Hu Xiang watched Deng Ying lying silently on the bench, showing no intention to answer and gradually lost patience.

“The Old Ancestor having me ask you this is already showing heavenly grace. What do you mean by not speaking?”

Deng Ying opened his mouth, and a faint taste of blood welled up from his throat. Unable to raise his head, he could only let his face rest against the bench surface. “Please tell the Seal Holder that Deng Ying… has nothing to say.”

“You impudent thing!”

Hu Xiang flung his sleeve as he stood up, “Continue beating.”

After the remaining twenty strokes, Deng Ying could no longer move.

Zheng Yuejia, disregarding Hu Xiang’s presence, removed his outer robe to cover Deng Ying’s lower body and said to Head Eunuch Wang, “Quickly, untie him!”

Head Eunuch Wang hurriedly ordered people to untie Deng Ying, but every pull caused him pain like a thousand needles.

Seeing no one dared come forward to help support him, Zheng Yuejia turned back to see Li Yu standing dazed among the crowd. Remembering he wasn’t from the Imperial Ceremonial Office, he said, “You standing at the side, come here.”

Li Yu finally snapped back to his senses, quickly wiped his face, and came forward to support Deng Ying’s other arm.

Though still conscious, Deng Ying was breathing with difficulty.

He kept coughing, but little air came out.

Li Yu didn’t dare pull him forcefully, but this too caused Deng Ying to suffer. Zheng Yuejia said, “Support his arms properly. If you don’t hold him steady, it’ll hurt him more.”

Hearing these words, Li Yu began crying helplessly, saying between sobs, “Deng Ying, what wrong did you do to deserve this? Why did the Old Ancestor have to beat you so severely?”

Deng Ying spoke through the pain in broken phrases, “Li Yu, don’t cry… don’t make a sound.”

Seeing his suffering, Li Yu couldn’t control his sobbing, turning to Zheng Yuejia with a panicked face, “What do we do now, Director Zheng?”

Seeing Deng Ying’s consciousness fading, Zheng Yuejia quickly supported Deng Ying’s back, trying to make him more comfortable while saying to Li Yu, “Let’s get him back to his quarters first.”

The journey remained an extension of the earlier torture for Deng Ying, until by the time they reached the moat’s edge, he could no longer maintain consciousness. He didn’t want to faint like this—he feared Yang Wan might come looking for him. At this moment, anything would be better than letting the woman who told him to cherish his dignity see his wounds that he could not now protect.

After Li Yu had barely managed to settle Deng Ying, he was about to go find Song Yunqing with red eyes when he saw Yang Wan standing alone behind the willow tree in front of the room.

“Hey.”

“Ah?”

Li Yu rarely saw her so distracted. He rubbed his eyes and called to her, “Why are you hiding there?”

Yang Wan let out a breath, pulled her lined jacket closer, and walked a few steps toward Li Yu. “Is he awake?”

Li Yu looked back, saw Zheng Yuejia coming out, and remained silent.

Zheng Yuejia looked at Yang Wan. She wore everyday clothes, her makeup somewhat disheveled, her hands red from the cold—who knew how long she had been standing there.

“Why don’t you go in?”

Yang Wan shook her head, “I’ll wait until he’s asleep before going in.”

Zheng Yuejia blurted out, “Why?”

Seeing Yang Wan’s silence, Li Yu suddenly remembered something and said, “Oh, she once said something about patients having privacy…”

Zheng Yuejia didn’t understand these words but didn’t probe further. Rolling down his sleeves, he said to Yang Wan, “I tried to mediate for him, but since the entire Imperial Ceremonial Office was watching the punishment, Head Eunuch Wang and the others couldn’t be too lenient. However, flesh wounds heal easily—Miss Yang shouldn’t worry too much.”

After listening, Yang Wan stepped back and bowed to Zheng Yuejia, “Thank you, Director Zheng.”

“I dare not.”

Yang Wan straightened up, “Director Zheng, why was he treated this way today?”

Zheng Yuejia glanced at Li Yu, who tactfully stepped aside.

Only then did Zheng Yuejia say, “It’s not because he did anything wrong, but because His Majesty has taken notice of him.”

Yang Wan nodded, “Is it about the Eastern Depot matter?”

Zheng Yuejia didn’t deny it.

“Yes, His Majesty has relieved me of my position as Superintendent of the Eastern Depot, and now orders the Imperial Ceremonial Office to recommend another person. The Old Ancestor wishes to recommend Hu Xiang, but after the incident at Landlord Zhao’s, the Cabinet definitely won’t accept him. Today in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, His Majesty didn’t settle this matter, perhaps he will consult the Cabinet later. I’m somewhat worried that Minister Bai and Vice Minister Yang might not accept Deng Ying either.”

He looked back before continuing, “He has already offended the Old Ancestor today. If the imperial will doesn’t fall on him this time, his future days in the Imperial Ceremonial Office will be difficult.”

Yang Wan remained silent.

If, as Zheng Yuejia said, Deng Ying didn’t become Superintendent of the Eastern Depot, how would he spend the rest of his life?

Would it be simpler? Could he avoid that brutal lingering death at the Meridian Gate?

Thinking of this, she suddenly felt herself falling into nihilistic fallacies.

This thought was truly meaningless. Even if she told Deng Ying directly about his future fate, at this moment, he wouldn’t choose to back down.

And what about Yang Wan herself?

Yang Wan recalled her words to Yang Lun at the East Prosperity Gate, “Don’t avoid recommending him, nominate Deng Ying.”

