Chapter 21: Marrying a Wife
"Is it because of Cui's matter?"
Sun Wei asked.
There is something stuck in my heart, and I can't tell whether it is annoyance or sadness.
"That's not all." Sima Jun looked at her with a serious expression, "Get ready quickly, don't delay."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Sun Wei looked at his figure, her whole body cold.
Sima Jun's departure was another long journey.
Sun Wei knew that he would keep his word, and she was disheartened, so she just sent the people around her and her family to pack their bags.
Soon after arriving in Xunyang City in Jiangzhou, Sun Wei heard that something big had happened in the capital.
The newly crowned emperor was poisoned in the palace!
He first fell into a coma, then awoke like a lunatic. When the new emperor was still the crown prince, he was praised by the Grand Tutor as having a mind as clear as a mirror, and the entire court, both civil and military, placed high hopes on him as a virtuous ruler. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he had become incapable of self-care and idiotic. This was a catastrophic disaster for the Sima family.
It was said that Sima Jun had been summoned to the palace to serve as a physician. The situation in the court was precarious, with various reports suggesting that chaos was imminent.
Sun Wei learned from the Chief Secretary Ruan Hui that after the new emperor was poisoned, the government fell into the hands of the powerful minister Wang Han.
Sun Wei had a wide circle of friends and, having spent so long in the capital, he also knew a lot of the court's confidential inside information.
She frowned and said, "Wang Han is not a good man. He is in charge of the palace guards. Your Highness is going here, ostensibly by imperial decree, but how do you know it's not a Hongmen Banquet set up by Wang Han?"
Ruan Hui replied, "Don't worry, Princess. Your Highness will handle the situation. Just now, news arrived from the capital that Your Highness has quelled the unrest there. Although His Majesty is still unable to govern, the situation is stable."
However, Sun Wei vaguely realized that the stability was only temporary and turmoil might be yet to come.
Sima Jun sending her and her parents to Jiangzhou wasn't entirely a bad thing. After much deliberation, Sun Wei decided to first send them back to Anning City in the southern border. She could then bring them back once things were settled here.
As for her.
Although Sima Jun sent her here, he did not explicitly divorce her.
As long as he continues to fight, she will be the Princess of Yuzhang. She will not be a spineless deserter who is afraid before the battle.
The family members were unaware of the affair between Sun Wei and Sima Jun. However, given the circumstances, they could all guess what was going on even without being told.
The father looked worried and the mother kept wiping away her tears. She pulled Sun Wei aside and asked her indirectly what she planned to do.
His younger brother, Sun Qiao, however, showed no sign of worry. Instead, he said with a smile, "Father and Mother, don't you see what's happening in Jiankang City? Everyone is in a state of panic. Anyone with some wealth is thinking of ways to escape. Wouldn't it be great if we could leave? In my opinion, even if we don't come back in the future, it's not a bad thing at all. Anning may be remote, but it's a safe place, a hundred times better than Jiankang and Xunyang."
With her brother's company, Sun Wei felt much more at ease.
In this way, Sun Wei personally took his parents and family on the ship heading south.
Afterwards, she stayed alone in the Yuzhang Palace, still gambling her precarious future with the dignity of Yuzhang Princess.
As Sun Wei expected, after his family left, the political situation in the court became increasingly turbulent and unpredictable.
Ever since the new emperor was poisoned and ill, unable to govern, disputes have been brewing in the capital.
There are four forces vying for power at the moment.
The troops under Sima Jun's command were inherited from the private troops left by the old Prince of Yuzhang in Jiangzhou. After being managed by him over the years, they have become the leader of the royal family's guards.
The other three forces were the capital guards led by Wang Han, the Northern Palace Army led by Cui Pan, and the Jingzhou Army led by Luqiu Yan.
None of these four factions submitted to the other. However, Sima Jun, born into the royal family, held the reputation of legitimacy, temporarily holding the upper hand over the other three. Many said that the Sima family's last hope for dominance lay in Sima Jun.
Even though Sun Wei was in Xunyang, far away from the capital, he could feel the tension of the situation.
The country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and the new emperor is unable to govern the country. The chaos in the capital has spread everywhere.
Rebellions broke out in every state and county.
