Chapter 28 Discussion
There is something hidden in these words.
When Sima Jun came out of the Eastern Palace, his doubts did not disappear, but became even worse.
He never believed in those weird stories about people having clairvoyance and knowing the will of heaven. He just wanted to understand the origins of the Lu family.
Sima Jun had witnessed the lightning and fire that nearly struck him, but that wasn't enough to convince him. He knew there were people in the world who understood celestial phenomena and could predict the timing of wind, frost, rain, and snow. Lu, a yin-yang practitioner, might understand this, and finding someone who knew how to impersonate Lu wasn't impossible.
If she was pretending, then it was obvious that she was trying to gain the prince's trust.
Who is she and what does she want to do?
Before he left, he ordered Sima Denglian to find several expert investigators to go down to Cangwu to investigate the Lu family's origins. However, the journey was long, and it would probably take more than a month to reach a conclusion. Until then, even if he had suspicions, he could do nothing about her; he could only endure and wait patiently.
Sun Wei was quite modest: "Your Highness, thank you for your kind words."
Sima Jun continued, "When I arrived at Tongwen Hall, I was almost struck by a bolt of lightning. Thinking about this, if Madam hadn't spoken to me before we left, I'm afraid the lightning would have struck me too."
Sun Wei had heard a palace eunuch recount the disaster in detail. The eunuch mentioned that he had been watching the clepsydra at the time and remembered that the last thunderbolt struck at 2:15 a.m. The Prince of Yuzhang's residence was very close to the Eastern Palace. Today, she was watching the time before, fearing something might have happened to Sima Jun. To ensure safety, she stopped him and spoke for a while.
Unexpectedly, Sima Jun noticed the suspicious points.
Of course, he couldn't find anything.
Sun smiled slightly: "This is also a blessing for the prince."
Sima Jun held a teacup in his hand, but had no intention of drinking it. He just looked at her.
"Madam, is this all part of your plan?"
Sun Wei said shamelessly: "I did calculate it, but I blame my lack of academic knowledge for not being able to see it clearly. Otherwise, I should have stopped the prince and not let His Highness enter the palace."
Sima Jun looked at her serious expression with a blank expression.
Previously, Prince Yuzhang was superstitious about ghosts and gods, but it was not written on his face.
As for the Lu in front of him, he kept talking about gods and gods, just like those charlatans who made up stories to cheat people out of money.
Even though he thought Lu might have some real astronomical knowledge, he still considered her a liar. It was a shame she had chosen the Prince of Yuzhang's Palace, and he, the crown prince of Yuzhang, was going to play along with her.
But it's not without benefits.
Mourning is boring, and he can help to relieve the boredom.
If this woman is a traitor, she must have a powerful backer behind her and a big conspiracy. Sima Jun is very interested in finding the culprit and seeing how he dies.
"Madam has done her best. There's no need to be too demanding," Sima Juan said calmly. "Madam just said she was copying the Diamond Sutra. Have you finished?"
"I've copied the first half," Sun Wei said. "But the Queen Mother also instructed that when copying scriptures to pray for the late king, we must copy them several times, and it will be considered complete after 49 days."
Sima Jun knew the empress dowager's temper.
Although Prince Yuzhang's death was an accident, the Queen Mother still couldn't get over it. Although she accepted Lu as her concubine, Prince Yuzhang died on the road just to marry her. Lu was afraid that she would not live an easy life.
Today, the prince did not seem to care about the burned Tongwen Hall, but was very interested in talking about the Lu family with Sima Jun.
After leaving Anle Palace, he said to Sima Jun, "You know the Empress Dowager's temper. Anyone who displeases her will be retaliated a thousandfold. When Concubine Lu came to see her that day, she wanted to have Concubine Lu executed, but it was the Princess who persuaded her, saying that this was your father's beloved and that killing her would only cause him grief in the afterlife. Only then did she give in. Although she acknowledged her as the Concubine at the time, it was just tea for the spectators. She will have a lifetime to show her face, which is the real deal. She is only seventeen. How much experience and skill can she have? She can only bear it. She is a member of your family and is your stepmother after all. You should take good care of her in the future."
Sima Jun then said, "Since that's the case, why not find a time to release her from the palace? Once my mourning period is over, I'll have to return to my post in Jiangzhou. I won't be able to take care of her alone in Jiankang."
"Let her go?" The prince smiled. "She was adopted by the Imperial Grandmother. Even if we release her, we still need the Imperial Grandmother's approval. Otherwise, as long as she's not dead, the Imperial Grandmother can still find her."
After saying this, he patted Sima Jun's shoulder earnestly and said, "You've seen her abilities. She truly can divine the secrets of heaven. With such a virtuous woman, how could you possibly lose the treasure your father risked his life to find? Give up on this thought as soon as possible. When you go to Jiangzhou, don't worry about not being able to take care of her. I'll send someone to look after her at your house."
Sima Jun knew that the current Princess Yuzhang was not needed by the palace, but by the Queen Mother and the Crown Prince.
One is to vent anger, the other is to take advantage.
"I have something to ask of you, my lord."
While he was thinking, Sima Jun suddenly heard Sun Wei speak.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"I know the prince has many doubts about me. He had never met me before I came to Jiankang, so it's only natural for him to be suspicious. Although I have some family training, I am not a god or Buddha. I cannot bring the late king back to life and convince the prince. If the prince refuses to believe me, I can do nothing. But now I am far away from home, without anyone to rely on, and my father is so cold and indifferent that he would never want me to return home. I only ask that the prince allow me to live out my life in this palace. Even if I have simple food and clothing, I will be grateful."
After saying this, she bowed to Sima Jun at the table.
There was a moment of silence in the room.
"Madam, you are too kind." After a while, he continued calmly, "Since Madam is the Empress Dowager's adopted wife, I shall take care of her. However, the Yuzhang Palace has been engaged in military service for generations, fighting in all directions, and so have I. What happens on the battlefield is unpredictable. Perhaps Madam will be the one to see me off to my grave."
Sun Wei looked up.
"So, I have discussed this with the prince," she said slowly. "He will provide for my old age, and I will devote all my family knowledge to ensuring a smooth life for him. How do you do that?"
The room was quiet again.
Sima Jun looked at Sun Wei with a smile on his face.
"Madam, are you saying that all you've put so much thought into, all you've done, is just to live out your retirement in this palace?"
"I am the late king's concubine. Providing for me in my old age is my filial duty, Your Highness." Sun Wei said in a gentle voice, "Your Highness and I are family. It is my duty to ensure your safety and well-being. The late king traveled thousands of miles to Cangwu to marry him, also for the future of the Yuzhang lineage. His intentions were good, and Your Highness should understand them better than I do. I have inherited the late king's kindness, so I should take on the responsibility of your concubine. What do you think?"
She didn't say the words "your father".
But she mentioned the late king in every word and action, as if she was afraid that Sima Jun didn't know that she was married by the late king himself and was a legitimate widow.
Sima Jun said calmly, "Madam, please make no mistake. It was the Queen Mother and the Crown Prince who allowed Madam to come to the palace. I never believe in ghosts and gods, nor do I believe there are people in the world who can see through the mysteries. Although I don't know the ins and outs of what Madam has done, nor do I know the purpose, I will find out eventually. Until everything is clear, Madam, you can stay in the palace as long as you want. I will support you until you die. But if I reveal the truth, Madam, you must be prepared for a bad end."
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