In the Dongchang prison at the end of February, Yang Wan saw a very genuine smile on Deng Ying's face.
Although word began to spread that Bai Huan was on the verge of death due to torture by Deng Ying in the factory prison, the scolding of Deng Ying was getting louder and louder. The house they lived in at Guangji Temple was also smashed to pieces by the angry students of the academy. When Qin Wende and other factory guards heard about it, they were so angry that they wanted to kill someone. Yang Wan was afraid that they would fight with the students if they saw it, so she wanted to ask people from Qingbo Pavilion to come and clean up, but Deng Ying refused.
For several days, he was not angry at all.
He still cooked simple meals for Yang Wan, and when he had free time he would tinker in the yard.
He has difficulty walking and works very slowly.
After finishing, he would wash his hands, roll up his sleeves, and sit opposite Yang Wan to grind ink and dip his brush.
Yang Wan was sorting out the "Dialogues" between Deng Ying and Bai Huan in recent days, trying to use a more modern text form to record the thoughts of these two traditional literati, while Deng Ying began to write articles.
However, compared with Yang Wan's calmness, Deng Ying had been reading Yang Lun's political articles repeatedly before she started writing.
Yang Wan held her face in her hands and asked Deng Ying, "You never wrote before, why are you so serious now?"
Deng Ying smiled and answered him: "The teacher said he wanted to see it."
Yang Wan flipped through Yang Lun's manuscript and said, "The teacher wants to read your work, why are you looking at my brother's?"
Deng Ying said, "I haven't written any articles on scriptures for a long time. My hand is already tired. My writing has been getting better and better in recent years. I am afraid that if I write rashly, I will disappoint my teacher."
After hearing this, Yang Wan nodded quietly.
"Okay, then read it carefully and write it well."
He put away his notes, grabbed a handful of nuts, sat under the lamp, peeled them and accompanied Deng Ying.
When Bai Huan commented on Deng Ying's articles in prison, Deng Ying and Yang Wan were often the only people listening.
Bai Huan was serious and solemn, while Deng Ying remained humble and gentle. Even though these articles could not be published, the two of them still carefully considered each word in the cell. When Deng Ying was interested, he would nod with a smile. The warm candlelight illuminated his face, giving Yang Wan an indescribable sense of relaxation.
If we say that Yang Wan’s inferiority complex in the Ming Dynasty originated from Deng Ying’s inferiority complex.
So the process of Deng Ying gradually healing her inner self is also a road to redemption for Yang Wan.
Texts will not lie. When Deng Ying picked up her pen again, Yang Wan's notes were no longer just for recording. She skillfully used various modern writing styles, quoting, extracting, commenting, and integrating various "isms" to refine her own ideas. She was no longer filled with fear of the "torrent of history", but instead tried to find the laws of these flowing waters in the text.
These rules are guided by the person Deng Ying.
Yang Wan hugged her knees and looked at the two people talking under the lamp.
Bai Huan looked at Deng Ying lovingly.
"Your understanding of the new policies in the South is no less than Yang Zixi's."
Deng Ying bowed to Bai Huan and said, "Thanks for your words, teacher."
Bai Huan motioned him to excuse himself, raised his head and said, "When I feel better, you can come to my study at home. I will make room for you two to debate to your heart's content."
Deng Ying heard this and bowed her head and said, "Yes."
"Can I go and listen?"
Yang Wan raised her hand.
Bai Huan smiled but said nothing. Yang Wan raised her hand a little higher, "Teacher Bai, I also know a little bit."
Deng Ying looked back at Yang Wan, then turned to Bai Huan and said softly, "Teacher, I will be under her control for the rest of my life. I dare not go to places where she cannot go."
Bai Huan laughed and said, "Okay, Miss Yang will come too."
Yang Wan smiled with her eyes curved, and stood up and said, "Master Bai, you are so kind. You must be tired from sitting. Yang Xiaowan will give you a massage."
She said and jumped behind Bai Huan.
