"Your Highness, the people from the Ministry of Prudence are here. Let us take him out."
Yi Lang raised his head and looked outside for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "No need. It's right here."
The study was cramped, and only one person from the Ministry of Discipline came in. There was no punishment bench, so the eunuchs could only hold Deng Ying's arms and make him lie prone on the ground. To prevent him from struggling, two eunuchs held his shoulders, one on each side. One of them couldn't help but whispered to him, "Master, please be patient."
This sentence didn't have any effect, but it could be considered a comfort.
But in fact, for Deng Ying, except for the cut on his lower body, he never felt humiliated in all the subsequent punishments. This time he was even willing to bear it. He regarded it as the consequence of his "hurt" Yang Wan. Compared with being cut into pieces, this was already considered merciful.
"Go ahead."
The executioner hesitated for a moment, but did not bring down the stick immediately, trying to give a hint as to the severity of the punishment.
But Yi Lang scolded him:
"What?"
When the executioner heard this, he guessed that the punishment was merciful.
There is a science to punishing eunuchs in the inner court. It mainly depends on whether the master is merciful or not. Yi Lang was very nervous. This was the first time he punished a servant. He didn't understand what kind of harm his words would bring to Deng Ying.
When the first stick fell, Deng Ying's upper body tilted up almost uncontrollably, and the person pressing his shoulder quickly pressed him down. Deng Ying tried to find something to hold on to on the ground, but fortunately the legs of the desk were right next to him, so he struggled to move forward. The person in charge of the punishment thought he was trying to dodge, so he hit him harder than the first one to warn him, almost pinning him to the ground.
A fishy breath came out of Deng Ying's throat. He thought it was the qi and blood rushing up. If it turned into a fire attack on the heart, it would be dangerous.
He gave up all struggles and forced himself to lie down as quietly as possible.
Seeing that he was cooperating, the executioner eased up a bit.
The eunuchs saw that he clenched his hands tightly. Although his body did not move, it was still trembling and even had some spasms. They thought that since Concubine Ning went to Jiaoyuan, Chengqian Palace had relied on the East Factory to avoid being bullied in the Fourteenth Bureau. This favor was not small, and Deng Ying did not need them to repay it. Seeing this at this time, they felt very uncomfortable.
Qing Meng, who was serving Yi Lang, couldn't help but beg: "Your Highness, please show some mercy... For Aunt Wan's sake... spare Governor Deng."
Yi Lang did not call for a stop, but just looked down at Deng Ying.
After ten strokes of the cane, blood had already seeped out of Deng Ying's silk pants, and the sound of the board was no longer as dull as at the beginning, but sounded a bit like an explosion. Deng Ying bit her sleeve tightly, and at first she could hold on, but later she couldn't, and every time she was hit by a stick, her teeth would tremble for a while.
"Your Highness..."
"explain."
He originally wanted to beg for mercy, but remembering that this beating was to atone for his sin in Yang Wan's room last night, he forced himself to lie down. However, the person in charge of the punishment did not show him any mercy because of his inner "repentance". The swollen area was broken, and blood immediately soaked the clothes and flowed down his body to the ground.
Yi Lang looked at the blood beneath him, but what he thought of was not the descriptions of wise kings who eliminated eunuchs and punished eunuchs in historical books. Instead, he thought of Zhou Congshan, Huang Ran...
When these people were treated like this by the Ming Dynasty law, were they also like him? Although they were resisting the majesty of heaven in a way that risked their lives, they also upheld the law and the dignity of the king with an almost "pious" attitude when they were punished.
"Stop first."
"yes."
The beating stopped, but Deng Ying's body was convulsing violently. He finally managed to reach out and grab the legs of the desk.
"Are you wrong?"
"What a mistake..."
"The rest is free."
Deng Ying coughed a few times, "Thank you, Your Highness... for your forgiveness."
Yi Lang raised his head and said, "Take him out."
The people from Qingmeng hurriedly held up Deng Ying's arms. Deng Ying was completely unable to walk, and they did not dare to drag him, so they could only hang Deng Ying's arms on their shoulders and slowly move him out.
When the people at the palace gate saw Deng Ying being brought out, they opened the side door.
