Deng Ying turned and walked to the door. Just as she was about to step onto the stairs, she was stopped by Yang Wan.
"I want to go, too."
Deng Ying shook her head. "She is a female official. It is a serious offense to meet with an official from outside the court in private."
Yang Wan walked around behind him. Her clothes were thin and plain. As soon as she spoke, Deng Ying could feel her breath through the fabric and onto his shoulders.
"Just follow me, I won't say anything."
Deng Ying didn't dare to look back, "Why should I care about these things?"
She still used her usual relaxed tone, "Because I have a big heart."
However, whether it is true or not is not important.
People are forced to walk alone. If there is another person who walks with you without questioning anything or asking anything, that is the greatest gift from God.
Deng Ying didn't know how much grace he could receive with his crippled body. If possible, he didn't want anything else. He just hoped that before she found her home and completed her merits, she could come to see him when she had time, like she did now, and walk with him for a while, no matter how long it would be, as long as they walked together.
**
In the cabinet lobby, Zhang Cong was forced by Yang Lun to sit behind the desk.
The hall was lit by eight copper lamps, and even with the door open for ventilation, the heat still made people sweat. The sweat on Yang Lun's forehead flowed down his face and neck into his shirt.
Zhang Cong's face was also covered with sweat. He wiped his face and sat up straight. "It's too late. Do you two think I don't want to save Zhou Congshan? I tried so hard to persuade those young people in the Inspectorate not to sign a petition, but did anyone really listen? Now that the Northern Pacification Office wants to kill people, they are afraid. What's the use of being afraid?"
Yang Lun said: "Vice Envoy Zhang has reported to the emperor that Tongjia Academy is guilty. Don't you know about this?"
Zhang Cong patted his thigh, "Even if they knew, what can they do? Now that they know, can't they just attack me? Besides, the emperor and his subjects come first, and the father and his son come second! I can't ask about the affairs of the Northern Pacification Office!"
The sweat on Yang Lun's back suddenly turned cold.
Bai Huan moved the bronze lamp beside him, stood up and walked behind Yang Lun, "Are you going to execute only Zhou Congshan, or several others?"
Yang Lun turned around and said, "Zheng Bingbi said that the people on the imperial edict are Zhou Congshan, Zhao Pingling and ten others. However, the Northern Pacification Office has been torturing people for days, and more than 20 people have died in the imperial prison. His Majesty has not yet summoned the cabinet to reach a consensus. It seems that there is no room for maneuver."
Bai Yuyang continued, "The bodies of these people were taken out by the Ministry of Justice today and handed over to their families for delivery. When the family members came to identify the bodies..."
He was a little speechless, "It was so tragic. When the eighteen-year-old Zhao Pingsheng was carried out... he was just a pile of meat paste! He was no longer in human form."
After listening to what the two said, Bai Huan lay on his back, closed his eyes, and was silent for a long time. Suddenly, he started coughing violently. He turned his back and staggered forward a few steps. His eyes turned red and he vomited a mouthful of blood, then he fell on the table.
The paper, ink, brush and inkstone on the desk rolled all over the floor.
Bai Yuyang didn't care about the other people present and shouted in surprise: "Father!"
Everyone in the hall was frightened by the pool of vomited blood on the ground. Only Yang Lun reacted and shouted outside: "Hurry up and call someone from the Imperial Pharmacy."
"Zi Xi..."
Bai Huan's throat felt like it had swallowed a mouthful of burning charcoal and became extremely hoarse.
As he spoke, he spat out another mouthful of blood foam and waved to everyone, "Don't panic, there is nothing wrong with this pavilion."
After saying that, he extended a hand to Yang Lun and called out in a trembling voice: "Zi Xi..."
Yang Lun hurried over to the desk and said, "The students are here."
Bai Huan held his hand and said, "Tomorrow... you and I will go to the Inspectorate to see Censor Liu. There is no need to say anything else..."
No one spoke, only Zhang Cong spoke up, "There is no need to go out of your way to see Huang and Liu. The cabinet has only received the memorial from Censor Liu, and the other co-signers have all remained silent (1). Our cabinet can temporarily put this memorial aside today. You are old, so you must take care of your health."
