Chapter 160 Burden

When Aju walked into the boat house, she found Sun Wei holding a white jade bracelet and looking at it.

"Is this a birthday gift from the prince?" A'ru came closer curiously. "It looks very valuable and the workmanship is exquisite, but something like this might not be found in the treasury. Could it be that the prince is using something old from the treasury to appease the princess?"

"He was in such a hurry before leaving, keeping everything simple. He didn't have time to go to the storehouse to get any birthday gifts." Sun Wei shook his head, put the jade bracelet back into the lacquer box, and said, "Judging from the shape, he must have got it from a jeweler in Jingzhou."

As she said this, she sighed inwardly.

In her previous life, in the first year of Sima Jun’s marriage to her, he gave her a pair of white jade bracelets as a birthday gift.

Regardless of color or style, they are all exactly the same.

Although the material and workmanship were both top-notch, in the eyes of a noblewoman from the capital, it was so ordinary that it was unremarkable. She thought it was so tacky that she was embarrassed to wear it outside.

Cao Song said with certainty at that time that this was chosen by Sima Jun himself.

It is easy to change the country but difficult to change one's nature.

He learned to calculate, but his taste in choosing things remained unchanged.

"That's fine," A'ru said. "If it were a rare and exquisite item, Princess Xiaozhong wouldn't be able to wear it outside and would have to put it away. But a bracelet like this can be worn often."

"Is that so." Sun smiled, sighed in his heart, and put the bracelet away.

——

The next day, Sun Wei got up at dawn.

The soldiers camping in the wilderness were ready to break camp, and everything on the boat was kept simple. After washing up, Sun Wei asked Aju to ask when the boat would set sail.

A Ru returned quickly and said, "The Crown Prince is discussing matters with the generals. Sima Deng said that we will set out later."

Sun Wei was surprised and asked, "Are we discussing matters so early?"

"It is said that an envoy from Xunyang just delivered an urgent letter. After reading it, the prince immediately went to the tent. I am afraid it is an urgent matter."

Sun Wei couldn't help but think of the battle in Kuaiji.

Half an hour later, the eunuch outside reported that Sima Jun and Chu Yue had arrived.

After the greeting, Chu Yue said with a look of regret: "I originally wanted to personally send the princess back to Xunyang, but unexpectedly, I have to say goodbye now."

"General, are you leaving?" Sun Wei glanced at Sima Jun. "Why are you so anxious? Could something have happened in Kuaiji?"

"I'll explain this to Madam later," Sima Jun said. "Zhuo Jing is leaving, so I've come to say goodbye to Madam."

"I see." Sun Wei smiled at Chu Yue and said, "Be careful along the way, General."

Chu Yue smiled, said some auspicious words to Sun Wei, and then said goodbye and left.

Sima Jun sat down in the boat house and then told Sun Wei about the letter from Xunyang.

"Wang Zhi is here." he said.

When Sun Wei heard the name, he knew there was trouble.

Wang Zhi was Wang Han's eldest son. His coming here was either Wang Han's idea or the Queen Mother's.

"What is he doing here?" Sun Wei asked.

"The news from Jingzhou has leaked out. Wang Hao already knows that Huan Yi intends to raise an army. He also knows that Huan Yi is now unconscious, and he plans to take advantage of the situation and seize Jingzhou."

Huan Yi's coma was like ripples caused by a stone, one wave after another. The situation was completely different from that of his previous life.

"Wang Han is well-informed." Sun Wei said.

"They must have spies in Jingzhou," Sima Jun said, "and it's not difficult to find out."

That’s true.

Sun Wei asked, "How does he plan to take advantage of the situation and seize Jingzhou?"

"Use the Jiangzhou Army."

really.

Sun Wei said, "Jiangzhou is not Wang's territory. How can he use the Jiangzhou army whenever he wants?"

"So he asked the Empress Dowager for an imperial decree, as well as the troop mobilization document from the Minister of War," Sima Jun said. "But I don't know what else was written in the Empress Dowager's decree besides asking me to lend troops to Wang Zhi."

Sun Wei knew that it was not easy for the imperial court to borrow troops from local areas.

