“Wan-wan, get up.”

The words burst from Deng Ying’s lips almost involuntarily.

Yang Wan lifted her head to look at Deng Ying. “If you won’t say it yourself, and you won’t let me say it, what do you want? Are you just going to foolishly keep it bottled up? Can’t you see how worried the teacher is about you?”

“I…”

Deng Ying stood helplessly behind Yang Wan. She reached back and tugged at the hem of his clothes. “Come here.”

Bai Huan also raised his hand toward him. “Come.”

Deng Ying hurriedly grasped Bai Huan’s hand, his jaw trembling slightly.

He had been exiled for so long – the ink in the study, the incense in the qin chamber, the poetry at literary gatherings – he could no longer touch any of it.

He had never resented anyone, always maintaining the boundaries that came with his status, staying far from the material world of the literati, and strictly limiting his clothing, food, and lodging. Even though the eunuchs in the Ceremonial Office now lived lives of luxury, taking in adopted sons in the court and upending the proper hierarchy while humiliating the educated class, he still kept to the boundaries of being a servant. He maintained his humility, upholding the precarious dignity that Yang Lun and others had preserved during the Zhenning era. Over these years, he had never imagined being accepted by these people again.

What he expected even less was that today, when he had originally brought Yang Wan to see Bai Huan, it would be Yang Wan who brought him before Bai Huan instead.

“Teacher Bai, since he won’t speak, may I speak for him?”

Bai Huan nodded.

“Thank you.”

After saying this, she turned back: “Little Deng Ying, come here and kneel properly.”

Hearing Yang Wan’s words, Deng Ying quietly knelt.

Yang Wan straightened up and looked directly at Bai Huan. “Teacher Bai, he has always been the Deng Fuling of those days, and he only wants to be that Deng Fuling. I could help him become a happier person, but I have no way to help him recover his original identity. Having no children or descendants is not such a great sorrow – having no father, no friends, and no mentor is what truly pains him. But he cannot say this. He fears that speaking of it would harm your dignity and his brother’s reputation. Teacher Bai has sealed his lips for so many years that he has become numb. Could you please speak first?”

After hearing these words, Bai Huan silently looked at Deng Ying.

Deng Ying knelt quietly with his head bowed, his shackles pooled beneath his knees, his gray clothes revealing the sharp angles of his young frame. Years of illness with only Yang Wan to care for him – if it had been Yang Lun, the entire school would have sent medicine and shown concern. But he had lived alone in a cold room by the moat, carrying on until now with no one to look after him.

Thinking of this, Bai Huan’s throat tightened with emotion. He reached out with a trembling hand, wanting to touch his student’s forehead, but he had knelt too far away and couldn’t quite reach.

“Deng Ying.”

“Ah?”

“Your head.”

Only then did Deng Ying bend forward and lean in.

When Bai Huan’s hand touched Deng Ying’s forehead, both of them trembled slightly.

Deng Ying remained silent, while Bai Huan spoke in a hoarse voice: “Fuling, you have suffered…”

Hearing these words, Yang Wan’s shoulders finally relaxed.

She said nothing more, lifting her skirts to stand and curling back into the corner, resting her chin on her knees as she listened to Bai Huan and Deng Ying talk.

In the prison cell, Bai Huan asked about Deng Ying’s health over the past two years – what medicines he had taken, which doctors he had seen, how he took care of himself during seasonal changes. Deng Ying sat before Bai Huan with clasped hands, answering docilely. Bai Huan then asked what books he was reading, if he had written anything, and said that if he had, he could bring it to the prison for him to read.

Yang Wan quietly recorded their conversation in her heart, gradually growing weary, until finally she fell asleep on the bedding.

“Get something to support her neck.”

Bai Huan turned to look at the sleeping Yang Wan with a smile. “She’s sleeping awkwardly. She’ll be sore when she wakes up.”

“Yes, I’ll make her a grass pillow.”

As he spoke, Deng Ying bent down to gather the rush mat grass, bundling it into a pillow. He stood and walked to Yang Wan’s side, reaching out to support her upper body.

Yang Wan was somewhat confused in her sleep, tilting her neck back and mumbling: “Deng Ying, don’t mess with me…”

Deng Ying’s ears reddened. “Wan-wan, I’m not messing with you.”

“You’re… touching my neck…”

“I’m not touching…”

As he spoke, Deng Ying looked awkwardly toward Bai Huan, but heard him say: “That jade pendant of green jade lotus that Master Zhang gave you – have you given it to her?”