Bai Huan looked at Yang Wan helplessly, "You little girl, you don't know the etiquette of a boudoir at all."
Yang Wan turned half of her face to the side and said, "You don't look angry, do you?"
"Wan Wan."
Yang Wan said "Oh" to Deng Ying and then retracted her head.
Bai Huan smiled and called out in a serious tone, "Fu Ling."
"Teacher, you say."
"Can you let me see Yuyang?"
Deng Ying said, "Teacher, please go out and meet me."
Bai Huan straightened up, "Your Majesty, will you release me from prison?"
Deng Ying nodded. "It's just these two days, teacher. The factory is humid, and your knees are now so swollen that you can't walk. Please bear with it for these two days. I may not give you medicine to relieve the pain. After you return home, you must adjust your condition carefully."
Bai Huandao shook his head, "Talisman Spirit."
"Teacher, you have been suffering here with me."
He interrupted Bai Huan and said, "After you leave, don't speak for me."
Yang Wan said from behind Bai Huan: "Teacher Bai, please listen to him. If you don't listen to him, he won't be able to sleep well at night."
Bai Huan looked at Deng Ying and said, "What can the teacher do to help you?"
Deng Ying said: "I will try to write some poems in the future. If I can bring them to the teacher, I hope the teacher will continue to guide me."
"Talisman Spirit..."
"teacher."
Deng Ying interrupted him again, "I have tried my best and cannot turn back. I beg you to stay safe and carry out the new policy in Hangzhou."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Yang Wan again, "I have you, Wanwan, don't force anything, you must be safe."
Yang Wan said, "Don't worry."
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Wende said in the cell: "Master, Lord Yang Lun is here, outside the prison, and he wants to see you."
Yang Wan asked, "What's wrong?"
Tan Wende said: "It seems that something happened in the cabinet."
Deng Ying was silent for a while before she stood up and walked towards the hall.
Yang Wan also stood up and bent down to pick up Deng Ying's manuscript.
Bai Huan called her, "Miss Yang."
"Teacher, you say."
Bai Huan said: "We are all people who will not abandon him, I hope you..."
"I know."
Yang Wanqi picked up Deng Ying's manuscript and put it in her arms. "You didn't abandon him. He has been much happier recently than before. Don't worry. No matter what happens, I will take care of you, a silly student, for the rest of your life."
After saying that, he turned around and smiled at Bai Huan: "I'll take care of him. Teacher Bai, you have a good rest."
**
In the main hall of the factory prison, Yang Lun looked solemn.
Deng Ying said: "Please sit down first..."
"You're almost dead, why don't you just let me kneel down and kowtow to you."
Deng Ying was both angry and amused when she heard this, "Yang Zixi, why do you talk nonsense when you are anxious?"
Yang Lun snorted.
He glanced at Yang Wan who was following behind Deng Ying and said to her, "Ask her if she's panicking."
Deng Ying turned around and saw Yang Wan walking away while saying to Yang Lun, "I was a little panicked, but I wasn't so anxious as to curse him."
Yang Lun choked up and slammed the table, saying, "When did you become your brother?"
Deng Ying advised: "Okay, let's talk about business."
Yang Lun said dejectedly: "What happened to the teacher?"
"Nothing."
"Why are there people saying that he is being tortured to death in the East Factory Prison?"
"Let them pass it on."
"Don't spread it anymore!"
Yang Lun took a step closer to Deng Ying, "Early this morning, the students from the academy went to the gate of the Bai Mansion and knelt and cried. Later, the examinees from Changhe Lane on Donggong Street all went over. I was afraid that something might happen to them, so Qi Huaiyang and I rushed over to take a look. As a result, these students refused to leave and knelt in front of us to complain. Qi Huaiyang and I couldn't stay any longer, so we had to leave first."
Deng Ying nodded. "Have the people from the Inspectorate gone?"
“Yes.”
"good."
"What a fart!"
