Bai Huan's house is behind Fuchengmennei Street.
When they saw the Dongchang coming to arrest someone, there were still guards in the pile (1) at the entrance of the alley.
They piled wooden fences at the entrance of the alley to block the people from watching the excitement on the street inside Fuchengmen. Deng Ying had been standing with his back to the entrance of the alley for nearly an hour.
Taking advantage of the guard's inattention, a child crawled out of the fence, and lay on the ground, curiously pulling the shackles on Deng Ying's feet. Deng Ying looked down and wanted to give way, but the pain from his old injury made him lose his balance and he was almost tripped by the child. He hurriedly leaned against the wall and tried to take a few steps back, but he still stepped on the child's hand.
The child burst into tears with a "wow".
Qin Wende took two steps forward and picked up the child by the collar.
"Where are the children's family members?"
His voice was so loud that no one in the crowd responded for a while. After a while, someone whispered, "The Dongchang will not even let children go now."
"You're still a kid. Do you know who the governor wants to arrest today?"
"Who is it?"
"Tsk, the owner of this mansion. Elder Bai, a veteran of two dynasties, is also going to be locked up in the East Factory Prison to suffer."
"Ah? What crime did the Lord commit?"
"What crime? It's just that the man said the elder committed that crime, and that's what the elder committed."
"Ah... What a sin."
"Isn't that a sin? I heard that when the governor was in school, he was a student of the old man. Now that he has changed his skin, he has become a vicious dog."
As soon as he finished speaking, a woman behind him trembled and burst into tears.
The person in front quickly turned around and asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"
The woman looked at the child in Tan Wende's arms and sobbed, "I didn't even look at him... my son..."
What people say is scary.
Fortunately, Deng Ying didn't hear clearly. He walked to Qin Wende and raised his hand.
"Put it down slowly."
Qin Wende was indignant, "Master, it's fine if Lord Bai humiliates you, but he even treats a child like this."
Deng Ying raised her hand a little higher, "Let go quickly."
Qin Wende then let go of his hand in dismay.
The child was so frightened that he was trembling all over and lay on Deng Ying, not daring to move. Deng Ying pulled her sleeves to cover her wrists to avoid hitting the child's back, then turned around and carried him to the fence.
Seeing this, the child's mother hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd, hugged the child in fear, and did not dare to speak. She used her sleeves to protect the child's face, turned around and squeezed back into the crowd. At this time, the Bai family closed the side door, and the housekeeper came out and saluted Deng Ying.
"Director Deng, our master has difficulty getting up. I know you are here with the emperor's order, so I dare not neglect you. I will let this old servant welcome you in. There are also family members in the house, all of whom are women and children who are too shy to enter the house. I hope that the governor will show mercy and allow them to stay in the back hall."
Deng Ying said: "Your Majesty has no decree to confiscate the property. Please tell your family members to rest assured."
After saying that, he turned around and said to Qin Wende: "Follow me in, and don't disturb the people in the inner house."
"yes."
The person in charge led Deng Ying and others through the gate. As soon as Deng Ying entered the main courtyard, he smelled a strong odor of medicine.
There is almost no landscape in Bai Huan's main courtyard, except for a bluestone in the center of the courtyard, on which is engraved the "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Original Vow Sutra", which was written and engraved by Deng Ying himself when he was a student. In front of the stone is an oilcloth shed, where books that were temporarily put away because of the rain are spread out to dry.
The steward ordered the maid to lift the heavy quilted curtain and step aside.
"The master's legs and feet are not in good condition. Every few days, he has to boil herbs in water and steam them for a while so that he can feel more relaxed. The master is afraid that he will not be able to hold the torture instruments when he goes out, which will make things difficult for you, the factory supervisor, so I asked you to prepare them this morning. I hope I will not blame you for the delay."
Deng Ying lowered her head and walked behind the curtain.
The maids lowered the curtains, blocking the daylight outside. With the help of a few flickering oil lamps, Deng Ying could clearly see Bai Huan sitting under the painting. He was wearing a bear fur cloak, and under him was a wooden barrel, which a servant was carrying a roller to add water to. The room was damp, and a large patch of water condensed on the ground.
Deng Ying knelt down and saluted Bai Huan.
Bai Huan waved his hands and laughed, "It's unreasonable to kneel down to try a case. Governor Deng, please stand up."
Deng Ying raised her head and said, "I never thought of being rude to you, Lord."
Bai Huan shook his head. "I have always known your character. When I asked you to wait outside, you stood there and waited. When I asked you to come in, you were so humble and polite. However, you still have to give an explanation to the Imperial Household Department and His Majesty."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand from his cloak and said to the servant, "Help me up and put on my shoes so that the guards can come in and do the work."
Seeing that there was only one servant in the room, Deng Ying rolled up his sleeves, stood up and walked to Bai Huan's footstool, and said to the servant, "Hold the master steady."
As he spoke, he bent down and took out Bai Huan's shoes, saying softly, "Lord, this pair of shoes is not comfortable to wear in the factory prison. Please change to a pair that is softer and older."
Bai Huan said: "It's all the same."
Deng Ying didn't say anything else. She held Bai Huan's legs, let him step on her knees, and put on his shoes and socks for him.
Bai Huan's skin was swollen due to illness, and a dent appeared when he pressed it lightly. Deng Ying moved her knees so that Bai Huan could step more easily.
"My Lord, I have never thought about explaining this to the Imperial Household Department and His Majesty."
