Chapter 369: Palace Changes (Part 3)
Sun Wei had been locked in the dim Buddhist temple for nearly half a day.
It was quiet outside, and she had no idea what the Queen Mother would do.
But she knew that this was the most dangerous moment.
Both the Crown Prince and Luqiu Yan had sufficient reasons and means to put Sima Jun to death.
And what does Sima Jun have?
Only the Queen Mother showed a little compassion.
Wang's misfortune might strengthen the Queen Mother's determination to keep Sima Jun, but Sun Wei also understood that in the Queen Mother's heart, Sima Jun was already the least important one.
Suddenly, Sun Wei heard footsteps outside the house. She immediately asked loudly, "Is there any news from the Queen Mother? How is His Royal Highness Prince Yuzhang? Please tell me."
This situation happened countless times. She asked everyone she met, and her voice became hoarse, but no one got a single answer.
But this time it was different. The footsteps were approaching quickly, and the lock on the door seemed to be split open by a weapon.
Sun Wei was startled and quickly stepped back, holding on to the table behind him tightly.
The door was pushed open, and the lantern on the corridor dimly reflected a tall figure.
"Awei..." Sima Jun's voice reached his ears.
Sun Wei widened her eyes in disbelief.
The smell of blood blew into the house with the wind, and the figure swayed.
"Your Highness!"
Sun Wei exclaimed and hurried forward to help, but fell into Sima Jun's arms.
Warmth with a familiar scent filled her nose. Her breath caught in her throat, and before she knew it, tears welled up in her eyes.
She put her arms around his strong arms and touched the dried blood scabs on his clothes.
"Your Highness is injured?" Her voice trembled slightly.
Sima Jun tightened his arms.
"No problem, I'll take you away."
——
In the Taiji Hall, the prince felt a chill down his spine when he saw the smile on Lu Qiuyan's face.
He retreated as Lu Qiuyan advanced step by step until he touched the throne and fell down on it.
He spoke incoherently, "Don't forget who gave you this official position and military power, allowing you to become a great general? What can Wang Kan give you? He's such a despicable villain. He seems to be helping you now, but who knows how he will frame you in the future!"
"Your Highness is absolutely right." Luqiu Yan suddenly drew his sword.
The prince exclaimed, "Grandmother, save me!"
The long sword pierced his flesh, and the prince closed his eyes, but did not feel the pain.
But then the Queen Mother cried out "Bo Ya".
The prince opened his eyes and saw Lu Qiuyan stabbing the sword into Wang Han's chest.
Wang Han looked at Lu Qiuyan in disbelief.
Lü Qiuyan looked down at Wang Han and said, "Your Highness, the traitor Wang Han is dead."
He stabbed hard and accurately.
Blood continued to flow from Wang Han's chest. He struggled for a few times and soon became motionless.
The Queen Mother fell to her knees, trembling, as if the sky had fallen.
The prince survived the disaster and laughed heartily.
Lu Qiuyan wiped his sword and asked, "Why can't I see Prince Yuzhang? Where is he?"
The Crown Prince suddenly remembered this important matter, jumped up, and asked the Queen Mother, "Where did Grandmother take Ziheng?"
The Queen Mother was speechless. She just held Wang Kan tremblingly, muttering something incomprehensible, as if she had temporarily lost her mind.
The prince walked over to her, squatted down, and coaxed her softly, "I promised the Queen Mother that I would spare Ziheng's life, okay?"
After a while, the Queen Mother raised her head.
Her eyes were red, and she seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.
After staring at the prince for a long time, the queen mother suddenly laughed.
"I had someone send him on board the ship back to Jiangzhou."
The prince changed color.
"That's absolutely not the case," Lü Qiuyan said immediately. "I've also strictly guarded the palace. Prince Yuzhang must still be in the palace."
The Queen Mother continued to sneer and did not answer.
The prince said to Lu Qiuyan, "Send people to search now! Even if we have to dig three feet underground, we will find it!"
Lu Qiuyan, however, was not anxious. She looked at the Queen Mother and said gently, "Your Majesty, you must know where Sun is, right? My brother and Sun escaped at the same time. He saw that the direction Sun Nujun was heading was exactly the direction of the Queen Mother's palace."
