Chapter 238 Dispute (Part 1)

It was already afternoon when Sun Wei came out of the Empress Dowager's palace.

She was thinking all the way, and when she walked out of the palace gate, she suddenly found Sima Jun and Princess Wanshou waiting for her there.

"What did the Queen Mother say?" Sima Jun came forward and asked before Sun Wei could speak.

Sun Wei ignored him and only saluted Princess Wanshou: "Thank you for your help."

"It's just a few words of advice. No need to be so polite," Princess Wanshou said to Sima Jun in a bad mood. "Why do you always disobey your grandmother? Besides the emperor, her word is final, and she's your grandmother. She can't even decide your marriage, and you contradicted her in public. How do you think she feels?"

Sima Jun said calmly, "I've already said the rest. Since the Empress Dowager still insists on having her own way, I have no choice but to tell her the truth."

Princess Wanshou shook her head: "What's wrong with Xuanji? Or do you have another woman in your heart?"

"No."

Princess Wanshou sneered, "So do you dislike Xuanji, or do you dislike Wang?"

Fearing that Sima Jun's stubborn mouth would utter another outrageous remark, Sun Wei quickly said, "The Crown Prince is the Empress Dowager's grandson, and he and Wang Shi are deeply connected. How could he possibly dislike Wang Shi? It's getting late, let's go back first."

Princess Wanshou sighed, "Forget it. This is your family affair anyway. Why should I be so anxious? You two don't have to rush back today. Just follow me."

Sun Wei asked, "Where are we going?"

"Of course, go to my house," Princess Wanshou said. "My old man has been scolding the prince for being ungrateful since yesterday. He hasn't even come to visit me since returning to the capital. If this continues, I'm afraid he'll have another attack. I'd like to trouble your princess and the prince to go and see him."

Sun Wei was actually planning to visit Zhou Chang, so he readily agreed.

Looking at Sima Jun again, he no longer had that stubborn look on his face and did not refuse.

Princess Wanshou invited Sun Wei to ride in the same carriage, but when the carriage started moving, she looked a little disappointed.

"Autumn is approaching, and winter is just around the corner. The Master's health is deteriorating day by day, and he's been taking medicine all the time. Don't you have the ability to predict the end of life? Could you please calculate for me how much time the Master has left to live?"

Sun Wei looked at her and thought, so this is why.

Of course she knew.

After all, Zhou Chang had already passed away at this time in his previous life. In this life, thanks to Princess Wanshou who found him, brought him back to health, and treated him well, he is still alive today. But Zhou Chang is terminally ill, and even so, he probably doesn't have much time left.

Princess Wanshou knew something was wrong when she saw her hesitation to speak.

"Tell me. You're already old, it's just a matter of leaving a few days earlier or later. If you tell me, I'll have a better idea."

Sun Wei said, "We can get through this winter without any problem; but next winter will be extremely cold, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for Master Tai."

"You mean another year?"

Sun Wei said, "I only have a general idea of ​​this sort of thing. Fate is ever-changing, so please don't torment yourself because of it."

Princess Wanshou was speechless for a moment. After a moment, she seemed a little unwilling to give up: "Is there any way to resolve this?"

"The princess must have found the best doctor for the tutor. She has done her best."

Princess Wanshou nodded slightly, looking lonely, and said no more.

Before getting off the car, Princess Wanshou instructed Sun Wei, "The Grand Tutor is already in this state. I won't stop him from doing anything he wants. In the future, if you and Ah Jun want to see the Grand Tutor, just come to him openly. As long as the Grand Tutor is willing to see you, you can do so without any hindrance."

Sun Wei was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "Why do you say that, Princess..."

"The Grand Tutor always says he misses the old house and goes there every now and then. Does he think I will believe him? He just wants to see you and Ah Jun."

At this point, Sun Wei didn't try to hide it and gave a dry laugh: "So the princess knows everything. Then, does the princess know why the Grand Tutor wants to see us?"

"Since he doesn't want to teach me, then it must be something I can't know. So, I don't care." Princess Wanshou laughed at herself. "He only has so much time left. Let him do whatever he wants. Could he even tear the sky apart?"

After entering the mansion, Princess Wanshou only asked the steward to take Sima Jun and Sun Wei to see Zhou Chang, while she herself returned to the inner courtyard.

Zhou Chang was waiting in the study.

After not seeing him for a few months, he had lost a lot of weight.

Now that the weather was getting colder, he had put on his winter clothes and lit a charcoal fire in the house.

He waved his hand, telling them not to be so formal. He coughed twice and said in a hoarse voice, "How are the marriage discussions going?"

Sima Jun said, "I will not marry Wang Xuanji."

Zhou Chang took a sip of water slowly, and when he had finished swallowing it, he asked, "Why?"

"Wang Han married Wang Xuanji to me simply to position a pawn beside me and keep me under his control. I cannot agree to this."

"Oh?" Zhou Chang looked at Sun Wei, "What did the princess say?"

Sun Wei said, "Wang Xuanji can be Wang Han's pawn, but why can't the Crown Prince be the one spying on the Wang family? Only by knowing both yourself and your enemy can you win every battle. If the Crown Prince doesn't want to be constrained by the Wang family for the rest of his life, he must learn to face them, and then he can compete with them."

Sima Jun looked at her, frowning and saying, "There will inevitably be a battle between the Wang family and me. Madam, did you ask me to marry a daughter of the Wang family? Did you want her to watch her husband and his siblings kill each other? What is my wife to you, Madam? Is she just a chess piece that can be discarded at any time?"

This series of questions left Sun Wei speechless for a moment.

——You are my lonely wife, how can I abandon you...

She remembered what Sima Jun said to her when he was dying in her previous life.

Zhou Chang seemed to have heard something funny and laughed twice.

He ignored Sima Jun and turned to ask Sun Wei, "What do you think, Princess?"

Sun Wei calmed herself down and looked at Sima Jun. "Even if you think I'm cold-blooded and calculating, it's fine. I still say the same thing: you should marry Wang Xuanji."

Sima Jun glared at her.

She also glared at Sima Jun.

Zhou Chang said slowly: "Princess, why don't you tell me the reason?"

"The Crown Prince has met with the Crown Prince, so he must know everything. The Crown Prince wants to recommend the Crown Prince to the inner court, and the one who is opposing it right now is Wang Han."

"So what?" Sima Jun asked, "Does the princess want me to accept this marriage just to enter the inner court?"

"Does the Crown Prince think that attending the inner court is unimportant? When the mourning period is over next year and the Crown Prince is reinstated, he will have to return to Jiangzhou. By then, the Crown Prince will be far from healthy, and the Crown Prince will be left to fight alone in the court. The Crown Prince once said that he is the wise ruler the world has longed for, and as a minister, we should assist him with all our strength. But now, when the Crown Prince needs his assistance, the Crown Prince is leaving the capital. Is this the right thing to do?"

Her words were so powerful that even Zhou Chang couldn't help but nod frequently.

Sima Jun said, "Your Highness, your words are wrong. The inner court is Wang Kan's territory. Fighting him on his turf is not a long-term solution. If he can let me into the inner court, does that mean he can't deal with me? Even if he doesn't kill me, if he can just trap me, I'll not only lose Jiangzhou, but also lose my foothold in the court, and be caught in a dilemma. Not only will I be unable to help the Crown Prince, but I'll also be in danger myself. How can this be considered righteousness?"