Yang Wan bowed her head and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After she said this, she could no longer think straight, and she was unable to stand up even though she was supporting herself on the ground with her elbows.
The emperor looked at her wounds and asked casually, "Has the imperial physician examined her?"
Yang Wan said in a mute voice: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have already checked it."
Emperor Zhenning nodded, "You understand very well, and know what to say and what not to say. You are also on the side of the palace. I make the decision and pardon you today. If you have been wronged, I will ask the queen to issue an imperial decree to comfort you personally. If you want any other reward, you can tell me now that I am here."
This sentence sounds gentle, but it is a hidden trench. It is Emperor Zhenning's test of Yang Wansi's thoughts. If she answers with any mistakes, all her efforts will be wasted.
Deng Ying pinched her hair and looked at Yang Wan. Seeing that she seemed to have let out a sigh of relief, she said slowly, "I dare not ask for a reward. I only ask Your Majesty to let me rest for two days."
After hearing this, the emperor finally smiled and said, "I just said you understood, but now you are so confused again. It seems that you are hurt by the beating. I feel sorry for you."
Yang Wan was already propping herself up, so she simply raised her head and bowed again.
"Your Majesty, have mercy on me. I am terrified."
Emperor Zhenning waved his hand and said, "Forget it, Deng Ying."
"The servant is here."
"Go to the Shangyi Bureau in person and tell Shangyi Jiang that it is my wish to let her recuperate in Chengqian Palace for half a month."
"yes."
Emperor Zhenning glanced at the sky outside the window and asked, "What time is it?"
"It's almost noon."
"Has the cabinet's bill been handed in?"
Deng Ying said, "I will go to the Imperial Household Department to ask for your majesty."
Emperor Zhenning stood up and shook his sleeves. "No need. I will go back to the Yangxin Palace and wait. This place of yours..."
He looked around and said, "It's too cramped. Since the rooms on the west side are all empty, let's merge them into the Inner East Factory. Deng Ying, when the Inner East Factory inspects in the future, if you see an important case, you can report it directly to the Yangxin Palace. You don't need to go through the Northern Pacification Office. You can arrest the criminal first, and then guard and interrogate him. I will issue a document on this matter, which will be sent out through the cabinet and let the two yamen of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology know."
Deng Ying knelt down and replied "Yes." Then he looked up and said, "Your Majesty, can Zheng Yuejia be handed over to the East Factory for internal investigation?"
Emperor Zhenning looked out the window, pinched his thumb and was silent for a while, "Bring him back, he has served me well, I don't want him outside."
He seemed to sigh after he finished speaking, "Go pick him up yourself. You don't have to see me when you bring him back. How should I deal with him... I'll think about it. You don't have to say anything to him. Just let him wait."
"Bring it back."
To Yang Wan, this sentence sounded like a master deciding to let the dog he had abandoned come back. It was condescending and frightening.
She couldn't help but turn her head to look at Deng Ying who was kneeling beside her. He lowered his eyes and bowed to Emperor Zhenning, "I thank your majesty for your grace on behalf of Zheng Yuejia."
grace
What kind of grace is this
Yang Wan looked at Deng Ying's hands pressed on the ground, and his forehead pressed against the back of his hands. The dust on the ground had stained the cuffs of his robe, but this man was much cleaner and gentler than the man standing in front of him. As Yang Wan looked at him, her eyes gradually became red.
"Is Hu Xiang outside?"
Emperor Zhenning lowered his head, straightened his sleeves, and raised his voice to the outside.
Hu Xiang quickly opened the door and agreed.
"Return to the Yangxin Palace."
Everyone inside and outside knelt down to see him off respectfully.
Qin Wende waited until the imperial carriage had gone far away, then he stood up and closed the main gate.
The skylight dimmed again. Yang Wan could no longer hold on and fell to the ground with her body tilted.
Deng Ying quickly moved over, supported her back, and let her lean on his arms.
Two days of recuperation were all wasted in this situation. Yang Wan lowered her head and saw that the wound on her leg was bleeding again, instantly staining her trouser leg red.
"I tried my best today..."
She looked up at Deng Ying, who nodded at her silently.
"Deng Ying... If you are in trouble in the future, I will do my best to help you just like I did today."
"I don't need that. I just want you not to be like me."
As he spoke, he lowered his head and tried to roll up her trouser legs. Yang Wan coughed and laughed, "Don't roll it up. The wound is just torn. You can't see it if you pull it up from the bottom."
Deng Ying lowered her head and said, "I will send you back to Chengqian Palace later. Once you get back to the palace, I will call a female doctor to treat your injuries. I haven't taken good care of you these days."
Yang Wan shook her head. "His Majesty has now given all the direct houses in the west to the East Factory, and has also released your power to detain and interrogate people. You will be busy in the next few days... Don't worry about it. Just take a good rest for a few days and everything will be fine."
Deng Ying stretched out her hand to straighten her hair which was damp with cold sweat. "I have committed an unforgivable sin in front of you. Now, I still owe you a favor."
Yang Wan smiled and raised her hand to touch Deng Ying's neck, with her palm half pressed on his collar and half touching his exposed skin.
Deng Ying's back was stiff, and she slowly pinched her knees with her fingers.
"I didn't lie to you, did I? I said I would help you, and I will definitely help you."
"Um."
He nodded.
"Deng Ying."
"you say."
"Just keep doing what you want to do. No matter what others think, I'll see it all. As long as you can survive, I will definitely let you survive, even if I'm too naive... I can't do it in the end, but I will also be your name after death."