As he spoke, he took the silk socks handed to him by the servant, put one of them on his leg, lifted up Bai Huan's feet, lowered his head and continued: "Liang Weiben's case involves the Japanese invasion in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, which is what Your Majesty is most concerned about. But fortunately, Liang's case is being tried by the Ministry of Justice. If other departments are involved, they will do their best to correct Liang Weiben's confession and prevent him from implicating the old man. As for me..."
He paused and said, "It may affect some of your clansmen. Although you have never been corrupt, your family is large and there are many people. It is inevitable that there will be some failures in discipline. I promise you that I will try my best to save these people's lives, but to protect your safety, their family business and property, I will..."
"You didn't come down under the name of the East Factory, right?"
Deng Ying nodded, "Yes."
"Deng Ying."
Bai Huan suddenly called him, and Deng Ying couldn't help but pause when he heard the call.
"Deng Ying is here, please speak, Lord."
Bai Huan lowered his head and looked at Deng Ying's profile.
"Did the students of Chushan Academy and Hudan Academy stay here to save Yang Lun?"
Deng Ying pursed her lips and said, "You don't have to worry about this, it's not important."
"I personally wrote the impeachment letter against you, and put you in this situation. Don't you have any resentment in your heart?"
Deng Ying picked up Bai Huan's shoes and put them on him while saying, "In fact, I have come to this point on my own. It has nothing to do with the elder and Lord Yang. I know you don't want to treat me like this, but the situation forces you to write the memorial. Only you can calm the people's hearts and minds. And the path I am taking now cannot be taken by others. So I have no resentment and I have a clear conscience."
After he finished speaking, he put down Bai Huan's feet, knelt down again, and kowtowed to Bai Huan.
"From today on, all my offenses against you will be temporarily atoned for with this bow. When you are released from prison, I will apologize to you again.
Bai Huan coughed a few times, waved his hand to block the tea handed to him by the servant, and said sadly: "You don't have to do this. Why don't you take a step back?"
Deng Ying stood up and said, "Although I am a prisoner, I don't want to be a useless person with my bones removed. My teacher died tragically in prison, and I couldn't save him. I will regret this for the rest of my life and will never forgive myself. Today you are in prison, and I must save you."
Bai Huan stretched out his hand tremblingly and gently touched Deng Ying's temples. Deng Ying's back stiffened and she blurted out, "Teacher, you..."
He choked up and quickly changed his words, "Please forgive me, sir."
"No problem..."
Bai Huan smiled and said, "There is no one else here at this moment."
As he spoke, he lifted Deng Ying's wrist.
"Roll up your sleeves a little higher."
Deng Ying hurriedly did as she was told.
Bai Huan looked at the wounds from the torture instruments and suddenly coughed a few times.
"Bring tea to His Excellency."
Bai Huan waved his hand, "No need..."
He exhaled a mouthful of fishy breath, "I am almost at the end of my life and suffering from old age and illness. You are so young and yet you have so many injuries. Zhang Zhanchun taught you to read the Book of Changes. Do you know how long you will live?"
Deng Ying shook her head and said, "I have never asked these questions to the Book of Changes."
Bai Huan nodded, "It's better not to ask, it's better not to ask..."
After saying that, he stood up, holding the back of the chair, "Let your people come in. I feel strong today and can walk out by myself."
**
In the spring of the 14th year of Zhenning, a very absurd record appeared in "History of Ming Dynasty".
Deng Ying was in custody awaiting trial while Bai Huan was being interrogated.
The former teachers and students are now walking on the road together.
Deng Ying walked in front, while Bai Huan was carried by the factory guards and staggered behind.
That day, after Yang Wan came out of Qingbo Pavilion, she did not return to the palace immediately.
She hid in the crowd, swept away by the scolding, and accompanied Deng Ying all the way from Bai's house to the Dongchang prison.
During this time, she kept recalling the records in "History of Ming Dynasty" and the later researchers' explanations of this absurd history.
Those words are much more rational and detached than the "bad words" of the people.
However, the more detached one becomes, the colder and sharper one becomes.
Yang Wan looked at Deng Ying outside the crowd. He hid the torture device on his wrist with his sleeve and gently avoided the pedestrians and children around him. He occasionally stopped for a few steps, turned around and waited for Bai Huan who was walking behind him, and whispered to the factory guards, "Walk slower."
Despite her endless malice, Yang Wan saw a hint of a smile on Deng Ying's face.
Very faint, but enough for her to notice.
Yang Wan turned and looked at Bai Huan. The old man in his twilight years walked unsteadily, but his expression was very peaceful.
The "History of Ming Dynasty" records that it was a political drama in which a master and his disciple turned against each other completely, and fought to the death. However, in reality, the two people just walked together for a while in the same posture and tacitly.
Yang Wan watched Deng Ying and Bai Huan walk into the Dongchang Prison in the crowd. The midday sun suddenly broke through the clouds.
The sunlight was shining down, and it felt somewhat warm on my body.
An old man selling sesame candy on the roadside asked Yang Wan, "Girl, it's very sweet. Buy some."
Yang Wan touched the bag of money Deng Ying had gotten from Qin Wende and asked with a smile, "You want three bags, two bags for more, one bag for less."
The old man smiled and said, "Girl, buy three bags, because the men in your family also like to eat candy."
Yang Wan nodded, "He doesn't like candy, but he will eat it if I tell him to."
The old man smiled and said, "Your husband is so nice, young lady."
Yang Wan turned around and looked towards the gate of the factory prison, and replied softly:
"Yeah, no one else knows, but no matter what, he is a very, very good person..."