Yang Lun shouted, "I came here to tell you about this. Bai Yuyang gave a lot of favors to the people in the Supervisory Office. The Imperial Household Department will not protect you. The Supervisory Office will report that you tortured the elders. It will probably be sent to His Majesty's desk tonight. What happened to the teacher? Did you take good care of the teacher?"
"How dare I be mean to the teacher!"
Deng Ying also raised her voice, then turned her back and walked a few steps, pursed her lips and said, "Yang Zixi, can you calm down and talk to me about the matter. The prison is damp, and the teacher is already seriously ill. He can't walk these days. I'm very anxious, but this is a good thing for now. It's also a good thing for the students to make trouble. At least it can force His Majesty to release the teacher. Xixi, I have copied a report on the teacher's case. I'm here today. If you come today, I'll give it to you."
"Give me something to do."
Deng Ying said, "I am worried that if your majesty punishes me, the Imperial Household Department will take control of the East Factory and forge the case files of the Prime Minister, so I copied this to you. You hold it, but don't be reckless, and don't give it to Minister Bai and others to use. Just be happy to save our teacher."
Yang Lun looked at Deng Ying in silence, and after a while he said, "I finally understand. This is your method, right?"
"right."
Yang Lun nodded continuously, walked back and forth in the hall with his hands clenched, and said to Deng Ying, "You are really good."
Yang Wan pulled Deng Ying behind her and said, "Okay, stop scolding him. You'd better go to the Bai Mansion with Qi Huaiyang and the others and check on those students. You can scold Deng Ying, but if you drag him into the Imperial Household Department and the Emperor, they're done!"
"right… "
Yang Lun turned around and said, "Qi Huaiyang and I will go again."
"Go quickly."
Yang Wan walked Yang Lun a few steps forward, then turned around and walked back to Deng Ying.
He was scolded by Yang Lun, but he still stood there quietly.
Yang Wan looked at him and smiled, "Where do you want to go now?"
Deng Ying smiled and said, "I want to go back to the main room and sleep for a while."
Yang Wan lifted Deng Ying's hand, gently rolled up his sleeves, pursed her lips and smiled, "You've been running around with these things for so long, you must be tired too, right?"
Deng Ying nodded, "Yeah, finally I don't have to embarrass myself anymore."
Yang Wan squeezed his hand and said, "Nonsense."
She raised her head and said, "You promised me, you can't forget it."
"I know."
He touched Yang Wan's cheek and said, "I will live a long life."
Yang Wan nodded and lowered her head and said, "Raise your hand."
"What."
"Put your hands up."
Deng Ying raised her hand as she was told, and Yang Wan reached out and hooked her little finger.
"Do you remember that I made a promise with you in Nanhaizi?"
Deng Ying was stunned.
"Remember."
"Deng Ying, I will come to find you. You should be happier when you see me next time. If nothing unexpected happens, I will pick you up before the Mid-Autumn Festival and bring you clean clothes, shoes and socks, and lots of delicious food."
After she finished speaking, she lowered her head and took off a lotus jade pendant from her waist, handed it to Deng Ying, and said with a smile: "I originally wanted to have a sense of ceremony, but now it's too late. This jade pendant has always been a pair. I use this jade bead as a token of love for you. Although I have a brother, a sister, and parents, I don't want to care about the orders of my parents and the words of the matchmaker. I will make my own decision and marry myself to you. However, marriage is free, and you can make your own decision. If you are worried, you can ask your teacher for his opinion. I won't force you, and I will wait for you to return the gift."
After she finished speaking, she placed the jade pendant in Deng Ying's hand.
"Okay, go back and have a good sleep. I'm leaving now."
"Wan Wan."
Deng Ying called her, "Aren't you going back to the palace with me?"
Yang Wan turned around and shook her head, "I'm going to Bai's house. Deng Ying, I don't like those students at all. I agree with you and Teacher Bai's ideas. You want to protect them. You don't want to see another Tongjia tragedy. I don't want to see it either."