Just as Yang Wan thought, the Ministry of Justice's interrogation of Deng Ying reached a stalemate.
Bai Yuyang sat in the back hall of the Ministry of Justice, listening to the judge reading the confession of yesterday's trial. Sitting with him were Qi Huaiyang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and two inspectors of the Supervisory Office. The table in the back hall was clean, and the white porcelain cup was filled with tea. It had been brewed three times and had no taste.
Bai Yuyang waved his hand to stop the official, pressed his forehead, and asked Qi Huaiyang, "Is Lord Yang coming today?"
Qi Huaiyang glanced at the sky outside and replied, "Sir, there is a cabinet meeting today. Yang Lun is well-known in the six departments, so he will naturally follow Lord Bai to that place."
Bai Yuyang laughed, "I think he didn't want to run into that slave. Yesterday was the fourth court hearing, Zhang Ci Fu was there, but he just took sick leave."
Qi Huaiyang took a sip of the cold tea, put down the file in his hand and said calmly: "It's human nature. However, it's indeed a bit troublesome to ask about this now."
Bai Yuyang nodded.
"Yes, the Imperial Household Department is asking, I know."
"Yes. Deng Ying is the junior supervisor of the Imperial Household Department after all. Sir, you see, we can't put him in jail. These days, we have asked the Prison Department to find a place to temporarily keep him. Wang Changshun bit his tongue and died in the imperial prison. The Imperial Household Department immediately sent Hu Xiang to go there in person. When Liulichang starts to work again, he will have to put up the half-finished tile and wood pile of the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
"Okay... stop talking for now."
Bai Yuyang pressed his hands on him, "I know everything you said, but take a look."
He took the confession from the judge and it trembled. "Not a single detail is missing, huh? What kind of skill is this? I'm afraid that Deng Ying has been training for this calamity since ten years ago. The accounts here are so smeared that I want to applaud the Imperial Household Department. You said that Deng Ying was born to be a slave. He didn't get stabbed, but he got involved with those old dogs. How can we continue the trial?"
Qi Huaiyang said: "It depends on whether we want to touch this person or not."
"What do you mean?"
"torture."
After hearing this, the two imperial censors present looked at each other and said nothing.
Bai Yuyang twisted the corner of the confession and said, "It's not that I haven't thought about it, but once I torture him, I have to make him spit out the things. If he can't spit it out..."
He raised his head and glanced at the people in the hall, "That's going to be difficult."
Everyone present fell silent.
Soon, footsteps were heard outside the door. The door opened and a tall shadow walked in.
Yang Lun strode in.
He did not change into his red robe (1), his shoulders were damp and his body was covered with rain.
Bai Yuyang put away his confession and looked outside, "Minister Yang, is it raining?"
Yang Lun patted the water off his body and said, "It just fell."
After he finished speaking, he bowed to Bai Yuyang, then stood up and said, "My family was slow in delivering the message, so I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."
Bai Yuyang said, "Sit down when you come. Someone, bring a chair over for Lord Yang."
Yang Lun lifted his robe and sat down. "I heard that it was because Minister Bai wrote a petition to His Majesty that His Majesty allowed me to attend the trial."
"yes."
Bai Yuyang turned and looked at him, "After all, this matter involves the Ministry of Revenue. With you here, we can ask more clearly."
Yang Lun looked outside the door. The sky was overcast and raining heavily. The clouds were dark and inky. The trees in the yard were crackling as the rain hit them.
"Which round is today?"
"Fifth round. Here are all the answers. Take a look."
Yang Lun took the confession and just turned a page when he heard Bai Yuyang say, "Bring the person here, we won't move him to the main hall. Sir Qi, please record the case. I will try it with Sir Yang.
The sound of rain hitting broad leaves was soon broken by the sound of shoes stepping on water.
Yang Lun looked up from his confession.
The sky was dark under the rain, and Deng Ying was walking behind several yamen runners, holding an umbrella.
He was wearing a dark grey cross-collared robe and looked much thinner than when he was socializing last year.
He walked to the door, put down his umbrella, lifted his robe and walked into the hall to bow.
This was the first time Yang Lun met Deng Ying after Deng Yi's downfall.
If it weren't for what Yang Wan said at the meeting today, he might have come even later.
Deng Ying didn't look at Yang Lun.
He stood quietly in front of Bai Yuyang, with his hands hanging down, waiting to be asked.
Bai Yuyang glanced at Yang Lun and said, "Sir Yang, please ask again about the silver for Shandong's supply of fine bricks."
Yang Lun looked at Deng Ying.
He had already turned sideways to face him, but his eyes were lowered to the ground, as if he was deliberately maintaining a humble status in front of him.
Yang Lun suddenly understood what Yang Wan said to him. "Don't you feel bad watching them torture Deng Ying?"
"Nothing to ask."
He avoided looking at Deng Ying, "He has already answered this very clearly."
"You just believed it?"
Yang Lun looked back at the confession in his hand, and after a while, he bit out the word "yes" from between his teeth.
Bai Yuyang said: "If we conclude the trial like this, it won't pass the Inspectorate."
After he finished speaking, he took the confession from Yang Lun's hand and said, "Such a clean confession, such a clean account, you dare to admit it on behalf of the Ministry of Revenue. So, where did the deficits of the past few decades go? Did it all go to Deng Yi's hometown? I think his family was completely wiped out, and he barely made up for the military expenses in the north. Where did the rest of the money go? Which river did it flow into?"
