Chapter 241: Jingyun Temple (Part 1)
Sun Wei found it amusing and said, "I'm a widow, and I just want to stay here to retire. Are you actually trying to be a matchmaker for me?"
"Being a widow is so boring," A'ru said. "Your Highness is in her prime. If you could marry someone like Master Yu, you wouldn't have to worry about providing for yourself in your old age. There are widows who remarry. As long as your Highness is willing, it's not impossible."
"Mr. Yu is indeed outstanding, but do I have to fall for him?" Sun Wei looked at A'ru. "You are also a woman, and you are attracted to him?"
"With Master Yu's family background, good looks, and good character, how could anyone not be interested in him?" A'ru said with a smile, no trace of shame on her face. "But I know myself well. He's not someone I can covet. However, I can see that he treats the princess very differently."
"It's just that we share the same interests." Sun Wei said, "In fact, to me, Master Yu is no less than a god in heaven. Whether I become the princess or not, he is absolutely not something I can even dream of."
A'ru looked at her without answering, but suddenly asked, "Princess, have you ever had a man you like since you were a child?"
Sun Wei was stunned for a moment, then said, "No."
"Why?" Aju asked, "Is there no man in this world who can catch your eye?"
"What do you mean by catching my eye?" Sun Wei asked. "Nothing in this world lasts forever. No matter how handsome a man is, after twenty or thirty years, isn't he just an old man? No matter how noble a character is, it may not be able to withstand the wear and tear of the world. For me, being able to settle down and make a living is enough; being a man is not necessary."
A'ru looked at her blankly and said, "Princess, you speak as if you have lived several lifetimes."
Sun Wei thought, it’s not that many lifetimes, just two.
She continued, "I'm telling you about Master Yu, not to discuss important matters in your life, but to inform you that I want to meet Master Yu on the eighth day of the first lunar month."
——
On the morning of the eighth day of the first lunar month, Sima Jun ordered Deng Lian to escort Sun Wei to Jingyun Temple.
Before leaving, Sun Wei asked again, "Sir, are you really not going with me?"
Sima Jun said, "It would be fine for me to go, but the Crown Prince has summoned me, so I'm not free. Madam, please go by yourself."
This is the best.
Sun Wei thought to himself and smiled: "This is such a pity."
After the carriage started moving, A'ru said, "These past few days, the Madam and the Crown Prince have been speaking in a rather hypocritically polite manner."
"Really?" Sun Wei asked, "When have I ever been rude to the prince?"
Aju laughed dryly and didn't answer.
Sima Jun watched Sun Wei leave and then went to the Eastern Palace.
He was indeed summoned by the prince today and had to go to the palace.
As expected, the prince talked to him straight to the point about marriage.
"I know you don't like to hear it, but this matter is extraordinary. I urge you to accept it."
Sima Jun didn't comment, only asking, "Has the wedding date for the Crown Prince and Wang Yao been set?"
"It's scheduled for next March, why are you bringing this up?"
"The Queen Mother nags me in the palace, and my wife nags me when I return home. The Crown Prince was also forced to agree to this marriage, so you should know how unhappy I am. I beg the Crown Prince to show mercy and let me go."
The prince was quite interested. "So, the princess also agrees with this? When did she stand with the queen mother?"
Sima Jun said coldly, "Perhaps she is afraid that if I don't marry Wang's daughter, I will have no future and no one to support me in my old age."
The prince couldn't help but smile: "It's interesting that the princess has such magical talents, but she only plans to take care of her old age."
Sima Jun declined to comment.
"I've already told you what I should have said last time. But since Grandmother is urging me, I have no choice but to urge you as well," the Crown Prince said patiently. "Don't be so decisive. Think it over carefully. Since everyone around you is trying to persuade you, they naturally won't harm you. Going against your family, what good will that bring? You said I was forced to accept this marriage, and that's true. But now it seems it's not entirely without benefits. Since I gritted my teeth and agreed, not only have I been able to keep my ears clean, but I've also been less constrained in my work. Think about it carefully. I'm going to get married anyway, so what difference does it make to whom I marry? Even if I have other options in mind, thinking about how the late Crown Princess died, I can't bear it. Think more about the benefits, and I'll feel more at ease."
Seeing Sima Jun remained silent, the Crown Prince patted him on the shoulder and said, "But if we take a step back, we can kill two birds with one stone. Why not?"
Sima Jun took a sip of tea and asked, "Your Highness summoned me to the palace today just for this matter?"
"Of course not," the prince said. "I told you last time that I wanted Yu Yi to come to court. I've summoned him today to hear his opinion. I summoned you here so you can help persuade him. Yu Yi seems to have a wide circle of friends, but his temperament is actually very cold. He doesn't have any deep or loyal friends, and he doesn't easily listen to others' advice. But I can see that he respects you very much, so perhaps he will listen to your words."
"That may not be the case. Bo You and I are just casual acquaintances." Sima Jun said.
The prince laughed and said, "Don't try to hide this from me. I heard that it was you who took Yu Yi down from Hengshan. You know how to deal with him."
Sima Jun asked, "Even if he agrees to enter the court, where does Your Highness intend to assign him?"
"Since then, I have been an aide to the Eastern Palace."
Sima Jun thought for a moment and said, "Given the friendship between Your Highness and Bo You, Bo You will always be able to offer advice to the Crown Prince no matter what position he holds. If we deliberately keep him on the staff, it would be a waste. It would be better to find another place for him, preferably within the inner court."
The prince nodded: "That makes sense. I'll listen to what he has to say."
As he was speaking, the chief eunuch, Zhao Tong, came in and reported, "Your Highness, the person who went to the Yu residence to summon him has returned and said that Master Yu is not at home."
"Oh?" The prince was a little surprised. "Isn't he injured? Why isn't he at home?"
Zhao Tong replied, "The steward of the Yu residence said that Master Yu is a man who can't sit still. He heard that the chrysanthemums at Qingwei Terrace at the foot of Dongshan Mountain are in full bloom, so he went there today to admire them."
"I see." The prince smiled helplessly and said to Sima Jun, "How could I have forgotten that he is a person who can't sit still? I should have told him earlier."
Sima Jun didn't know what he was thinking, and only then did he come to his senses.
"His leg injury has healed a lot, so it's fine for him to go out," Sima Jun said. "If he had the luxury of being idle, he wouldn't be traveling around and not coming back for years."
The prince nodded and said, "In that case, we'll have to summon him another day."
The two talked for a while, and then Sima Jun said he had something to do and left.
"Is the prince returning home?" Yin Wen asked after leaving the East Palace.
Sima Jun asked, "I remember it was at Jingyun Temple, or at Dongshan?"
"That's right," Yin Wen said, "My mother goes there often."
Sima Jun immediately mounted his horse and said, "Let's go to Dongshan."
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