"Wanwan, get up."
Deng Ying almost blurted it out.
Yang Wan raised her head and looked at Deng Ying, "You didn't say it yourself, and I told you not to. What are you doing? Are you holding it in like a fool? Don't you see that the teacher feels sorry for you?"
"I… "
Deng Ying stood behind Yang Wan at a loss. Yang Wan reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes, "Come here."
Bai Huan also raised his hand to him, "Come here."
Deng Ying hurriedly held Bai Huan's hand, her jaw trembling slightly.
He had been exiled for a long time, and he could no longer touch the ink in the study, the incense in the piano room, or the poems in the gatherings.
He never resented anyone, and always kept all the taboos brought by the gap in status, stayed away from the material world of literati, and was demanding on his own food, clothing, and shelter. Even though the eunuchs in the Silijian had already lived a life of luxury, and were making a lot of money in the officialdom, reversing the hierarchy and humiliating the gentlemen, he still kept the boundaries of being a slave, and used his own humility to uphold the precarious dignity of Yang Lun and others during the Zhenning period. For several years, he never thought about being accepted by these people again.
He never expected that he was supposed to bring Yang Wan to see Bai Huan today, but in the end, it was Yang Wan who brought him to Bai Huan.
"Teacher Bai, he can't speak. Can I speak for him?"
Bai Huan nodded.
"thank you."
After she finished speaking, she turned back and said, "Deng Xiaoying, come here and kneel down."
Deng Ying listened to Yang Wan's words and knelt down quietly.
Yang Wan straightened up and looked at Bai Huan, "Teacher Bai, he has always been the Deng Fuling of the past, and he only wants to be the Deng Fuling of the past. In fact, I can help him be a happier person, but I can't help him find his original identity. Having no children, no heirs, this is not a great sorrow. Having no father, no friends, and no mentor is his pain, but he can't say it. He is afraid that if he says it, it will hurt your dignity and his brother's reputation. Teacher Bai, he has been silent for so many years, and he has become stupid. Can you open your mouth first?"
After hearing this, Bai Huan looked at Deng Ying silently.
Deng Ying knelt quietly with his head bowed, the shackles on his body hanging down at his knees, and the gray clothes showed his young and sharp bones. Yang Wan was the only one who took care of him for many years of injuries. If it was Yang Lun, there would be no idea how many people in the sect would send him medicine and care for him, but he lived alone in a cold room by the moat, and no one cared about him until now.
Bai Huan felt a tight pain in his throat as he thought about it. He stretched out his trembling hand and wanted to touch the student's forehead, but he was kneeling a little far away and couldn't reach it for a while.
"Deng Ying."
"ah?"
"Your head."
Deng Ying bent down and leaned forward.
When Bai Huan's hand touched Deng Ying's forehead, both of them trembled slightly.
Deng Ying still didn't say anything, while Bai Huan said in a hoarse voice: "Fu Ling, you've suffered..."
When Yang Wan heard this, her shoulders finally relaxed.
She didn't say anything else. She lifted her skirt, stood up, hugged her knees and shrank back into the corner, holding her chin and listening to Bai Huan and Deng Ying talking.
In the cell of the factory prison, Bai Huan asked Deng Ying how he was doing in the past two years, what medicines he had taken, which doctors he had seen, and how he had been recuperating during the seasons. Deng Ying clasped his hands, sat in front of Bai Huan, and answered meekly. Bai Huan then asked him what books he was reading and whether he had written anything. If so, he could take it to the cell and let him see it.
Yang Wan quietly remembered the conversation between the two in her mind. She gradually felt tired and finally fell asleep on the quilt.
"Get something to cushion her neck."
Bai Huan turned to look at the sleeping Yang Wan and said with a smile, "She didn't sleep properly, it will hurt when she wakes up."
"Yes, I'll give her a straw pillow."
Deng Ying said this as she bent down and gathered the straw mats on the ground, tied them into a pillow, then stood up and walked to Yang Wan, lifting her body with her hands.
Yang Wan was a little dazed in her sleep, tilting her head back and mumbling: "Deng Ying, don't touch me..."
Deng Ying's ears turned red, "Wanwan, I didn't do anything to you."
"You... touched my neck..."
"I didn't touch..."
