Chapter 173 Under the Tree
At this time, the eunuchs and palace maids had already arrived under the peach tree and were calling the two of them over to choose.
Wang Xuanji walked over, surveyed the peach trees, and instructed everyone to chop down a few branches that were in good bloom. She had been incredibly thoughtful, designing branches of varying sizes and lengths to fit into a variety of containers.
"Your Highness is truly thoughtful," a eunuch praised with a smile, "The Queen Mother will surely like it."
Wang Xuanji curled the corners of her lips and looked at Sima Jun again.
I saw him standing by, not knowing whether he was admiring the flowers or thinking about something.
"Today the Queen Mother wanted to facilitate our marriage, but the Crown Prince refused. The Crown Prince doesn't like me, right?" Wang Xuanji suddenly said as they walked back.
Sima Jun did not deny it.
"I'm not familiar with the Queen," Sima Jun said. "The current war is protracted, and will last at least a year or two. After that, there are many matters to deal with. I have no plans to get married yet, and I don't want to delay the Queen. I will find a time to speak to the Queen Mother later."
Wang Xuanji said, "But, I have been waiting for the prince for many years."
Sima Jun was surprised.
Wang Xuanji looked at him and said, "I have loved the prince since I was a child. Why not wait a little longer? Not to mention waiting for another year or two, I can even wait for three or four years."
Sima Jun just found it unbelievable.
"The Wang family is the most prominent of the noble families in the world. All the heroes and talents in the world are eager to be affiliated with the Wang family." He said, "Why should the queen be so restricted to one person?"
Wang Xuanji said, "Your Highness is right. There are countless heroes and talents in the world, all vying to be attached to the Wang family, but I only want to marry the one I love."
"How do you know I'm the one you like?"
Wang Xuanji's face turned even redder, and she said, "Of course I know. Ever since I was little, whenever the Crown Prince appeared, I only wanted to look at him. And after he left, not a single day went by without me missing him. Whenever I heard news about him, I was beside myself; but when there was no news about him, I became anxious and restless. If this isn't considered the person I admire, then what is?"
She said so many words in one breath, and her heart was pounding.
Sima Jun pursed his lips and said nothing, his eyes fixed, and no one knew what he was thinking.
Just as Wang Xuanji was about to say something else, Sima Jun suddenly said, "So that's how it is."
Wang Xuanji was stunned: "So that's what it is?"
"Nothing." Sima Jun turned around and said, "My lady and I are not a good match. Please don't waste your best years."
"Why?" Wang Xuanji was dissatisfied. "Doesn't the prince have any affection for me?"
"I must see the Crown Prince, so I'll take my leave now," Sima Jun said. "Please ask your Majesty to apologize to the Queen Mother on my behalf."
Before Wang Xuanji could say anything, he had already bowed and walked quickly towards the East Palace.
——
When the prince heard that Sima Jun had arrived, he knew that he had already reached an agreement with the empress dowager.
"Don't we have to go back to Fanghua Garden today?" asked the prince.
"Not going back." Sima Jun said, "Return to the palace."
After that, he asked the Crown Prince, "I heard that the Crown Prince went to see the Princess yesterday. I wonder how the conversation went?"
The prince said, "It has not been finalized yet."
"Why? Doesn't she want Wang Zhi to win the battle?"
"It's not that I don't want to, but it's really difficult to bring it up with the Queen Mother. However, the Princess said she has a plan. As long as the Queen Mother is pleased today, I can mention it to her," the Crown Prince said. "She has already gone to the palace and will give me news soon."
Sima Jun asked suspiciously, "The Princess said today?"
"Exactly." He observed Sima Jun's expression and asked, "Didn't you happen to apologize to the Queen Mother today? Could it be that this is what she said would please the Queen Mother?"
Sima Jun sneered.
"It's something else," he said. "The Queen Mother wants me to accept her marriage to Wang Xuanji."
The prince looked surprised.
"You accepted it?"
“No.”
"You blockhead." The prince shook his head. "Didn't I tell you not to go against the Wang family? Wang Xuanji is Wang Yao's biological sister. If you accept, not only will we be cousins, but we will also be brothers-in-law in the future, making us even closer."
Sima Jun disagreed.
The prince said, "Even if you don't accept it today, you must accept it tomorrow. The Queen Mother will not let you go."
"Then just wait until tomorrow." Sima Juan said lightly.
The prince glared at him and asked, "Did you see Wang Xuanji today?"
"Yes."
"What do you think? I heard she's a real beauty."
"Nothing." Sima Jun said, "I don't have any romantic feelings for her."
"Love between a man and a woman?" The prince laughed twice. "That thing exists wherever you are, but it's thinner than paper and will break at the slightest touch. What I fear most is that the person beside you will never be able to enter your heart, and that you will be strangers in this life, like living with a ghost."
Sima Jun looked at him strangely, "How does Your Highness know so much?"
"My father and mother are like this, and so are the former Crown Princess and I." The Crown Prince laughed at himself, "Who knows better than me?"
After that, he advised, "Don't be discouraged. This is just based on experience. Maybe you'll be lucky, and Wang Xuanji might be your destined one."
The destined person?
——If this is not the person I admire, then what is?
Sima Jun thought again of what Wang Xuanji had just said.
"In that case, the success of the princess's plan depends on whether I accept the marriage proposal?" He thought for a moment and asked again.
"Needless to say?" The Crown Prince was very disappointed. "If you agree to the marriage, you will be related to the Wang family. The Princess will do her best to help you."
Sima Jun said nothing.
"What? Do you regret it?" asked the prince.
Sima Jun shook his head.
"Your Highness, do you think that if I don't agree, the Princess will give up Wang Zhi?"
The prince was stunned: "What do you mean..."
"The Princess has always been calculating and adept at using her bargaining chips to drive a bargain," Sima Jun said. "This marriage is just a bonus to her asking price. If your Highness sees fit, this will definitely happen."
The prince was both amused and confused.
"What if it doesn't work?"
"If that doesn't work, then let Wang Zhi fend for himself. I'll find a way to get Lu back to the capital."
The prince scoffed, "It has come to this. How could I fail in vain? You don't have to worry about this matter. Just wait for the news."
Sima Jun looked at the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness seems to really want Lu to go to Wu Commandery."
The prince said, "It's all for the best possible outcome. The princess is an expert in divination, so it's always better to have her accompany us."
Sima Jun said, "Your Highness, haven't you noticed that Madam's divinations are becoming less and less accurate? I've been missing for a month, and not only did she fail to predict it, she finally discovered the truth only after interrogating me. Madam's divination skills are sometimes effective and sometimes not. Your Highness should not trust them."
The prince pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you remember when the princess last divined for you?"
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