Chapter 86 Warning
"I'm not a novice. Many people have left the court sadly like Grand Tutor Zhou. I've seen them all," Sima Jun said. "It's just that they weren't surnamed Sima. As long as they weren't interested in a career in government, they could leave. But I can't. If I leave the court, I'll have nowhere to go."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh at himself. "Perhaps I'm too greedy, which is why I want everyone to step forward like me. Especially someone like Grand Tutor Zhou, who has been praised for his wisdom and should be obliged to do so. Just now, Grand Tutor Zhou spoke in a dejected tone, saying that the Sima family had no way out. I couldn't believe it, so I resorted to harsh rebuttal. If it were anyone else, I'd probably just let them do what they wanted."
Sun Wei looked up at him: "Are you disappointed, Prince?"
The gorgeous red glow fell into her eyes and was crushed into a gentle river.
He looked into her eyes for a moment, then looked away.
“It would be a lie to say I wasn’t disappointed.”
"If I say so, the disappointment in the future will probably be even greater."
Sima Jun was stunned for a moment and asked, "What do you mean, Madam?"
"It's not difficult for either Grand Tutor Zhou or me to say something pleasing to the ear," Sun Wei said. "But Grand Tutor Zhou's words are not entirely without reason. The world is indeed bad, and I just want the prince to be prepared."
Sima Jun's brows moved and his eyes were deep.
"Madam, have you figured out something again?"
Sun Wei said: "The prince doesn't believe it anyway."
Sima Jun did not let go: "Madam, why don't you tell me my fortune and see what my future holds? How long I will live?"
Sun smiled and said, "You will surely have a bright future and live a long and healthy life."
Sima Jun showed a look of disgust.
"Madam, you won't even pretend? You're being so perfunctory."
"Of course I have already calculated this. Otherwise, how could I have insisted on spending the rest of my life in the Prince of Yuzhang's mansion?"
Sima Jun thought about it and found it reasonable.
She is such a calculating person, if she is not absolutely sure, how can she rely on him to provide for her in her old age?
Inexplicably, after her joke, Sima Jun's mood calmed down a lot.
He pondered Sun Wei's words and said, "Madam said I would be even more disappointed in the future, but she also said I have a bright future. At first glance, it doesn't make sense."
"That's not entirely true." Sun Wei said, "To say that I'm disappointed is more like saying that the world will not satisfy you, and that there are many difficulties. To say that there is a bright future means that although the road ahead is difficult, we can always overcome it."
"Oh?" Sima Jun asked, "So I always have the ability to turn danger into safety?"
"That's not the case." Sun smiled and said, "The prince is always able to escape danger because of me."
Sima Jun was stunned and looked at the red clouds in the sky ahead.
"Madam is really good at flattering herself."
"I'm just telling you the truth," Sun Wei advised. "Your Highness, you should learn to praise others. If you praise them well, others will work harder for you."
Sima Jun asked, "Isn't it possible that Madam isn't working hard enough? You've risked your life several times, how can you possibly work harder?"
Sun Wei felt that in his previous life, he might have had some misconceptions about him.
For example, he doesn't like to talk.
How could he not like to talk? Now in front of her, he would argue with her every time she said something.
Of course, she was much smarter than him. In both her past life and this life, she was good at sweet talk.
She blinked. "Perhaps Your Highness finds this unbelievable, but every time I'm able to help you, I feel very happy. There are still many things I can do. If you ever encounter difficulties, don't bear it alone. Always remember that I am here with you."
The boat sailed along the surging river and into the sunset.
Sima Jun looked away and hummed softly.
Just then, a monkey cried on the shore, drowning out Sima Jun's voice.
"Did the prince hear what I just said?" Sun Wei asked him.
"What did you hear?"
"What I just said."
"What did Madam say just now? Say it again."
“…”
This evening was no different from any other time.
Sima Jun spoke slowly, looked at the sunset, and took a deep breath.
It still seems a little different.
For example, he seemed to smell the fragrance of flowers.
I don’t know if it was floating from the river bank or from someone next to me.
Refreshing.
——
After nightfall, the boat slowly approached the shore.
The group settled in Shicheng County.
Although there was a bed on the boat, Master Zhou was still seriously ill and could not sleep well on the boat.
So Sima Jun ordered Deng Lian to go ashore first and find an inn to stay.
Sima Jun traveled frequently between Jiangzhou and Jiankang, often stopping in Shicheng. The posthouse there was small, but well-appointed and comfortable.
Even in extraordinary times, one should not be too particular.
When getting off the boat, Sun Wei and Zhou Chang met again.
She went to greet him with a smile, but Zhou Chang gave her a cold face and turned away.
Sun Wei was not annoyed and reminded loudly: "It's dark and the road is slippery, please walk slowly, Master."
A loud and deliberate "hum" was heard from afar.
"This old man has such a bad temper." Aju said, "Could it be that he has recovered from his illness?"
Sun Wei got on the carriage, but saw Princess Wanshou looking at this side, as if thinking about something.
"Don't talk nonsense." Sun Wei said in a low voice. After that, he smiled at the princess and got on the carriage.
Sima Jun had originally intended to stay in the city for one night and leave early the next morning, but he still managed to alert the county magistrate.
As soon as he entered the city, the county magistrate came to greet him in person.
"I have prepared a banquet to welcome the prince." The county magistrate said respectfully.
Although the magistrate of Shicheng County was not an official under Sima Jun, he had always been respectful to Jiangzhou when Prince Yuzhang was in power. Whenever Prince Yuzhang or the crown prince Sima Jun passed by, he would personally greet and see them off.
Sima Jun said, "Don't bother, County Magistrate. I am in deep mourning and cannot attend the banquet."
The county magistrate hurriedly said, "The dishes I have prepared are all vegetarian, with absolutely no meat or fish. Please don't be disgusted by them, my lord."
Just as the county magistrate was about to continue the dispute, a carriage stopped nearby.
"Prince." Sun Wei's voice came out faintly.
Sima Jun leaned against the carriage window and asked, "What are your instructions, Madam?"
"After dinner, the Crown Prince and I will chant scriptures and offer sacrifices to the late King. Has the place been prepared?"
Her voice was not loud, but just audible.
Where did the chanting and offering come from? Sima Jun immediately understood that Sun Wei was refusing on his behalf.
"This..." Sima Jun cooperated with an embarrassed look on his face.
The person in the carriage sighed softly, "This is what the Queen Mother ordered. Etiquette cannot be abandoned. It has only been less than six months since the late king passed away. The Crown Prince must not be lazy."
"Madam is right."
After Sima Jun finished speaking, he looked at the county magistrate.
The county magistrate immediately understood who was in the carriage, and upon hearing the name "empress dowager," he hurriedly said, "I understand, I understand. Since the prince is inconvenienced, I dare not disturb you!"
Then, he revealed an embarrassment and whispered, "But I have something else to discuss with you, Prince. I wonder..."
Sima Jun did not refuse.
He pretended to instruct Deng Lian on the matters of chanting scriptures and offering sacrifices, then pretended to reply to Sun Wei and whispered to her by the window, "Thank you for helping me."
Sun Wei coughed lightly: "Prince, please come back soon."
Sima Jun agreed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com