Yang Wan had been standing outside the door listening to their conversation.
Deng Ying talked about the chapter "Benevolence and Compassion" in the fifth volume of "Zhenguan Zhengyao". He talked about the story that in the seventh year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong of Tang mourned Zhang Gongjin, the governor of Xiangzhou, on the day of the dragon, and in the fifteenth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong of Tang issued an edict to comfort the sick and dead. Yi Lang listened to Deng Ying quietly and asked questions occasionally.
When Deng Ying walked out of the study, the sky was gloomy and the Chengqian Palace was brightly lit.
Yang Wan stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him, crossed her arms and smiled at him, "You are amazing."
Deng Ying was still a little unsteady on her feet and had to hold onto the doorpost when stepping onto the stairs.
Yang Wan reached out to Deng Ying for support, while watching the steps under his feet for him, and continued softly, "I am ashamed of myself."
Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan and smiled, "I heard you want to buy Qingbo Pavilion."
"Did Tan Wende tell you that?"
"Well, why buy it?"
Yang Wan raised her head: "It is the mouthpiece of the Ming Dynasty. Although it is very strong and easy to break, I like it very much."
The mouthpiece of the Ming Dynasty.
It was the first time that Deng Ying heard someone use the word "mouthpiece" to describe popular articles in the world. It was very vivid. But it was too appropriate, and after giving people a sense of the picture, it seemed cruel.
“After buying it, I still have to run it. Do I have enough money?”
"It's not enough, so I'll just ask you."
After saying this, he took Deng Ying's arm and said, "The money belongs to my sister and Yi Lang. I borrowed it and will pay it back in the future. As the supervisor of the East Factory, you should help me protect it and make it earn money."
Deng Ying nodded with a smile and said "OK."
The two were walking on the palace road. Deng Ying had just recovered from a serious injury, and each step was a bit difficult for him to take.
As Yang Wan walked, she looked up at the moon in the sky and suddenly said, "Take me out of the palace at the end of this month."
Deng Ying asked, "Where do you want to go?"
"I want to take you home for dinner."
Deng Ying stopped and hesitated to speak.
Yang Wan turned around and asked, "Are you afraid of Yang Zixi?"
"yes."
Deng Ying followed Yang Wan's gaze towards the palace wall and said, "Perhaps he will personally interrogate me soon."
"Why?"
"Hangzhou will try out a new taxation policy next year. The Ministry of Revenue has already begun to settle the school lands left over in Hangzhou."
Yang Wan pinched her fingers, "How are you going to respond?"
Deng Ying shook his head. "Once Chushan Academy and Hudan Academy are investigated, the Imperial Household Department will protect me."
Yang Wan frowned after hearing this. He turned around and faced Deng Ying: "If the Imperial Household Department wants to protect you, what will happen to the people who impeached you?"
Deng Ying remained silent.
Yang Wan looked at Deng Ying and said, "You have to protect them."
Deng Ying raised her hand and stroked Yang Wan's cheek. "Wan Wan, when my injury gets better and I can sit for a long time, I will go home with you for dinner."
Yang Wan lowered her head and rubbed the skin on her face in Deng Ying's palm.
"Are you still in pain?"
Deng Ying stroked the corner of Yang Wan's eye and shook her head. "It has been scabbed for a long time. The medicine you gave me is very good."
**
The scab formed and fell off, and the swelling subsided. Deng Ying's injury lasted until the deep winter of the 13th year of Zhenning.
During this period, Yi Lang was willing to keep Deng Ying in his study, and occasionally allowed Deng Ying, who could not stand, to sit in front of him for a while.
Starting from the beginning of December, the Hanlin Academy recommended an old Hanlin, Wang Linjiang, to be the prince's teacher. He took Yi Lang to start a detailed analysis of "Zhenguan Zhengyao". After Yi Lang came back from the lecture, he got into the habit of reviewing the old lessons with Deng Ying.
When Deng Ying was around, Yang Wan seldom went in, and even when she did, it was only to bring food and drink.
Once, when they cooked noodles for this person, Deng Ying couldn't eat in front of Yi Lang, so she took the noodles and sat under the porch to eat.
