Chapter 42 Qu Ji
Sima Jun was not a bird in a cage. He had been traveling outside for many years and naturally knew the ups and downs of life.
"What do you think we should do, madam?" he asked.
Sun Wei said, "Why not give them two options? They can pay to leave the palace and have nothing to do with it anymore. If they don't want to leave, they can be sent to the manor outside the city. That way, even if any of these people had any connections in the past, once they leave the palace, they will naturally stop and won't fall into the hands of the Crown Prince in the future. If word gets out that the Crown Prince is supporting the late king's concubines, it will also improve his reputation. It's like killing two birds with one stone."
Sima Jun looked at Sun Wei and said, "Madam, you've only been here a short time, but you seem to have already figured out everything going on in the mansion."
Of course she did. Sun Wei thought to herself that in her previous life, after she became the Princess of Yuzhang, she took over the internal affairs of the palace and spent several months to sort out the mess left by the old Prince of Yuzhang.
Sun Wei smiled faintly: "I just asked Attendant Cao a few more times."
This wasn't to say she was a master of calculation. Sima Jun thought, perhaps she herself felt that using this skill on family matters was unseemly.
"I have no objection," Sima Jun said, "I'll do as Madam wishes."
Afterwards, Sima Jun summoned Cao Song and asked him to handle the matter.
There are 25 concubines in the mansion. If they are released, each of them can receive 20,000 coins. If they do not leave, they will be sent to the manor in Guangling County.
"The princess's arrangement is very appropriate." Cao Song couldn't help but praise her. "After all, it's a good thing that someone who left the palace can be properly resettled. But, did the prince and princess really expel Concubine Qu from the Western Garden?"
Sun Wei asked, "This Qu Ji was the first concubine of the late king. She originally lived in the Princess's mansion?"
"Exactly."
Sima Jun glanced at Sun Wei and said, "Madam, you know Qu Ji very well."
Sun smiled and said, "It's just a brief fortune telling."
Sima Jun wanted to roll his eyes, but when he saw Sun Wei looking at him, he turned away.
Cao Song could not help but admire: "I have never mentioned Qu Ji to the princess. Madam is indeed a master of foresight."
Sun Wei said calmly, "Cao Changshi, you are too kind."
Although Sun Wei had not seen Qu Ji often, who had once been a famous figure in the Prince of Yuzhang's Palace, he had heard of her great name.
Sima Jun's mother, Wen, had just married Prince Yuzhang. Shortly after their wedding, the eldest princess recommended Qu Ji to the prince. Three months after entering the palace, she was officially recognized as his concubine.
Qu Ji was gentle and considerate, not only winning the favor of Prince Yuzhang but also encouraging him to take more concubines. Despite Wen's pleas, the prince refused to listen and became even more distant from his wife. Wen, constantly depressed, died of illness when Sima Jun was eight years old.
After Wen left, Qu Ji was favored for a time, and there were even rumors that she would be made a concubine. But rumors were just rumors after all, and after a few years without any confirmation, no one mentioned it anymore.
As for why it failed, everyone in the palace knew it very well, because although Prince Yuzhang was lustful, he was not stupid.
He loved being surrounded by beautiful women, but the position of Princess Yuzhang was reserved for marriage alliances, requiring women from prominent families. The position remained vacant for years because the Prince of Yuzhang had yet to decide on a marriage alliance. However, no one could have imagined that after much deliberation, he would eventually choose Lu Xian, a woman from a humble background, in his later years.
As for Sima Jun, he had always disliked the concubines in his father's courtyard. After his mother Wen passed away, he would rarely return to the mansion to live.
Sun Wei felt that Princess Yuzhang's death had a profound impact on Sima Jun. He blamed Consort Qu and the eldest princess who survived her for his mother's death. His subsequent marriage to Sun Wei, despite her modest background, was likely influenced by this incident.
But that’s all in the past.
Cao Song said to Sima Jun, "Since the He brothers and sisters have happened in the mansion, it is only logical to send the concubines away. Others are easy to deal with, but Concubine Qu is the most difficult to deal with."
Sima Jun said, "They are all my father's concubines. Since we are going to send them away, there is no reason to keep Qu Ji alone. Otherwise, people outside will say that the palace is partial to one and not the other, which will only damage the reputation of the palace."
Cao Song agreed: "What the prince said is reasonable. But Qu Ji has a stubborn temper and I am afraid that I can't get rid of her with just a few words. I will go talk to Qu Ji later, but if she makes a fuss, I am afraid that the eldest princess will be implicated."
Sima Jun pondered for a moment, and suddenly looked at Sun Wei.
"Madam, you are very clever," he said, half-smiling, "Do you have any good ideas?"
Sun Wei smiled faintly: "I am just trying to persuade Qu Ji to obey your order. If it is inconvenient for the prince to come in person, I will do it for him."
She actually agreed without hesitation, which surprised Sima Jun.
Cao Song was also surprised: "The princess wants to persuade Qu Ji personally? This..."
"Although there is a difference between Consort Qu and I, we are both the wife and concubine of the previous king." Sun Wei said, "It will naturally be easier for me to talk to her than to the Crown Prince and the Chamberlain."
Cao Song seemed to want to say something, but was stopped by Sima Jun's gaze.
"Indeed." Sima Jun smiled. "Thank you, Madam."
——
After Sima Jun left, A'ru couldn't help but ask, "Princess, why did you bother to stop Qu Ji from getting into trouble? I heard that when the late king married a princess, He Ji wasn't the most unhappy about it. It was Qu Ji who caused the most trouble. She's been so audacious for so long, not even once, not even coming to see the princess. She's the only concubine in the entire palace who's so bold. I think she's relying on the eldest princess's backing. And because of the eldest princess, everyone in the palace gives her some leeway. Princess, why not let the prince deal with someone like that yourself?"
Sun Wei knew that A'ru had once been a government servant and had witnessed many intrigues.
"What are you afraid of?" She smiled and said, "Since I have accepted it, I have my reasons. Send someone to tell him that it is the prince's intention to invite Qu Ji to come here."
The next day, Qu Ji really came.
She is nearly forty years old, but she has taken good care of herself and still has charm.
Sun Wei had never met Qu Ji in her previous life, but she occasionally heard the elders in the mansion talk about her and knew that she had a strong temper. When Sima Jun dismissed his concubines, she had hanged herself and almost caused a death.
Qu Ji was dressed in heavy mourning. After greeting Sun Wei, she started crying for Prince Yuzhang, saying things like "the body is still warm" and "the tea has gotten cold after the visitor left."
Although it was the first time Sun Wei saw such a scene, he was not surprised.
She sent the maids away and then said, "Get up and talk."
Qu Ji was unmoved, and said tearfully, "I came to your house because of the favor of the princess. If you want to drive me out, go and ask the princess to come. I will not leave until I see the princess."
Sun Wei just looked at her quietly, and waited for her to cry for a while, until her voice became quieter, then said: "Princess, I will send someone to invite him. But is it really the princess that Qu Ji wants to see? Or the prince?"
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