Chapter 196 Interrogation

Sima Jun said, "This money will be given to whoever gives the best answer. You heard what I said just now. Either you confess after receiving the money, or you confess after enduring physical torture. I am the prince of Yuzhang. You don't need to tell me where you are from or who your leader is. I will know when I arrive in Guangzhou. Then, I will hand you over to the authorities. Not only will you die, but your families will also suffer. It's your choice."

After these words were spoken, the two men looked ashen.

"I'll only count to three." Sima Jun continued, "One..."

Before the second one came out, one of them shouted, "I confess everything! I confess everything! Please have mercy, my prince!"

Another person was already kowtowing: "I know more! Your Highness! I will tell you everything!"

Sima Jun's lips curved up.

He turned around and found Sun Wei looking at him.

The corners of her lips were curved, and there was an inexplicable look of relief on her face.

Are you treating him like a child again?

Sima Jun put away his smile.

——

The two bandits spilled the beans, revealing their entire route. Not only did they reveal the location of the village, they also revealed their leader, a bandit named Zhu A Shen.

But when they asked him where he was, they couldn't say it.

One person said, "It's not that I don't want to talk, it's that the chief is really elusive and has no fixed place to stay. I usually stay in the village and obey the orders of the lesser chief. The chief only shows up from time to time, but rarely lives in the village."

Sima Jun asked Yin Wen to put the gold away.

Another person seemed to remember something and said hurriedly, "I remember now! Zhu Ah Shen has a lover in Zuihongyuan in Shixing County, her name is Haitang!"

Sima Jun looked at him: "Is this true?"

"I guarantee it with my life, absolutely true!"

After the interrogation, Sima Jun saw that he could not get any more information and had the man taken away.

"Aru is Ning Xiu's daughter, right?" he suddenly asked Sun Wei.

Aju was too excited that day. Sun Wei knew that Sima Jun had noticed something unusual and would guess her true identity sooner or later.

Sun Wei asked, "How did the prince know this?"

"It was just a guess. Later, I had someone do some research and found out that Ning Xiu had a daughter who was enslaved. She was about the same age as A Ru, and her name was Ning Ru."

"Your Highness guessed correctly. A'ru is indeed Ning Xiu's daughter. I have known A'ru for a long time and I have long predicted that she would die in the assassination of Liu Ke..."

Sima Jun interrupted, "I said this only to confirm A'ru's identity with Madam, and I have no other intentions."

Sun Wei was surprised: "Sir, aren't you curious about why I did this?"

"Madam, you have your own reasons for doing things," Sima Jun said. "If you use divination to explain something, then the reason behind it cannot be explained."

Sun Wei: “…”

She looked at Sima Jun, only to see Sima Jun also looking at her.

He seemed to be waiting for her to speak up.

Sun Wei thought, I’m not stupid.

"This shows that the prince is still prejudiced against my family's teachings." Sun Wei said with regret, "Everything I do is for the prince's own good. I only hope that he can regain his wisdom soon and listen to good advice."

Sima Jun smiled faintly, too lazy to argue and remained silent.

——

Deng Lian had some hunter skills and was good at searching in the mountains and forests. After learning the direction A Ru had left, he led his men to look for her.

Not long after, Deng Lian's men came back and reported that Deng Lian had found the sword he had given to A'ru halfway and continued to walk into the mountains.

"Sima Deng came to the Crown Prince to apologize. He asked the Crown Prince to allow him to wait for another day. After that day, he would rush to Shixing County to reunite with the Crown Prince."

Sima Jun agreed.

After the banditry, sleeping in the wilderness was no longer an option. Shixing County was not far away, so Sima Jun decided to rush to Shixing overnight to avoid any further complications.

The ox cart that Sun Wei was riding in was destroyed, but fortunately the horse-drawn carriage carrying the luggage and dry food was still there.

Yin Wen asked someone to clear out the things inside and let Sun Wei sit on them.

But due to the recent heavy rain, the roads were difficult to travel. Sun Wei sat in the carriage, which was bumpy all the way. When he arrived in Shixing, Sun Wei felt drowsy and then developed a high fever overnight and fell ill.

This house was prepared by Xie Xiao earlier.

A'ru was not at home, and there happened to be a few maids in the house, so Sima Jun sent them to take care of Sun Wei.

Sun Wei felt dizzy. After eating and changing clothes, she drank the medicine and fell asleep on the couch.

I didn't sleep well.

The fire in the dream burned through her entire body, and even the body in her arms was about to melt.

Suddenly, she felt a chill on her forehead, like heavy rain falling from the sky, extinguishing the flames.

So comfortable.

She woke up a little and opened her eyes.

It seemed as if I saw the shadow of Sima Jun.

She was a little confused.

Is he here to take care of himself?

The thought had barely come to mind when it was dismissed. How could that be possible? He was Sima Jun. In his previous life, he hadn't cared about anything, and in this life...

In this life...

All the things in her past and present lives were intertwined, making it difficult for her to distinguish between reality and illusion.

She seemed to be back in the fire of Xunyang City.

Sima Jun rushed over and rescued her from the crumbling palace.

"Why are you here?" Sun Wei tugged at his sleeve, staring at him with wide eyes. "Don't you hate me? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in this situation today."

Why do you still want to save me?

Don't you hate me?

You should hate me...

In her dream, she pulled at his clothes as if grabbing a life-saving piece of driftwood, but she asked again and again, as if she wanted to hear his answer.

There was no answer, only the cool feeling falling on the forehead, like a heavy rain that soothed the flames.

When Sun Wei woke up again, it was still dark.

The light on the lampstand is as small as a bean.

When she woke up, she found someone sleeping on a couch not far away. She thought it was a servant, but when she looked closely, she found it was Sima Jun.

Sima Jun was a light sleeper. Perhaps he noticed the movement and opened his eyes.

In the dim light, the two looked at each other from a few steps away.

"Are you awake?" Sima Jun rubbed his eyes and got up from the couch.

"How long have I slept..." Sun Wei opened her mouth, only to feel her throat hoarse.

"One day and one night."

After Sima Jun finished speaking, he walked over and poured her a glass of water.

Sun Wei supported herself and sat up, drank some water, and then she felt a little better.

"Where's Aru?" She remembered this and immediately asked, "Is she back?"

Sima Jun did not answer, but stretched out his hand and placed it on her forehead.

Sun Wei was stunned.

The movement was very skillful, as if it was not the first time.

"Aju is fine." Sima Jun took the cup from her hand and said, "She is with Deng Lian."

Sun Wei didn't understand.

"I met the woman named Haitang."

Sun Wei looked at him for a moment, then came to her senses and opened her eyes wide: "Did the prince go to a brothel?"

"Isn't it possible?" Sima Jun asked back.

"Of course not. The prince is still in mourning."

Sima Jun looked at her serious expression and thought, she was clearly very sick and weak, yet she still taught him to observe etiquette.

"Madam, do you mean that I can go if I am not filial?" he said.

Sun Wei was speechless.

"Even if you are not in filial piety, you can't do that," she said immediately. "If the censors find out, they will report you."