Chapter 159 Secret
Chu Yue looked surprised.
"The Crown Prince?" He thought for a moment. "Since General Huan took over as Inspector, he's been in charge of all military and political affairs in Jingzhou. The Crown Prince has been busy these past two days with the deployment of these 20,000 troops."
After saying that, he looked at Sun Wei and asked, "Why do you ask this, Princess?"
Sun Wei pondered for a moment and smiled: "Just asking, nothing serious."
In the evening, a group of ships docked at the riverside, lit fires and set up camp.
Sima Jun was looking around when he suddenly saw Chu Yue walking towards him.
"You are the prince. Why do you need to personally inspect trivial matters such as making fire and cooking?" Chu Yue said.
Sima Jun said, "Even if it's just a trivial matter, we must not neglect it. Ships are most vulnerable to attack when they are docked."
"Yes, yes, you've thought it through." Chu Yue said, "You should go back to the boat. I'll patrol for you."
Sima Jun looked him over.
"Don't you have anything to say?"
"Nothing," Chu Yue said. "I just remembered that the princess asked me a while ago, saying that you've been so busy these past two days that you haven't been around. She sounded a little worried. Haven't you paid her respects in a while? It's better to talk more when you have some free time. A stepson is still a son, and proper etiquette should be observed."
Sima Jun was stunned for a moment and frowned.
"Deng Lian." He turned around and called out.
Deng Lian responded and walked over.
"Go tell the boat that General Chu will not sleep in the boathouse tonight, but in the wild."
Chu Yue: “…”
He hates sleeping outdoors.
After Sima Jun gave his order, he looked at Chu Yue who was standing there.
"Didn't you say you were going to patrol?" he said, "Why aren't you following?"
In the wilderness, trees were sparse. A setting sun hung low in the sky, and as far as the eye could see, the sky and the earth were all bathed in the glow of the sunset.
Chu Yue and Sima Jun walked along the water's edge, grabbed a handful of stones, and skipped them across the water as they went.
"You have one too." He handed it to Sima Jun.
Sima Jun ignored it and lost interest.
"Are you worried about something?" Chu Yue asked. "You seem depressed, like you've been grieving."
Sima Jun looked at the setting sun in the sky. After a while, he suddenly said, "Zhuo Jing, if there is a place you know you can't go to, but you still insist on going, why is it?"
"You go to the mountain of tigers even though you know there are tigers there?" Chu Yue said with a smile, "Because there are gold, silver and treasures there."
"That's not right." Sima Jun said, "You're not short of money."
Chu Yue thought for a moment and said, "So, there must be someone I hate deeply, someone I wish I could tear apart and eat; or someone I love deeply, someone I want to protect wholeheartedly."
After saying this, Chu Yue seemed to understand something and looked at Sima Jun in shock.
"Do you have someone in your heart?"
Sima Jun stared at him intently, as if thinking about something.
Chu Yue was a little excited: "You..."
"What nonsense!" Sima Jun interrupted, "I'm asking you."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Chu Yue was stunned and asked, "Where are you going?"
"Go back to the boat." Sima Juan said calmly, "Didn't you say you would patrol for me?"
Chu Yue: “…”
——
In the boathouse, the servants brought in food and placed it on the table one by one.
Sun Wei sat down at the table and was about to have his meal when he suddenly heard someone announce that Sima Jun had arrived.
Sima Jun?
Sun Wei was a little surprised. When she looked up, she saw Sima Jun appear at the door.
"Why is the prince here?" she asked in surprise, "Has the prince had his meal yet?"
"I'll dine with General Chu," Sima Jun said, then placed a lacquer box he had brought in front of Sun Wei, saying, "I've been very busy these past few days and haven't been able to greet Madam. This is for Madam."
Sun Wei looked at the lacquer box and saw that it was inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and it looked like a treasure box for jewelry.
When I opened it, I found that it was indeed jewelry: a pair of lustrous white jade bracelets.
"This is……"
"Today is my wife's birthday, and this is a gift." Sima Jun said.
Sun Wei: “…”
Only then did she remember that today was indeed Lu Xian's birthday.
Sima Jun looked at her: "Madam, you don't remember again?"
"Who said I don't remember?" Sun Wei said calmly, "It's just that I'm serving in a foreign post and I'm in mourning. I don't intend to show off."
Sima Jun said, "Originally, we planned to celebrate Madam's birthday in the palace, but unfortunately, we couldn't make it back in time. This jade bracelet was hastily prepared, but Madam doesn't like it..."
"Of course I don't like it." Sun Wei said, "I am very grateful for your kindness, Your Highness. Thank you very much, Your Highness."
The candles had been lit in the boat house, and the eyes reflected the candlelight, with a layer of gentle light floating on them.
Sima Jun said "hmm" and turned to look out the window.
"I met Lu Qiuyan two days ago," he said suddenly.
Sun Wei said: "Oh? What did he say?"
"Madam, you're right," Sima Jun said. "Lü Qiuyan is a man who surpasses others in both cunning and cunning. He's particularly adept at manipulating people's hearts."
This made Sun Wei quite interested.
"How do you mean?"
"He said he brought his wife to Jingzhou to lure me into attacking the city. As long as his wife is with me, I will definitely attack."
Sun Wei was stunned.
Sima Jun's expression and tone were calm.
The two of them were more than ten feet apart. The candlelight flickered on his face, but it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
My heart seemed to be pulled by something, and it was beating unsteadily.
"Oh?" Sun Wei said, "Lü Qiuyan's words have ulterior motives."
Sima Jun said, "I think he is right."
Sun Wei's gaze froze.
She looked at him and felt her heart beating faster.
"What do you mean?" she heard herself ask, her voice still calm.
"I've been wondering what kind of person Madam is to me," Sima Jun said slowly. "Madam once said that you're my military advisor and also family. I never really thought about it before, but now, after hearing what Lu Qiuyan said, it seems so fitting. My father once said that family is the only one worth risking one's life to protect."
He stared at Sun Wei with a gleaming gaze. "As far as I'm concerned, calling Madam my sister is fine. Does Madam feel offended?"
Sun Wei opened his mouth and felt his heartbeat slowly calm down.
"Your Highness, you're worrying too much." She laughed dryly, "Your Highness and I are not much different in age, so why would you say I'm being offensive?"
After that, she asked, "Is this what you came here to talk about, Prince?"
"That's right," Sima Jun said. "I've said before, I have no secrets from Madam. There are many things we cannot control, no matter what outsiders say. All we can do is be clear-headed and self-aware, and have no suspicions of each other."
Sun Wei sneered.
"I am very pleased that the prince is so frank," she said.
Sima Jun said nothing and stood up from his seat.
"Madam, please have your meal. I will go to the camp," he said. "If there is anything, please send someone to inform me."
Sun Wei agreed and stood up to salute.
As I walked out of the boat house, the cold night wind, carrying the smell of cooking smoke, blew towards me.
Sima Jun took a deep breath and felt the faint heat on his face finally gone away.
——"The prince has a special affection for the princess."
Lu Qiuyan’s words are still ringing in my ears.
Once the secret is told, there are no more secrets.
A voice in my heart said.
You don't have to think too much.
You don’t have to think about it anymore in the future.
He took another deep breath, and the cold wind penetrated his chest, as if it could wash away all the chaos.
Then he turned and left, walking as fast as the wind as if he wanted to put behind him all the distracting thoughts of the past few days.
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