As he spoke, he squatted before the Queen Mother and advised, "Prince Yuzhang has risked his life for Sun Shi time and again. Even if it's for Prince Yuzhang's own good, the Queen Mother shouldn't keep her. In that case, why don't you give her to me? Then I won't dare to embarrass the Queen Mother again."
The Queen Mother took a deep breath and said, "She is indeed in my palace."
Lu Qiuyan immediately ordered his troops to go to the Queen Mother's Palace.
The prince looked at Lu Qiuyan's back and suddenly felt a little at a loss, not knowing whether to follow or stay.
"It's over," the Queen Mother sighed. "Everything is over. The Sima family's empire is about to be ruined by you."
The prince said impatiently, "Grandma, why are you saying that?"
"Will you still be able to suppress Lü Qiuyan in the future?" The Queen Mother stared at Wang Han's corpse with a glaring gaze. "You are nothing but meat on the chopping board."
——
Lu Qiuyan led his men straight to the Empress Dowager's palace.
The palace maids did not dare to obstruct and said that Sun Wei was locked up in the Buddhist hall by the Queen Mother.
In the Buddhist temple, there is only a sea lantern, emitting a weak light in front of the Buddha statue.
When Lu Qiuyan opened the door, she saw a slender figure kneeling on a mat.
Sun Wei turned around and saw that it was Lu Qiuyan, and stood up.
"Why are you here?" she asked coldly.
Lü Qiuyan smiled, walked towards her, and said, "That day, the Lady sent that maid to assassinate me. I once said that if I didn't die, we would meet again."
"I miscalculated and failed to kill you."
"Speaking of which, I find it incredible too," Lu Qiuyan said. "Your Highness has put me to death several times, yet I have survived to the end. Does this mean that this is our destiny?"
After he finished speaking, he stopped in front of Sun Wei and said, "My lady, it's time for you to follow me."
Sun Wei looked at him and said, "What if I don't leave?"
Just as Lu Qiuyan was about to speak, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck. It was a weapon against his neck.
The guards behind were startled and tried to step forward, but were stopped by Lu Qiuyan.
"It's His Royal Highness Prince Yuzhang." Lu Qiuyan said calmly.
Sima Jun emerged from the shadows. "The time has not yet come. Who says you can survive to the end?"
Lu Qiuyan took a long breath and smiled self-deprecatingly.
"The Queen Mother planned a way out for His Highness, but His Highness refused to leave. His Highness is truly infatuated with his granddaughter."
Sima Jun said nothing, simply took a rope and swiftly bound his hands, saying, "We are leaving, how can we leave without you?"
Lu Qiuyan did not resist.
"Your Highness, even if you take me with you, you will never be able to leave this palace. This is a heavily guarded area, and it will be difficult for Your Highness to escape."
"How will you know if you don't try?"
As he was speaking, Deng Lian hurried into the Buddhist hall and said, "Your Highness, everything is ready."
Sima Jun handed Lü Qiuyan over to Deng Lian, then extended his hand to Sun Wei and said, "This journey is extremely dangerous. You must not leave me more than three steps away. Do you understand?"
Sun Wei's heart was pounding.
She placed her hand in the broad palm and said, "I understand."
Sima Jun held her hand tightly and pulled her out.
Inside and outside the Empress Dowager's palace, everyone is Lu Qiuyan's people.
But seeing that Lü Qiuyan was being held hostage by Deng Lian, no one dared to step forward. Sima Jun, sword in one hand and Sun Wei in the other, followed Deng Lian towards the west gate.
Sun Wei looked around warily, her heartbeat accelerating, yet she felt no trace of fear. The hand holding hers seemed to contain infinite power, enough to dispel the chill of the autumn night.
Lu Qiuyan's men followed ten steps away, weapons in hand.
"It doesn't matter where we go," Lu Qiuyan said calmly as he walked. "Your Highness, why are you going through so much trouble? Wouldn't it be better to find a doctor to look at your wounds first?"
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