As she spoke, she gently stroked Deng Ying's neck with her fingers.
This gentle touch caused a sour and hot feeling to rise between Deng Ying's teeth.
He used to think that he would lose every game because his clothes were exposed and his skin was bare.
But at this moment, he clearly felt that Yang Wan didn't want him to lose.
For Yang Wan, she could finally touch this man who once lived in a pile of papers, no longer with the scrutiny and pity of future generations, but full of warm affection.
"I'll carry you back to Chengqian Palace."
"No need..."
"Are you afraid that the little prince will embarrass me?"
Yang Wan didn't answer.
"Wanwan, don't be afraid. As long as I can take care of you, I can endure anything."
After he finished speaking, he gently lifted Yang Wan's body and let her lean against the chair leg temporarily. He stood up and walked to Yang Wan and squatted down.
"Come."
Yang Wan looked at Deng Ying's back and said, "You need to walk slower from now on. I have been lying to you all along. Your injury is not healed well and it really hurts."
"Okay, let's go slowly. You go first."
Yang Wan coughed and said, "Also, the disease is not very mild. If you..."
"Wan Wan."
He interrupted Yang Wan and gently repeated, "You come first."
**
On a morning in May, the palace maids who were sweeping the house had just swept the leaves that had been knocked down by the rain last night into piles, which were then piled sparsely at the base of the wall.
Yang Wan hugged Deng Ying's neck and leaned quietly on his shoulder.
He had built the imperial city for the emperor and knew every road and every palace in the imperial city, but he knew that the bricks, stones, plants and trees did not belong to him. Only at this moment, with Yang Wan holding his neck and walking step by step in the early summer of the imperial city, did he suddenly feel that those styles that came from him had a real connection with him.
Deng Ying turned his head and glanced at Yang Wan's face leaning on his shoulder.
She seemed to have fallen asleep due to being too tired, but she couldn't sleep well due to the pain, but her face was still relaxed and gentle.
Deng Ying raised her head, looked at the branches of flowers along the palace wall, and suddenly asked her softly.
"Wanwan, do you want flowers?"
Unexpectedly, the person behind him answered vaguely, "I want a beautiful girl in the factory."
Deng Ying didn’t know what the factory flower was.
But after seeing her say this, I actually smiled along with her sweet smile.
**
The palace servants of Chengqian Palace had already received the news that Yang Wan had been released, and they gathered around Concubine Ning and waited in front of the palace gate. Imperial Physician Peng from the Imperial Pharmacy, along with two female doctors, also waited in front of Chengqian Gate. Yi Lang held Concubine Ning's sleeve and asked softly, "Mother, why are the female doctors here too?"
Concubine Ning sighed, "Your aunt is injured. You should be careful these few days and don't disturb your aunt's recovery."
"Who hurt my aunt?"
Concubine Ning looked at Yi Lang's serious face and shook her head silently.
He Yu said, "My Lady, let the West Side Hall be occupied by the head of the household. Although the East Side is spacious, the servants are far away and I am afraid they will not be able to take care of it well."
Concubine Ning said, "There's no need to clean up the side halls. It's too late anyway. When she comes back, let her live in the bedroom."
"What about the lady?"
"Just take care of her for a few days. She must be terrified and must be feeling aggrieved."
He Yu hurriedly said, "The head of the household is the queen's sister, and she treated our little prince so well. Now she is suffering like this. Who wouldn't feel pain?"
Concubine Ning nodded and said, "I know you are all fine, but I feel uneasy. Let her stay with you."
After saying that, he bent down and touched Yi Lang's face, "When your aunt comes back, don't keep asking her. Let her have a good rest, okay?"
Yi Lang asked: "Mother, was my aunt taken away because of the plot to murder my second brother?"
Before Concubine Ning could answer, He Yu had already come down the stairs.
"Director Deng, please slow down a bit and let us hold it steady."
Concubine Ning stood up and looked towards Chengqian Gate, and saw Deng Ying half-kneeling, supporting Yang Wan's waist with his back bent, and asked He Yu and others to help Yang Wan down.
Yang Wan's clothes were covered in bloodstains, from her waist to her thighs, which was shocking to see.
Concubine Ning hurriedly lifted her skirt to meet him, not daring to touch Yang Wan rashly. "How...how could she be injured like this?"
Yang Wan heard Concubine Ning's voice and opened her eyes reluctantly, "Your Majesty..."
"It's okay. If you feel uncomfortable, don't make any noise. Sister will take you in."
"It's not uncomfortable... it's just scary to look at."
She looked towards Yi Lang and said, "Take the little prince back, don't scare him."
Yi Lang said: "I'm not afraid."
Yang Wan smiled wanly, "Then don't be scared and cry later."
"Don't cry."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at Deng Ying, then raised his head to look at Yang Wan, "Remember everything for your aunt."
Deng Ying did not stand up. She bowed her head and said to Yi Lang and Concubine Ning: "I apologize to the queen and His Highness."
Before Concubine Ning could speak, Yi Lang asked, "Did you save my aunt?"
Deng Ying straightened her back, "I dare not say that."
"Yes, it is. No, it is not. Director Deng speaks directly."
Deng Ying raised her head and looked at Yang Wan. Yi Lang raised his voice, "You don't have to look at your aunt. She doesn't want me to embarrass you. I'm not asking you questions to embarrass you. I just want to know what you did."
Deng Ying bowed again and said, "I failed to take good care of the accountant. Your Highness, please punish me."
Yi Lang lowered his head and said, "You don't have to consider my dignity. You are asking for a crime that you shouldn't ask for. You get up first."