After dining with Yi Lang, Yang Wan walked to the side hall with a bowl of freshly cooked porridge from the small kitchen, only to find Deng Ying standing at the bottom of the steps, not having gone inside.

“Why haven’t you gone in?”

“Oh.”

Deng Ying put his hands behind his back, wiping them on the hem of his robe. “I just came down from the roof ridge, I’m a bit dirty.”

Yang Wan walked up to him. “Did Li Yu tell you something?”

Even if Deng Ying hadn’t admitted it, Yang Wan understood what he was being cautious about, but since he didn’t want to discuss it, she didn’t press further. She carried the porridge bowl toward the stone table in the courtyard. “Let’s sit here to eat. The porridge is hot anyway, we can let it cool a bit.”

Deng Ying followed, asking, “Haven’t you already eaten?”

Yang Wan turned and smiled, “Yes, but I wasn’t full. I can have another bowl with you.”

Deng Ying picked up his porridge bowl. “You don’t get full even when eating with His Highness?”

Yang Wan lowered her head with a small smile. “Now… I’m even somewhat afraid of him.”

After speaking, she blew on her porridge, staring absent-mindedly at the oil floating on its surface. “I don’t know why.”

Deng Ying said, “As long as you treat me the way His Highness restricts me, His Highness will treat you well.”

Yang Wan looked up. “If I treated you that way, would you still help me fix the roof?”

“Of course.”

Yang Wan rested her chin in her hand and leaned closer to him. “Deng Ying.”

“Mm?”

“You’re even more infuriating than Yi Lang.”

Deng Ying froze at her words, but Yang Wan simply added another spoonful of porridge to his bowl. “Eat.”

The evening wind quickly cooled the porridge. They sat in the courtyard, eating and talking over a dish of pickled cucumbers.

After the hour of you, suddenly there was a commotion in the inner palace. A eunuch from the Chengqian Gate came to report that someone had jumped into the moat by the Donghua Gate.

Lights immediately blazed up in all the palace halls.

Yang Wan asked He Yu to attend Yi Lang’s studies, then came out to find Deng Ying standing against the wind before the Chengqian Palace gate, silently gazing outward.

The lantern light cast shadows across his profile, obscuring his features.

“What’s wrong?”

Deng Ying lifted his chin toward the moat. “Yanxi Palace is searching for someone.”

Just as he finished speaking, several people came running to the Chengqian Gate. Yang Wan instinctively stepped back.

“It’s alright, Wan Wan, it’s Zhao Qi from the Eastern Depot.”

He lifted his robe and descended the steps. “What happened?”

Zhao Qi reported, “Director, something’s happened to Pang Ling from Yanxi Palace.”

Yang Wan quickly asked, “Is he alive?”

“Still alive, we rescued him.”

A eunuch at Chengqian Gate, not understanding the situation, casually remarked: “These days people are jumping into rivers because they can’t go on living. What kind of living hell is Yanxi Palace? How pitiful.”

Zhao Qi said, “What jumping? Have you ever seen someone jump with large stones tied to their ankles? And it wasn’t the moat—it was the sewage pool by Donghua Gate. Director, we also caught two people from Yanxi Palace, they’ve been taken to the Inner Eastern Depot.”

Yang Wan said, “Don’t take them to the Inner Eastern Depot, bring them to Chengqian Palace.”

Only then did Zhao Qi notice Yang Wan standing behind Deng Ying. He stiffened his neck and said, “These are people arrested by our Eastern Depot, how can we bring them to Chengqian Palace?”

“The Eastern Depot isn’t suitable.”

Zhao Qi hesitantly looked toward Deng Ying.

Deng Ying said nothing but nodded, indicating he should comply.

Yang Wan turned and walked inside, instructing the palace servants as she went: “Close all the other palace gates, leave only the side door of the front hall open.”

The Chengqian Palace servants rarely saw Yang Wan so serious and hurried to carry out her orders.

Soon after, Zhao Qi led the Depot guards in dragging Pang Ling through the side door.

The night was cold, with the wind howling against the ground screens, making windows and doors creak and rattle.

Pang Ling’s lungs were full of filthy water. Soaked through and chilled by the wind during the journey, when Zhao Qi’s men set him down, he collapsed prone, his shoulders heaving with violent coughs.