In order to avoid getting the soup on his food, he carefully rolled up his sleeves, revealing part of his arms in the cold night, and ate slowly and carefully, mouthful by mouthful.
Yi Lang in the study would occasionally look up at Deng Ying, but would not say anything.
Yang Wan stood alone under the side window, looking at the two people who were eating noodles in silence in front of her. Although it was cold outside, she felt a little warm in her heart.
Deng Ying is a person whose nature is as pure as snow, and whose fragrance cannot be smelled from afar. She is a person whose true heart can only be understood after getting close to her.
Yang Wan saw in him a kind of cruelty of the sacrifice of all things, which was very much like the core of the philosophy of mono no aware.
In winter, when the curtains are rolled up, the ground is covered with snow. The road will soon turn into mud, but I am still moved by its exhaustion of itself and the purity before my eyes. He has a distant fragrance and is not popular in the dark night. Only by holding a lantern and rolling up the curtains can we have the chance to meet him.
"All things are humble and innocent. That's why Jutaro Terauchi wrote: 'I'm sorry for being born as a human being.'"
(Thanks to the reader for the correction. The original version here said that this sentence was attributed to Dazai Osamu.)
Yang Wan wrote down these words in her notebook.
One day, Yi Lang rewarded Deng Ying with a winter coat.
The moon-white silk was interspersed with unknown animal fur. Yang Wan remembered that it was the only bright-colored robe Deng Ying had.
Deng Ying wore this winter coat and took Yang Wan out of the palace.
The 24th day is the 12th lunar month, when people worship the Kitchen God. Red bags for receiving blessings are hung on doors everywhere to receive "flying stickers".
In front of the Guangji Temple, there was an Aoshan lantern, which was twelve feet high, with more than a hundred gold and jade lanterns hanging on it. Yang Wan looked up as she walked, and saw that the lantern stand was half-finished. "I saw that the palace was also setting up an Aoshan lantern, and the tallest one was even taller than this one."
Deng Ying nodded. "There are eight lanterns in the palace this year. The largest one you see is in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It was sent by several officials from Hangzhou. The one in front of Guangji Temple was also made by the inner court. It will be lit for a total of eight days starting from New Year's Eve for the people to enjoy."
Yang Wan lowered her head and said, "A lamp in Aoshan is worth a thousand gold coins."
As he was talking, he heard Yang Lun's voice coming from under the Aoshan lantern, "'Xuanhe Caishan, share joy with the people'. The Ministry of Rites will also draft it, and the officials of the Ministry of Revenue will fight in the years of famine. I wish I could kneel down at the gate of the government office. Who can share joy with me?"
Xiao Wen, who was standing behind him, quickly grabbed his arm and said, "I find these words frightening. Your Majesty wants to have fun with the people, so he built the Aoshan Lantern. We can just watch it. Today, Jing'er is released from prison, and Wan'er is coming back too. I know you work in the Ministry of Revenue, and you must be upset to see this extravagant scene, but no matter how upset you are, you should at least bear it today. Wan'er was seriously injured in the imperial prison in the fall. We have asked about everything you have heard in Hangzhou. You don't feel guilty, but I do. I don't care. After spending the money for the opera and wine today, I have to let Wan'er have a good time at home for a day."
When Yang Wan was mentioned, Yang Lun's expression changed, "What are you talking about? Come back later."
Xiao Wen asked: "You mean before Chen Yu...eh?"
As she spoke, she had already seen Yang Wan in the street, and hurriedly lifted her skirt and came over with the maid. When she came to the front, she saw Deng Ying standing beside Yang Wan, and hurriedly leaned forward to perform the wife's etiquette for Deng Ying. Yang Lun followed and held Xiao Wen's arm, "You have an imperial decree."
Xiao Wen was a little embarrassed.
Deng Ying took a step back, bowed to Yang Lun and said, "Master Yang." Then Xiao Wen returned the greeting, "Deng Ying greets Madam."
When Yang Wan saw him salute, she also followed Yang Lun and Xiao Wen to salute.
Xiao Wen hurriedly helped Yang Wan up, "Didn't you say Chen Yu? Why are you here so early?"
