HomeCrane NotesChapter 133: Evening Light on Cornus (Part 4)

Chapter 133: Evening Light on Cornus (Part 4)

There was no need for Yang Lun to do anything special; this also meant keeping his distance from Yang Lun’s position.

Walking toward the Bell and Drum Tower, Yang Lun intermittently recalled his years with Deng Ying in the capital.

Thinking carefully, he had lived quite deliberately.

He had written the “Land Clearing Strategy” with great flourish, then went south to oversee the land clearing and implement new taxes, never relaxing for a moment.

Ying was someone caught up in it all. He had never influenced any of the Cabinet’s decisions; Yang Lun and others had accomplished almost everything they wanted.

In the adverse current, he silently pushed their boats forward. Since taking control of the Eastern Depot, the Northern Commandery Prison’s extrajudicial powers had been halved. Under Zhang Luo, he had successively protected the lives of the academy students and court officials like Bai Huan, yet he had met such an end.

The word “end” was truly heart-piercing.

Yang Lun couldn’t bear to think further, tightening his outer robe and quickening his pace in the wind.

The Meridian Gate hadn’t yet opened. Though past the Chen hour, it wasn’t considered late. Since today was the court discussion of the late Emperor’s funeral rites, the inner court had prepared coal and food in the duty rooms inside the Palace Gate and the five board houses on the left side for officials to rest.

The “bestowed meals” had stopped in the late previous dynasty due to “too many duties making provisions difficult.” Though resumed today, most officials wouldn’t touch their chopsticks, fearing urgent needs during court. Only a few lower-ranking officials who couldn’t enter the duty rooms stood at the door holding porridge bowls to warm themselves.

Several officials from the Court of Imperial Entertainments and the Directorate of Education invited Yang Lun to discuss matters at the board houses. Yang Lun disliked dealing with these people, so he simply took a bowl of porridge and stood with the lower-ranking officials at the board house entrance to answer questions. After barely four or five sentences, the gate guards at the Palace Gate took up positions, and a Court official walking to Yang Lun’s side looked up at the gate, wondering aloud: “Looks like the Ministry of Justice is ‘bringing in prisoners for court’… huh?”

He squinted, trying to make out the person in the prisoner cart while asking, “What day is this? The Great Emperor’s funeral rites haven’t passed, how can there be a ‘major crime interrogation’? Who did the Ministry of Justice bring?”

At his question, the other officials also came out of the board houses, breathing vapor as they looked toward the light.

Qi Huaiyang stood before the prisoner cart, leaning in to say something to the person inside. That person lowered their head to listen, then calmly nodded. The Ministry’s guards then opened the cart door and helped the person out. Once they were steady, the guards retreated behind the Palace Gate.

The Imperial Guard general led guards forward to confer with Qi Huaiyang. During this time, the officials outside the board houses also recognized the person’s identity.

“It looks like… the Director of the Eastern Depot.”

“What? Deng Ying?”

“Yes, look again.”

Several people stepped forward as they spoke, one asking, “How did he end up under Ministry of Justice arrest? When was he imprisoned?”

After this question, no one responded.

Before the court discussion of the funeral rites, Deng Ying, as Director of the Eastern Depot, had been imprisoned by the Ministry of Justice. Now he wore restraints and was brought to court under guard. This made most officials gradually doubt today’s great discussion. With the situation unclear, no one dared speak carelessly.

Deng Ying stood with lowered hands among the Imperial Guard’s formation.

He wore padded clothes with a gray plain cloth robe over them. Though the sun was out today, its rays falling on Deng Ying’s back held no warmth. Qi Huaiyang glanced at the time, then turned to the Imperial Guard general, “How long until the gate opens?”

The Guard replied: “Today isn’t a regular court assembly, so the time isn’t fixed. We must wait for the Empress and Empress Dowager to enter the rear three halls before the Palace Gate can open.”

