Chapter 119 Meeting Guests
It snowed heavily all night.
On the second day, the eunuchs and palace servants woke up and found that Sima Jun had come. They were all very happy.
Sun Wei left Qixia Palace and came to the main hall, where Sima Jun was already waiting.
He was unusually particular today, wearing neat sacrificial robes and all kinds of ornaments, looking like a member of a royal family.
I wonder where Yu Kuan found this outfit for him, Sun Wei thought.
It was New Year's Day and the masters of the palace were all present. Yu Kuan and Fu Cheng led the eunuchs and palace servants to pay their respects.
Sima Jun had not yet inherited the throne and was still the crown prince. Compared to him, Sun Wei was of higher status and naturally sat at the top, with Sima Jun below.
This was not the first time that Sun Wei had experienced such a scene. Whether accepting the gift or giving a speech, he performed it in a very professional manner.
When everything was done, she found Sima Jun sitting below, looking at her thoughtfully.
"Did I do anything wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing is wrong." Sima Jun said, "I heard that when Madam was getting married, Father sent people to Cangwu to teach Madam etiquette?"
"That's right." Sun Wei lied calmly, "I have learned all the etiquette of the palace."
Sima Juan smiled faintly: "Madam, your understanding is very good."
Sun Wei also smiled faintly: "Your Highness, you are too kind."
The palace is not like the capital. Prince Yuzhang did not live there for long when he was alive, and the various etiquette is not as complicated as in the royal palace.
Half a day later, all the palace ceremonies were over.
Sun Wei changed his clothes and went to the hall to have lunch with Sima Jun.
"How did the prince sleep?"
"I slept until dawn and felt much more refreshed."
"Does the Queen Mother know that the Crown Prince has come to Xunyang Palace?"
"Of course I know. The Queen Mother agreed with my coming."
Sun Wei was very surprised: "Oh? During the busy New Year holidays, the Queen Mother actually allowed the Prince to leave the capital?"
"Madam, you've found a good excuse for me. How could the Queen Mother not agree?" Sima Jun asked. "Where is the eminent monk from the Western Regions that Madam mentioned? When will he perform the ritual?"
Sun Wei finally understood. After all, his letter had worked. It was clear how much the Queen Mother loved Prince Yuzhang.
"The monk also wants to celebrate the New Year. I will send someone to ask him later," she said.
Sima Jun knew that this so-called eminent monk from the Western Regions was nothing but nonsense. He glanced at her, then turned to Deng Lian and instructed, "Go to Wuliang Temple and ask the abbot if Master Shixian from the Western Regions is free. Invite him to the palace this afternoon to perform a ritual for the late king."
"yes."
Sun Wei was surprised: "Is there really a great monk from the Western Regions here?"
Sima Jun's expression was calm. "Madam, you forgot that Jiangzhou is under the jurisdiction of Prince Yuzhang's Palace. If you say it exists, then it must exist."
Sun smiled.
For some reason, I feel in a very good mood.
Sima Jun then asked, "Madam, you've found ways to get me back. Is it really for a ritual?"
This is serious business.
Sun Wei said, "Actually, it's for another important matter. But we can talk about it tomorrow."
"Why?"
Sun Wei said, "Today is a festival, and you have been working hard for a long time. How about taking a day off today?"
"I'm afraid not."
Sun Wei turned around and asked, "Why?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
Sun Wei was stunned: "Tomorrow?"
"I have a lot of things to do and can't stay for long."
Sun Wei wasn't surprised. After all, he had always been like this, in his previous life, and in this life as well.
As the two were talking, Fu Cheng arrived and handed them a thick visiting card.
The news that the Prince of Yuzhang had come to Xunyang City spread like wildfire. From the generals in the army to the officials in the city, everyone rushed to pay him a visit.
Sima Jun looked at the visiting cards and said helplessly, "It's not quiet here either."
Sun smiled and said, "It's rare for the prince to come here. It's indeed time to see him. I will go back to Qixia Garden and wait."
Sima Jun didn't comment and just smiled.
Sun Wei didn't understand what he meant at the time, but she felt his expression was not simple. It wasn't until two hours later, when she heard that those seeking to see Sima Jun were still blocking the palace gates, that she realized that the thick stack of invitations might not be the whole thing.
Sima Jun was leaving tomorrow, but now it seemed that even if he worked all night, he might not be able to meet all the guests by tomorrow.
"They all heard that the prince was leaving tomorrow, so they were desperate to see him. I went to Lijing Pavilion to inquire, and Chief Steward Yu said that the prince might not be able to leave today."
Sun Wei frowned and said, "Go to Lijing Garden and tell them that I have fainted and ask the prince to come over."
A'ru was both amused and confused: "Does the princess want to be like Su Daji?"
Sun Wei looked at her and asked, "Do you know how Bigan died?"
Aju stuck out her tongue and walked out while muttering, "What are you talking about on New Year's Day?"
But before she even walked out the door, the palace maid reported that Sima Jun had returned.
Sun Wei hurried out to see.
Sima Jun's figure appeared at the palace gate. The snow was white, and his red robe contrasted with the bright sun after the snow, seeming to illuminate all directions.
"I heard that there are a lot of guests outside. Why did the prince come back?" Sun Wei stepped forward and asked.
"I've already met the important guests. Fu Changshi and the others will handle the rest," Sima Jun said. "Madam, don't you have something important to tell me?"
Sun Wei thought that he knew how to prioritize.
The two sat down in the hall. Sun Wei said, "I once said in a letter that before leaving Xunyang, Lu Qiuyan went to Tingyunxuan to meet a tea doctor. Does your Highness remember?"
"Of course I remember."
"Later, I asked Sima Deng to keep a close eye on Tingyunxuan and the tea doctor. She met someone, and it was none other than Chief Steward Yu."
Sima Jun looked at her for a moment, then asked, "Madam, have you asked Chief Steward Yu about this matter?"
"No," Sun Wei said, "I thought that Steward Yu was an old man in the palace. Even if he had no merit, he had worked hard. Only the prince could judge him. So, I asked the prince to come back because I wanted to ask his opinion. Should we judge Steward Yu or not?"
"No need for trial." Sima Jun said.
"I know that the prince was raised under the care of Chief Steward Yu..."
"It has nothing to do with this," Sima Jun said. "Manager Yu has already been frank with me this morning."
"Oh?" Sun Wei asked in surprise, "What did he say?"
"Manager Yu enjoys tea tasting, and he and the tea master have a mutual appreciation and have always been good friends. During their meeting, the tea master gave Manager Yu a letter."
Sun Wei hurriedly asked, "What's written in the letter?"
Sima Jun said, "Madam, this is evidence of impersonating Mrs. Lu."
Sun Wei looked at Sima Jun and her heart skipped a beat.
She forced herself to remain calm: "What evidence?"
"When the late king was in trouble, Chief Steward Yu was extremely anxious and asked acquaintances in Xunyang City to gather information. The knowledgeable tea doctor was one of them. She often traveled south to buy tea, and happened to find a tea farmer living in Cangwu. She asked the farmer to find the late king's whereabouts. After the late king's body was found, the tea farmer also heard the news and stopped looking. Only recently, the tea farmer heard from the fishermen that Lu was indeed fished out that night, but died not long after. The person who fished Lu out was a woman, and judging by her description, it seems to be the lady."
Hearing this, Sun Wei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Lu Xian wasn't dead, and she wasn't the one who rescued Lu Xian. The story was full of loopholes and was clearly a fabrication.
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