Deng Ying looked at Bai Huan awkwardly, and heard Bai Huan say, "Mr. Zhang, did you give her your jadeite hibiscus pendant?"
Deng Ying looked back at Yang Wan and shook her head silently.
"No... That's good, I don't think she is an ordinary girl."
Deng Ying gently put Yang Wan down and covered her body with the quilt. She turned around and said to Bai Huan, "Teacher, maybe she can really save those students outside."
"Do you believe her?"
Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan's sleeping face and nodded.
**
Yang Wan was awakened by the jolt of the carriage. When she opened her eyes, Deng Ying was not in the carriage. She quickly turned over and sat up, reaching out to open the curtain.
The whole city is filled with smoke from cooking fires and lights are lit in every household.
Yang Wan rubbed her eyes and sighed, "It's already this late."
Tan Wende, who was driving, said, "Madam, tell me, you haven't slept well in a few days."
Yang Wan was stunned for a moment before she responded, "What did you call me?"
"What?"
"What did you just call me?"
"Husband... Madam."
Qin Wende looked back at Yang Wan, thinking that she was unhappy to hear this name, and hurriedly said, "How about I change my tone back?"
"No change."
Yang Wan moved to sit in front of the car curtain, "Madam is very nice, it makes me look very rich."
"Very rich..."
Qin Wende obviously didn't follow Yang Wan's logic. He scratched his head and asked, "By the way, it's getting late. Are you going back to the palace today?"
"Go back, hurry up a bit, Donghua Gate is about to be closed."
"Okay, sit tight."
Yang Wan leaned against the wall of the carriage and asked again, "Where is your governor? Isn't he going back to the palace today?"
"oh."
Tan Wende replied, "Were the students arrested today taken to the outer factory? They will be beaten one after another. If they are released, they will have to write a reply to the Northern Pacification Office. By the time we are done with this, it will be too late for them to enter the palace."
Yang Wan nodded, "What happens after these people are beaten?"
Tan Wende said: "The students behind the drum tower are waiting outside the factory office to pick you up. Just let them take you away."
"Is there a doctor to see?"
"There are many wanderers at the Drum Tower. Please don't bother with them. They are so ignorant of their own life and death that they deserve to die."
Yang Wan smiled and said, "You are so straightforward in your words."
"Of course."
Yang Wan smiled and said, "Go to Qingbo Pavilion later and tell the shopkeeper to take some money to the back of the drum tower and buy money for the students. Tell him not to mention anything else and just say that he loves the students."
Qin Wende turned around and said, "Madam, you and the governor are both Bodhisattvas."
Yang Wan said: "I'm not doing this for them."
"Who are you serving, the governor? Are you afraid that he will use his own money to support the students?"
Yang Wan didn't say anything, but Qin Wende suddenly smiled from ear to ear and flicked his whip triumphantly, "I told you, you are worthy of being our wife!"
The horse neighed and raised its front hooves, and a cloud of spring dust rose up. Yang Wan held her cheek with her hand and smiled with a hint of pride.
**
The spring dust and catkins gradually become charming.
The much-publicized case of Liang Weiben and the Prime Minister of the Cabinet forced the second regular court session of the 14th year of Zhenning on February 27th.
Emperor Zhenning sat on the golden platform at the imperial gate, propping up his chin as he listened to an official from the Ministry of Public Security read out a memorial on the Liang case on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. This memorial, plus a summary of Liang's confession, had more than ten thousand words. Several officials from the Ministry of Public Security read it out in its entirety.
After hearing the last word, Emperor Zhenning felt a little tired. He released his hand from his chin and called down, "Minister Bai."
Bai Yuyang responded and knelt down, "I am here."
"I remember that Liang Weiben was a Jinshi who passed the imperial examination on the birthday of the Empress Dowager in the fourth year of Zhenning. I saw him in person."
"Yes, your majesty is clear and bright."
"snort."
Emperor Zhenning snorted and laughed, "Qingming would not allow him to cause chaos in Zhejiang until now."
He waved his hand and said, "Search his homes in Zhejiang and Beijing."
"yes."
All the ministers called out in unison for the emperor's wisdom.
