Towards the end of August, the dust storms gradually subsided.
On the day of the cabinet meeting, officials from the six departments gathered in the cabinet court room. Cabinet Chief Bai Huan, who had just recovered from a serious illness, was also present.
Ever since Bai Huan was imprisoned in the factory, the officials of the six departments had not seen him for a long time. When they saw him today, they all came forward to pay their respects.
"How is your health, sir?"
Bai Huan leaned on the table and smiled, "I can still work hard for a few more years."
A member of the Hu Ke said in a letter: "I originally thought that His Majesty would execute that man to redress the injustice for the elder, but who knew that this sudden dust storm would collapse the Yunya Palace and spare his life."
Bai Huan waved and said, "Let's not talk about this today."
The man heard this and said hurriedly, "That's right, Mr. Dayou, we shouldn't mention that person anymore."
Yang Lun helped Bai Huan sit down, stood up and walked to the table, and said to everyone, "Today is not the right day for a meeting. I troubled you all to come here because I want to hear your opinions before the cabinet submits the documents."
The official from the Rites Department said, "We heard a few days ago that the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites were going to propose the appointment of a crown prince. We have been waiting for the Ministry to give us the go-ahead, but we have not heard any confirmation yet. My Lord, you personally brought this up today. Is it because your Majesty is seriously ill?"
Yang Lun said: "It's not just because your Majesty is seriously ill, but your Majesty's throat disease has indeed not improved recently, and it has gradually become a moth throat disease."
"Moth disease?"
The officials below couldn't help but talk about it.
"Oh, I remember that the late emperor's virtuous concubine died of this disease last year."
"Yes, at first it looked like a cold, but then, for some reason, a lump formed in his throat that blocked his airway, and within half a month, he died."
Bai Huan coughed and said calmly, "You all came here not to discuss the condition, but to ask us to work together to solve the problem of the Crown Prince."
The official from the Ministry of Rites who had just spoken said, "Then there is nothing else to say. Your Majesty has only two sons and daughters. The second son is young and weak, and he still can't speak. How can he take the throne of the Crown Prince? Only the eldest son is qualified."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone below immediately echoed them.
Only the cabinet assistant Chen Tangxian continued, "Lord Bai, have you ever visited the Imperial Household Department?"
Bai Huan said: "We can't investigate this matter, we can only discuss it with them."
Tang Xian continued, "The second prince has been raised by the queen, with people sent by the Imperial Household Department to take care of his daily life. The eldest prince has been raised by his aunt Yang Wan. Although this woman had a close relationship with Deng Ying before, after Deng Ying was convicted, the eldest prince no longer has support in the inner court. Although the cabinet can recommend the establishment of a crown prince, it is locked in the inner court. If the Imperial Household Department and the East Factory do not make it known, the imperial edict will be handed over, which is very dangerous."
Bai Huan nodded and said, "What Elder Tang said is very true. We must have a correct attitude before we can play a game with the Imperial Household Department. Although Deng Ying has been convicted, the Eastern Ji Factory will be temporarily handed over to the Imperial Household Department. This matter will not help the eldest prince."
The official from the Ministry of Rites asked, "May I ask what you mean by that? Deng Ying persecuted you to such an extent in the prison, do you want to let him turn over? Is there any law to speak of in this case?"
Bai Huan didn't say anything, Yang Lun raised his voice, "Why are you so anxious? Don't say the word 'law' lightly. Deng Ying was sentenced to eighty strokes of the cane and exiled to Nanjing as a slave. The execution will be carried out after the Yunya Palace is built. There is no law in the world."
"Minister Yang, isn't your Majesty's meaning clear enough? Since ancient times, there has been no amnesty for corruption. Your Majesty has changed the death penalty to caning and exile, and ordered him to repair the Yunya Palace. After the palace is completed, no more favors shall be shown to me. When the time comes, not only will I not be punished with caning and exile, but I can also be reinstated as the Silijian."
"Isn't it good for him to be the chief eunuch?"
Bai Huan suddenly interrupted the man.
Everyone in the room fell silent and walked towards Bai Huan.
Bai Huan took a sip of tea, raised his head and said earnestly: "I know you hate this man, and he deserves to be punished for his crime. As officials, we cannot hang ourselves on the word "clean stream". If we stick to the principles, it is equivalent to walking on the dead end. The so-called law-abiding officials must reform the old and establish the new, and bravely create a new situation. I am already an old man, and you are still young. You must not put personal reputation first, and then the court and the country."
After saying this, several young officials in the six departments were moved, "What can you do..."
Bai Huan raised his hand to signal them to keep quiet for the time being, calmed his tone a little, and continued: "I am not saying this to ask you to regard me as a person who does not care about personal matters because of official duties. I just hope that you can see further in your official duties."
As he spoke, he sighed, "Although it's not the right day for the meeting, it's rare that everyone is here. Let's continue discussing what the six departments have to discuss. I'm still in good spirits today."
After two rounds of tea were served in the court room, officials from the six departments finally resigned one after another.
Tang Xianji and other cabinet ministers also left through the Ji Gate.
Yang Lun helped Bai Huan stand up and said, "Students will take the teacher home."
Bai Huan looked at the sky outside and asked, "Have you seen Fu Ling in the past few days since he was released from prison?"
Yang Lun shook his head. "I wanted to go see him the day he was released from prison, but my sister..."
He couldn't say it directly in front of Bai Huan, so he paused and said, "But my sister won't allow me..."
Bai Huan stood up and asked, "Is he still living in the guard house on the other side of the moat?"
"Yes, he has never moved since he entered the palace."
"oh."
Bai Huan responded by waving at Yang Lun, "You go home first, I'll go over to see him."
