A ban was set up outside Qingbo Pavilion. Except for the captain of the Northern Pacification Office and the guards of the Eastern Factory, no one was allowed to walk within a hundred meters.
The seal on the door had been broken, and Qin Wende pushed the door open with one hand, and put the blade directly to the throat of the person in front of the door, forcing the people from the Northern Pacification Office to retreat a few steps.
The shopkeeper walked out from behind the door and said loudly, "Please stop, everyone. Our boss has something to say to you all."
Zhang Luo pulled the reins of his horse and looked behind the door.
A thin shadow came out from behind the wooden door, her hair was disheveled and her makeup was barely greasy, but she had a delicate beauty.
"Captain Qin, release the man."
As she spoke, she walked to Zhang Luo's horse, bowed and saluted, raised her head and said, "I am really very proud here. The East Jishi Factory wants to close the office, and the North Zhenfu Division wants to break in. I, a woman, can't stop you two families. Sir Zhang, if you have anything to say, just ask here."
Zhang Luo sneered and shouted, "Go in and get him."
“Wait!”
Zhang Luo bowed his head and looked at Yang Wan, "If you resist stubbornly, you will die."
Yang Wan stepped back, looking at Zhang Luo as she retreated, and said, "Then you have to kill me first."
She retreated to the door and said, "I would rather die here than go to your prison."
Zhang Luo said, "I think you are crazy. Do you think I won't kill you just because you raised the eldest prince? I am following the order of His Majesty to arrest the rebels from Chushan and Hudan academies. I will not show you mercy."
"Then let them cut it!"
She raised her neck and said, "Master Zhang, I tell you, I will not let the people from the East Factory fight with the Northern Pacification Office today, but if you want to capture the students inside, you must step over my body. I am not threatening you with death, and I know you will not have mercy on me, but I can bet my life with you. If I die today, your Northern Pacification Office will be finished tomorrow."
After she finished speaking, she turned to the captain holding the knife and said, "Within an hour, the decree of His Majesty pardoning these students will be delivered in front of Qingbo Pavilion. Killing our people will be a death sentence. Who of you is willing to take the blame for Master Zhang? Come over here. I will never resist."
Zhang Luo asked, "How do you know that His Majesty will change his mind within an hour?"
"Guess."
She said calmly, "Although it's just a guess, I've never lost. You said I played with you three times, but the word 'played' is too sinister. Those three times were just because I had to survive under your hands. The only thing I'm thankful for is that I've never lost. This is my understanding of you, the emperor, and the world I live in. I won't lose this time. It depends on whether you are willing to bet with me. Sir Zhang, I only need one hour. After one hour, if there is no decree, I will let you take me and the people inside away."
When she said this, her face was calm, but her shoulders and back were shaking uncontrollably.
Zhang Luo looked at Yang Wan and recalled what Deng Ying had said to him in the imperial prison—you can't control Yang Wan.
As Yang Wan said, she played with him three times.
The first time was during her marriage, when she broke free from the constraints of her subordinate status to Zhang Luo. The second time was during the Heju case, when she made the Eastern Investigation Bureau take away the criminal trial power of the Northern Pacification Bureau overnight. The third time was during the "Five Sages" case, when she forced Zhang Luo to execute her own father with his own hands.
It is true that she never lost once, but no one could tell how Yang Wan, who was in a low position, could defeat these powerful people.
"Want to bet, Mr. Zhang?"
She asked again.
"bet."
Zhang Luo raised his hand, "Everyone, retreat ten meters and guard the front and back gates. After an hour..."
He raised his hand and pointed at Yang Wan, "First lock her up, then take everyone in the museum away."
After hearing this, Yang Wan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
She leaned against the door, pursed her lips, and whispered to Zhang Luo: "Thank you, Master Zhang."
**
In the Yangxin Palace, Yi Lang knelt beneath the crane-shaped incense burner. Although Yang Lun and Bai Yuyang were present, they did not dare to say a word between the father and son. In the entire Yangxin Palace, only He Yixian dared to speak out to persuade them.
"Your Majesty, His Highness is still young, and he is kind-hearted. He will be moved by what others say. Please don't get angry and hurt yourself."
Yi Lang raised his head and asked, "Who is the seal holder? Who is the other person?"
"this… "
He Yixian made an awkward sound, and the emperor laughed and said to He Yixian: "Okay, you are also old, you can't argue with him."
After he finished speaking, he said to Yi Lang: "You clearly know that these people are insulting our father, why do you still dare to plead for them?"
Yi Lang raised his head, "Father, I am not begging for mercy. I am taking the blame for them. They insulted you and committed a serious crime. I hate them, but these people knelt in front of your house to plead for you. Only then did you pardon me. Then you dealt with these students. They are stupid people and they can't help but not understand your will. I don't want to hear them slander you."
The emperor was silent for a while. "If that's the case, just ask for mercy. Why should you take the blame for them?"
Yi Lang pursed his lips and said, "I want to make them understand that they are guilty and should be punished."
The emperor patted his knees and asked, "Who taught you to do this?"
“No one taught me to do this.”
Yi Lang took two steps on his knees towards Emperor Zhenning, "Father, I no longer have a mother, I only have father. I understand that I did many things wrong in the past and made you angry, but now I have grown up and become sensible, I also want to protect you."
After hearing what Yi Lang said, Yang Lun couldn't help but feel hot on his back and his scalp tingling.
This sounds both true and heartbreaking.