Even if there were documents from the Ministry of War, many in the prefectures and counties would dare to ignore them. For example, a few years ago, the imperial court had asked Huan Yi to borrow troops to suppress the rebellious refugees, but Huan Yi did not respond, leaving the court helpless. When it comes to military power, the local governments have always been more powerful than the imperial court; otherwise, Wang Kan would not have gone to such lengths to target the Northern Prefecture.

Therefore, Wang Zhi came with not only the documents from the Ministry of War but also the Empress Dowager's imperial decree. Since the Empress Dowager was Sima Jun's grandmother, Sima Jun had to listen to it.

"Is the prince going to agree?"

"No plans." Sima Jun said, "Without my permission, Tian Ying will not give him a single soldier."

Sun Wei felt relieved.

"If that's the case, why would Your Highness return to Xunyang?" Sun Wei asked. "Why not go to Kuaiji with General Chu? Your Highness can just pretend to be ignorant of this matter."

"What about Wang Zhi?" Sima Jun asked, "Madam, are you going to help me get rid of him?"

"Why not? The matter of mobilizing troops has nothing to do with me. It would be useless even if he told me."

"This is what I'm worried about," Sima Jun said. "The Empress Dowager's decree is probably related to Madam."

Sun Wei looked at him in surprise.

Sima Jun said calmly, "I understand the Queen Mother. She knows how important my wife is to me now, and I'm afraid she will let Wang Zhi take my wife away this time."

Sun Wei was speechless for a moment.

She also understood the Queen Mother, and she knew that the Queen Mother was indeed capable of doing such a thing.

"If the Queen Mother wants to take me away, then so be it. I'm bored in Xunyang and want to return to the capital. I'm the Princess of Yuzhang, so even if the Queen Mother wants to make things difficult for me, she has to consider her reputation and I don't think she can do anything..."

"No." Sima Jun interrupted immediately.

Seeing Sun Wei glance at him, he immediately looked out the window of the boat house and said sternly, "The Queen Mother's actions must have been instigated by Wang Hao. Not to mention Madam, even the entire Yuzhang Palace is a thorn in Wang Hao's side. If there is one thing, there will be another. Therefore, the more it is, the more we must not give in."

That makes sense.

Sun Wei asked, "Then how does the prince plan to respond?"

"Thirty miles west of here, there's my father's palace. Madam, how about staying there for three days?"

Sun Wei didn't say anything.

Sima Jun continued, "I'm asking Madam to stay away just in case, Madam..."

"I know my own limitations," Sun Wei interrupted. "But I think this will only make Wang Han think I'm even more important. Next time he gets the chance, he'll probably try to use me as a threat. Wouldn't that make me a burden to the Crown Prince? Why don't you just let me see Wang Zhi? As I just said, the Queen Mother has to save face, and I haven't gotten into any trouble lately, so the imperial decree might not be a threat. Even if the Queen Mother orders me to return to the capital, I can just make excuses like I'm sick, and Wang Zhi won't be able to take me away right away."

"We can't take that risk." Sima Jun said decisively.

"Prince..."

"No need to say more." Sima Jun stood up and said, "As long as they are from the Yuzhang Palace, no one can control them, let alone my wife, even if they are just servants. I am the prince, and it is my duty to protect my family."

After saying that, he ordered Deng Lian and A Ru to set off and send Sun Wei off the boat.

He was well prepared and had a carriage ready on the shore.

Sun Wei thought that even if she refused no matter what, she would probably be forced to do it.

She turned around and found Sima Jun looking at her.

He stood a few steps away, watching her get into the carriage.

As if afraid that she would run away.

Sun Wei complained inwardly and got into the carriage.

But after she sat down, Sima Jun didn't leave immediately. He gave Deng Lian a few instructions, then walked over and stopped by the car window.

Sima Jun was very tall, and even though Sun Wei was sitting in the carriage, she could only look at him at eye level.

He seemed to be pondering something, his dark eyes deep.

"My lady is not a burden to me," he said softly.

Sun Wei was stunned and wanted to say something, but Sima Jun had already turned and walked away.

"Go ahead." He said to Deng Lian.

Deng Lian responded, mounted his horse, and led a group of guards to see Sun Wei off.

Sun Wei lifted the carriage curtain and looked behind. Sima Jun was still standing there. Soon, the road turned a corner and he was hidden by the trees and could no longer be seen.