Chapter 275: Bandits (Part 2)

Sun Wei just said "hmm".

This kid only behaved himself when he was in front of Sima Jun.

She asked A'ru, "Just now, the prince seemed to want to teach him a lesson?"

"I think the prince will just give him a few words of scolding," Aju said, "The prince doesn't have a stick in his hand, so don't worry, Princess."

Sun Wei couldn't help but sit up straight: "Why should I be worried?"

A'ru was surprised: "Sun Wei's worry is written all over her face, isn't it? It's exactly the same as the look on my mother's face when she saw me practicing swordplay when I was a child."

After she finished speaking, she suddenly sighed, "When I look at you, I think of my parents. The princess is like a kind mother, the prince is like a strict father, and the grandson is me."

Sun Wei rolled her eyes at her and said, "You're talking nonsense again."

A'ru continued, "But the princess is really strange. She was so worried just now, but why didn't she want to see Master Sun? He's just a young man, what's there to be shy about?"

Sun Wei didn't say much. At this time, saying more would only lead to mistakes, so he just gave a vague answer.

But maybe it was her illusion, Sima Jun seemed to know that she didn't want to see him, so he didn't force the arrangement.

It must be an illusion.

Sima Jun did not return home with Sun Wei.

It was unusual for bandits to enter the capital in groups, let alone break into the garden of Prince Yuzhang's mansion.

Sima Jun naturally had to interrogate him thoroughly.

Sun Wei knew that Sima Jun would eventually come to a conclusion, but she was worried about Sun Qiao.

She was worried that Sima Jun had no time to take care of Sun Qiao, so she deliberately told Cao Song what had happened earlier.

Cao Song was a man who understood the ways of the world. Without Sun Wei's explicit instructions, he immediately sent a doctor to visit Sun's residence.

However, the doctor came back soon after he left.

He reported, "The prince has already invited a doctor for Young Master Sun. The minor injuries he suffered have been bandaged."

Sun Wei felt relieved and nodded, "I didn't expect the prince to be so attentive."

Cao Song said, "Although the Crown Prince holds a high position, he always considers his subordinates carefully and is never stingy." Cao Song smiled and said, "I think it is a blessing for Master Sun to have you as his master."

Sun Wei knew that this was true.

"Is there any news from the prince?" she asked.

"The prince said he would not be returning home for dinner tonight," Cao Song said. "It seems he has something to do. Madam, please go to bed early."

Sun Wei remained silent.

Sima Jun did not return until midnight. Seeing that Sun Wei had not yet rested, he did not seem surprised.

"Madam, why haven't you rested yet?" he asked.

Sun Wei said, "A lot of things happened today. I can't sleep unless I ask the prince for clarification."

Sima Jun also knew her temper, so he asked, "What do you want to ask, Madam?"

"Did Huan Lingxian go to see Lü Qiuyan today?"

Sima Jun shook his head: "Huan Lingxian didn't go to see Lu Qiuyan, but went to the temple to meet friends."

"Meeting friends?" Sun Wei was rather confused. "The Huan family is rooted in Jingzhou. Huan Lingxian shouldn't have any business in the capital, so where did his friends come from? Could they be Lu Qiuyan's people?"

"That's impossible." Sima Jun said, "She met with Madam Fang and Wang Xuanji."

Sun Wei was surprised.

"The Wang and Huan families were sworn enemies, how did they suddenly become close friends?"

"The Huan family has reached this point, and the Wang family no longer considers them rivals. Even Wang Han is willing to help Madam Yu capture Huan An, so it's not impossible for the women in the family to become friends with him. Bo You and I have discussed this in detail. Huan Lingxian's desire to meet with Madam Fang and her daughter is not shameful, but Huan Lingxian is deliberately mysterious, which makes Bo You suspicious. This must be a ulterior motive."

"Pretending to be mysterious?"

"That's right," Sima Jun said. "According to Bo You, Huan Lingxian took advantage of the Yu family's absence to visit guests and left in a hurry. When she left, she simply said she was going to look for Yu. Bo You got the news and sent someone to follow her, only to discover that her claims were false and that she had gone to Xianglu Temple. Bo You thought she was being servile, so he hurriedly sent someone to inform me. But when I arrived at Xianglu Temple, I learned that she had been meeting Fang and Wang Xuanji."

Sun Wei quickly asked, "Did the prince show up?"

"No," Sima Jun said, "In order to capture Lü Qiuyan, I was willing to show up, so I led my men there. Fortunately, Bo You realized that he had been tricked and quickly sent someone to inform me, so I turned back halfway."

Sun Wei pondered, "Could it be that Huan Lingxian's bizarre behavior has detected something and is deliberately testing me?"

Sima Jun said, "I think this is probably only one of her purposes. The second is to lure the tiger away from the mountain."

Sun Wei suddenly understood: "My Lord, are you talking about the bandits breaking into Tang Garden?"

Sima Jun nodded.

"If I were at home, I would go and capture them as soon as I got the news, and they wouldn't have a chance to take advantage of me."

Sun Wei understood: "I was wondering, although Tangyuan is outside the city walls, it is also well-known as the royal residence. Where did these bandits come from to be so bold? Did someone do this deliberately?"

"They didn't just break into Tangyuan," Sima Jun said. "I got the news this afternoon that the other farms we have outside the city have all been robbed by bandits."

"Is this really true?" Sun Wei asked hurriedly, "Is anyone injured?"

"It's strange that no one was injured. Only some doors and windows were damaged, and some property was lost." Sima Jun looked at her. "Madam, what do you think they did this for?"

Sun Wei thought for a moment and said, "Is it to find Huan An?"

Sima Jun smiled: "Talking to Madam is indeed much easier."

Sun Wei couldn't help but look at him.

For some reason, Sima Jun has been particularly easy to talk to recently, and he has occasionally shown mercy and praised her.

For example, yesterday, she went to the garden and gathered some snow from winter plum blossoms to make tea. His tongue was always as wooden as a log, and he always responded to everything he ate and drank without comment. But this time, after drinking the tea she brewed, he unexpectedly said it was delicious and even had the leisure to ask her if she had used any unique method.

That serious look made her feel a little embarrassed.

Their eyes met, and Sima Jun also looked at her.

Sun Wei turned her gaze away and looked at the candles not far away: "I just didn't think too much about it. I wonder if the prince has any clues about the mastermind behind this?"

Sima Jun was not in a hurry to answer, but just smiled faintly.

"Speaking of this, we have to mention Sun Qiao again."

Sun Wei was surprised and turned around: "Sun Qiao? What does it have to do with him?"

Sima Jun said, "Those bandits had clearly received orders. When they couldn't find Huan An, they fled without stopping. They were experienced and had a plan for how and where to flee. The guards in Tang Garden weren't from the military, so I didn't expect them to be able to capture anyone. If Sun Qiao hadn't taken advantage of his bravery and taken the lead, capturing two of them, I'm afraid their whereabouts would have been lost, with no further news."

Sun Wei was delighted: "So, it turns out that Sun Qiao has made a contribution this time?"

Sima Jun looked at her curved eyes and the light that could not be concealed in them, and said "hmm" softly.

"Didn't the prince punish him?"

"He must be punished," Sima Jun said. "He was lucky to have encountered some less skilled men, so he was able to escape unscathed. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened. He must be taught that cowardly bravery is not to be trifled with. Therefore, I will give him a light punishment and send him home to copy the sermon."