Four or five apples and seven or eight oranges lay quietly in the bundle.
After Yang Lun left, Deng Ying sat cross-legged on his mat. There was no water in the cell, so he wiped his hands on his prison uniform and slowly peeled an orange. The orange Yang Lun bought was still green, with thick skin and small flesh. Deng Ying broke off a segment and put it in his mouth. The sour juice of the segment flowed down his throat into his stomach. He quickly closed his eyes and held back the sour juice that came out of his mouth.
But he didn't put it down. He still swallowed it all quietly, one petal at a time.
Then he picked up an apple and asked for one.
One sour and the other sweet, a metaphor for a draw.
Yang Wan used this bag of water to easily tell him outside the prison that he had not lost.
Deng Ying placed his hand that was pinching the apple on his knees and slowly chewed the sweet apple meat. The pleasure and satiety brought by the food, like Yang Wan, made Deng Ying feel at ease. In the past few years, he refused to rely on his status, did not dare to stay in the literati circle, did not want to live in a good house, and did not want to eat meat porridge, in order to admonish himself not to be involved in the corruption of the Silijian.
But he was willing to follow Yang Wan, listen to her, eat good things for his body, sleep with a warm blanket, wear thicker clothes when it was cold, and sit for a while after standing for a long time...
She had taken off his clothes in his room, seen his cold and broken body with her own eyes, and touched his wounds that he loathed.
Thus, his entire life was dismantled. This broken period of time that he never wanted to expose to others was held in Yang Wan's hands. She did not try to piece it together. She still saw his years of poverty and the coldness of his humble room. She only covered his hopeless heart and naturally filled his daily life with food and clothing.
She seemed to have seen through his life in advance, and could even write about his lifespan and ending in one go.
But she gave up this grand perspective, and instead wrote from her daily life, with a calm tone and deep feelings.
Deng Ying finished the apple in her hand bite by bite, wrapped her ankles with quilt, gathered the quilt, and lay down on her side.
The candlelight outside the cell occasionally made a few sparks. Deng Ying listened and gradually felt sleepy. He curled his hands and feet into the quilt, and the warmth spread from his hands and feet to his whole body.
Of course, if I listened to her, my life wouldn't be so miserable.
**
The eighth day of the twelfth month of the fourteenth year of Zhenning.
Although it was not snowing, the dry and cold wind blew the snow on the ground like blowing sand.
Chen Hua led the people from Xixinsi to deliver charcoal to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. When they arrived in front of the hall, they saw the eunuchs hurriedly sweeping the snow.
It was still dark, and the palace maids on duty in various places had lit lanterns, and the furnishings in the palace were illuminated by the lanterns, sometimes flickering.
The Shangyi female official Jiang Min stood on the porch, supervising the palace maids in the inner hall to set up a new seat behind the imperial throne.
Chen Hua went over and saluted, "Jiang Shangyi."
Jiang Min looked over and said, "Oh, it's Chen Zhangyin."
She stepped aside and said to the inside of the hall: "Stop for a moment and let Xixinsi get the charcoal burning before you continue."
"Thank you Shangyi."
Chen Hua signaled the eunuchs behind him to carry the charcoal in.
When the charcoal basket was brought in, the palace servants inside stopped what they were doing and retreated to the doorway. Only two palace servants took whisks and swept the dust in front of the new seat.
Chen Hua looked at the two new seats behind the throne and couldn't help but say, "No... The Second Prince is seriously ill, and the Empress has been taking care of him day and night, and she has lost her health. Why are there two seats today?"
Jiang Min said: "It is true that the Second Prince is seriously ill, but when has the Empress Dowager ever been ill?"
Chen Hua said: "The queen never attended the funeral ceremonies once."
Jiang Min coughed and didn't answer.
Although Yang Lun and other officials did not know what happened in the Hall of Supreme Harmony during the Jintai Grand Meeting, Jiang Min saw it clearly in the hall. That day, the Queen Mother refuted the Queen's three statements on the spot, resulting in the abolition of the will, He Yixian being beaten in court, and the Silijian being imprisoned and investigated. The Queen did not dare to argue much, and after losing the support of the Silijian, she has been hiding in the palace.
"Shang Yi?"
Chen Hua called her.
Jiang Min pursed her lips and said coldly: "Don't ask too much."
Chen Hua rubbed his hands and said nothing more.
Soon, the eunuch of Xixinsi came out to talk. Chen Hua answered a few words, turned sideways to say goodbye to Jiang Min, and suddenly heard Jiang Min say, "Master, please stand for a while."
Chen Hua stopped in panic.
Jiang Min did not turn his head, still looking into the hall, and said calmly: "Do you know where the people from the Imperial Household Department are waiting for questioning today?"
Chen Hua glanced at the Duanmen Gate and said, "They should have opened two board rooms in Zuoyouchunfang for them. They should have been taken there by now. Shangyi..."
Chen Hua hesitated for a while, and finally said: "You still want to see that 'old ancestor'."
Jiang Min didn't say anything.
Chen Hua said: "I will not think about the false favors in the past anymore, they are all fake."
Jiang Min said in a deep voice: "That's you."
"Not just me."
Chen Hua suddenly straightened his back, looked directly at Jiang Min, and said seriously, "Shang Yi, you shouldn't think about having children and grandchildren. They are all absurd dreams. Once the roots are cut off, you shouldn't think about family happiness. You lied so hard, and when something really happened, you just threw your son and grandson out to die. I've seen it clearly. From now on, I don't believe them, and I'm not afraid of them anymore."
