Chapter 44: The Crown Prince
In front of the temple, there are towering ancient trees, and the shade of the trees blocks out the sun.
Sun Wei asked Aju to stay in the carriage, and he got off the carriage alone and walked into the house.
She looked around the room. She saw a thin bamboo curtain hanging from the beams, crisscrossing and dividing the room into several sections. At a glance, she couldn't see clearly what was inside, and she had no idea how deep or shallow it was.
Candlelight dimly illuminated the dark corners. She heard muffled voices, and then someone emerged from inside, strolling through the thick bamboo curtains before finally appearing.
Isn’t that man in casual clothes the prince?
As Sun Wei expected, the queen was just a cover for the prince.
The prince's name was Xian, with the courtesy name Yuanyi. He was two years older than Sima Jun.
In his previous life, Sun Wei had little dealings with the prince and had only met him a few times at palace banquets.
The Sima family was known for its handsome men, including the Crown Prince and Sima Jun. Unlike Sima Jun's sharp eyebrows and starry eyes, the Crown Prince possessed a delicate appearance and refined demeanor. He possessed a naturally gentle disposition, and his measured approach to interpersonal relationships made him endearing and warm. Being with him was like a gentle spring breeze.
But Sun Wei knew that the Crown Prince's ability to secure the throne of heir apparent in the final years of the Xuan Dynasty, surrounded by wolves, required more than just a good appearance and a good temper. Sun Wei never dared to underestimate him.
Sun Wei tried every means to see the prince because she wanted to go to Jingkou with him.
Reborn, she believed she could change many things. Compared to her previous life, Xie Xiao wasn't dead, and Sima Jun wasn't confined—both were considered good things. But given the current situation, none of this mattered. The real event was the Jingkou mutiny.
Sun Wei only knew the outcome of the mutiny, not the process. She couldn't possibly stay in the capital and intervene in events hundreds of miles away, so she had no choice but to accompany the troops.
As a member of the royal family, this trip had nothing to do with her, so she needed a reason to go along, and a reason that Sima Jun could not stop.
Only the prince can help her.
So she asked Qu Ji to pass a note to the prince, with only the word "danger" written on it.
The prince was a man of great insight. After the fire in the East Palace last time, he must have thought that perhaps she had figured out something mysterious.
In order to confirm his guess, he will definitely try to meet her.
The prince walked over.
Sun Wei bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness."
"Princess, please excuse me." The Crown Prince smiled gently and said, "Yesterday, when Ziheng spoke of your heroic act that saved General Xie from danger, I was truly moved by your admiration. Is your Highness feeling better today?"
"Better now." Sun Wei said, "Thank you for your concern, Prince."
The prince asked her to sit down.
"I heard that the princess intends to dismiss the emperor's uncle's concubines. Is this true?"
Of course, this news was told by Qu Ji.
"It is true," Sun Wei said without hesitation. "Last time in Tang Garden, it was the servants in the palace who committed evil, nearly costing the young general his life. This incident has left both the prince and I with lingering fears. Now, the assassin and the He siblings have lost their lives inexplicably, and the culprit is still at large. I dare not let my guard down. Since the disaster has implicated the concubines in the harem, we should simply dismiss them. Firstly, this will help to rectify the years of chaos in the palace and improve the social atmosphere. Secondly, most of the concubines are young, and it would be inhumane to let them stay in the palace forever. The prince said that leaving is voluntary. Those who want to leave will receive clothes and valuables, and an additional 20,000 coins for their retirement. Those who don't want to leave can live in the late king's estate in Guangling County, and the palace will provide for their retirement. The prince's actions are all out of kindness, giving them another way out and making sure they accompany the late king through his life."
The prince nodded slightly and smiled.
"The princess is truly kindhearted," he said, then changed the subject, "Since we've decided to disband them, then just disband them. Why did you expose Qu Ji's past? Could it be that you did it just to send me a message?"
The prince always spoke softly, but Sun Wei could already hear the sharpness in his voice. This question was not about why she had exposed Qu Ji's past, but why she had exposed the prince's past.
These words can be taken lightly or seriously.
Sun Wei immediately knelt on the ground and said, "I was reckless. Please forgive me, Your Highness. This is the only way for me to see you."
"Why does the princess want to see me?"
Sun Wei still lowered her head. "I observed the celestial phenomena at night and saw an evil spirit hitting the Purple Star. I was puzzled, so I made a divination and learned that it was a sign of trouble for the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince also knows that he does not believe in divination. If I tell him this, it will probably not reach his ears. I have just arrived in Jiankang and have no way to see the Crown Prince. After much thought, this is the only option left."
There was a moment of silence all around.
Sun Wei lay motionless, only to see the prince's shoes appear in front of her. She could guess that the prince was staring at her, probably wondering whether he should believe her.
As long as the prince didn't speak, Sun Wei dared not move.
"So that's how it is." After a while, the prince said, "So the word 'danger' is what the princess got from her divination. Princess, please get up and don't panic."
Sun Wei thanked him and got up from the ground.
The prince was at the table. He took out the note presented by Sun Wei from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
"Princess, why don't you explain?"
Sun Wei said, "I heard that the Crown Prince will set off to the East China Sea for a sacrifice, is that correct?"
The prince said nothing, but placed his hand on the note.
His slender fingers have distinct joints, his skin is fair and flawless, and he exudes a refined elegance.
"So, this word 'danger' is applicable to the trip to the East China Sea?"
"Exactly?"
"Since it is so dangerous, in your opinion, we can't go to the East China Sea?" he asked.
Sun Wei said, "Since the Crown Prince asked this question, he has already made his decision. Why does he need to ask me?"
The prince looked up at her and asked, "Why do you see that?"
"Imagine I were a traveler heading for the mountains. On the way, I met a woodcutter. He told me there was a tiger on the road ahead, devouring people. Knowing I was no match for the tiger, I would turn around and leave without even asking whether I should go. Only when I was determined to go would I ask. So, when the prince asked this question, it meant he was going. His concern wasn't whether to go or not, but how to resolve the situation, right?"
The prince listened patiently with a smile in his eyes.
"The princess is indeed clever," he said. "I guess she has also come up with an idea to resolve the situation?"
Sun Wei calmly offered her answer: "Please take me with you, Your Highness. I can ensure your safety."
The prince seemed to have heard something new and his eyes moved to Sun Wei's face.
"Princess, you should know that there are more than one tiger on this road, and it is not something that can be stopped by the flesh," he said.
"I don't intend to use my body to block it." Sun Wei retorted, "The Crown Prince has the Eastern Palace guards, all of whom are highly skilled in martial arts. I don't need to do this."
The prince had to admit that talking to this woman was effortless and even pleasant.
"Then what's the point of Princess following me to the East China Sea?" he said.
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