Chapter 197: Drinking Medicine
Sima Jun looked indifferent and did not answer.
He handed a bowl of medicine to Sun Wei: "The doctor said that after Madam wakes up, she should take the medicine first and then eat."
Sun Wei took a look at the medicine and immediately smelled a familiar medicinal scent, and couldn't help but frowned.
This is a Lingnan recipe specifically for treating wind-cold and fever. She'd been drinking it since she was little, and she hated it. She hadn't touched it in two lifetimes since she went to Jiankang, and had almost forgotten about it. She hadn't expected to drink it for the first time since returning.
Sima Jun looked at her with a frown, and drank the medicine in one breath as if he was going to die, and the corner of his mouth twitched.
"I didn't go to the brothel. I only summoned Haitang to question her," he said. "The bandit leader, Zhu Ah Shen, isn't here. Perhaps he's been thwarted and, fearing capture, he's slipped away. Deng Lian sent a message saying he's found Ah Ru and wants to accompany her to the South China Sea. I've already agreed."
"Going to the South China Sea?" Sun Wei was puzzled. "We were all going to the South China Sea, why did she go there first?"
"According to Deng Lian's letter, on the night of the attack on Dayuling, A'ru encountered Xian Rong, the son of General Ning's former subordinate. Xian Rong, accompanied by a few others, remained on the dry shore, seemingly separate from Zhu A'shen. Seeing his movements suspicious, A'ru tracked him all the way to the South China Sea. They speculated that Zhu A'shen was merely a thug, and the mastermind behind the scenes was likely Xian Rong."
Sun Wei pondered and shook his head.
"Your Highness shouldn't have agreed to this," she said. "The depth of Nanhai County is unknown. They are traveling from a foreign land, alone. If anything were to happen, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to handle it."
"This matter concerns A'ru's father, how could she stand by and watch?" Sima Jun disagreed. "Madam must have kept her by her side because she knew her abilities. She was born in Guangzhou and knows this place far better than you and I do. I've noticed that she's usually very alert and not a reckless fool. What's more, she's going to the South Sea with Deng Lian. He's the Sima of the royal palace. If anything goes wrong, she can just reveal her identity and no one will dare to touch them."
Sun Wei looked at him and said, "I guess everything was arranged before the prince came to tell me?"
"As the commander-in-chief, I must consider everything." Sima Jun's voice was still calm, but it was full of arrogance.
After that, he brought another bowl of medicine to Sun Wei: "This is another dose, also take before meals."
Sun Wei: “…”
"Madam, instead of worrying about Aru, you should worry about yourself and recover from your illness."
Sun Wei didn't even look at the medicine and continued, "How does the prince plan to deal with that bandit leader Zhu A Shen?"
"No need to clean up for now." Sima Jun stirred the medicine bowl with a spoon and let it cool down. "I told the woman named Haitang that I knew where Zhu A Shen was and would set out to suppress the bandits soon. Zhu A Shen should have known by now."
"Suppressing bandits?" Sun Wei asked. "That's Guangzhou Prefecture's business. Why would the Crown Prince waste his own troops on Liu Ke's behalf?"
"This is just a bluff, testing the waters to see how the other side responds. We've come a long way to get here, and many of our soldiers are injured and sick. We need a few days of rest. Once we're better, we'll head to Nanhai County."
Sun Wei had no idea how injured other people were, but he himself was definitely sick.
She looked at the medicine bowl, said nothing, picked it up, and drank it in one gulp.
This medicine is even harder to drink than the previous one. Sun Wei was frowning with bitterness when she saw Sima Jun handing her a glass of water. She quickly took it and gulped it down.
Sima Jun called the maid and asked her to serve the meal.
"If we don't take action soon, will the bandits come to cause trouble?" Sun Wei finally came to his senses and thought of another question.
"That's perfect," Sima Jun said, "It saves me from having to go looking for them."
Guessing what Sun Wei was about to say, he said calmly, "This is the seat of Shixing County. The guards sent by the county magistrate are outside. He is an official of the imperial court and would not dare to let anything happen to me on his territory."
Sun Wei understood and felt relieved.
"Are you relieved?" Sima Jun looked at her.
Sun Wei immediately said seriously, "Why am I not at ease? I have never doubted the prince."
Sima Jun was about to speak when there was a knock on the door. It was the maid bringing food to Sun Wei.
The maids here are all locals. Their Mandarin accent is difficult to discern, but the food they cook is delicious.
Sun Wei took a bite and immediately felt her appetite whetted. She realized that she was really hungry, so she devoured the food.
The maid watched from the side, quite pleased. Later, she was even more surprised to find that Sun Wei could speak the local dialect.
"Is Madam feeling better?" the maid asked with a smile while clearing the dishes.
Sun Wei said kindly, "It's gotten much better now."
"That's good," the maid sighed. "Since Madam's illness, Alang has been so worried that he can't rest. He's personally involved in everything and couldn't be more considerate. Madam is so lucky to have married such a man like Alang!"
Sun Wei was stunned.
She glanced at Sima Jun.
Sima Jun noticed it and looked at her with a confused expression.
"Thank you for the compliment." Sun Wei said vaguely to the maid and sent her away.
After the maid left, Sun Wei looked at Sima Jun.
"Just now this maid said that the prince is my husband."
Sima Jun's eyes flickered, and he immediately said, "I never said that. Shixing City is a mixed bag, and since we've arrived in someone else's territory, we should hide our identities. These servants were hired by Xie Xiao, and they just thought we were a family doing business here. The maid's statement was just their own speculation."
Sun Wei was about to say something else when Sima Jun changed his tone and asked, "Was what Madam and the maid just saying in the local dialect?"
"Exactly."
Sima Jun was intrigued. "They say customs vary from place to place, and even from place to place. Madam, you're from Cangwu, but your accent is exactly the same as the people around Guangzhou."
Sun Wei thought that she had indeed been careless. She had always considered Lingnan to be a blanket term for outsiders like Sima Jun, regardless of region. But she hadn't expected Sima Jun to be so attentive, even picking up on the tones.
"They're not exactly the same. There are some differences." Sun Wei replied calmly, "Cangwu is where the eastern and western waterways converge, and people from all over the world live together. It's not surprising that everyone can speak several dialects. When the prince arrives there in the future, he will understand."
Sima Jun nodded: "I see."
Sun Wei didn't intend to talk to him any more, so she said, "Your Highness, you have worked hard. Now that I am fine, it's time for you to go and rest."
Sima Jun did not move.
"The doctor also prescribed some medicine, saying that it must be taken regularly after Madam wakes up."
"I will take it myself."
Sima Jun glanced at her: "Really?"
Sun Wei knew, of course not.
Whether in her past life or this life, she hated taking medicine the most. In the past, when she was sick, as long as no one was watching her take the medicine, she would put it off as long as possible.
If Sima Jun hadn't forced her, she wouldn't have drunk the two bowls just now.
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