Chapter 297: Barrier (Part 2)
At that time, Wang Han had confidently accused the Empress Dowager of causing a scene in the study after the Princess learned of Wang Kuan's impending departure for Jingzhou. His words hinted at a shared fate. Although Wang Han hadn't wanted to suspect the Princess at the time, the harsh words she had spoken, coupled with the knowledge of the list of names of those going to Jingzhou, compelled him to exercise caution.
The Queen Mother told the Princess what she had said, saying, "Since you know this matter will affect your reputation, for the sake of the long-term, you must clear your name and not let it go."
"I know," the princess said quickly. "I've already sent someone to investigate, but the servant who spread the rumor to Mrs. Dong suddenly disappeared, so there's no way to trace the source."
The Queen Mother looked surprised and pondered for a moment before saying, "Since the anonymous letter was delivered to the Supreme Court, I will have Yu Yi investigate its origins. As long as the source of the letter is discovered, it will be clear who spread the rumor. You don't need to worry about this matter anymore. Right now, your top priority is to stabilize the situation, prevent Azhi from causing trouble again, and prevent the Dong family from causing any more trouble."
"Azhi will be heading south in two days, so how could he possibly cause trouble?" the eldest princess said, wiping her eyes. "But I really can't stand that Dong. Mother didn't see the way she looked when she beat the drum to report the incident that day, as if she had suffered a great injustice. But ask yourself, she's been in the palace for over twenty years, and I've provided her with good food and drink. Have I ever treated her unfairly?"
The Queen Mother glanced at her and said, "You are the mistress, and she is a concubine. Even if she is wronged, she must endure it. How can she be led around by the nose by a concubine?"
The eldest princess looked aggrieved and was about to argue, but the queen mother stopped her.
"This man cannot be kept alive," the Queen Mother said calmly. "Since Bo Ya can't bring himself to do it, and you can't take action, why don't you find someone else to find a solution?"
"Who?"
"Lu," said the Queen Mother, "you will be relatives in the future. It won't hurt to consult her if she has any problems."
"Her?" The eldest princess rolled her eyes and frowned. "Bo Ya and A Jun have come to this point, is Mother still thinking about that marriage?"
The Queen Mother said impatiently, "Why can't you figure it out? I've told you countless times to take a long-term view. After this fight, Ah Jun already controls Jiangzhou and half of Jingzhou. What does Boya have? Marrying Ah Jun means marrying into both Jiangzhou and Jingzhou! Remember, if you can't seize it, you must learn to adapt! Even a country woman like the Concubine Ji can understand this principle so clearly, why can't you understand it?"
The eldest princess still looked unconvinced.
The Queen Mother shook her head. "I told Bo Ya the same thing yesterday. He agreed, but I don't know what he was thinking. I can't control his duplicity, but you must remember my words and bring Lu along to facilitate this marriage. The Shangshu Mansion and the Yuzhang Prince's Mansion can only be friends, not enemies. Do you understand?"
The Queen Mother had already spoken very harshly this time, and the Princess dared not disobey.
However, this was the first time that the Queen Mother had praised Lu in this way.
"When did Mother change her mind about Madam Lu? I remember that she always spoke of her with resentment. After all, my third brother died trying to marry her. When she first entered the palace, Mother said she was no different from a terracotta figurine buried alive with the dead."
"Yes, that's exactly what I said at the beginning, but I also said that if she's truly capable, it wouldn't hurt to keep her. More than a year has passed, and after all she's been through, not to mention her remaining strong, just look at Ah Jun. Although he holds no official position, the power he holds is becoming increasingly solid. How much of this is due to her contribution is hard to say, but as long as Ah Jun is willing to keep her, it proves that she's not useless. You need to be more sober, act flexibly, recognize the situation, and avoid going down one path until the end."
The Queen Mother had already said this much, and the Princess had no choice but to think carefully.
But comparing her with that unlucky country woman, Mrs. Lu, still made her feel depressed.
The eldest princess let out a long sigh.
Forget it, let’s deal with Dong first.
She agreed.
After leaving the palace, the princess instructed her retainers, "Go to Prince Yuzhang's mansion and send a letter stating that tomorrow is an auspicious day and I invite the Princess of Yuzhang to burn incense at Xianglu Temple."
——
When Sun Wei received the invitation from the eldest princess, he was having dinner with Sima Jun.
After all, Sima Jun had practiced martial arts for many years, so he had a good physical foundation and recovered faster than ordinary people.
After waking up, he rested for only two days, but his complexion had visibly improved. He was stubborn and refused to stay in his room anymore, and even had meals in the hall as usual.
However, he still had no appetite when eating. Sun Wei saw this and cleared away the food, ordering the kitchen to prepare some meat and millet porridge.
After listening to Cao Song's report, Sima Jun had already roughly guessed what was going on. He said to Sun Wei, "The other day, when I stayed in the palace to speak with the Queen Mother, she praised Madam for her resourcefulness and sense of justice, and said that she wanted the Princess to interact with Madam more often. The Princess has always disdained to interact with us. This invitation must have been prompted by the Queen Mother. I think the Queen Mother's praise at that time was to pave the way for the Princess."
Sun Wei ordered Aju to receive the invitation and ordered Cao Song to reply and agree.
"The Queen Mother's willingness to praise her is a good thing, no matter what her intentions are," she said. "Even if it was deliberately arranged, I think it's fine. The Crown Prince and Wang Kan serve in the same court and are relatives. The Shangshu Mansion and we will always have exchanges. Since the Princess is willing to show her goodwill, how can I refuse?"
Sima Jun looked at her, his thoughts lingering on the word "we" she said, and his original unhappiness inexplicably dissipated a lot.
"If Madam is happy, I won't stop you. But if it's difficult for you, then there's no need to flatter me."
"It's not difficult." Sun Wei said, "Don't worry, my lord. Didn't you say that you were stiff after lying in bed for so long? Now that you're feeling better, go for a walk in the garden. It will be very beneficial."
Sima Jun responded, "I need to go to Jingkou first to discuss the arrangements for Jingzhou with Huan An."
When Sun Wei heard the word Jingkou, his face immediately darkened. "The Crown Prince hasn't fully recovered yet. He should rest properly. Why would he rush to Jingkou? The Crown Prince wants to see Huan An. Why not have General Chu send Huan An to the capital?"
"That's inappropriate." Sima Jun shook his head. "The Yu family is still in the capital, and Lu Qiuyan is still in hiding. It's a fact that Huan An killed Huan Ding, and the Yu family will not let him go. If Huan An shows up hastily, he might be in danger."
Sun Wei was about to speak when Sima Jun interrupted, "Madam, I'm afraid you don't want me to wield a sword or a gun, right?"
These words really caught Sun Wei's attention, and she was speechless for a moment.
As he was speaking, the servant brought the meat and millet porridge.
Sima Jun picked up a bowl and stirred it gently to cool it down.
"Don't worry, Madam. This trip is the safest option. The boat is very safe, and Jingkou is not far away. I'll be back in three days at the latest, or two at the fastest."
Sun Wei was still unconvinced and muttered, "The prince said the same thing last time."
"I will never go back on my word this time." Sima Jun said.
He looked at her seriously and said, "If you are really worried and want to go with me, that's fine."
For some reason, Sun Wei felt a warm sensation in her ears.
"It's not that I'm worried." She retracted her gaze and said, "Just be careful along the way, my lord."
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