Chapter 116 Return
Sun Wei felt that he was beginning to worry about those letters.
Just like in her previous life, when she and Sima Jun first started writing letters.
Sun Wei also learned to ask Deng Lian about Sima Jun's whereabouts.
Sima Jun was quite busy throughout October and November.
He first returned to the capital to argue his case with the Crown Prince, securing a transfer order from the Imperial Army, which mobilized 30,000 troops from the Northern Prefecture and Jiangzhou to Kuaiji. The presence of these troops inevitably heightened tensions in the area. Rumors of a planned massacre spread, and the mob seized upon the situation to riot. Sima Jun, unable to lead the troops, could only assist Ruan Hui in suppressing the rebellion from behind. At this critical moment, the recently married Chu Yue personally arrived in Kuaiji, effectively suppressing the rebellion.
In November, some people in the court seized on the message about the massacre and launched an impeachment against the prefect of Kuaiji. On the surface, the impeachment was directed at the prefect of Kuaiji, but in reality, the spearhead was directed at Ruan Hui.
Sima Jun had to return to the capital to discuss with Zhou Chang how to quell the impeachment.
But Sun Wei still received a reply from Sima Jun.
The words in the letter were still very few, only saying that autumn had begun to appear in Kuaiji and the osmanthus flowers were blooming.
Along with the letter came a wooden box.
Sun Wei opened the box, and the sweet scent of osmanthus filled her face, refreshing her heart.
Looking at the letter again, it said that this was a specialty of Kuaiji sent to him by Ruan Hui.
"Jun doesn't like it, and it would be a pity to throw it away, so I'm giving it to Madam. If Madam doesn't like it, you can also throw it away."
Sun Wei looked at it and curled his lips.
Sima Jun actually likes osmanthus very much.
In his previous life, whenever the golden osmanthus was in full bloom, Sima Jun would only feel satisfied after eating a piece of osmanthus cake and drinking some osmanthus wine.
What's there to be unhappy about? I just wanted to give her osmanthus flowers, but she was too proud to say it directly.
Sun Wei thought for a moment and called A'ru over: "Where is the sachet you taught me to make a few days ago?"
"Here." After saying that, Aju took out two sachets from the sewing basket on the shelf.
Sun Wei took the royal blue one and asked, "Did you make this?"
"Exactly," she said, handing over the apricot-pink one. "This was made by the princess."
Sun Wei looked around and felt that the apricot pink color was indeed brighter, so she stuffed osmanthus flowers into the sachet made by Aju, sewed up the opening, and wrote a letter.
"I have nothing to offer to relieve your worries, my lord. I can only offer this incense as a gift in return."
She handed the sachet and letter to Aju and asked her to give them to Deng Lian.
A'ru couldn't help but frown: "Why did the princess give my sachet to the prince? I was planning to keep it for my own use."
Sun Wei disagreed.
He gave her the osmanthus flowers that Ruan Hui had given her, and she gave him the sachet that Aju had given her. It was fair.
She stuffed the apricot pink sachet into Aju's hand and said, "I made one for you myself. Are you happy?"
A'ru looked at the crooked stitches with a look of disgust: "I'm going to find Sima Deng."
——
In December, after Deng Lian had sent people to follow her for two months, Madam Yao of Tingyunxuan finally revealed her flaws and met someone from Xunyang Palace.
But what shocked Sun Wei was that the man was not Fu Cheng, who was killed by Sima Jun in the previous life, but the loyal and affectionate eunuch general manager Yu Kuan.
Not only Sun Wei was shocked, but also Deng Lian.
"Steward Yu is loyal to the late king and the crown prince. I believe there may be a misunderstanding," Deng Lian said. "Why not summon Steward Yu and clarify the matter?"
Sun Wei said nothing.
She has always been cautious about the word "loyalty".
Although there's no major war going on, the situation is turbulent, and everyone is trying to find a way out. Someone as influential as Yu Kuan in the Yuzhang Palace must have faced a lot of threats and inducements.
