Chapter 344: Seeking Help (Part 1)

At this time, Cao Song came and brought two visiting cards, which he handed to Sun Wei and Sima Jun respectively.

The person in Sima Jun's hand is Yu Yi.

What Sun Wei held in her hand was Jiang Ying.

She was very surprised.

"Where is Lady Jiang?" Sun Wei asked.

"Still outside the door."

"Invite her to Wufeng Courtyard." Sun Wei said, then looked at Sima Jun, "Would you like to meet her together, Prince?"

Sima Jun returned the post to Cao Song and said, "Bo You has arrived too. I don't have time to spare."

Sun Wei nodded: "Please give my regards to Master Yu on my behalf, my prince."

Sima Jun said "hmm" lightly and went to the front hall.

Jiang Ying followed Cao Song to Wufeng Courtyard and greeted Sun Wei.

After not seeing her for a few days, she looked a little haggard.

"Madam, are you here for Mr. Li's matter?" Sun Wei asked.

Jiang Ying shook her head and said, "I'm here because of my father's matter."

"Oh? I thought the Lady would blame me for Mr. Li's capture."

Jiang Ying was silent for a moment, her voice trembling slightly: "Brother hid such a deep secret and even deceived my father. I hate him."

Seeing that she looked pale, Sun Wei personally handed her a cup of tea.

"Lady Jiang didn't accompany Chief Jiang back to his hometown, but stayed in Jiankang. Was it because of Mr. Li?"

Jiang Ying lowered her head, looking at the tea in her cup, and said, "Senior Brother promised Father that he would marry me in the future. However, I am still in mourning and cannot get married. And Senior Brother is already quite old. Mother is worried that if I leave, Senior Brother will break his vow and marry someone else, so she asked me to stay and look after him."

Sun Wei sighed softly, "So, your father doesn't seem to believe Mr. Li, right?"

"My mother is naturally suspicious. She said that my senior brother was handsome and humble, but he was always mysterious and often disappeared for half a year, which always made people feel uneasy. My father always said that my mother was suspicious, but now it seems that my mother was right."

"If Mr. Li is released in the future, will you still be willing to marry him?"

Jiang Ying shook her head. "I already have a grudge against my senior brother. He must also hate me for putting him in jail. We can never get along. I plan to return home to find my mother once this matter is over."

Sun Wei nodded gently and said soothingly, "Your Highness is so insightful. If Jiang Changshi knew about this, he would surely feel at ease. Your Highness just said that you came here to discuss something concerning Jiang Changshi."

Jiang Ying said slowly, "I met my father before he died. Just as the princess had guessed earlier, my father took the blame for my senior brother's crime simply because the situation was favorable. He was already planning to die, so he didn't care about adding another crime."

Sun Wei asked gently, "Why did you tell me this news?"

"Because of another matter, I cannot get the truth on my own. I would like to ask the princess for help."

"What is it?"

"I feel..." Jiang Ying pursed her lips, "I feel that my father is working for someone else. I want to know who that person is. Who caused my father to lose his life?"

"Is Jiang Changshi working for someone else? Madam, are you referring to that anonymous letter?"

Jiang Ying shook her head. "There are many other things. Father often goes out in the middle of the night, and he's quite mysterious. Mother originally thought he had a mistress, so she asked me to find out. I sided with her, so I bribed one of Father's attendants to tell me where he went late at night. He often went to a Zen temple."

"Zen Temple?"

"My father enjoyed Chan meditation, and when my mother heard that, she felt at ease. But I remained uneasy. Later, when my father was in trouble, I refused to believe that he would betray Wang Pushe and write that anonymous letter. So I questioned him about his late-night visits to the Chan temple, and whether he was working for someone else. He was shocked and angry, and asked me how I knew all this and why I got involved."

"He admitted it?"

"Of course I don't admit it," Jiang Ying said, "but father said that all he had devoted his life to was this world. One day, I will understand him. Based on my understanding of father, I think he has admitted it."

Sun Wei pondered for a moment and said, "Although the Chief Secretary went to a Zen temple, it doesn't make sense for him to work for a monk."

"That's right," Jiang Ying said. "I went to that Zen temple yesterday. It was full of monks chanting scriptures. I don't know where to start. I don't know many people, and even fewer who can help me. I heard that the princess is resourceful, so I had no choice but to ask for help."

"You are too kind, my lady," Sun Wei said politely. "But you have also helped me a lot, so I will do my best to help you. I just don't know the name of that Zen temple or where it is, so I can send someone to investigate."

Jiang Ying replied, "That Zen temple is called Jingyuan, and it's located in the northeast of the city."

——

When Sima Jun came back from the front hall, Sun Wei was no longer in Wufeng Courtyard.

Cao Song said: "The princess sent Lady Jiang back to her residence. She said that she would also like to stop by the Princess's residence."

Sima Jun had never heard of Sun Wei's arrangement, so it must have been a spur-of-the-moment decision.

When night fell, Sun Wei finally returned home with a rather solemn expression.

"What happened?" Sima Jun was waiting for him in the corridor.

Sun Wei ordered the people around him to step back, walked forward slowly, looked up at Sima Jun, but did not speak.

Sima Jun was a little surprised: "What's wrong, Madam?"

"I just went to the Princess's Mansion."

"I know," Sima Jun said, "Has Madam met Master?"

"The Grand Tutor ordered me to persuade the Crown Prince once more."

"Persuading me to be a traitor?"

Sun Wei said, "Last time, the Grand Tutor told the prince about this, but I haven't asked him yet. What does the prince think?"

"I'm afraid I can't fulfill Master's wish. The prince and I are as close as a brother, and I must not let him down."

"What if the Crown Prince fails the Prince?"

Sima Jun's eyes fixed: "What do you mean, Madam?"

"Jiang Yuan is the prince's man. I suspect Li Mo is too."

It wasn't completely dark yet, but lanterns were already hung all around. The wind blew, and the lanterns swayed gently in the corridor not far away, making Sima Jun's expression even more unpredictable.

"Let's go in and talk." Sima Jun said after a long silence.

Sun Wei responded and followed Sima Jun to the hall.

She told Sima Jun what Jiang Ying said.

"Sir, do you still remember that when I first arrived in Jiankang, I went to Jingyuan to meet the Crown Prince privately?"

"Of course I remember," Sima Jun said, "there was quite a disturbance at that time, and the Madam was sent to Xunyang Palace by the Empress Dowager."

"That's right. I remember that within the quiet courtyard, there's a beautiful room with exquisite furnishings. I suspect it's where the Crown Prince meets guests. Since the quiet courtyard is the Crown Prince's secret meeting place, Jiang Yuan must have gone there in the middle of the night to see the Crown Prince."

Sima Jun pondered, "If Jiang Yuan was working for the Crown Prince, then the Crown Prince would have known about Jiang Yuan delivering the anonymous letter. What was his purpose?"

"Of course, he's trying to stop Wang Kuan from going to Jingzhou," Sun Wei said. "By then, both of his sons will be implicated in the Crown Prince's case and absolutely cannot go to Jingzhou. Wang Kuan will definitely choose another trusted confidant to go. Who will that person be?"

Sima Jun understood: "Jiang Yuan?"