Deng Ying looked back at Yang Wan and silently shook his head.

“Not giving it… might be for the best. I don’t think she’s an ordinary young lady.”

Deng Ying gently laid Yang Wan down and covered her body with the bedding, then turned back to Bai Huan and said: “Teacher, perhaps she really can save those students outside.”

“Do you trust her?”

Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan’s sleeping face and nodded.

Yang Wan was jolted awake by the carriage bumping. When she opened her eyes, Deng Ying wasn’t in the carriage. She quickly sat up and reached to lift the curtain – cooking smoke filled the city as thousands of households lit their lamps.

Yang Wan rubbed her eyes and sighed: “It’s already this late.”

Qin Wende, who was driving the carriage, said: “Madam, tell me, how many days has it been since you’ve had a proper rest?”

Yang Wan stared blankly for a moment before reacting, “What did you call me?”

“What?”

“What did you just call me?”

“Ma… Madam.”

Qin Wende looked back at Yang Wan, thinking she was unhappy with the title, and quickly added: “Should this servant change how I address you?”

“No need to change.”

Yang Wan moved to sit by the curtain. “Madam is quite nice. Makes me sound wealthy.”

“Wealthy…”

Qin Wende hadn’t followed Yang Wan’s logic. He scratched his head and changed the subject: “By the way, it’s getting late. Are you returning to the palace today?”

“Yes, go a bit faster. The East Hua Gate will be closing soon.”

“Right away. Please hold on tight.”

Yang Wan steadied herself against the carriage wall and asked: “What about your Superintendent? Is he not returning to the palace today?”

“Oh.”

Qin Wende replied: “Didn’t they just bring those students to the outer factory today? They need to be beaten one by one before they can be released, and after releasing them they need to write reports for the Northern Commandery. By the time all that’s done, it’ll probably be past curfew for entering the palace.”

Yang Wan nodded, “And after these people are beaten?”

Qin Wende said: “Those students behind the Drum Tower are all waiting outside the factory office to receive them. They’ll just let them take them away.”

“Are there any doctors to examine them?”

“There are plenty of traveling doctors by the Drum Tower. Don’t worry about them – if they’re foolish enough to get to that point, they deserve what they get if they die.”

Yang Wan smiled, “You speak quite frankly.”

“Indeed.”

Yang Wan smiled and said: “Later, go to the Qingbo Inn and tell the innkeeper to take some money to the area behind the Drum Tower for those students. Don’t mention anything else, just say it’s because he feels sorry for the students.”

Qin Wende looked back and said: “Madam, you and the Superintendent are both like Bodhisattvas.”

Yang Wan said: “I’m not doing it for them.”

“Then who are you doing it for? For the Superintendent? Worried he’ll pinch pennies again to help the students?”

Yang Wan didn’t respond, but Qin Wende suddenly broke into a wide grin and proudly cracked his whip, “I knew it! That’s our Madam for you!”

The horse neighed and reared up, kicking up spring dust. Yang Wan rested her chin in her hand, finding herself smiling with a hint of pride as well.

The spring dust and catkins gradually obscured one’s vision.

The major case of Liang Weiben and the Grand Secretary, which had caused such an uproar, forced a second regular court session of the fourteenth year of Zhenning on the twenty-seventh day of the second month.

Emperor Zhenning sat on the golden platform of the palace gate, propping his chin as he listened to officials from the Court of State Ceremonial read the Ministry of Justice’s memorial on Liang’s case. This memorial, including excerpts from Liang Weiben’s confession, contained over ten thousand characters. Three different Court officials had to take turns before finishing the entire reading.

After hearing the final word, Emperor Zhenning was somewhat weary. He released his hand from his chin and called down: “Minister Bai.”

Bai Yuyang stepped forward from the ranks and knelt, “Your servant is here.”

“We remember that Liang Weiben was an imperial examination graduate from the fourth year of Zhenning, during the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebrations. We even met him personally.”

“Yes, Your Majesty’s memory is clear.”

“Hmph.”

Emperor Zhenning gave a scornful laugh, “If Our memory were truly clear, We wouldn’t have allowed him to wreak such havoc in Zhejiang until now.”

As he spoke, he waved his hand, “Confiscate his properties in both Zhejiang and the capital.”

“Yes.”

The officials called out in unison, praising the Emperor’s wisdom.