Looking at the filth he was vomiting up, Yang Wan felt her stomach churning.

“Bring him a basin.”

Then she told Pang Ling: “Cough it all up, don’t hold back, get the water out of your lungs.”

The Chengqian Palace servants gathered around covering their noses. He Yu came out with a lantern to light the way for Yang Wan, glanced down at the filth-covered man on the ground, and exclaimed in shock: “Isn’t… isn’t this Eunuch Pang from Noble Consort’s side? How did he end up in such a state? Was he the one who jumped earlier?”

Yang Wan fought down her nausea: “Does this look like someone who jumped?”

He Yu shook her head, “No… not really.”

Just then, the servants brought a basin and helped Pang Ling lean over it.

Pang Ling gripped the basin’s edges and retched violently, his eyes bulging and neck turning red.

Yang Wan looked down at him and softly asked He Yu, “Where is His Highness?”

“His Highness is still studying in the back hall.”

“Mm. Go watch over His Highness, don’t let him come to the front hall. If he asks for me, say I went to respond to Her Majesty the Empress’s summons.”

“Yes.”

“Give me the lantern, and be careful.”

He Yu handed the lantern to Yang Wan as instructed and hurried back to the rear hall.

By now, Pang Ling had finally caught his breath. He slowly moved away from the wooden basin, struggled for a while, and finally managed to push himself up to his knees, crawling a few steps toward Deng Ying.

“Director Deng, save me…”

“Deng Ying, step back.”

As she spoke, Pang Ling had already grabbed the hem of Deng Ying’s robe. “Director Deng, you must save this slave…”

Yang Wan pulled Deng Ying back behind her, turning to tell him: “Don’t let him touch you.”

Only then did Pang Ling truly come to his senses, looking up at Yang Wan. “You’re… you’re Yang Wan from the Crown Prince’s side…”

Yang Wan said, “Yes, this surely isn’t the first time you’ve seen me.”

Pang Ling’s voice trembled, but he still questioned Yang Wan, “Why… why bring me to Chengqian Palace?”

“Because right now only Chengqian Palace can protect you.”

Yang Wan crouched down as she spoke, “I don’t know how to conduct investigations, and I don’t want to harm you further. I’m saving you for my sister’s sake. So, if you’re willing to tell me the truth, tell me now. If you’re not willing, that’s fine too—I just hope you’ll stay quietly in Chengqian Palace without making a fuss.”

Pang Ling asked in bewilderment: “You’ve brought me here but won’t question me?”

“I told you, I don’t know how to investigate.”

Yang Wan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “But I roughly know everything.”

“You… know what?”

Pang Ling’s voice grew fearful. “You’re dreaming…”

“I won’t deceive you.”

Yang Wan stood up, looking down at Pang Ling: “Your Noble Consort secretly ordered someone to forge my sister’s handwriting, writing a preface for ‘The Five Virtuous,’ and had you impersonate a Chengqian Palace eunuch to deliver it to Qingbo House for printing together with ‘The Five Virtuous.’ Who knew that before Qingbo House could print this version with the preface, it would be seized by the Northern Guard? Your Noble Consort panicked and sent you to investigate, but the Guard not only sealed the printing house but also took away everyone inside. These past few days, Noble Consort must have received some warnings and feared exposure, which is why she thought of silencing you.”

After hearing Yang Wan’s words, Pang Ling couldn’t help but curl his legs and scoot backward.

“How… how did you know?”

Yang Wan said, “Because I saw you at Qingbo House that day. The Northern Guard’s raid on Qingbo House was my design. The Eastern Depot’s rescue of you was also by my instruction. So begging Deng Ying for help is useless—you need to beg me.”

“Heh heh… *cough*…”

Pang Ling gave a coughing laugh, wiping his face in an attempt to clean off the filth.

“If you discovered this that day, why didn’t you have the Eastern Depot arrest and question me immediately? Why keep watching me instead?”

“I’m not foolish.”

“What?”

“If the Eastern Depot arrested you, what if the questioning went poorly, you refused to talk, or someone silenced you? Wouldn’t that leave the Eastern Depot bearing the crime of framing an Imperial Consort on behalf of Chengqian Palace? Better to let the Northern Guard handle this matter. Your Noble Consort is afraid, and those behind her are afraid too.”

