HomeCrane NotesChapter 111: Apricot Shadow on the Ground (Part 9)

Chapter 111: Apricot Shadow on the Ground (Part 9)

At that moment, Yang Lun’s horse arrived at Clear Wave Lodge’s entrance.

Both the Imperial Guard and Eastern Depot guards made their way. Zhang Luo dismounted, and everyone inside and outside the lodge immediately knelt. Yang Wan, fighting her exhaustion, struggled up from Qin Wende’s arms to kneel as well.

Yang Lun dismounted and swept his gaze across everyone before looking at Zhang Luo. “The written decree hasn’t come down yet, but I bring an oral command ordering you to return to the palace immediately.”

Zhang Luo kowtowed, “Your subject accepts the command.”

Everyone rose with Zhang Luo, except Yang Wan, whose legs were still weak. She stumbled, nearly falling forward.

Yang Lun hurried forward to support her, looking up at Zhang Luo, “How did you hurt her?”

“I didn’t hurt her.”

“If you didn’t hurt her, why is she like this!”

“It’s alright, brother.”

Yang Wan pressed Yang Lun’s arm, “I was scared—my legs went weak from fear.”

Yang Lun scolded, “You’ve become as bold as a monkey climbing to heaven, yet you still know fear?”

Yang Wan found this quite amusing, “What monkey climbing to heaven? Your words are getting more and more absurd.”

Yang Lun looked down at her legs, “You weren’t hurt by him? Don’t fear him—tell me straight, and I’ll settle this for you.”

Yang Wan shook her head, “Really, nothing happened. They didn’t touch me.”

She finished speaking and lifted her chin toward Zhang Luo, gesturing for him to leave.

Zhang Luo mounted his horse, but before leaving, looked down at Yang Wan once more and said evenly, “I will interrogate Deng Ying according to the law. Do you have anything to say to me?”

Hearing this, Yang Wan nodded, suppressing her smile and releasing Yang Lun to walk a few steps toward Zhang Luo’s horse. “Yes.”

Zhang Luo reined in his horse, “What is it?”

Yang Wan looked up, “However you interrogate him, please preserve his dignity with his clothing.”

“That’s all you ask for?”

“Yes. I know I have no right to ask you anything, I…”

“You do.”

He suddenly interrupted Yang Wan, “Today you also saved my life in a way. What you’re asking—I promise you this.”

Having said this, he gave Yang Wan no chance to respond, turning his horse and leading the Northern Guard’s men out of East Public Street.

The street suddenly emptied, its black expanse stretching endlessly. The wind blew in their faces, carrying the faint fragrance of spring grass. The Eastern Depot’s seal hung forlornly on the door until Qin Wende tore it down as if nothing had ever happened.

So had history changed?

In the spring of the fourteenth year of Zhenning’s reign, the Emperor fell ill, and Deng Ying was in prison—everything was just as recorded in Ming History.

But the cracks in people’s hearts were like the joints of a giant cart—occasionally making a sound that could shake loose countless motes of dust.

Yang Wan hadn’t imagined Zhang Luo would truly agree to her request, just as Zhang Luo himself hadn’t imagined he would be willing to grant dignity to a “criminal slave” in prison.

“Enough looking.”

Yang Lun pressed against the door, “Everything’s fine now.”

“Yes, finally all is well.”

Yang Wan withdrew her gaze, raised her hand to arrange her clothes, and turned to ask Yang Lun, “Is His Highness alright?”

“He’s fine, but next time something happens, could you tell me beforehand?”

Yang Wan smiled, her eyebrows curving, “If you had known I was risking His Highness to save these students, you probably would have wanted to kill me.”

“You…”

Yang Lun didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“When you taught His Highness to say those things, weren’t you truly afraid His Majesty would turn his anger on him?”

“Of course I was afraid.”

Yang Wan looked at Yang Lun, “He is the sovereign—life and death hang on a single thought. Even if we can predict seven or eight parts of that thought, there are still two or three parts of uncertainty. But this was the most reliable method I could think of, good for both His Majesty and His Highness.”

“How so?”

Yang Wan looked back into the lodge, “His Majesty didn’t necessarily want to kill these people, he just had no reason to pardon them. Yi Lang is his son—his taking their punishment gave His Majesty a way out. Moreover, His Majesty… probably wanted to win a good reputation among these young people for his heir.”

“Hmph.”

Yang Lun gave a short laugh, “The reputation is good, but three years’ salary forfeit?”

“Three years? That long?”

“Yes, how will you manage?”

Yang Wan smiled, “If Deng Ying could manage in his condition, what can’t we manage? Don’t worry, I have money—I won’t ask you for any.”

She walked inside and addressed the students, “It’s all right now, you can go home.”

The young student timidly asked, “Sister, can we… still participate in this year’s spring examinations?”

Yang Wan nodded to him.

“Yes, study well for the exam. Whatever books you need, as long as Clear Wave Lodge has them, you can take them to read. If you can’t find a place to eat, you can come to eat at the lodge. Although I must return to the palace today, the innkeeper will help arrange things for you.”

She looked at Zhou Muyi, “Deng Ying gave you twenty strokes—recovery will be difficult. I’ll cover your medical expenses in the capital, so treat your injuries well. Deng Ying said you write excellent essays, so don’t just criticize people anymore. Pay more attention to the common people and their livelihood. If Master Zhou’s spirit is watching, he wouldn’t want you to be used by others and throw away your life needlessly.”

After saying this, she stepped back and bowed to everyone, then raised her head and spoke clearly, “Regarding Deng Ying’s embezzlement of academy fields—he truly harmed the academy and harmed you all. What he cannot repay, I will try my best to repay. Please remember what I asked of you.”