After the voices died down, Bai Yuyang straightened up and spoke again: “Your Majesty, Liang Weiben has confessed that the Grand Secretary knew nothing of the salt field’s dealings with Japanese pirates. Moreover, the Grand Secretary has been imprisoned in the Eastern Factory for many days. He is elderly and has fallen ill – he truly cannot endure the suffering of imprisonment. Please show mercy, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Zhenning said: “We are still reviewing the Eastern Factory’s report.”

Bai Yuyang couldn’t help but kowtow and plead again, “Your Majesty… please consider the Grand Secretary’s illness and suffering.”

Hearing these words, Emperor Zhenning suddenly slammed his palm on the throne, “Censor, record what Minister Bai just said.”

At these words, everyone below the golden platform knelt.

Emperor Zhenning looked down at the officials and said: “You have misinterpreted Our heart to this extent. When have We not considered the Grand Secretary’s illness and suffering? We instructed the Eastern Factory’s Superintendent Eunuch, ‘Do not be disrespectful to the Grand Secretary, or We will surely execute you.’ We have shown such leniency, yet if you force Us to show even more mercy, you are compelling Us to place personal relationships above the law.”

Bai Yuyang prostrated himself and cried out: “Hearing Your Majesty’s words, your servant deserves ten thousand deaths!”

“Who can die ten thousand deaths?”

Emperor Zhenning stood up. “Recently Our appetite has decreased, and We struggle to sleep at night, constantly dreaming of the Founding Emperor reproaching Us for being too lenient with Our officials, leading to rampant corruption and uncontrollable pirate troubles. You are indeed Our vital ministers, but just because We call you ‘vital,’ does that mean you can force Us to pardon officials who deserve punishment?”

The cold wind on the palace gate rustled the official robes of the kneeling crowd as Emperor Zhenning paced back and forth on the golden platform.

“You don’t ask about your sovereign father’s well-being, but instead ask about those in prison. Where have you placed the great principles of ruler and subject!”

This sharp rebuke startled the court historian into dropping his brush. Bai Yuyang could only kowtow heavily, “Your servant acknowledges his crime and wishes he could die immediately.”

Emperor Zhenning said: “We originally intended to put you in the cangue for a day, but considering you were pleading on behalf of your father – an act of filial piety that cannot be faulted – We will not cangue you. Return immediately and conclude Liang’s case. As for Liang Weiben’s property, the Ministry of Justice need not confiscate it. We will order the Embroidered Uniform Guard to handle it together with the Ministry of Revenue.”

After saying this, he swept his gaze over the officials, “Continue with the memorials.”

After receiving Emperor Zhenning’s thunderous rebuke, the remaining officials presenting memorials all kept their legs tightly together, not daring to say more. They simply read their memorials and returned to their ranks.

Near the hour of si, the Ceremonial Office called for the court to disperse, and the crowd walked out of the Bell and Drum Gate with hanging heads.

Yang Lun walked forward silently alone, not even hearing when his old colleagues from the Six Offices called out to him until Deng Ying blocked his path and he finally stopped.

“Why did you come after me?”

“Zixi, don’t show your grief.”

Yang Lun gave a bitter laugh, “When did you submit your memorial?”

“Three days ago.”

Yang Lun pressed his fist against the palace wall, “Was it held up by the Ceremonial Office, or by His Majesty?”

Deng Ying glanced at Yang Lun’s hand, “The Ceremonial Office can no longer hold up my memorials now – His Majesty refuses to read it.”

Yang Lun said: “What does His Majesty want to do!”

Deng Ying took two steps forward, “Did you and Minister Bai understand the meaning of today’s thunder on the golden platform?”

Yang Lun laughed, “Isn’t he just scolding us for respecting the Grand Secretary more than our sovereign father?”

“There’s more to it.”

“I know!”

Yang Lun looked around, “He’s also crying poverty to my Ministry of Revenue, not letting the Ministry of Justice confiscate property but instead sending the Northern Commandery – will even half of the confiscated money make it to the Ministry of Revenue? The new policies in Hangzhou have been delayed from last year until now. The Grand Secretary and I are already exhausted, and now we still can’t clear the school fields. I…”

As Yang Lun spoke, he saw Deng Ying lower his head.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t scolding you.”

“I know.”

Deng Ying paused, “Once the Grand Secretary is released, you can clear the school fields. Wait two more days.”

“Will His Majesty release the Grand Secretary?”

“I have a way. But Zixi, you need to stop those academy students behind the Drum Tower.”

Yang Lun cursed, “You think I don’t want to! Those Donglin Party people lead them out there every day to curse heaven and earth, cursing until I can’t bear to listen anymore.”