Yang Wan said, "Today the palace is offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God, but the young prince refused to listen and was taken away by the Empress to eat kitchen candy early in the morning. I have nothing else to do, so I asked Deng Ying to bring me out as soon as possible."
Xiao Wen held onto Yang Wan and refused to let go. "I have seen you for almost a year. Since our queen was ill, she cried herself to death and is now unconscious. She says your and the queen's names every day. We told her that the queen's name cannot be said, but she has been thinking about you ever since. She asks me every day, after you got married, what happened to the Zhang family..."
Yang Lun coughed.
Xiao Wen regretted her gaffe, "Ah, I'm such a fool, I won't even say anything."
Yang Wan held Xiao Wen's hand and smiled, "I'm doing well in the palace."
"All right, all right."
Xiao Wen pressed the corner of her eyes and said, "It's very cold outside, let's go in."
Yang Wan responded and looked back at Deng Ying, "Let's go."
Deng Ying nodded at Yang Wan with a smile, but did not follow her. She slowed down a few steps and followed Yang Lun into the mansion behind the servants.
Yang Lun asked Deng Ying with his hands behind his back, "I want to ask you something."
"Um."
Yang Lun coughed, "Yesterday, the Ministry of Justice went to the Northern Pacification Office to present the case, and the cabinet looked at it together. The crime proposed for Zhang Cong was private relations with the inner court. Why did they suddenly propose such a crime?"
Deng Ying asked back, "Why are you asking me?"
Yang Lun stopped and said, "He is the only one in the cabinet who disagrees with the implementation of the new policy. How can I feel that he is suddenly imprisoned at this time? And the crime is really well drafted. He has private relations with the inner court, and it has suddenly become a death sentence. Haha... Even the Donglin people have something to say about it."
Deng Ying looked at Yang Wan who was chatting with Xiao Wen in front of her, "Yang Wan did it."
Yang Lun raised an eyebrow, "Wan'er?"
He looked at Yang Wan in surprise, "You're treating Ming Dynasty politics as a drama!"
"Yang Zixi."
Deng Ying suddenly called out Yang Lun's name in a straight voice.
Yang Lun was stunned, and before he could even open his mouth, he heard Deng Ying asking, "Why are you so conceited that you can't even tolerate your own sister?"
Yang Lun retorted: "I can tolerate anything at any time. I just don't want to play with fire and get burned."
"If not, the Biography of the Five Sages with the preface written by Concubine Ning will be printed in Qingbo Pavilion. When His Majesty is furious, the Northern Pacification Division will arrest Yang Jing and you."
Yang Lun was speechless and stunned.
Deng Ying ignored the silence and continued to ask, "Yang Zixi, if this was a female play, would you still be able to try to promote the new policy in Hangzhou?"
A man stood in the snow in the courtyard, and his breath turned into white smoke instantly.
Yang Lun patted the frost on his body and snorted coldly, "Deng Fuling, you are very angry today."
Deng Ying took a step back and bowed, "Please forgive me, sir."
Yang Lun looked down at Deng Ying and said, "Let's talk about this in a few days. The people sent by the Ministry of Revenue to Hangzhou to clear the school fields have returned. The cabinet will submit a letter of impeachment against you in the next year. I have no right to delay it for you. You can do whatever you want."
"Will you submit this memorial jointly with the Cabinet?"
"I don't connect!"
His voice suddenly rose: "When you are convicted, I will personally raid your house and let people see how ridiculous you, a director of the East Factory with nothing but four walls, are."
Deng Ying laughed and took a step closer to Yang Lun, "Zi Xi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to you."
"You can't bear to hear me talk about Yang Wan."
He lowered his head after he finished speaking and couldn't help but laugh.
"We had a family reunion dinner, but you insisted on bringing you back, making it like a visit to your parents' home..."
When he said the word "return home", he wanted to slap himself.
Deng Ying looked at Yang Lun's embarrassed expression, lowered her head and smiled, "I haven't eaten at your house for three years."
After hearing this, Yang Lun turned around and walked towards the cross door, saying to the servant as he walked, "Go get the wine!"