Although it was Yang Wan who taught Yi Lang to say this, it might be difficult for the child to express his true feelings.
Yang Wan helped him speak it out, just right and at the right time.
Since ancient times, making a living in the officialdom of the capital city is like walking on the edge of a knife. Although open plots will never be defeated by secret plots, court officials are in the open, and the Silijian is in the dark. Most of the time, it is the civil officials who lose their dignity. But above these two, there is a better one, that is, "attacking the heart."
Although everyone wants to practice this way, countless people play with fire and get burned, dying along the way.
Yang Wan was in a low position, without any real bargaining chips in her hands, but she was able to manipulate the emotions of the king and the prince with ease to revive this almost hopeless dead end. This made Yang Lun terrified when he thought about it carefully.
"Father."
"you say."
Yi Lang sniffed and said, "Please punish me. I can bear anything."
As he spoke, he bent down and kowtowed before Emperor Zhenning.
Bai Yuyang's eyes became hot and he couldn't bear to exhale the burning breath, so he raised his hand to press the corners of his eyes.
Emperor Zhenning raised his head and looked at him, "Why are you showing such sadness in front of me?"
Bai Yuyang hurriedly said: "I am guilty. Thinking of my father, I can't help but... be moved by Your Highness."
After hearing this, Emperor Zhenning helped He Yixian stand up, walked to Yi Lang, bent down and supported his arms, "Get up."
Yi Lang stood up, took He Yixian's hand, and helped Emperor Zhenning sit down, "Father, I will serve you tonight."
Emperor Zhenning coughed twice and said, "Okay, I have something to tell you too."
After he finished speaking, he said to Yang Lun, "You go in person and ask Zhang Luo to come back. Also, draft an edict tomorrow, and the eldest prince will be punished on behalf of the students of the academy and fined for three years. I will forgive the students for their kindness and will not pursue the matter any further."
"Yes, I thank your majesty for your grace on behalf of all the students of the academy."
"Yang Lun."
The emperor hugged Yi Lang to his side and said, "Thank you."
"Yes, yes... On behalf of all the students in the academy, I thank the eldest prince for his grace."
After Yang Lun finished speaking, he did not delay for a moment and ran straight out of Donghua Gate towards Qingbo Pavilion.
In front of Qingbo Pavilion, an hour was almost up.
Yang Wan stared at the dark Donggong Street without saying a word. The Dongchang guards unconsciously clenched their knives. Yang Wan stood up and raised her voice, "Don't do it."
"lady!"
Yang Wan closed her eyes. "Don't kill anyone in front of me. There's no need. Live as long as you can without guilt. Deng Ying is just an ordinary person to you, not a god. Don't be so pedantic. He and I know your heart."
After she finished speaking, she opened her eyes, lifted her skirt and walked down the steps. She walked in front of Zhang Luo, was silent for a moment, and stretched out her hands to him, "Come on, take me away."
Zhang Luo lowered his head and looked at Yang Wan. She looked extremely tired, with dark circles under her eyes and disheveled hair.
"Do you want to admit defeat?"
Yang Wan smiled and said, "About the same."
She pursed her lips as she spoke, "You'll let me go take a look at him, right?"
"What do you think?"
"Okay, you won't, but that's okay, we're all in the same place anyway, I feel at ease."
Zhang Luo pressed her hand down with the hilt of the knife, "Yang Wan, I'll give you another chance."
"I don't want it."
Zhang Luo said, "I haven't even told you what the opportunity is, and you're rejecting it?"
Yang Wan looked at Zhang Luo, "I know what you are going to say. I will be under your control, and then you will take the responsibility for me, right?"
Zhang Luo didn't say anything.
Yang Wan smiled and shook her head, "Zhang Luo, I can't live anyway, so I'm going to say something outrageous to you."
She swallowed and pointed at herself, "You will never understand my joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness, and you are not worthy of them."
A vein bulged on Zhang Luo's forehead. "Yang Wan, I've never seen a woman as unbridled as you."
"How can a woman be so rude?"
Yang Wan interrupted him, "I am also a person! You have met Zhou Congshan, Huang Ran, and Deng Ying. Which one of them is not more outrageous than me? I am the same as them. I am also willing to let my flesh and blood fall to the ground and pave the way for future generations to support the crown. From today on, you are not allowed to look down on me anymore."
Zhang Luo held the knife with his hands clenched until his knuckles turned white. "Wait another half an hour!"
"grown ups… "
"I said wait another half an hour!"
Yang Wan was stunned, "Don't you want to beat me?"
Zhang Luo said, "I just don't understand why I, Zhang Luo, would fall to the point of fighting with a woman and letting this woman look down on me. I've lost to you three times, and I still don't understand why I lost. This time, no matter whether I win or lose, I want to understand once more what kind of person you are."
Just as he finished speaking, the sound of horse hooves was heard on Donggong Street.
Yang Wan raised her head and looked ahead, only to hear Yang Lun's voice: "There is an order!"
When Yang Wan heard this, she couldn't help but take two steps back. The breath that had been held in her chest suddenly rushed out of her mouth and nose, and she suddenly found it difficult to stand.
Qin Wende hurriedly supported her. "Madam..."
Yang Wan held her chest and took a few breaths, then looked up at Zhang Luo.
Zhang Luo looked at her and said, "That's great, but is it worth it for you and Deng Ying to do this for these people?"
"Are you worthy for His Majesty?"
Zhang Luo was stunned.
Yang Wan panted, "If you figure it out, you'll be as miserable as we are."