Bai Yuyang is Zhang Zhanchun's junior, so he doesn't dare to act arrogantly at this moment, but since he is in charge of the Ministry of Justice, he has to take action.
I didn't know what to do for a moment and picked up the teacup unconsciously.
Seeing this, Qi Huaiyang mediated: "Sir, since we have the actual accounts, we should review them together before discussing it."
Bai Yuyang brushed aside the files on the table with his arm holding the tea, then raised his hand to press his temple before taking over Qi Huaiyang's words and saying, "Put the two of them in jail first and try them later."
After hearing this, Yang Lun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhang Zhanchun closed his eyes.
He was already suffering from a serious illness, and had relied on his tongue to support himself during the bumpy ride to Beijing. When his tongue went out, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and his vision went black. He leaned back and nearly fell down.
Deng Ying hurriedly stood up and supported Zhang Zhanchun, and said to Bai Yuyang: "Master Bai, please allow Deng Ying to take care of the teacher."
Bai Yuyang raised his hand and said, "Detain the two of them together."
**
The prison of the Ministry of Justice was extremely gloomy and cold.
At the end of the eleventh year of Zhenning, the emperor issued a general amnesty in celebration of the empress dowager's death.
Therefore, there are not many prisoners in the prison, and most of them have been sentenced to death in autumn. They have no hope and their lives are peaceful.
In order to allow Deng Ying to take care of Zhang Zhanchun, Bai Yuyang did not let him wear shackles, but even so, the prison was damp and cold, and his foot injury was still very painful.
"I think he got hurt here at the end of last year."
Zhang Zhanchun saw him with his back to him, stroking his ankle, so he leaned against the wall and asked softly.
"I'm fine."
After Deng Ying denied it, Zhang Zhanchun didn't ask any further questions.
He looked up at the moss-covered wooden beams above him and said sadly, "After I heard about Deng Yi's incident in the village, I thought I would never see you again in this life. I didn't expect that I would be able to see you again in my lifetime."
Deng Ying turned around and knelt in front of him, "Teacher... you shouldn't have returned to Beijing."
Zhang Zhanchun coughed and laughed, "Why are you kneeling? You are right."
Deng Ying bowed her head and said, "I am so ashamed that I caused the teacher to suffer."
As he spoke, he bent down and refused to get up again.
Zhang Zhanchun looked at him and shook his head. "Fu Ling, I was the one who brought you to this path. You and Yang Lun passed the imperial examination in the same year. You were a bright young man. Whether in life or politics, you were no less capable than Yang Lun. I valued your talent, and I know Bai Huan also valued you, but I still brought you to the earthworks. Ten years have passed in a flash. I know there were many dirty and smelly things going on, but I forced you to endure them with me. Up to now, you have been doing very well and have not let me down."
"Teacher, please don't say that. Deng Ying repents."
Zhang Zhanchun coughed a few times, "You call me a teacher, how can I not protect you. As long as I have a mouth full of life, no one can insult my whole life. Not even Bai Chongzhi."
"Teacher, Fu Ling doesn't care about humiliation anymore."
"You must not think like that."
Deng Ying raised her head, "Teacher, I beg you to change your words in class today. The real account was written by me when I was ignorant, and it has nothing to do with you. Although the cabinet tortured me, as long as I don't speak, they will not really execute me. After all, the Hall of Supreme Harmony has not been completed yet, I..."
Zhang Zhanchun straightened his back and said, "Don't say any more."
He coughed several times while talking. Deng Ying tried to relieve him, but he blocked her forcefully.
"You must understand that your body and hair are given by your parents. No matter what your status is, you must not despise yourself. Even if you are innocent and humiliated, you cannot think that you deserve it because of your humble status. Deng Fuling, no matter what the future holds, it is not scary. What is scary is that you forget who you are. That is truly irreparable!"
"yes… "
Zhang Zhanchun coughed heavily as if he was vomiting.
Deng Ying's throat ached when she heard this, and she kowtowed quickly: "Deng Ying knows she was wrong, Deng Ying knows she was wrong, please punish me, but please don't be angry."
Zhang Zhanchun stroked his chest and shook his head, "Get up, don't kneel anymore. I'm not angry, I'm just heartbroken..."
As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. "The reconstruction of the three main halls was mostly your hard work. You are a young man with a pure heart, but because of the ups and downs of these people in the cabinet, you have suffered too much that you shouldn't have suffered."
Deng Ying raised her head. "Even so, I can't implicate the teacher. Teacher, no matter how you scold me, I can't let you admit this matter. Once you admit it, the Imperial Household Department..."
He didn't dare to say any more.
Suddenly, there were footsteps at the cell door.
Yang Lun personally walked to the prison door holding a lantern.
Deng Ying turned around and saw a man in a red robe standing behind Yang Lun.
Zhang Zhanchun raised his head and glanced at the cell door, then laughed and said, "Here they are?"
"Yes, I am coming."
The man walked to the light and said, "Open the door. I want to question you."
Deng Ying saw Bai Huan's appearance clearly and was about to stand up when she heard Zhang Zhanchun say, "Don't bow. Ask him first what he is doing here today."
Bai Huan walked into the cell and said, "I am here to see an old friend today. You younger generations don't have to be so polite."
He lowered his head and looked at Zhang Zhanchun. "Since ancient times, few builders of the imperial city have had a good ending. Since you have returned home, why do you want to come back?"
"snort."
Zhang Zhanchun raised his head and said, "If I don't come back, you will chop him into pieces today. This is torture. Bai Chongzhi, are you getting old and confused? Have you forgotten that he is our lifelong lover?"