Bai Huan coughed and laughed, "Yes, I am old now, it is time to take care of my body."
As he spoke, he grabbed his sleeve, took out a pen, spread out paper, and wrote a proposal.
Then he stood up and said, "Is the assistant from the Imperial Household Department outside?"
The eunuch from the Imperial Household Department was busy standing in front of the door.
"What do you want me to do, sir?"
Bai Huan beckoned him, "Come in, and present this petition to Your Majesty, saying that I, an old minister, am aware of my crime. I am at the Taihe Gate and I am begging Your Majesty to punish me severely."
After saying this, he put down his pen, straightened his official hat with trembling hands, and then staggered out of the hall alone.
Yang Lun and Bai Yuyang tried to follow and help, but Bai Huan pulled them away, "Guys... don't follow me!"
"Father… "
"Listen to me!"
No one in the hall dared to speak, and they all gathered in front of the door, watching the cabinet prime minister, who was over 70 years old, stumble into the night alone.
Deng Ying and Yang Wan were standing outside the lobby.
It was already dusk, the sound of wind filled my ears, and the shadows of people were looming.
Deng Ying watched Bai Huan walk up to him step by step. Just as he was about to salute, he heard Bai Huan say:
"… Do you hate me very much?"
Deng Ying didn't say anything.
Bai Huan took a deep breath and asked again, "Your master died in the prison of the Ministry of Justice. Did you hate me very much?"
After he finished speaking, his eyes moved secretly, clearly showing expectation and doubt.
Deng Ying closed her eyes and responded calmly:
"Deng Ying doesn't dare."
Bai Huan laughed bitterly upon hearing this, "Master is right. If I don't risk his life to give it a try, I really won't know what kind of heart he has in mind when he offers it to me."
After he said that, he patted Deng Ying on the shoulder.
"Master Deng, Tongjia Academy was convicted because of you, but they died because of me. I was stubborn and didn't know what others said. All the sins are mine. You don't have to blame yourself too much. If Master Deng hears hurtful words about this in the future, this pavilion will apologize to you."
After he finished speaking, he panted, raised his head and bowed to Deng Ying.
Deng Ying knelt down and bowed, "Master Bai, please don't do this."
Bai Huan paid no attention to his words and actions. He still raised his arms and bent over, completing the whole bow.
Deng Ying raised his head and looked at Bai Huan who was bowing in front of him, and his heart was filled with grief.
It was also in this place that Bai Huan once said to him, " Don't humiliate my best student."
But today, he bowed to him.
Deng Ying had originally forced himself to cut off a section of the teacher-student relationship, but the slightest possibility that emerged from the broken edge shattered the prison he had drawn for himself. However, he also knew that even without the prison, he would never take a single step out.
"Please don't treat me like this, sir."
He called himself to force himself to wake up.
Bai Huan stood up straight, bowed for a long time until he felt dizzy, and his body leaned forward uncontrollably.
When Yang Wan saw Deng Ying kneeling, she hurried forward to support Bai Huan.
Bai Huan glanced at her from the side but said nothing.
He just gently pushed away Yang Wan's arm and continued to look down at Deng Ying.
The master and his disciples just knelt and stood up in silence.
After a long while, Bai Huanfang sighed and said, "Fortunately, he didn't give it to me back then."
After saying that, he slowly walked past him, crossed the Huiji Gate, and headed towards the Taihe Gate.
Yang Lun followed from behind and stopped beside Deng Ying, "What did you say to Master? Why did Master bow to you?"
Deng Ying knelt there without moving.
Yang Lun raised his voice, "What on earth did you say!"
Deng Ying propped himself up on the ground and whispered, "Master Yang, can you please stop talking?"
Yang Lun was stunned.
"I… "
Yang Wan raised her voice and asked, "What are you yelling about? Didn't you see that he was enduring the pain and didn't say anything?"
After saying that, he reached out and pulled Deng Ying up, blocking him behind him, and looked up at Yang Lun and said, "You guys are in such a mess, is there something wrong with Tongjia Academy?"
Yang Lun was stunned, "How do I know?"
Yang Wan looked at Bai Huan's back and said, "The general... I heard Bai Ge mentioned it."
