Several days passed without Deng Ying returning to the palace.

Two days before the Zhonghe Festival, the Imperial Palace distributed millet and white flour to each palace for making pancakes and fumigating insects.

Yi Lang developed a spring fever that left his throat swollen and painful. Later, he developed eye discharge and complained of discomfort for several days. The attendants of Wenhua Hall, not knowing any better, gave him too much cooling herbal water, which unexpectedly triggered diarrhea and quickly destroyed his appetite.

That day, he barely touched the porridge sent from the kitchen. With an empty stomach from the diarrhea, he sat weakly on the bed, looking pitifully at Yang Wan.

Yang Wan helped Yi Lang change into fresh clothes and brought him an incense burner to smell.

“Imperial Physician Luo said there’s mint added in here. It should feel refreshing, Your Highness, please try it.”

Yi Lang held onto Yang Wan’s arm and leaned in for a sniff, immediately sneezing twice.

Yang Wan offered him her handkerchief, “Is your nose a bit clearer now?”

Yi Lang shook his head, “Aunt, my throat and nose are still badly congested.”

Yang Wan set down the incense burner, “Ah… I haven’t taken good care of Your Highness. When the Empress was here, she never let Your Highness suffer like this.”

Yi Lang tugged at Yang Wan’s sleeve, “It’s fine, I always feel unwell this time of year.”

Yang Wan smiled and tucked the blanket around him, “Tomorrow I’ll go request leave from His Majesty for you. Your Highness should rest in bed for a couple of days.”

Yi Lang leaned back against the bed and said, “If Aunt goes to request leave from Father Emperor, won’t everyone in Chengrong Palace be punished? I’m fine, I’ll go to lessons tomorrow.”

As he reached for a book beside the couch, Yang Wan quickly handed it to him.

“Still reading?”

“Yes. I’ve fallen behind these past few days, and the Supervisor hasn’t come either. There are some parts the teachers explained that I still don’t understand. I’ve been wanting to ask the Supervisor about them. Oh right, Aunt, yesterday was his scheduled day for receiving the medicine. Imperial Physician Luo came, so why didn’t he come?”

“Hmm…”

Yang Wan hesitated, unsure how to explain to Yi Lang.

Yi Lang placed the book on his knees and said to Yang Wan, “Aunt, recently, both in and out of court, everyone’s cursing him.”

Yang Wan stroked Yi Lang’s head, “It’s alright, this time Your Highness can curse him too.”

Yi Lang shook his head, “I won’t curse him anymore.”

Yang Wan paused, “Why not?”

Yi Lang fidgeted with his sleeping robe sleeve, “The Supervisor told me something.”

“What did he say?”

Yi Lang looked up, “He told me not to tell you, Aunt.”

Yang Wan smiled, “So Your Highness and the Supervisor now have secrets from Aunt?”

Yi Lang lowered his head and turned a few pages of his book, “It wasn’t something good, so I don’t want to tell Aunt.”

As Yang Wan hesitated whether to probe further, Heyu lifted the warm curtain and entered, “Miss Wan, the Supervisor has arrived.”

Yang Wan stood up and looked at Yi Lang, “Your Highness…”

Yi Lang looked up at Yang Wan, “It’s fine, Aunt, let him in. It’s warm here, good for applying medicine.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Highness.”

With Yi Lang’s permission, Yang Wan immediately walked out of the sleeping quarters. Deng Ying was walking towards Yang Wan from behind the ground screen. Today he wore an ash-gray informal robe, his hair bound without a hat, appearing even thinner than before.

Yang Wan turned and lifted the warm curtain, “Come in.”

Deng Ying hesitated looking at Yang Wan, “Is His Highness also here?”

“Yes, but it’s fine, come in. It’s warmer inside.”

“Alright.”

Deng Ying entered the sleeping quarters.

Yi Lang looked up, acknowledged Deng Ying’s bow, and pointed to the chair beside the couch with his book, “Supervisor, please sit.”

“This servant thanks Your Highness.”

Yang Wan had Heyu bring a bowl of cooling herbal tea for Deng Ying, while she sat down beside Yi Lang’s bed, tucking the blanket around him more securely. She said to Deng Ying: “This tea was originally for His Highness, it’s good for spring fever, but His Highness drank too much the other day…”

“Aunt!”