As she said this, she continued to shield Deng Ying.

Pang Ling’s stench was indeed unpleasant, but in Deng Ying’s eyes, the filth on Pang Ling wasn’t anything—it was all external, and could be washed away with a bucket of water. The filth he carried was far worse and could never be washed away. No matter where he went, people could see it, so he tried not to think about it deliberately.

The only one who cared about Deng Ying bearing this tainted reputation was Yang Wan.

She said she would strike back, but even in such difficult circumstances, she was still thinking of Deng Ying. She didn’t take it for granted that she could use him; she kept him out of this matter, protecting him behind her. This depth of feeling and wisdom seemed to have been cultivated and settled over many years.

“Why have you brought me to stay in Chengqian Palace… what do you want?”

“I want your Noble Consort to come see me.”

Just as she finished speaking, there came a knock at the Chengqian Gate, very soft.

Everyone in the front hall looked toward the gate.

A eunuch ran over saying, “Lady Wan, it’s people from Yanxi Palace.”

Yang Wan glanced at the gate. “Tell them it’s too late today, we can’t disturb His Highness’s rest. If Noble Consort has a business, please come inquire tomorrow.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a woman’s voice came from the gate, like a cat being strangled: “Yang Wan, it is I.”

Yang Wan looked at Deng Ying. “Do you want to step aside?”

Deng Ying shook his head. “No need.”

Yang Wan said, “It’s not good if you don’t.”

Deng Ying smiled slightly: “Where would you have me go?”

The night had grown deep. After the servants lit all the stone lanterns in the front courtyard and brought four or five more wind lanterns, Noble Consort Jiang’s face appeared increasingly pale. She had once been a woman of stunning beauty, with thick eyebrows, almond eyes, and full lips over white teeth. Now twisted with fear, she looked like a ghost in a painted mask. She wore only a single layer of clothing, her hair disheveled—clearly, she had lost her composure and rushed over in haste.

Seeing Pang Ling prostrate on the ground, she recoiled as if seeing a ghost, stumbling back several steps. If not for her servants supporting her, she would have collapsed.

“Yang Wan… I was wrong, please don’t expose me…”

Yang Wan walked closer to Noble Consort. “Then what about my sister?”

“I… I don’t know, I won’t let them print that book anymore!”

“But it’s too late.”

Yang Wan stood before her. “My brother has already been taken by the Northern Guard. I don’t know if he’s been tortured if he has…”

“That won’t happen! I’ll beg Vice Minister Zhang…”

At this point, her teeth began chattering uncontrollably.

Yang Wan continued: “Will begging Vice Minister Zhang help?”

Hearing this, Noble Consort Jiang collapsed to the ground, her golden hairpin falling as her unbound hair scattered across her shoulders.

The servants hurried to help her up, but she couldn’t stand at all, looking at Yang Wan in terror: “I don’t know Vice Minister Zhang, you… what do you want me to do before you let me go…”

With that, she turned and knelt before Yang Wan. “I kneel to beg you, I’ll do anything you want if you’ll spare me.”

Yang Wan looked down at Noble Consort Jiang with her disheveled hair.

“What about the Crane Residence case?”

“What… Crane Residence case?”

“Noble Consort still dares to say it was my sister and Zheng Binbi conspiring to harm the Second Prince?”

“I wouldn’t dare, it wasn’t…”

“Then what was it?”

“It… it…”

Noble Consort Jiang pressed her darkened lips together, prostrating herself as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Yang Wan stood up, supporting herself on her knees, and told those by the gate: “Open our Chengqian Palace gates.”

Hearing this, Noble Consort Jiang lost all restraint and threw herself at Yang Wan’s feet. “Don’t open the gates, don’t open them! I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you everything…”

“Speak.”

“It was Keeper He, he arranged everything. That wet nurse didn’t die—he sent her out of the palace that very night. I was also just a servant once, with no support in the palace or court. I was confused at the time, wanting to secure a future for my son… I know I was wrong, I beg forgiveness from Lady Ning… please spare me, Yi Jue is still so young…”

Yang Wan remained silent for a long while before finally giving a tight-lipped laugh. “Zheng Binbi died tragically, three hundred people were beaten to death, yet Noble Consort only reveals the truth when she can no longer survive.”