She didn’t know if her words to Yang Lun could alter Deng Ying’s fate, but at that time, she hadn’t thought about his eventual end at all. So when women make decisions, they can be so ruthless they disregard even known consequences.

Zheng Yuejia didn’t know what kind of logical loop she had fallen into, but he didn’t interrupt her, turning to walk toward the Extreme Gate.

Li Yu said from the side, “Director Zheng, please don’t leave. I have nothing here… what if he takes a turn for the worse during the night?”

Zheng Yuejia said, “I’ll check the Imperial Pharmacy and return shortly.”

Yang Wan followed him from behind, saying, “Let me go instead. You should return to the Imperial Ceremonial Office. Having helped him so much today, Director He must have questions for you—you need to think about how to respond.”

Zheng Yuejia smiled, “I’ve served the Old Ancestor for many years; he knows everything about me. Moreover, I serve not only the Old Ancestor but also His Majesty. Our dignity comes half from the Old Ancestor and half from His Majesty. I’ve been in the palace for years—Miss Yang need not worry.”

While Zheng Yuejia and Li Yu were inside applying medicine to Deng Ying’s wounds, Yang Wan remained outside.

During this time, Song Yunqing came looking for her once, saw her leaning by the door, and asked, “Why are you standing outside?”

Yang Wan tucked back her wind-blown hair.

“Afraid of causing trouble.”

Song Yunqing asked, “Are you returning to the Fifth Bureau tonight?”

Yang Wan shook her head.

“Alright then.”

Song Yunqing didn’t ask further, handing two porcelain bottles to Yang Wan, “This red one is from Lady Jiang. I also asked Chen Hua for some, though I’m not sure how good it is. Lady Jiang says she won’t interfere with the Old Ancestor’s affairs, so she tells you to be discreet.”

Yang Wan nodded, “I understand. You’re right—no matter how heartbroken I am, I must endure it.”

Song Yunqing looked inside, “Is Li Yu in there?”

Yang Wan nodded, “Thank you, both you and your brother.”

Song Yunqing gently patted her shoulder, “What’s there to thank for? We’re all pitiful beings. I’m going now—I’ll cover your duties tomorrow. You return to the Fifth Bureau in the morning and get some proper rest.”

Yang Wan watched her leave. Shortly after, Zheng Yuejia also came out with blood-stained hands.

Zheng Yuejia closed the door and said to Yang Wan, “He’s asleep. Li Yu is still inside.”

“Good.”

Yang Wan nodded, bowing to see him off.

Only after he had gone far did she gently push open the door, pressing her lips together as she entered.

Deng Ying lay quietly on the bed. Li Yu was wringing out a cloth nearby, and when he saw Yang Wan about to speak, she made a gesture of silence. Seeing her sit down by the couch, Li Yu tactfully got up and left, closing the door behind him.

Deng Ying slept with his hands beneath the pillow, his face turned outward on the pillow.

His hands were slightly clenched, trembling occasionally.

“Yang Wan…”

He suddenly called out her name with closed eyes.

Yang Wan started.

“How did you know it was me?”

“Your scent… I remember…”

Yang Wan pinched her sleeve and stood up, “Do you want water?”

Deng Ying breathed out softly, “Don’t serve me…”

He clenched his fingers as he spoke, “I look… too unsightly.”

Yang Wan lifted her skirt, crouched by his couch, and rested her chin on her folded hands on the couch surface, “Not unsightly.”

Deng Ying coughed once, “I know myself.”

Yang Wan shook her head, “Then do you know? I want very much to see your wounds, to help apply medicine, but I dare not do so.”

Deng Ying opened his eyes, “Why… dare not?”

Yang Wan gently brushed away the sweat-dampened hair from his face.

“The person I regard as frost and snow doesn’t want me to see him in an undignified state. Though I’m not particularly sensitive, I don’t want to presume to hurt him. So I dare not…”

Having said this, she released her legs and sat on the ground.

“Deng Ying, I’ll say again what I said before—I’ll stay as close as you want me to be, and when you don’t want to see me, I’ll wait longer. Just don’t worry that I’ll get angry and leave. Heaven knows how anxious I was coming to see you.”

After hearing her words, Deng Ying slowly reached out one hand toward her, seeming to hesitate as he neared her wrist.

Yang Wan looked down at his hand, waiting quietly without a word. After quite a while, Deng Ying finally gently grasped her wrist.

“Get up… don’t sit on the ground, it’s very cold.”

The touch from Deng Ying almost made Yang Wan tremble. She pressed her lips together, steadying her voice as she said, “Yes, it’s truly cold today. Perhaps frost will fall tonight.”

She sniffled as she spoke.

“May I stay by your side for a while?”

“Yes…”

“That’s wonderful.”

After speaking, Yang Wan took off her lined jacket, bent down to remove her shoes and socks, lifted the cotton quilt, and lay down on her side at the edge of the bed.

Deng Ying tried to move inward to let her lie more comfortably, but just moving his legs caused him such pain he almost cried out.

Suddenly, warmth spread from his shoulder.

It was Yang Wan’s hand.

Gently stroking up and down his spine.

“Does this help?” she asked softly.

“It does…”

He hardly knew how he uttered this word, his tone so urgent, as if fearing she wouldn’t believe him.

Yang Wan closed her eyes, her hand continuing its movement.

“Don’t be afraid, it won’t hurt so much tomorrow.”

“Yang Wan…”

“You can call me Wan-wan.”

She opened her eyes as she spoke, giving him a gentle smile.

“Deng Ying, it’s because you were willing to hold my wrist that I dare touch you.”