Every day, Sun Wei went to the Changshi Mansion in Xunyang to check the memorial documents. The messengers who delivered the letters came in a stream. Every time he checked, he saw news about where and who had rebelled, and how the government was in urgent need of help.
What she cared about most was actually Sima Jun in the capital.
After all, his safety, success or failure also concerns Sun Wei himself.
Every time Sun Wei visited the Chief Secretary's residence, he felt a pang of anxiety, fearing he might witness something unfavorable. But as Chief Secretary Ruan Hui had said, Sima Jun was remarkably stable. He maintained his position in the capital under the guise of serving the emperor, and no matter how much turmoil outside, he remained unmoved.
Three months later, under Sima Jun's measures, the unrest in various places gradually subsided.
Sun Wei felt that her heart, which had been hanging in the air, could finally be relieved.
But at this moment, the bad news about An Ning came.
Anning was part of Gaoliang Commandery, under the jurisdiction of Guangzhou. The governors of the surrounding Jinkang, Xinning, and Nanhai Commanderies each mobilized their own forces. Guangzhou City burned to ruins, and Anning City was also affected. Sun Wei's parents and younger brother, Sun Qiao, all perished in the chaos.
When Sun Wei saw the obituary sent over there, he felt dizzy, his mind went blank, and then he lost consciousness.
When he woke up, Sun Wei saw his cousin Sun Zhi who came to visit him.
He was dressed in mourning clothes, looking at her with great affection, and said, "Now that things have come to this, sister, please accept my condolences and take care of yourself. Although uncle, aunt, and Brother Qiao are gone, you still have me as your brother. No matter what happens in the future, I will help you and will never let your uncle and aunt down!"
Sun Wei looked at him and finally burst into tears.
Shortly after Sun Zhi left, Chief Secretary Ruan Hui arrived.
He looked solemn. He first expressed his condolences to Sun Wei and said many words of comfort. After that, he did not leave.
Although Sun Wei was in great sorrow, he was still clear-headed and realized that this was an important matter.
"If the Chief Secretary has anything else to say, please feel free to speak up," said Sun Wei.
Ruan Hui bowed to her and said, "News has come from the capital, and I have come to report it."
"What news?"
"Wang Han has formed an alliance with Lüqiu Yan, and Lüqiu Yan's Jingzhou army is approaching the capital."
Sun Wei's heart tightened.
Sima Jun, Lü Qiuyan, Cui Pan, and Wang Han. These four forces are competing. Any alliance between any two sides will upset the balance and gain a chance of winning.
If Wang Han formed an alliance with Luqiu Yan, then Sima Jun and Cui Pan would be in danger.
"Besides that, I have something to say to the princess," Ruan replied.
"What?"
"The princess is a person with insight into all things. She knows the current situation. Wang Han and Lu Qiuyan have already joined forces. If they revolt, not only Your Highness, but also the princess herself will be in trouble. If Your Highness wishes to resist, he can only form an alliance with Cui Pan. The best way is to renew their previous engagement and become a lifelong lover."
Sun Wei looked at him, her heart feeling as if it was falling into the void.
"General Cui Pan, has he also arrived in the capital?" she asked after a while.
"General Cui has not yet arrived in the capital," Ruan replied, "but he has sent someone to the capital to discuss matters with Your Highness."
Ruan Hui, a well-known advisor to Sima Jun, was known for his intelligence. Sun Wei knew that Ruan Hui had been the one who had strongly advocated for Sima Jun's engagement to Cui Mi. Even after Cui Mi eloped, Ruan Hui still urged Sima Jun to choose another woman from Cui Mi's family.
Since her separation from Jiekong, Cui Mi has returned to the Cui family. The Cui family has written off the scandal. Now, she is a young lady waiting to be married again.
Sima Jun and Cui Pan were old friends. If the two formed an alliance through marriage, it would be a natural outcome with only benefits and no harm.
The only obstacle is Sun Wei, the Princess of Yuzhang.
After all, they still came to this point.
"I understand." Sun Wei said calmly, "Don't worry, Chief Secretary. I will ask for the bride myself."
Ruan looked back at her, seeming relieved.
He bowed to her again and said, "Princess, you are very wise and righteous. We admire you deeply."
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