Yang Wan turned around and heard Qing Meng crying, "Aunt Wan... I'm sorry, it was me who harmed the factory supervisor."
This feeling of sadness penetrated Yang Wan's heart.
She looked at Deng Ying somewhat helplessly, wanting to support him but afraid of hurting him.
"Yang Wan, don't cry..."
Yang Wan then realized that although she didn't cry out loud, she couldn't stop her tears from flowing.
"I'm sorry, Deng Ying, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
She couldn't say anything else at this moment, and could only keep apologizing to him.
"Yang Wan, remember, I have my reasons for my crime, don't argue with His Highness..."
After he finished speaking, he had no choice but to close his eyes and endure the pain.
Qing Meng said: "Aunt Wan, what should we do... The door to the church is already locked at this time."
Yang Wan said: "Don't panic. Take him back to the front room on the other side of the moat and give him to Li Yu. Tell Li Yu not to touch him yet. Wait until I come back."
Then he looked at Deng Ying again, "Don't fall asleep."
"Okay, I won't sleep."
Yang Wan gently pinched Deng Ying's lowered hand, "I will listen to you and will not argue with Your Highness, but you also have to listen to me and stop saying that you have a reason for your crime, otherwise I will be like you and never forgive myself again."
After saying that, he let go of Deng Ying's hand and walked straight towards the back hall.
The servants of Chengqian Palace dared not speak to Yang Wan, and even the eunuchs who were kneeling in the study to wipe the bloodstains hurriedly retreated when they saw her coming in. Yi Lang was reading behind the desk, the light cast his shadow on the antique shelf, and he actually felt a little serene.
Yang Wan walked up to Yi Lang and knelt down.
"Aunt..."
"It's my fault, why should I punish him?"
Yi Lang raised his head and said, "I told you, aunt, that I can forgive you, but only you."
Yang Wan held back her tears and smiled, her breath was hot, "Yi Lang, auntie really hates you."
Yi Lang put down the book and stood up, "Aunt, please don't be so presumptuous."
Yang Wan stared straight into Yi Lang's eyes, "You are my nephew, a good student of the teachers, and a prince of the Ming Dynasty. Everything you do is right. You are upright and intelligent. When you scold your aunt, you often make your aunt ashamed. In the Ming Dynasty, I am willing to do everything to protect you, Yi Lang... Auntie doesn't ask for anything, but I ask you to be kinder to Deng Ying. Auntie has everything, and Auntie only has him..."
Yi Lang walked to Yang Wan's side and tried to help her up. "Aunt, what are you talking about? You only have Yi Lang. Don't you want Yi Lang anymore?"
His voice trembled a little, as if he was shocked by Yang Wan's words.
Yang Wan looked at Yi Lang's hand on her arm and said, "Aunt will definitely protect Your Highness."
Yi Lang raised his head with tears in his eyes and shook Yang Wan's arm. "Aunt, why did you do this? I went to Wenhua Palace today and saw him coming out of your room. He was disrespectful to you, aunt. Yi Lang was just punishing him. Yi Lang was very kind to him! As long as he doesn't disrespect you again in the future, I won't punish him like that!"
Yang Wan listened to Yi Lang's words but did not say anything else.
Yi Lang was frightened by the silence. He squatted down and kept grabbing Yang Wan's hand that was pressed on the ground. "Auntie... Auntie, please don't be silent, okay?"
Yang Wan lowered her head and looked at him quietly.
"Do you want your aunt to say it?"
"I'm sorry, Auntie, please don't ignore me. I can't see my mother anymore... Auntie, if you ignore Yi Lang, Yi Lang will be alone."
As he spoke, he gradually lost the calmness that was not befitting of his age. Tears welled up in his eyes and he sobbed in front of Yang Wan.
"Aunt, I'm sorry... Actually, Yi Lang regrets it too much. I punished him too severely. But I really don't want to see you and him together. When I grow up, I will let you leave the palace and ask for an imperial decree for you, so that you can live a glorious life. Aunt... Don't ignore Yi Lang..."
He was sobbing and crying. He already had a fever, and now it was even worse. His forehead was burning hot and his breath was frighteningly hot.
Yang Wan reached out and touched his back, and felt a pool of sweat that had been cold for half a day.