Bai Huan glanced at Deng Ying and said, "We have always been young people who govern the country and rule the world. You are also an octogenarian. You shouldn't humiliate yourself with this person."
"Pedantic!"
Bai Huan was not annoyed, but just sighed, "This cabinet did not intend to use the punishment of stripping him. Today's incident was caused by the intervention of the Northern Pacification Office. In fact, if he had given up his obsession earlier, he would not have come to this point today."
Zhang Zhanchun questioned, "Is this the right step for him? You pushed him to this point, and you still want to blame him? How can this be justified?"
Bai Huan turned his back and said solemnly, "You have your own ideas, and this pavilion has its own position. Since you have put your heart on the rivers and lakes, you should not care about the affairs of the temple. You can't do anything about it."
"good."
Zhang Zhanchun leaned against the wall and tried to get up. Deng Ying wanted to help him, but was blocked by him.
He held onto the cell door and staggered to the back of Bai Huan.
"He is the only student I met at work, and he is still saving his hands to build the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Since you are so obsessed and think you can overthrow the eunuch party this time, then why don't you try it with my life?"
"Zhang Zhanchun..."
"Master Bai, please listen to me first. I am seventy-two years old this year and I won't live for many more days. I have been living in seclusion for the past two years, which is not very meaningful. Why don't I give it to you to try? I have only one request..."
He looked at Deng Ying and said, "Let him go back."
"Teacher, you can't do this!"
Deng Ying turned to Bai Huan and knelt down, "Master Bai, no!"
Zhang Zhanchun said: "Yang Lun helped him up!"
"yes… "
Yang Lun hurriedly grabbed Deng Ying's arm and said, "You get up first."
Deng Ying ignored Yang Lun and grabbed Bai Huan's sleeve. "Master Bai, you can't win! If the Imperial Household Department wants to cover up this matter, they will definitely kill the teacher. Deng Ying left home when he was young and was raised by the masters and teachers. I regard you as my father, even better than my biological father. Master is unwilling to recognize me as a traitor, so I only have the teacher. Master, please don't listen to the teacher... Don't listen..."
"Fu Ling, stand up and don't beg him, let him try!"
He said to Bai Huan, "Bai Chongzhi, if you don't try this time, you will never know what the abandoned disciple of yours is thinking when he gives it to you."
"No, teacher, you can't..."
"Okay, stop talking."
As Zhang Zhanchun spoke, he lowered his hand that was leaning against the wall, slowly walked towards Deng Ying, and reached out to hold his arm.
"stand up."
Deng Ying didn't dare to let him exert any force, so she quickly stood up and supported Zhang Zhanchun.
Zhang Zhanchun looked at him and smiled, his eyes showing kindness, and his voice became a little calmer.
"Fu Ling, let's just leave it at that. Zhang Luo is in the hall today. His Majesty and the Imperial Household Department should have known about it by now. You can go back home peacefully and finish the construction of the Hall of Supreme Harmony."
"No, I want to be with the teacher."
"Don't say that."
"Teacher, please don't chase me away..."
"A Fu Ling."
Zhang Zhanchun called him, his voice a little hoarse.
"I spent my whole life building the palace, but I never got to see it completed. For me, this regret is greater than anything else. If you really respect me, come back and do what you should do."
Deng Ying's throat was burning.
"Even the teacher... doesn't want me anymore...
"Nonsense. You are the teacher's best student. Remember, don't forget your own identity. Even in your current situation, you can still do what you have always wanted to do, Deng Ying. Respect yourself and live well. In addition to teachers, there are other people in this world who are worthy of your protection."
Deng Ying didn't know how to respond to this, so she could only hold back her tears and nod her head desperately.
Zhang Zhanchun smiled and said, "I know it's a bit redundant to say these things. You have been doing it all along. Just think of it as your teacher getting old and nagging you a few more times. Just listen and let it go."
Deng Ying shouldn't have just shaken her head.
Bai Huan said to Yang Lun, "Take Deng Ying out. I have something to say to you alone."
"yes."
Although Deng Ying was unwilling, Yang Lun did not give him any leeway. He directly ordered the jailer to come in, carry Deng Ying out, and he himself followed him and retreated to the back of the cell.
Bai Huan waited until the two men left before taking off his upper red robe, folding it on the ground, and sitting cross-legged against the wall.
"Do you think I did something wrong to Deng Ying?"
A lot of moisture condensed on the walls of the cell because there were so many people inside.
Zhang Zhanchun wiped the dirt with his hand and shook his head, "No, you are in the cabinet, and you can't help it either. I am not as crazy as I am now. Fortunately, I gave up my position in the Ministry of Industry and became an old man like this. Otherwise, I would be here to force him to do something, not to save him."
Bai Huan felt that this was quite profound and couldn't help but smile.
"Chongzhi."
"you say."
Zhang Zhanchun gave a gentle smile.
"I heard that Yang Lun's younger sister likes Deng Ying very much."
"Heh... why are you asking about this?"
Zhang Zhanchun leaned against the wall and sat down next to Bai Huanzhi, "I just know you won't ask, come."
He took out a jade pendant carved with a hibiscus pattern from his arms and handed it to Bai Huan.
"The Yang family values jade, and the Deng family used to have a lot of fine jade, but after Deng Yi died, all the Deng family's things were put into storage. This is my private collection. I heard that the girl's name is Wan, and her nickname is 'Jade Hibiscus'. I think this is quite suitable for her. Find someone to give it to Deng Ying for me. Let him decide for himself. This child is very stubborn. Even if the girl is willing, he will not dare to take the girl's heart."