The outer door of Qingbo Restaurant was closed that day. Chen Hua led his staff to clear a space in the back yard and set up tables and chairs.
Song Yunqing came out of the kitchen carrying a basin of water for washing vegetables. "Is everything ready?"
"All ready."
Song Yunqing turned around and walked inside, "Then pour the water and come in to help me watch the fire."
Chen Hua poured out the water, shook his hands and went in, saying, "Are you going to eat the pot? What else are you doing?"
Song Yun gently lifted the lid of the pot on the stove, "Yang Wan specifically asked me to cook it when she left."
Chen Hua leaned forward to take a look. "It's beef tendon. Good for the legs. Miss Wan really wants everything."
Song Yun chuckled.
Chen Hua's face suddenly turned red, "What are you laughing at?"
Song Yun pointed to the stove and said, "I also marinated the meat and put it there."
After hearing this, Chen Hua ran over with a smile on his face, opened the lid of the bowl, took a deep breath, and looked up and said, "Thank you."
"Yes."
Song Yunqing washed his hands and said, "You work harder than me in the palace. Take good care of yourself."
"Hi."
Chen Hua waved his hand, "Who am I? I am not worthy of your attention."
Song Yun paused as he flipped the pot and asked softly, "What?"
Chen Hua said hurriedly: "It's nothing, nothing, I'll show you the fire."
The soup in the pot was bubbling and bubbling, and no one was talking. Chen Hua's eyes were red from the smoke from the stove fire. He simply wiped his eyes and looked at the stove fire and said, "It's good to be able to get out and live a comfortable life with Miss Wan. I'm sure I'll come back in the future..."
"What else?"
"return… "
Chen Hua said export.
Song Yunqing lowered her head and said, "I don't want to get married."
Chen Hua stood up with a bang, "How can I get married?"
Song Yunqing raised his head and looked at Chen Hua and said with a smile: "Yang Wan is not married, and Shang Yi is not married either. Are they both living well?"
Chen Hua raised his lips under control, but he didn't dare to let Song Yunqing see it, and quickly turned his back and said, "Yes... Yes, everything is going well."
Song Yun patted his shoulder gently and said, "Watch the fire. I'll go out and see if Yang Wan and the governor are back."
As she spoke, she put down the sleeves tied around her shoulders, walked into the courtyard, pointed at the tables and chairs, turned around and called Chen Hua, "Why is there still a chair missing?"
"ah?"
Chen Hua hurriedly followed out and counted them again, "It doesn't matter."
Then he turned around and whispered, "Is it possible? Your Majesty also wants to sit with me?"
As he was talking, a waiter leaned over the door and said, "The boss is back. Miss Song, is the water ready?"
Song Yun replied lightly: "Okay, you can go and do it."
**
This was the first time Deng Ying came to Qingbo Pavilion after Yang Wan took over it.
Yang Wan did not make any major changes to the layout of the museum. The outer hall was used for display, with various books arranged in different categories. Passing through the outer hall, there was a corridor with a blue and white porcelain water jar on it, in which lotus flowers were raised. In front of the corridor was a cross door, and walking in was the inner courtyard.
Yang Wan pushed open a door and bent down to light the oil lamp in front of the door.
He squatted down and changed a pair of shoes, then took out another pair and placed it at Deng Ying's feet.
"Put it on."
Deng Ying looked down and saw that they were a pair of cloth shoes, somewhat similar to Wuchuan shoes (1), lined with cotton wool and without a closed heel.
"I also know what these shoes are called. They are very comfortable to wear at home. The injury on your ankle is getting better and better. I saw that you were reluctant to follow me just now. From now on, you should wear these shoes when you go out."
"good."
Yang Wan looked down at Deng Ying's feet and said with a smile: "First of all, I made your pair of shoes. I don't have such good hand skills."
Deng Ying asked, "Did Miss Song do this?"
Yang Wan shook her head, "Yes, my sister made it for you."
Deng Ying was stunned and said, "Empress?" Then she hurried to take it off.
"Don't take it off."
A woman's voice came from outside the door. Deng Ying turned around and saw Yang Xiu standing in front of the door with her sleeves tied up and a basket of needles and thread.
"My lady."
Deng Ying knelt down and kowtowed.
Yang Yu handed the needle and thread to Yang Wan, bent down to support Deng Ying and said, "Hurry up and get up."
Deng Ying dared to stand up.
Yang Wan lowered her head and said, "Get up, and don't let your sister keep you in custody."
"Yes...slave..."
"What slave?"
Yang Wan interrupted him, "This is my house, she is my sister, you are still willing to take off your skin."
"I… "
Yang Yu stood up, looked at Deng Ying's bewildered look, smiled and said softly: "Wan'er, the factory official just came back, don't say anything too harsh."
Yang Wan responded, "Okay."
She turned to Deng Ying and said, "I will accept it if my sister protects you."
Deng Ying dared not look at Yang Yu, and lowered her head and said, "Why is the queen here?"
Yang Yu smiled gently, "Wan'er brought me here."
As she spoke, she squatted and performed a female ceremony to Deng Ying, "Since Concubine Ning has passed away, I must address you as the lord. If I wish, you can address me by my given name. I will address you by my given name '姁'."