"When did you get a fever?"
"Yi Lang is not good."
He cried as he spoke.
Yang Wan raised her sleeves to wipe away his tears.
"Does it hurt?"
Yi Lang shook his head. "Yi Lang is not uncomfortable."
Yang Wan took off her jacket and wrapped it around Yi Lang's body. "Come on, get up and go to rest with Aunt Heyu. Tomorrow, your aunt will go to Wenhua Hall to ask for leave from the teacher on your behalf."
Yi Lang grabbed Yang Wan.
"aunt."
"Um."
"Please tell the Queen to call the imperial physician for me."
Yang Wan squatted down and said, "Tell your aunt if you feel uncomfortable. Don't lie to your aunt."
Yi Langhong said, "Call the imperial physician for me. The gate will be open soon, and then I can go get the medicine. I'm sorry, aunt. I never thought I would beat him like that. I feel very uncomfortable in my heart, but I don't want to say it."
Yang Wan asked him softly, "Is this the first time you have punished someone?"
"Um."
Yi Lang nodded, "Yi Lang will be more careful with punishment in the future, be merciful to his subordinates, and not be cruel. Auntie, can you please forgive Yi Lang..."
After hearing this, Yang Wan bent down and hugged Yi Lang into her arms. Yi Lang leaned in Yang Wan's arms and cried even harder than before.
Yang Wan hugged the shivering child, but could not utter a single kind word.
In this dynasty, a group of people supported him with their lives, including Deng Ying.
But he also holds the lives of a group of people in his hands.
The reason why the "family-based" social system collapsed is because of unfairness.
People live their whole lives for the righteousness of the world, but the righteousness of the world should not have a specific human form.
**
In the direct room, Li Yu was helpless and stood in front of Deng Ying's door in panic. He turned around and saw Yang Wan walk in with red eyes, "You are crying."
"Um."
"Hey, don't cry. This isn't the first time. I've been in worse situations than this before. Aren't you fine now? It's just that I don't have medicine. If I have a fever tonight, I'll feel very uncomfortable."
Yang Wan took out the medicine from her arms and said, "I brought it."
Li Yu picked up the medicine and looked at it for a while. "Amitabha, I will go in and apply the medicine to him right away."
Yang Wan took the medicine and was about to push the door.
Li Yu hurriedly stopped him, "Didn't you say before that patients have privacy? What are you going to do now? You should stand here."
Yang Wan was pushed to the window by him, but she did not stop. Instead, she took a few steps towards Li Yu.
"Li Yu."
"ah?"
"Thank you for helping me take care of him, but you won't have to do that tonight."
Li Yu scratched his head, "Yang Wan, this is not good..."
"Okay, give me the medicine."
Li Yu had no choice but to give the medicine to Yang Wan.
"I've boiled some water. It's on the table. It's very hot. Please be careful."
"good."
Yang Wan pushed the door open and walked in. The light cast her shadow on Deng Ying's back.
"Go to sleep."
"Yes..."
Deng Ying's voice was very soft.
Yang Wan walked to the bed and sat down, "This is the first time."
Deng Ying coughed and laughed, "This is the first time."
"This is the first time I see you like this."
"Yeah Wanwan, I'm really embarrassed."
Yang Wan lifted the quilt covering him, and a pool of blood appeared in front of her.
"Where are your clothes? I'll help you change."
"In the cupboard behind you... take an old one. The more starched it is, the softer it will be."
"good."
Yang Wan took advantage of the opportunity to turn her back and tried hard to hold back her tears.
"I'm telling you, although I've seen you like this twice, I've taken care of injuries like this before. I'm going to hurt you in a while, so won't you make a fuss?"
Deng Ying laughed.
"I won't say anything."
"That's good."
Yang Wan reached out to flip Deng Ying's clothes, but the person behind her continued to say, "Yang Wan, did I hurt you last night?"
Yang Wan's back stiffened.
"Yes, absolutely. This is the best way for women."
She turned around and said, "It won't cause any harm. Besides, Deng Ying, you are really gentle and restrained. Although you don't understand much, you always look at me, afraid that I will feel uncomfortable. You put my feelings first. Deng Ying, let me ask you, besides you, who in this world would treat me like this?"