Yi Lang’s face turned bright red, and Yang Wan quickly smiled, “Yes, yes, Aunt won’t say anymore.”

Deng Ying reached out to accept the tea, bowing to Yi Lang, “Thank you for Your Highness’s kindness.”

Yi Lang asked, “Supervisor, why didn’t you come yesterday?”

Deng Ying bowed deeply and replied, “This servant has failed Your Highness’s grace, please forgive me.”

Yi Lang looked somewhat embarrassed, “I didn’t mean to blame you, you don’t need to ask for forgiveness.”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan looked at these two who hadn’t met for a while, each maintaining their formality, and smiled, saying to Heyu: “Go fetch the medicine that Imperial Physician Luo left yesterday.”

As she spoke, she rolled up Deng Ying’s sleeve and said to Yi Lang, “Didn’t Your Highness want to ask him about your books? Which one? Aunt will get it for you.”

Yi Lang looked at Deng Ying’s arm, “Never mind, I’ll ask him next time in the study.”

Then he lowered his head and continued reading his book.

Deng Ying looked up and softly asked Yang Wan, “What’s wrong with His Highness?”

Yang Wan leaned close to Deng Ying’s ear and said, “He’s had diarrhea all day, and now he’s in a bad mood.”

Deng Ying couldn’t help but laugh.

“Aunt, what are you two saying?”

Yang Wan looked up, “Not telling Your Highness.”

“Why not?”

“Doesn’t Your Highness also have things you won’t tell Aunt, like with the Supervisor?”

At these words, Deng Ying and Yi Lang exchanged a glance, both falling silent.

Heyu brought the medicine and helped Yang Wan apply it to Deng Ying, “Supervisor, I see your injuries are much worse than last month.”

Deng Ying withdrew his wrist slightly without speaking. Heyu moved the lamp closer and said to Yang Wan, “Miss, look, it’s swollen and bruised here.”

Yang Wan nodded, “I see this implement seems lighter than before.” She looked up, “Did someone plead for mercy on your behalf?”

“Zi Xi pleaded with Secretary Bai, it was changed the day before yesterday.”

Yang Wan lowered her head, “Then why are the injuries worse?”

Deng Ying hesitated to speak, when Yi Lang suddenly said, “Is it to take care of Secretary Bai?”

Yang Wan turned back in surprise, “How does Your Highness know?”

Yi Lang glanced at Deng Ying, then ducked his head under the blanket, saying no more.

Yang Wan put down the medicine and stood up, addressing them both, “Can’t you two be honest with me?”

“Sorry…”

They spoke almost in unison.

Yang Wan pressed her brow, feeling both annoyed and amused. Seeing Deng Ying sitting there awkwardly, she had to kneel and take his wrist again, “How is the Minister’s health?”

Hearing Yang Wan’s voice was still calm, Deng Ying finally dared to speak, “His legs are badly swollen, and the prison is damp and cold. He’s developed some lung ailment these past two days. But the Minister insists on maintaining his dignity, and won’t let others attend to him even in this state. I… am not very convenient.”

Yang Wan lowered her eyes, “The Minister allows you to care for him?”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan smiled slightly, “Then may I visit the Minister in a few days?”

Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan. She had removed her evening makeup, and her hair was slightly disheveled, with fine wisps moving gently in the warm breeze from the charcoal fire.

“Will you go with me?”

He asked softly.

“Yes.”

Yang Wan looked up, “I’ll go with you, you’re already exhausted enough. I’m just an idle person anyway, and if the Minister doesn’t mind me, I’d like to help a bit. In the current situation, it’s not good for anyone to send things to the Eastern Depot prison, but it would be fine if I go.”

“Alright.”

Just as Deng Ying agreed, Yi Lang suddenly called from the couch, “Supervisor Deng.”

Deng Ying stood up and said, “This servant is here, Your Highness please speak.”

Yi Lang said, “Take good care of my aunt. Minister Bai… is very stern.”

Deng Ying couldn’t help but smile, bowing with clasped hands, “Yes, this servant understands.”