Yang Lun hurriedly followed him and said, "Student will serve you there."
Bai Huan nodded and smiled, "That's fine."
**
The two walked towards the moat, the fallen leaves of late autumn rolling past their feet, and the surroundings were bleak and deserted.
Deng Ying's room was indeed very lively. Today, two eunuchs came to see him. They were outside helping Li Yu boil medicine for Deng Ying, and inside they were teaching Li Yu how to read with a book. Li Yu looked up and saw Yang Lun and Bai Huan. He jumped in shock. He was on duty at the palace gate and knew the faces of the two ministers. He just didn't expect them to come here in person. He was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly stood up in front of the medicine furnace and saluted awkwardly.
Yang Lun asked him, "Is Deng Ying in there?"
"But... let me go in and tell him to get dressed... and get up. Yang Wan didn't let him get out of bed before. He was sitting... sitting on the bed."
He spoke incoherently. Bai Huan laughed and said, "It's okay. We're just going in to see him."
After saying that, he motioned for Yang Lun to go forward and open the door.
Deng Ying was sitting on the bed with her clothes on, working on the picture.
His ankle was bandaged with medicine by Yang Wan, and his head was covered with two layers of quilts by Yang Wan, making him almost unable to move. He heard the door open behind him, and thought it was Li Yu, so he asked casually, "Li Yu, can you pass me the water on the table? I want to drink some."
Yang Lun glanced at the table, saw two cups on it, and asked, "Which one?"
Deng Ying was startled, and turned around to see Bai Huan and Yang Lun standing behind him, "Teacher..."
After he finished speaking, he hurriedly got up from the bed, knelt down beside the bed and saluted Bai Huan, "Teacher... Please forgive Deng Ying for being rude."
Bai Huan held his arm and said, "Get up and sit up. I came here to see you, not to torment you."
Yang Lun took Bai Huan's hand, helped Deng Ying sit on the bed, and said, "Could it be the medicine Yang Wanrang bought for twenty taels of silver?"
Deng Ying didn't respond, but just said to Bai Huan: "I'm sorry, teacher, there's no place to sit in my room, please sit in my chair, Zixi, please help me get my robe to cushion the teacher."
Yang Lun said: "Xiao, I am sent by your patient today."
After saying that, he brought a chair, helped Bai Huan to sit down, and then he sat down on the edge of Deng Ying's bed, lifting his robe.
Seeing that Yang Wan was not there, he casually asked, "Where is Wan'er?"
Li Yu came in with tea and said to Yang Lun, "She is cooking by the moat."
"Cook?"
Yang Lun smiled and said to Bai Huan: "My sister used to be able to cook a few side dishes."
Li Yu shuddered, "Is what the Master said true?"
Yang Lun said, "Yeah." "Mother taught her some..."
Before he could finish his words, he heard Yang Wan calling Li Yu from outside, "I told you to stay here to boil the medicine, why did you go in? Come out and help me serve the dishes. Set the table and we'll eat."
Li Yu hurried to the door and said, "Mr. Bai and Minister Yang are here."
Yang Wan was stunned, "When?"
"I've been here for a while."
After hearing this, Yang Wan hurriedly walked into the room, put down the food tray and bowed to Bai Huan, "Teacher Bai."
Bai Huanci smiled and responded, "Young lady, please stand up."
Yang Wan stood up and smiled at Yang Lun, "Brother is here too."
Yang Lun was about to speak, but he heard him say, "Stand up, I'll help him apply the medicine on his feet."
"What… "
Yang Lun had just said two words when Yang Wan rudely pulled him up from the bed.
Yang Wan half-bent one leg and knelt beside Deng Ying. She lifted up half of the quilt, reached out to cover the medicine bag on Deng Ying's foot and said, "Did you move around just now?"
Deng Ying glanced at Yang Lun and said in a low voice, "Wan Wan, I greet the teacher."
"Oh, that's fine. I'll pack it for you again."
Yang Lun stood beside Yang Wan, watching her neatly tie the bandage around Deng Ying's ankle, and couldn't help asking, "Who taught you that?"
"I learned it myself. It's cute, isn't it?"
Yang Lun rolled his eyes. "I used to cry when I got a little scratch at home and wouldn't let the servants apply medicine. But now you're acting like a doctor yourself."
Yang Wan raised her head and smiled, "He has been ill for a long time, so I will naturally become a doctor."
After saying that, he gathered the quilt around Deng Ying's legs, got up and went to the door to wash his hands, then turned around and said to Bai Huan, "Teacher Bai, the food I cook is really terrible. Only Deng Ying and I can eat it. I'm embarrassed to ask you to eat with us, but... brother, the pork bone soup is still drinkable, why don't you... try a bowl."
After hearing what she said, Yang Lun didn't hesitate to scoop himself a full bowl and drank from it in big gulps.
"No... What you are waiting for is..."
Yang Wan walked up to Yang Lun holding the wet cup and said a little embarrassedly, "It's still hard to drink, isn't it?"
Yang Lun couldn't find a suitable expression for a long time, "You used to be very good at cooking."
Yang Wan said: "I fell before and forgot about it."
Yang Lun was speechless, and turned his head to ask Deng Ying who was sitting on the bed: "She has been cooking for you these past few days."
Deng Ying nodded, "Yeah."
Yang Lun turned to Yang Wan, "He's recovering from his illness, and you won't let him eat well."
Yang Wan said, "It's much better than before. Although the taste is still not that great, it's good for his health. You and Teacher Bai came to see him, not to scold me. I'll bring the food out, and I'll eat with him after you leave. Come and sit down and talk to him about it."