Deng Ying bowed and said, "Deng Ying dares."
Yang Wan smiled and said, "Forget it, Lian Yunqing sometimes changes his words, let alone him."
Yang Yu patted the back of Yang Wan's hand and nodded, "That's right."
After she finished speaking, she took a few steps towards Deng Ying. "No matter how the factory officials treat me, they are all benefactors of me and Your Majesty. If you were the factory officials, then Yi Lang and I would probably never see each other again. I know you are willing to accept my gift, so Wan'er wanted to make shoes for you. I saw that she did a really good job, so I helped her make them. This is my way of thanking you for your kindness. I hope the factory officials can accept it."
Deng Ying lowered her head and said, "How can I step on something that came from your hands?"
"What if..."
Yang Yu paused, "What if you treat me as your sister like Wan'er?"
After she finished speaking, she looked at Deng Ying and said, "You left home when you were young and grew up with Zhang Xian. You must have taken care of yourself in the past. I heard that you also had an older sister who married into the Song family. Later, the Song family became officials and moved to Lingnan, so she followed them. Therefore, she escaped death and it was difficult for her to meet you again."
"yes… "
Yang Yu looked at Deng Ying's feet. "My Yang family has been prosperous for generations. Yang Lun is my and Wan'er's elder brother. Under me, I only have one younger brother, Yang Jing. Unfortunately, we have been separated since childhood and have rarely seen each other for many years. After I entered the palace, I have never done any sewing for my family. This is the first time..."
She smiled as she spoke, "If the factory officials are willing to take this as my gratitude, then just treat it as a token of my appreciation."
After that, without waiting for Deng Ying's response, he said to Yang Wan, "I have brought you the needle and thread you requested. Keep it for now. I will teach you when I am free."
Yang Wan slumped her shoulders, "Okay... I'll learn."
Yang Yu nodded with a smile, "I'll go to the kitchen to check on Qing Yunqing."
Yang Wan looked at Yang Yu's back and gently leaned on Deng Ying's arm, "It's good to have a sister."
Deng Ying tilted his head and said, "I am the descendant of a criminal. My family status has been removed. I cannot have a family."
"Know."
Yang Wan held him and said with her eyes closed: "You can get along with me however you want."
The wind from the porch blew gently, blowing Yang Wan's soft dress. She was dressed like a common woman, with her hair hanging loosely, and the wind made it messy. She subconsciously reached out to hold it, and her fingers brushed across her face, revealing a trace of haggardness.
"Sit down for a while."
"good."
Deng Ying bent her knees and sat down, raising her hand to help Yang Wan sit down as well.
Yang Wan stretched out her feet and placed them beside Deng Ying's feet, their soft shoes touching each other. The light behind the door enveloped their backs, making them feel very warm. The smell of cooking in the courtyard gradually rose, the broth was boiling, and the aroma of oil gradually seeped into the wind.
Yang Wan leaned on Deng Ying's shoulder, "Deng Ying."
"exist."
"If you were given the choice again, would you still be a factory official?"
Deng Ying looked at the plants in the yard and said softly, "Yes."
He lowered his eyes and said, "If I knew I would meet you, I would have been more cautious along the way. At least I would have spent all my money and become a scumbag."
"What?"
"Scumbag."
"ha… "
Yang Wan closed her eyes and laughed out loud.
"You still remember it."
"I will remember everything you said."
"Then I said before that there is a long way to go. Will you remember it?"
Deng Ying didn't say anything. What surprised him was that Yang Wan didn't force him to answer.
"I think the relatives of the Tongjia Academy have gone to Beijing."
"Yes, and the teacher's son is here too."
Yang Wan coughed and said, "The case will be retried."
"yes."
"This case could cost you your life."
Deng Ying shook her head. "Yes."
He held Yang Wan's chin with his hand as he spoke, "Wan Wan, although I am of lowly origin, I will die at my own will. All I want now is to put the shackles on your hands, and just hold my hand. Don't worry about what others think of me, and don't let me go, and go to hell."
"I know."
Yang Wan took a deep breath. "You are not inferior to those people in the cabinet at all. On the contrary, you are more noble than them. Don't worry, I will never trample on your dignity. I don't care how the people in the cabinet treat you. Let them toss. I only go to gamble. I understand you as a human being."
"Wanwan, you've only known me for four years."
Stop.
Stop.
She opened her mouth and uttered a few words silently.
Looking back at the book "Biography of Deng Ying" written after burying myself in the pile of old papers for ten years, the words are so deliberate and stiff. He was up and down all the time, but he had no joy, anger, sorrow or happiness.
The man in the notes is like broken jade, a broken moon, a pine tree shattered by the wind, and a wounded crane resting in the mud of a lake.
By chance, he fell in front of Yang Wan and gave her all his pain and joy.
The observation notebook in Yang Wan's hand was filled with records of his injuries, his inner struggles, and the exploitation and persecution of him by the Great Dynasty. He was a historical subject of the 21st century and a vivid person in the Zhenning Years.
is undoubtedly a sacrifice of the research subject to the research.
As if to thank Yang Wan for her presence, he answered all of Yang Wan's doubts in her academic career, made her successful, and also made her the only lonely person in later generations who understood everything.
So Yang Wan gave up Deng Ying.