Sometimes it is due to greed, and sometimes it is out of helplessness.
"If you want to ask, it shouldn't be you or me who asks." Sun Wei said.
"The princess's intention..."
"You and I are both outsiders. If we want to land a fatal blow, only the prince can do it himself."
Deng Lian agreed, but said, "The Crown Prince is still in Jiankang, dealing with Ruan Hui. Furthermore, the New Year is approaching, so the palace will surely be flooded with guests. I'm afraid the Crown Prince won't be able to get away."
Sun Wei had been the mistress of the royal palace, so she naturally knew how complicated it was to welcome and see off guests during the New Year, even during the period of mourning.
"Let's put this matter aside for now. Leave the Crown Prince's side to me. I'll send a letter and see what happens first. Don't let anything slip. Keep someone following the teahouse."
Deng Lian agreed and then asked, "How should we deal with Chief Steward Yu?"
Sun Wei said: "Don't pay any attention to it, don't alert the enemy."
She thought for a moment and then asked, "Are there any of our people over there with Chief Secretary Fu Cheng?"
"Yes," Deng Lian said, "I have people serving in his official residence and at his home, so it's easier to keep an eye on him."
"That's good." Sun Wei nodded slightly.
Sun Wei immediately sent a letter to Sima Jun, inventing a reason for him to come to Jiangzhou openly.
She said that a great monk from the Western Regions had come to Xunyang, and she wanted to invite him to perform a ritual for the late king, but the monk said that his ritual could only be performed by a filial son.
In the letter, Sun Wei spoke earnestly, saying that in order to pray for the late king's lasting blessings, he wondered if he had time recently to visit Xunyang Palace in person.
Not long after, Sima Jun replied.
This was the shortest letter Sun Wei had ever seen, with only one word: "OK".
"Is the prince coming?" Deng Lian asked.
Sun Wei put the letter away and said "hmm".
"But did you say when you would come?"
"Not yet." Sun Wei said, "Let's keep this news secret for now and wait for the prince to come back."
"yes."
As expected, Sima Jun was constantly busy. He was worried about the affairs of Kuaiji, but he couldn't leave Jiankang.
By the end of December, the annual gifts from the palace had been delivered to Xunyang Palace, but there was still no news from Sima Jun. Sun Wei concluded that Sima Jun would not be able to come.
"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. There's a family banquet at the palace. On the first day of the new year, there are sacrifices to be made at the Taimiao and the ancestral temples. After that, there's a long series of banquets. The prince is even more busy. If he wants to come, he can only wait until after the Lantern Festival."
Deng Lian sighed, "What the princess said is true."
Sun Wei soothed him, "As the Sima of the palace, you cannot be with the Crown Prince. Instead, you have to stay in the palace and do trivial things for me. I am sorry to trouble you. When spring comes, I will tell the Crown Prince to let you go to Kuaiji."
Deng Lian's eyes flickered, and he was clearly moved for a moment, but he said, "Thank you, Princess, but it's not necessary."
"oh?"
"I have been following the princess for the past few months and I know that Xunyang City may appear peaceful, but it is not a peaceful place. I serve the princess and also serve the prince, and I have no complaints."
These words were so righteous and awe-inspiring that they were beyond Sun Wei's expectations.
She smiled and said, "There's something I've always wanted to ask you."
"Princess, please speak."
"If I remember correctly, you are only one year younger than the prince, and you are now of marriageable age. Do you have any plans for this?"
Deng Lian seemed to have no intention of giving it a second thought: "I will not think about marriage for the time being."
"Why?"
"I have been an orphan since childhood, earning my living under the Crown Prince. Thank you for not despising me and promoting me from a nobody to the position of Sima of the Royal Palace. I am deeply grateful and can only repay you with my life. As the Crown Prince's great cause has not yet been accomplished, I have no intention of considering marriage."
Sun Wei couldn't help but laugh: "Why are you so reserved? Working for the prince doesn't mean you're a monk, so how can that prevent you from getting married? I guess you just haven't met the woman you like yet."
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