Qi Huaiyang said, “The prisoner is injured and can’t stand long. Could he perhaps use the three rooms below the West Tower…”

“Today all three rooms are opened, with Hanlin Academy officials inside.”

Hearing this, Qi Huaiyang nodded reluctantly and turned to Deng Ying: “Can you still stand?”

“Yes.”

Deng Ying only gave this response, saying nothing more.

Qi Huaiyang sighed, lifting his robe as he walked toward Yang Lun, saying as he went: “Let’s talk in the duty room.”

Yang Lun blurted out: “Did you give him food and water?”

“We did, but he wouldn’t eat.”

“Why?”

Qi Huaiyang looked back, “All these people fear losing composure from eating their fill – wouldn’t he fear the same?”

Yang Lun coughed once, then changed the subject: “Did he write his confession himself?”

Qi Huaiyang said: “According to the Ministry’s trial procedures, what I’m submitting today is the testimony from the hall trial two days ago. He wrote his version too, which I’ve read, but won’t submit it today. The Directorate of Ceremonial still doesn’t know what Deng Ying and the Cabinet intend, and the Northern Commandery is still holding their troops. Are you and Minister Bai planning to submit the new edict today, or choose another day for a private submission?”

Yang Lun said: “Another day. First deal with the Directorate of Ceremonial; without that obstacle, our draft edict will go more smoothly.”

“Alright.”

Qi Huaiyang paused then continued: “There’s one more thing I need to tell you first. I don’t know the Cabinet’s attitude toward Deng Ying. But regardless, I don’t support further torture interrogation. Even if the judicial path requires the Three Judicial Offices to start proceedings, his part shouldn’t need re-examination.”

Yang Lun nodded: “I understand. Though we can’t directly explain Deng Ying’s situation to the Cabinet, I’ll say what I can. Huaiyang, I’ve never served in the Three Judicial Offices and don’t know much, but I wonder, when they try this case later, could Deng Ying be listed as an accomplice of the Directorate of Ceremonial? You’ve worked this path longer – see if you can help him through the testimony.”

Qi Huaiyang neither agreed nor disagreed, “I’ll try my best, but what I was saying earlier about bypassing Minister Bai to tell you…”

His words were interrupted by the sound of the Palace Gate unlocking. The bell striker on the Bell and Drum Tower struck three times, and the officials below the Drum Tower hurriedly straightened their robes and lined up on the Golden Water Bridge. Before leaving, Yang Lun looked back at Deng Ying once more. Standing beneath the Palace Gate facing the wind, even in his padded clothes, his bones were visible.

A throne had been set up on the Gate of Divine Might. The day was windy with thick light, and no canopy was set over the throne.

Neither the Empress nor Empress Dowager attended the gate in person, instead taking their seats inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Court Lady Jiang Min of the Court of State Ceremonial stood before the hall, prepared to relay messages.

The Directorate of Ceremonial eunuch secretaries, led by He Yixian, stood at the front of the imperial way, watching officials approach from east and west up the imperial way, kneeling in sequence to pay respects to the throne.

After the ceremony, the Court of State Ceremonial official called “Rise—”

Yang Lun straightened his robe and stood. All the Directorate of Ceremonial members bowed to the Cabinet. He Yixian straightened after his bow and said to Yang Lun: “Has the Minister’s health not improved?”

Yang Lun replied: “In my twilight years facing grave illness, recovery is very difficult.”

He Yixian sighed: “Minister’s achievements will last thousands of years and must receive a blessing. You must continue to assist the sacred ruler and carry on the prosperity for future generations.”

Yang Lun gave a cold laugh, not responding to this statement.

He Yixian didn’t seem to mind, turning to say: “Present the edict.”

Hu Xiang responded, walking up the imperial way, bowing as he held the edict, stopping before He Yixian. All those on the imperial way raised their heads to look at what was in Hu Xiang’s hands.

He Yixian swept his gaze over the assembled officials and announced: “Let the Court of State Ceremonial proclaim the edict.”