Yang Lun lowered his head and coughed, "This is what Minister Bai meant."
Bai Yuyang said coldly: "I want to hear what Lord Yang has to say today."
"I mean, let him go first."
Bai Yuyang suddenly raised his voice, "What I mean is, we should continue the interrogation in another place. We don't need to ask about anything else. Just ask him about Shandong in detail and thoroughly."
After hearing this, Yang Lun stood up and said, "Then ask the Minister, the Ministry of Revenue has settled its monthly accounts, and the officials below are still waiting for the money owed to them last year. Yang Lun is really busy. Today's confession has been examined. If the Minister has any more questions, please send someone to summon Yang Lun."
"Wait a moment."
Qi Huaiyang also stood up and advised, "Master Yang, there is no need to do this. We all hope to get this matter investigated clearly. After all, it concerns the country and the people's livelihood. Minister Bai has sincere intentions. Even if it hurts the friendship between Master Yang and his fellow disciples, he should not be wronged here."
This is a warning and a reminder.
However, Yang Lun just glanced at him, turned around and walked out.
"Lord Yang."
Deng Ying's voice suddenly came from behind.
Yang Lun turned around and saw him bowing and salutation, "Deng Ying has something to say to Lord Yang."
Then he said, "Master Bai, can you allow Deng Ying to talk to Master Yang alone?"
Bai Yuyang and Qi Huaiyang looked at each other.
"Sure. Please help Master Yang walk a few steps."
"yes."
**
It was still raining outside. Yang Lun walked in front with his hands behind his back, and Deng Ying followed him slowly.
Neither of them held an umbrella. They both walked in silence for a long distance. It was not until they approached the main gate of the Ministry of Justice that Yang Lunfang stopped.
"What do you want to tell me?"
Deng Ying stood in the rain, his thin blue shirt sticking to his skin.
Yang Lun had heard before that a man's appearance would change after being castrated, but Deng Ying's appearance did not change. His complexion just became paler, and his former humility was now slightly changed by a hint of obedience after self-examination of his status.
"They want you to torture me."
"snort."
"You should listen to them."
Yang Lun turned around and said, "Let me ask you, if I torture you, will you tell the truth?"
"Won't."
He almost blurted it out.
"So, those people in the Imperial Household Department did lose a lot of money."
Deng Ying raised her head in the rain and said, "Yes."
“Why are you defending them?”
Deng Ying suddenly coughed a few times, "It's not what Deng Ying wants."
"What bullshit is this."
"Sir, you have to understand that the Imperial Household Department has indeed embezzled a lot of money from the court in the past ten years, but most of this money has been used by the royal family. His Majesty will not touch He Yixian for the time being. If you and the teacher..."
He suddenly remembered what Bai Huan had said to him, and quickly changed his words, "You and Lord Bai are going to use the deficit of Liulichang and the three main halls to compete with the Imperial Household Department. At the very least, it will hurt the reputation of the royal family, and at worst, your and Lord Bai's political future will be cut off."
Yang Lun listened to his words quietly, and suddenly asked: "Have you taught Yang Wan these words in the palace?"
"What?"
Yang Lun crossed his arms and said, "Yang Wan also told me something similar today."
"Yang Wan..."
"Shut up!"
Yang Lun suddenly shouted, "Who allowed you to call her by her name?"
Deng Ying closed her mouth, lowered her head and bowed, "Yes, Deng Ying knows my mistake."
Yang Lun stared at him silently and gradually clenched his palms.
"Let me ask you, when Yang Wan was at home, was there anything going on between you two?"
Deng Ying heard him ask this, looked at the noisy water flowing in the rain, and smiled sadly, "I don't even know her name
"And now?"
Yang Lun took a few steps closer to him, "Now in the palace, do you have anything with her?"
Deng Ying raised her head, her smile tinged with self-mockery, "How dare I?"
He said, gently holding her wrist, "I know what my status is in this dynasty. I swear, if I show any disrespect to her, I will be tortured to death."
"I don't want to hear this from you."
Yang Lun turned his back and said, "I just want to tell you that she is my sister. I can't scold her if she wants to follow you. But she will definitely leave the palace and marry a good family. My sister Yang Lun can take her time to choose in this huge capital."
These words rang out in the rain, startling a few little birds hiding in the leaves. They were unable to fly because of the rain and rolled to Deng Ying's feet, trembling.
Yang Lun and Deng Ying looked down together and did not say anything for the time being.
After a long while, Yang Lun finally spoke: "You know what? I feel a little sick when I hear you think about me and the teacher just now. I don't know what's wrong with Yang Wan. She actually knows what you are thinking. She just..."
Yang Lun gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"Doesn't she feel uncomfortable?"
After hearing this, Deng Ying said softly, "Why do you say such things to me?"
"Nothing! I just wanted to say it!"
Yang Lun suddenly raised his voice, "Deng Fuling, I really hate you for becoming like this. You've made me and my teacher feel so embarrassed!"
The words echoed in the rain.
The voice that responded to him sounded a little desperate, but there was still a trace of warmth left.
"Then you should just consider Fu Ling dead."