings within her to burst forth instantly.

If the glass ball that Han Zhi and Su Zhen bought her last time was the most expensive gift she had ever received, then the wooden rabbit carving, Jun kiln vase, and crystal ball that Zhou Xi gave her today are the most dazzling treasures in her heart.

Zhou Xi didn't know what she was thinking, but seeing her furrowed brows, he assumed she was upset about spending too much money, and quickly said:

"Don't worry, Madam Wei. I... I just wanted to give you the best of everything. This is just a gift for you, nothing special."

Looking at Zhou Xi's nervous yet earnest expression, Wei Wan felt a pang of emotion, as if she wanted to say something. But when she opened her mouth, trying to express her true feelings, she was choked back by a sob in her throat.

Su Zhen then reached out and patted Su Ru's head, saying, "Yu Ru, don't make things so hard for yourself. Zhou Xi gave you these things as a token of his affection, so please accept them without worry."

Wei Wan nodded, sniffed, and said, "Yu Ru understands. Now Yu Ru should take Master and Master Han to buy flowers."

Han Zhi smiled and said, "Then today, it will be hard on Lady Wei."

......

The next day, Han Zhi returned to the Dali Temple as usual, doing the dual jobs of Vice Minister and Minister of the Dali Temple.

What was supposed to be a normal day's routine—reviewing backlogged documents, discussing case details with subordinates, and checking leads gathered by yamen runners—wasn't enough for Han Zhi to finish sorting through the mountain of case files when Zhang Xun burst in carrying two thick volumes of files.

He looked hurried, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, and handed the file to Han Zhi with both hands. Seeing his appearance, Han Zhi asked, "What's wrong? What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhang Xun took a couple of breaths and said, "This is a new case personally approved by His Majesty! Minister Han, please take a look."

"A new case?" Han Zhi raised an eyebrow, knowing this was probably no small matter. He reached out and took the file, asking casually:

"What's going on? Tell me briefly."

As he asked the questions, he opened the case file. But what Zhang Xun said made him freeze in shock—

"Wei Shaoqing of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices," Zhang Xun returned to his desk, picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and then continued, "has made a serious mistake in the preparation of ritual vessels for ancestral temple sacrifices, which he was in charge of overseeing. The Emperor received an impeachment some time ago, saying that Wei Shaoqing used counterfeit items to serve as ritual vessels for placing sacrificial offerings."

"The Emperor was furious and immediately went to investigate, and the truth was indeed so. Now all the clues point to Wei Shaoqing, who is in charge of this matter. The Emperor has now ordered our Dali Temple to find out the truth and investigate this matter within ten days."

Han Zhi slammed the case file on the table and stood up abruptly: "What did you say? Which Vice Minister Wei? Which Vice Minister Wei from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"

Zhang Xun was startled by Han Zhi's sudden action, nearly dropping his teacup. He stammered, "It's... it's Wei Xiping, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Vice Minister Han, what are you doing...?"

Han Zhi was shocked. He knew Wei Xiping all too well; he was Wei Wan's father and an old friend of his family.

He sat back down and began to ponder, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you know who impeached Wei Shaoqing?"

Zhang Xun paused slightly, a hint of embarrassment on his face. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "To Han Shaoqing, it was Lin Zhengyuan, the Vice Minister of Rites, who impeached Wei Shaoqing. I've heard that Lin Zhengyuan and Wei Shaoqing have always disagreed on political matters in court."

"This impeachment was somewhat expected. However, the content of his impeachment is based on solid evidence, and the forgery of the ritual objects is beyond doubt."

Han Zhi frowned, sensing something amiss—political disagreements were common, but to make such a big deal out of such an important matter as ancestral temple ritual vessels, with such solid evidence, meant there must be something fishy going on.

He closed his eyes, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, and asked another inexplicable question: "Do you think Wei Shaoqing touched the ritual vessels?"

Zhang Xun was completely baffled by the question, and it took him several seconds to come to his senses. His face was full of doubt: "This...this case file doesn't mention it, but as the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, it is only natural for him to touch the ritual objects. But what does this have to do with the case?"

Han Zhi opened his eyes, his gaze deep, and slowly said, "As the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Wei Shaoqing has great reverence for matters of ancestral temple sacrifices. If the ritual objects were fakes, how could he have been so unaware of them during his frequent contact with them in the preparation period?"

"Moreover, it has been more than half a month since the Qingming Festival, and the ritual objects should have been sealed away and ignored by everyone. So why are people saying now that these things are fakes?"

"It's too much of a coincidence, so coincidental it's like a carefully orchestrated play..."