Yang Wan walked out of Yi Lang’s sleeping quarters with Deng Ying. The moon was at its zenith. Heyu cheerfully brought over a stack of pancakes, “Supervisor, are you leaving?”

“Yes.”

“Try one of our pancakes before you go. Tomorrow is the second day of the second month, the Zhonghe Festival. Those rough folk at your place probably haven’t thought to prepare these.”

Deng Ying hesitated. Yang Wan took the pancakes, broke off a piece, and handed it to him.

“Eat a bit. I have something else for you to eat too.”

She looked at Heyu, who understood and said, “Yes, this servant will fetch it for Miss right away.”

Deng Ying lowered his head and took a bite of the pancake. It was made with white flour and oil; one bite and the crispy skin crumbled. Deng Ying quickly reached out to catch the falling crumbs.

Yang Wan laughed, “You’re so careful even when eating.”

Deng Ying said, “You gave it to me, I don’t want to waste any.”

Just then, Heyu returned with sesame candy. Yang Wan took it and handed it to Deng Ying.

“I bought it with the money you gave me. I bought three packages – one for myself, one for His Highness, and this one for you.”

“Wan Wan, do you like sweet things?”

“I didn’t used to, but now I do. Life should be sweet.”

She rose on her tiptoes and brushed some pancake crumbs from Deng Ying’s lips, “Go back now. His Highness isn’t feeling well today, so I won’t leave Chengrong Palace. Tomorrow I’ll prepare some things… medicine, clothes, bedding, and such, to bring to the Minister.”

Deng Ying asked, “Wan Wan, do you have enough money to use?”

Yang Wan smiled, “Don’t worry, Qingbo Hall is doing very well. In the future, whatever you want to eat or wear, I’ll buy it for you.”

“I don’t want anything.”

He seriously rejected Yang Wan, looking somewhat adorably foolish.

Yang Wan gazed at him in the evening breeze, “Little Deng Ying, you must eat your nuts daily, and your sesame candy too, and your noodles. When you’re with me, it’s all about eating and drinking well. Whether we have money or not, no matter how others treat us, I insist on eating and drinking what we should, spending money on medicine, and taking good care of our health. I bet you’ll live to be a hundred.”

She finished speaking and held up one finger to Deng Ying.

“I’m going back now. You just had medicine applied, so make sure to walk slowly.”

After the second day of the second month, the weather began to warm up. With the metropolitan examination approaching, examination candidates from various provinces gathered in the capital.

The Changhe Lane behind East Public Street had always been where examination candidates stayed. At this time, all the inns were full. The Ministry of Rites had no choice but to petition the Emperor to build temporary shelters behind the Drum Tower for late-arriving candidates to rent.

Most candidates from the Chu Mountain and Lake Dan academies moved into these shelters.

Although it was still February, the shelters didn’t smell pleasant. The candidates sat in the courtyard reviewing their books. Several people returned from the examination market looking dejected, saying, “It’s strange this year, there’s hardly anyone at the examination market.”

“I heard Qingbo Hall moved their book business to the inns in Changhe Lane, so naturally the examination market is quiet.”

“They say Kuanqin Hall didn’t stock much ink this year, they’re saving it all for printing those illustrated books that young masters and misses like to read.”

“No wonder only Qingbo Hall is busy.”

Someone in the courtyard said, “It’s our fault for arriving in the capital so late, otherwise we could have been studying peacefully at an inn.”

“Peaceful studying? Even with peaceful studying, I don’t think it matters much this year.”

Everyone looked up to see it was Zhou Muyi speaking.

“Minister Bai oversaw the metropolitan examination for ten years, and now he’s being tortured in the Eastern Depot prison. Of this year’s two chief examiners, one openly calls a eunuch ‘father’ outside, and the other came up from Zhejiang with an extremely poor reputation, only getting through by bribing the Ceremonial Office. So many memorials from local officials denouncing him, yet they couldn’t get him removed. With these two in charge, how can poor scholars like us compete with the privileged sons of the capital?”

These words left everyone holding their books in silence. Suddenly, someone in the crowd said, “The emperor is blind, letting these eunuch dogs hold power…”

As soon as these words were spoken, a squad of Imperial Guards appeared before the courtyard. One of the officers raised his hand and pointed at the crowd:

“Who said that just now?”