Chapter 243: Jingyun Temple (Part 2)
Ms. Fang is in her thirties, well-maintained and graceful.
After greeting, she smiled warmly and said to Sun Wei, "I just told the prince that the princess might not have been here before, and sent someone to meet her on the road. The prince said it was not necessary, that the road was bumpy and the carriage was moving slowly, and that the princess would be here soon. Just as he said it would be soon, the princess arrived as expected."
Sun Wei withdrew his gaze from Sima Jun, smiled, and said, "My dear Madam, I've kept you waiting for a long time."
"Your Highness, what are you talking about? I've only just arrived." Fang said as she welcomed Sun Wei into the hall. "The Princess sent someone to say that only the Princess was coming. Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince has also arrived, and even arrived before the Princess."
"I'm also surprised." Sun Wei glanced at Sima Jun. "Didn't the prince say he was going to the Eastern Palace today?"
Sima Jun had just stood up slowly and saluted, but now he had sat down again.
"Today, the Crown Prince summoned Boyou and me unexpectedly, but Boyou wasn't home. I sat in the East Palace for a while, and then I thought I really needed to go to this temple to fulfill my vow, so I came here. Unexpectedly, I was even a few steps ahead of Madam."
Fulfill a vow.
Sun Wei thought, even lying is so perfunctory. He never bothered to worship Buddha or gods, so what wish was there?
"I see," Sun Wei nodded, and said, "Speaking of Master Yu, I did run into him on the road just now. He was on his way to Qingwei Terrace to admire the chrysanthemums, and he seemed completely unaware that the Crown Prince had summoned him."
"The Crown Prince didn't know how important the chrysanthemums at Qingwei Terrace were, so he actually let Boyou go there despite his illness. The eunuch who summoned him arrived a step too late, and he missed Boyou."
His words seemed to have a different meaning.
Sun Wei glanced at him and nodded: "I see."
As they were talking, the monk served tea, and Fang joined in the conversation. "So the princess actually met Master Yu? Ever since he returned, everyone in Jiankang has been talking about him. It's said that the Yu residence is so crowded with people seeking to see him every day that even a single visit is difficult."
Sun Wei said, "Master Yu followed us back to the capital, but I haven't seen him since. I never thought I'd meet him by chance this time."
Fang smiled and agreed, "If that's the case, it's all fate. Very few people can be friends with Master Yu. The princess and the prince are truly enviable."
Sun Wei was about to speak when Sima Jun said, "I wonder when this Buddhist ceremony will be arranged?"
Fang quickly replied, "Tomorrow morning. Today, the princess and I will be copying scriptures and fasting here. During the evening service, we will recite scriptures with the monks. Tomorrow morning, we will fast, bathe, make vows, and pray for blessings, and then everything will be complete."
Sima Jun was stunned for a moment.
"So, you want to stay in this temple for one night?"
"That's right." After Sun Wei finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and said to Fang, "Now that the prince has arrived, I wonder if there are any vacancies in the abode here?"
Fang smiled and said, "That's not difficult. Just tell them to prepare."
But then Sima Jun said, "I will go back home later and will not stay here overnight."
Fang looked surprised.
Sun Wei was not surprised at all.
Sima Jun had no interest in ceremonies like these, whether in his past life or this one. Furthermore, documents from the Jiangzhou camp were delivered to the palace every day, and he had to go back and deal with them as soon as he left in the morning.
As for the purpose of his sudden coming here, Sun Wei also had the answer in his mind.
He must have thought that she would collude with Fang and find ways to finalize the marriage. He came here in person to warn her not to be so self-righteous.
Of course, his trip was in vain.
She would definitely do that.
"The temple has prepared vegetarian food. It would be better for the prince to have the vegetarian meal first before going back." Sun Wei said.
"No need." Sima Jun stood up and said, "My wife just said that Yu Boyou went to Qingwei Terrace. I haven't seen him for many days, so today is a good time to go and see him."
Sun Wei was stunned for a moment, her eyes meeting Sima Jun's dark eyes.
"The prince is truly a man who values friendship and loyalty." Fang sighed.
Sun Wei curled her lips and said, "That's right." After that, she calmly said to Sima Jun, "It's getting late. The prince wants to see Master Yu, so he needs to go early. If he's late, he'll go back home, and we'll miss him again."
Sima Jun nodded: "Madam, what you said makes sense."
He looked at her deeply, said his goodbyes, and turned away.
After leaving the yard, Sima Jun called Deng Lian and asked him what Sun Wei and Yu Yi had talked about.
"I don't know," Deng Lian said awkwardly. "The princess gave me a meal and asked me to take everyone to eat. The door to the private room was open and there were servants waiting, but I wasn't there, so I can't know."
"Where's Aru?"
"Aju is also having dinner outside."
Sima Jun pondered for a moment and nodded.
He suddenly asked, "Did you really meet me by chance on the road today?"
"That's right," Deng Lian said. "I ran into one of Master Yu's men in the restaurant and learned he was there too. I then hurried to inform the princess."
——"It's all fate."
Sima Jun suddenly remembered what Fang had said just now.
"Send someone to check who Yu Yi has been seeing these days," Sima Jun said calmly. "I won't be coming tomorrow. You escort the lady back home."
Deng Lian agreed.
Sima Jun left the temple and took Yin Wen down the mountain.
When they reached the fork in the road, Sima Jun looked at the road leading to Qingwei Terrace and pulled the reins.
"Isn't the prince going to Qingwei Terrace?" Yin Wen asked.
"I'm not going." Sima Jun said, "I'm going back home."
——
The temple bells chimed. After Sun Wei and Fang had a chat, he said to Aju, "Bring me my gift."
Aju immediately asked someone to present a sandalwood box. After opening it, she saw some exquisite pearl and jade jewelry inside, which were obviously of great value.
"Last time, I met the Lady in the Empress Dowager's palace. It was quite a rush, and I didn't even have time to prepare a gift. I just happened to make up for it today." Sun Wei said to Fang, "This is just a small gift, please don't despise it."
Fang smiled brightly, chanted a Buddhist chant, and said, "Thank you for the reward, Princess. I'm just an unmarried girl, how can I deserve it?"
"Your Highness is a lady from a noble family. Her every move and gesture embodies the elegance of a noble family. I am truly delighted to see you," Sun Wei said. "Now, I am the only one in the palace, and as a widow, I cannot use such luxurious items. After much thought, I think it is only appropriate to give them to a lady as elegant as your Highness."
Fang was quite satisfied with Sun Wei's praise and asked her maid to accept it.
After thanking her, Fang sighed again.
"I think the princess already knows what the palace is thinking," she said, "but I don't think it's going to happen. That day, Xuanji came back from the palace with the eldest princess, crying and saying she wanted to cancel the marriage, which earned her a scolding from the eldest princess. When I asked, I found out that it was the prince who didn't want to go along, and he even disobeyed the order in front of the empress dowager. I wonder why the prince is like this? Does he look down on Xuanji?"
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