Yang Lun looked at Deng Ying, hesitated for a moment, and lowered his voice and said, "I know that there are people in Tongjia Academy who have interacted with you. Don't be too upset. Today, the Pacification Office reported to His Majesty the crimes of Zhou Congshan and others, including colluding with Deng's party and insulting the emperor and father. Zhou Congshan and the other ten people were sentenced to beheading and will be executed in the autumn. As for the others... some will be exiled and some will be imprisoned. But I think Zhang Luo will not let these people live until the Ministry of Justice takes over."
After hearing this, Deng Ying couldn't help but choke twice, "Are the two young masters of the Zhao family still alive?"
Yang Lun said: "Zhao Pingsheng... is already dead. His brother Zhao Pingling was among the ten people who were beheaded."
Deng Ying said with grief: "Is there no room for improvement?"
Yang Lun shook his head and looked towards the Taihe Gate. "It depends on whether Master's apology this time can dispel His Majesty's anger."
Deng Ying turned around and looked at Bai Huan who was kneeling alone in front of the Taihe Gate.
He understood how difficult it was for Bai Huan to kneel down.
Not only did the minister admit his mistakes and beg for mercy from the emperor after the game between the monarch and his ministers, but he also apologized to more than 80 people in Tongjia Academy. Compared with the former, the latter was more heartbreaking.
"Lord Yang."
Yang Lun was also in a trance, and only came back to his senses when he heard Deng Ying calling him.
"Say it."
Deng Ying turned around and asked, "Your Majesty, do you know that Deputy Envoy Zhang is studying at the East Factory Criminal Justice Academy?"
Yang Lun said, "I heard from Zheng Bingbi that at that time, His Majesty only approved the execution of Zhou Congshan and more than ten others. Since he showed mercy to the remaining students, he should not have secretly ordered Zhang Luo to be executed. You can ask Zheng Bingbi in person for the details."
He sighed and said, "Those students were so innocent. They died so tragically for the people in the Sixth Department's Inspectorate to see. Fortunately, no one dared to write letters these days. Well, I can't say too much to you here."
As he was about to leave, he turned around and remembered something.
"Yang Wan."
"Um?"
"These things are not your business."
Yang Wan nodded, "I understand."
**
After Yang Lun left, Deng Ying still stood silently outside Huiji Gate.
Yang Wan gently pulled his sleeve, and he lowered his head, "Did you let me stand for too long?"
Yang Wan shook her head.
"You didn't say anything even though you had a leg injury. I'm not tired."
Deng Ying turned around and said, "Let's send him back to the fifth institute."
"No, I'll take you back to the duty room. You can't move your feet too much."
As she spoke, she led him towards the moat, saying as she walked, "Deng Ying, the general didn't say anything just now. What are you thinking about?"
Deng Ying did not answer her immediately.
Yang Wan heard him silent, and then asked, "You haven't thought about it yet."
Deng Ying nodded.
"Hmm. I haven't thought it through yet."
Yang Wan turned around and said, "I told you before that I am very afraid of Zhang Luo. Lord Yang and the others are also afraid of him. Do you remember?"
"Remember."
"I want to take back what I said now."
Deng Ying stopped and asked, "Why?"
Yang Wan's eyes became hot, she let go of him and said, "I feel that because of this sentence, I have to do something I don't want to do."
Deng Ying was stunned for a moment, then she realized that her eyes seemed to be red.
He hesitated for a moment, but still walked closer to her, knelt down to accommodate her height, and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just feel unhappy all of a sudden."
"Is it because of me?"
Yang Wan suddenly raised her head and asked, "Deng Ying, is it because of me that you are having a hard time?"
Deng Ying was startled, "How could you say that?"
Yang Wan pursed her lips and said, "Squat down a little more."
Deng Ying didn't know what she was supposed to do, but she obediently lowered her body a few inches.
Unexpectedly, Yang Wan gently leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Don't move."
"good… "
"Deng Ying, promise me that you won't do anything you don't want to do. Everyone has their own aspirations. Their deaths may seem to be related to me, but in fact, they are all their own fault."
Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan and asked softly, "If that's what I want to do."
Yang Wan bit her lip, trying her best to steady her voice, and said after a while:
"It's still the same. I'll help you."