After Bai Yuyang finished speaking, he stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Liang Weiben has already confessed that the salt field was colluding with the Japanese. Prime Minister Bai was not aware of this. Moreover, the Prime Minister has been imprisoned in the factory prison for many days. He is old and seriously ill. He cannot bear the pain of prison. Please show mercy, Your Majesty."
Emperor Zhenning said, "I am still reading the report from the Eastern Ji Factory."
Bai Yuyang couldn't help but kowtow and beg again, "Your Majesty... please understand the Prime Minister's suffering."
After hearing this, Emperor Zhenning slammed his hand on the throne and said, "Imperial Censor, please write down what Minister Bai said."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone under the golden stage knelt down.
Emperor Zhenning looked down at his ministers and said, "You have misinterpreted my feelings towards you. When have I not been sympathetic to the Prime Minister's suffering? I personally instructed the eunuch in charge of the East Factory, 'You must not be rude to the Prime Minister, otherwise I will punish you.' I have been lenient to you so far. If you ask me to show you more mercy, you are forcing me to put human feelings above the law."
Bai Yuyang leaned forward and shouted, "After hearing what Your Majesty said, I deserve to die."
"Who can die forever?"
Emperor Zhenning stood up and said, "I have been eating less and less recently, and I have trouble sleeping at night. I keep dreaming about Emperor Taizu, who blames me for being too lenient and forgiving to my subjects, which has led to corruption cases everywhere and the Japanese rebellion. You are indeed my loyal and faithful subjects, but just because I call you "loyal and faithful", can you force me to pardon my guilty subjects?"
The cold wind from the imperial gate blew the official robes of the kneeling people, and Emperor Zhenning paced back and forth on the golden platform.
"You don't ask about the well-being of your ruler and father, but instead ask the prisoner, where are you following the principles of rulership and subjectivity?"
This sudden shout startled the imperial servant so much that he dropped his pen. Bai Yuyang could only kowtow heavily, "I know my crime, and I wish I could die right now."
Emperor Zhenning said, "I originally wanted to shackle you for a day, but considering that you are pleading for your father and your filial piety is impeccable, I will not shackle you. You should go back immediately and settle the Liang case. The Ministry of Justice will not need to raid Liang Weiben's house. I will order the Jinyiwei to work with the Ministry of Revenue to handle it."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at the ministers and said, "Continue with your report."
After being scolded by Emperor Zhenning, the other officials who had come to report to the emperor clenched their legs and dared not say much. After reading the memorials, they returned to their respective trains.
Around 9:00 p.m., the Imperial Household Department called for the end of the court, and everyone walked out of the Bell and Drum Gate dejectedly.
Yang Lun walked forward in silence, not even hearing his old colleagues from the Sixth Department calling him. He did not stop until Deng Ying stopped him.
"What are you chasing after me for?"
"Xiao Xi, don't show your sadness."
Yang Lun laughed bitterly, "When did you submit your report?"
"A few days ago."
Yang Lun clenched his fist and pressed the palace wall. "Is it the Imperial Household Department who suppressed it, or is it His Majesty who suppressed it?"
Deng Ying glanced at Yang Lun's hand and said, "The Imperial Household Department cannot suppress my report now, but His Majesty is unwilling to read it."
Yang Lun said: "What on earth does your majesty want to do?"
Deng Ying took two steps forward and said, "Did you and Lord Bai understand the thunder from the Golden Stage today?"
Yang Lun laughed and said, "Isn't it just scolding us for respecting the elders more than respecting the emperor and father?"
“That’s not all.”
"I know!"
Yang Lun looked around, "You are still crying poor to the Ministry of Revenue. You don't allow the Ministry of Justice to search your property, but instead ask the Northern Pacification Office to search your property. Can half of the money you find go to the Ministry of Revenue? Hangzhou's new policy has been delayed from last year to now. The old man and I are almost exhausted. Now the school land cannot be cleared. I really..."
As Yang Lun spoke, he saw Deng Ying lower her head.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scold you."
"Know."
Deng Ying paused, "If we release the elder, we can clear the school land. You just wait for two more days."
"Will His Majesty release the elder?"
"I have a plan. But Zixi, you have to stop those academy students behind the drum tower."
Yang Lun cursed: "Do you think I don't want to? Those Donglin Party members take them out to curse the heavens and the earth every day. I can't stand it anymore."