As the Court official was about to step forward, Qi Huaiyang suddenly broke ranks saying: “This edict must not be proclaimed!”

At these words, Hu Xiang’s hands trembled unconsciously. The Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate shouted: “Vice Minister Qi, these words could harm the foundation of the state.”

Qi Huaiyang replied: “Chief Inspector, I have my reasons.”

He stepped forward several paces, pointing at Hu Xiang, “This final edict is not in His Majesty’s hand – it is a forgery!”

Hearing these words, Hu Xiang’s legs weakened and his hands loosened. The edict fell to the ground, rolling quite far. He hurriedly scrambled after it on hands and knees to retrieve it.

He Yixian looked down at Hu Xiang once, then raised his head saying: “Report the Vice Minister’s words to the hall.”

“No need to rush. Even if you must request the inner court to punish my crime, you must hear me finish explaining.”

He finished speaking and took a document from his sleeve: “Request the Court of Transmission to read this memorial!”

The wind stirred up dust from the north, sweeping over the Golden Water Bridge, almost blinding people’s eyes.

In the hundred-some years of the Great Ming, Court of Transmission officials had proclaimed memorials before the gate hundreds of times, always with strong, clear voices. Never had they been like today, where the official’s legs were trembling by the middle of the reading.

The entire memorial was over a thousand characters, mostly quotations from Deng Ying’s confession after the citations.

Deng Ying admitted to forging the final edict when the previous emperor was gravely ill, privately using the imperial seal, as the emperor had died of his illness without establishing a final edict.

As the Court official reached the end, all beneath the Golden Terrace were silent, with only the harsh, grating sound of the wind tearing at official robes.

“I, Minister Yang Lun, request to bring Eastern Depot Director Eunuch Deng Ying forward for questioning before the throne.”

Yang Lun’s voice broke the silence. Several Cabinet ministers immediately supported this, followed by the Left and Right Censors-in-Chief and Court of Imperial Entertainments officials also joining the request. The chorus of requests rose to the heavens at once. Hu Xiang and others could barely stand, looking fearfully toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Soon, Empress Dowager’s command came from the Hall — permitting the Ministry of Justice to bring Eastern Depot Director Eunuch Deng Ying forward for questioning before the throne.

The order was quickly relayed to the Palace Gate. The Imperial Guard general received it and turned to command: “Bring the prisoner up to the hall.”

The guards on either side of Deng Ying immediately stepped forward to grab his arms. Deng Ying hadn’t moved at first, but after a few steps called out to the Imperial Guard ahead: “General.”

The Guard general waved for them to stop and turned around:

“Please speak.”

Deng Ying raised his hands in greeting to him, “May I walk by myself?”

“We must follow procedure. Please don’t make this difficult, Director.”

Hearing these words, Deng Ying said nothing more, lowering his hands and responding with a simple “Alright.”

From the Palace Gate to the Gate of Supreme Harmony required over a hundred steps.

He had once participated in building this imperial way. Before it became a symbol of feudal royal power, he had walked it thousands of times alongside countless craftsmen. Yet after its completion, he had never set foot on this path again.

Deng Ying had always wanted to walk freely alone on this imperial way, to leisurely raise his head and look at the hall he had overseen rebuilding, but he was naturally humble and unwilling to make excessive demands.

He was escorted up onto the Golden Water Bridge. The civil and military officials on both sides stepped back several paces, leaving a path in the middle for him.

Deng Ying slowly walked to the foot of the Golden Terrace dragging his chains. When the guards released him, he obediently knelt.

The officials were all very familiar with this Eastern Depot Director Eunuch. Thinking of the Tongjia tragedy, Bai Huan’s suffering in prison, and now his great crime of forging the late emperor’s final edict, hatred rose in their hearts. Constrained by being before the Golden Terrace, they dared not speak, though several censorial officials wielding brush and sword practically wanted to spit at him.

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