“Sister… thank you, I won’t criticize Superintendent Deng anymore.”

“I won’t either…”

“Neither will I…”

“Me too…”

Everyone joined in agreement, and Yang Wan was moved. She smiled and nodded, “I understand. Go home now.”

As she spoke, she pushed open the door behind her. The students supported each other as they left Clear Wave Lodge, while the shop assistants carried lanterns to see them off.

Yang Wan leaned against the main door watching their retreating figures and asked Yang Lun, “Hey, were you and Deng Ying like them when you were studying?”

Yang Lun walked to Yang Wan’s side and leaned against the door, arms crossed, “I wasn’t that foolish.”

Yang Wan smiled and turned her head to ask, “Between you and Deng Ying, who was better at studies?”

Yang Lun was silent for a moment before reluctantly uttering one word: “Him.”

Then he asked, “Haven’t you asked him?”

“I did, but he wouldn’t say.”

Yang Lun raised his head to look at the canopy of leaves above, “Do you regret it?”

Yang Wan shook her head, “No regrets.”

She followed Yang Lun’s gaze upward, “Look how well he’s walked this path. You don’t regret recommending him now, do you?”

“I regret it a little.”

Yang Lun lowered his head, “I don’t know how to save him now.”

“Delay.”

“Will delaying help?”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan straightened up, “If we can delay past this summer, there will be a turning point in autumn.”

Yang Lun turned his head to look at Yang Wan, “What turning point?”

Yang Wan didn’t explain directly, “There will be a turning point, that’s all. His attitude is good, and he’s docile—the Ministry of Justice won’t want him dead immediately, right?”

“They won’t.”

Yang Wan responded, “Then you can sentence him first—even a death sentence is fine, but don’t execute it immediately. This way you can clear up the academy fields issue and push forward new policies. If possible, after sentencing, see if he can be transferred to the Ministry of Justice’s custody. But if not, that’s fine too—the Ceremonial Office still has leverage over him, and His Majesty’s reputation is tied to him. They won’t let Zhang Luo torture him excessively.”

Yang Lun said, “Are you confident? Until autumn?”

Yang Wan nodded, “Yes, more confident than this time.”

“Alright, I trust you.”

Yang Lun straightened up, “I’ll go see Bai Yuyang now.”

Yang Wan hurriedly called after him, “Brother, in the future I’ll tell you beforehand if anything happens.”

Yang Lun turned back, “No need. After this incident, I have to believe you’re no longer the Wan’er of before. You can make your own decisions about what you want to do.”

“I…”

Yang Wan hesitated, fingering her sleeve.

Yang Lun asked directly, “What can’t you tell your brother?”

Yang Wan pressed her lips together and said, “I want to be honest with you about something.”

As she spoke, she lowered her head, “Actually, since I fell at South Lake, I can’t remember anything from before. I… I don’t know how I treated you before, or our family. These past two years I’ve done poorly, always arguing with you, often scolding you, doing so many things that worried you… can you forgive me?”

Yang Lun untied his horse’s reins and turned back, “It’s alright. No matter how you changed, at the time I only hoped you would live, even if after finding you, I had to support you for life. And now you’re not just alive—you’re saving so many people.”

His gaze shifted as he spoke, “I’m proud of you.”

Hearing these words, Yang Wan’s heart lightened. She met Yang Lun’s gaze and nodded to him, “Me too.”

She finished by making a heart shape with her thumb and forefinger toward Yang Lun, “Keep going! Push forward with the new policies boldly—don’t worry about what’s behind you.”

Yang Lun mounted his horse, “As if I needed you to say that.”

He then imitated Yang Wan’s gesture with his thumb and forefinger, “What does this mean?”

“Making a heart.”

“What?”

“It means I like you, brother.”

Yang Lun couldn’t help but smile, “Let me tell you, no matter how much you like Deng Ying, I’m still your brother. If you scold me because of him again in the future, I’ll… no, I’ll turn against him.”

Yang Wan stood below his horse, laughing, “I won’t anymore. When he gets out, I’ll scold him with you.”

“Hmph.”

Yang Lun laughed shortly, “You’d let me scold him?”

“I will! One day, we’ll pin him to a chair, stand on either side of him, taking turns—one sentence from you, one from me—and won’t stop scolding until he admits his mistakes. Him throwing himself into prison this time is irritating.”

Yang Lun was amused by Yang Wan, and looked down saying, “Enough, not even ghosts would believe you.”

Then he grew serious, “By the way when I interrogate Deng Ying, I can see him privately. Do you have any message you want me to give him?”

Yang Wan said, “Tell him that all the gentlemen are safe, and I am safe too. Tell him… to sleep more and mind his diet.”

“Just that?”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan nodded, “Just that—we have time ahead of us. When he returns, I plan to stay with him for a while at the city wall guardhouse, let him rest in bed for winter, properly treat his leg injury, and nurse his health back. His Highness’s salary has been suspended, so he can’t give him medicine anymore. When the time comes, I might need your help finding some medicines, um… I’ll have Clear Wave Lodge’s innkeeper pay you.”

Yang Lun glanced at Clear Wave Lodge’s main door, “What do you plan to turn this bookshop into?”

Yang Wan said, “Among all the bookshops in this year’s spring examination market, only my Clear Wave Lodge made a profit. Next year I want to buy Kuanqin Hall across the street.”

Yang Lun couldn’t help laughing, “You, how did you think of going into the book business?”

Yang Wan smiled, “Because I’m also a scholar, and scholars must make their living from books.”

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