Jiang Min was silent for a while, then said, "The matter between Li Yu and Yun Qing..."
Chen Hua said to her, "I don't know what happened, and I am timid, so I dare not ask, and I dare not speak up for Li Yu. But I know that if it weren't for the governor and Aunt Wan, Yun Qing would be lying in the ground with Li Yu now."
After hearing this, Jiang Min remained silent, with a sob in his throat.
She raised her head and looked toward the door.
The value on the end door is changing.
The sky was bright, the morning sun gradually emerged, and the warm light shone on the snow, making the ground brilliant.
The door of the board room was opened, and the snowy light rushed in. Deng Ying had no choice but to raise her hand to block it. A figure blocked the door at the right time. The person stood with his back to the light and his face could not be seen clearly.
"No need to arrest him, let him go on his own."
The man's voice was not loud, but the Jinwu Guards and Mingjia Army standing outside all followed his words and took a step back.
As the man approached the room, the light suddenly receded from him. Deng Ying saw his face clearly, supported herself on her knees, and bowed to him.
"Master Zhang."
Zhang Luo walked up to him, untied the sword from his waist, put it on the table, bowed, and then stood up to tie the sword. His voice was as cold as usual, "Let's go."
Deng Ying obediently walked out of the wooden house. The rising sun was already in sight, and Zhang Luo asked him to stand and wait.
After a while, the door of the wooden room on the side opened, and a group of people from the Imperial Household Department were brought out.
They had all been tortured. Some of them could not even walk and were dragged by the strong men of the Jinyiwei, staggering towards the Jinshui Bridge. He Yixian was old and weak and was almost dragged all the way. The torture instruments on his feet scratched on the snow, making sharp sounds.
Although Deng Ying was wearing prison uniform, his clothes were intact, neat and clean.
Zhang Luo and the others walked about three feet away from him, following his pace, without scolding or urging him.
Deng Ying did not look at He Yixian. He raised his head towards the dazzling sunlight and looked towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The stone dragon head under the jade railing was wiped very clean. Qianlong looked up at the builder in prison clothes.
Deng Ying couldn't help but smile.
During the lowest point in his life, no one insulted him. No matter Qi Huaiyang or Zhang Luo, the people in charge of the criminal law of the Ming Dynasty, they all took care of his dignity to the best of their ability.
The winter was cold and silent, yet countless subtle blessings came to him from all directions.
The reluctance of his teacher, the friendship of his close friends, and the respect of his opponents all made him sincerely happy.
Of course, there is also his Yang Wan...
She was dressed in plain mourning, standing under the platform. She secretly loosened her hands that were clasped in front of her abdomen, and shook them gently in front of her. When he came closer, she stood up straight again and looked him up and down with a smile.
"Have you eaten the apples and oranges?"
"have eaten."
"Deng Ying."
Zhang Luo's voice interrupted Deng Ying's words.
Deng Ying lowered her head and stopped talking.
Zhang Luo turned around and took a step closer to Yang Wan, saying in a low voice, "You are not allowed to talk to the prisoners outside the palace."
"Yes. Can I have a few words with Master Zhang?"
Zhang Luo was stunned for a moment, and his voice dropped significantly, "."
Yang Wan took a step back and bowed to Zhang Luo seriously.
"do what."
Yang Wan stood up and said, "Thank you, sir, for letting him go this way on his own."
Zhang Luo held the hilt of the knife and turned his head to avoid Yang Wan's gaze. "The Ming Dynasty Law has a clause of 'compassion for prisoners'. He has no intention of resisting, so there is no need to enforce the law."
"Um."
Yang Wan nodded, "Yang Wan will accept your instruction."
Zhang Luo said nothing more, turned around and was about to leave.
Hearing Yang Wan calling him, "Master Zhang, do you like oranges or apples?"
Zhang Luo was stunned and asked, "What are you asking me?"
"I want to give you a gift."
She said bluntly, "But I guess if I give Master Zhang anything else, he will accuse me of bribery, so I will buy him some water."
Then he repeated, "Do you like oranges or apples?"
Zhang Luo instinctively wanted to reject her, but although he opened his mouth, the words did not come out for a long time.
"Deng Ying."
"exist."
"Would you like an orange or an apple?"
He asked Deng Ying in confusion.
Deng Ying replied calmly, "Apple."
"oh."
Zhang Luo paused and said to Yang Wan, "Orange."
Yang Wan nodded and said, "Okay, I'll ask my brother to send it to Lord Zhang's residence tomorrow."
Just as he finished, the sound of whips was heard from under the Jinshui Bridge, and Yi Lang's procession came. The Huiji Gate on the west side opened, and the cabinet ministers, the Dali Temple Minister, the left and right censors and others straightened their clothes in front of the gate and walked through the gate towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Yang Wan turned and walked towards Yi Lang's procession, and Zhang Luo and others knelt down to greet them.
Yi Lang went up to the hall and sat down, then invited the two palaces into the palace.
Zhang Luo stood up, leaving only Deng Ying and the eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department kneeling.
Soon, the two palaces also went up to the palace. Qing Meng ran down from the red steps and said, "Call all the ministers and the Imperial Household Department to the palace."