For a historical observer to shed their scholarly garments, don the robes of the Great Ming, and write of the Zhenning era was no simple task—especially for a woman whose name would remain obscure in history. Yet in any era, progressive ideas always precede the times, and everyone struggles mightily for them—Deng Ying, Yang Lun, and even Yi Lang did as well.

Since Consort Ning’s imprisonment in the Banana Garden, Yi Lang had grown increasingly quiet, but he became even more diligent in his studies. Every day before dawn, he would leave his chambers to read, never missing a lesson even when feverish or ill.

Even after returning to Chengqian Palace, he would study until late into the night. When Yang Wan urged him to rest more, he would sometimes even scold her.

Yang Wan felt helpless.

Since the Emperor forbade the Empress and other consorts from raising Yi Lang, she began learning to care for his daily needs as Consort Ning once did, albeit clumsily at first. Initially, she thought it would be simple enough just to keep the child fed and warm.

However, when she started doing it, she realized it wasn’t so simple at all.

Previously, Consort Ning had been the principal mistress of Chengqian Palace, managing all its affairs. Now that she was gone, Yang Wan had to shoulder both Yi Lang’s care and the palace’s management.

Palace affairs were quite different from those of the Ladies-in-Waiting Bureau. Yang Wan wasn’t a consort and didn’t understand palace management. Besides Yi Lang, Chengqian Palace housed two unremarkable beauties who, though not favored, were still people who needed attention—calling for imperial physicians when ill, requiring food and drink during festivals, and making various demands. Yang Wan’s position was awkward when dealing with these two, and initially, she was completely overwhelmed trying to handle everything.

Deng Ying would often visit, though he wouldn’t do much—just sit for a while, check on Yang Wan, and leave.

However, his attitude toward Chengqian Palace became the standard for how the twenty-four departments of the inner court treated it. Knowing Yang Wan’s struggles, the chief eunuchs of various departments began taking extra care in handling Chengqian Palace’s affairs.

Yang Wan wasn’t foolish, and after half a month, she gradually got the various matters under control, allowing Heyu and others to rest easier.

But they had their private thoughts. Heyu had told Yang Wan more than once, “With the Superintendent protecting our Chengqian Palace, even Yanxi Palace doesn’t dare say anything anymore. I’ve noticed the twenty-four departments are more courteous to us now, unlike when our mistress first fell ill when they were so arrogant.”

Yang Wan didn’t like hearing such talk from Heyu and the others.

She understood that Deng Ying’s actions were directly challenging the Ceremonial Department.

Unlike He Yixian, who had abandoned Yi Lang—a prince “ruined” by the Hall of Literary Splendor’s education—and turned instead toward Yanxi Palace, Deng Ying showed kindness to a prince who most despised eunuchs, seeking neither this prince’s protection in the next reign nor any other advantage.

In fact, in a few years, this child he protected would personally write the “Record of Hundred Crimes” for him, sending him to the prison of the Imperial Clan Court and then to the execution ground.

When Yang Wan watched Deng Ying and Yi Lang together, she often thought of the fable of “The Farmer and the Snake,” but then felt it was too crude and simplistic a comparison. The complexity of human and political relationships between Yi Lang and Deng Ying, between the sovereign and the eunuch, was far too intricate to be captured by such a straightforward moral tale.

Even now, this complexity is evident.

Yi Lang had begun to tolerate Deng Ying’s presence, but his attitude remained unchanged.

He would make Deng Ying bow to him, only allowing him to rise after accepting the courtesy.

Sometimes when he studied in his library with Yang Wan sitting nearby, he would permit Deng Ying to enter, but wouldn’t allow him to sit—only to stand by the screen like other servants. Whenever Yang Wan saw Deng Ying standing, she would also rise and stand beside him. Seeing this, Deng Ying couldn’t say anything in front of Yi Lang and could only wave her off.

Occasionally, Yi Lang would even ask Deng Ying about unclear points in his studies.

Yang Wan remembered one time when he questioned Deng Ying about historical records concerning “the three generations and four rulers of the Liu family of Southern Han.”

Yang Wan vaguely recalled that this referred to the famous eunuch catastrophe in Southern Han history, which led to Southern Han’s decline from prosperity to complete ruin.

Deng Ying knelt to answer, speaking words before Yi Lang that made Yang Wan’s soul tremble.

He told Yi Lang to learn from the founding emperor, follow the “Founding Emperor’s Internal Instructions,” and establish iron plaques. If any eunuch interfered in politics, they should face the severest punishment to intimidate the inner court.

Yi Lang asked him, “As a ruler, is it possible to show mercy?”

Deng Ying answered: “No.”

Yi Lang glanced at Yang Wan with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

But instead of questioning Yang Wan, he directly asked Deng Ying: “You are a eunuch, yet your words match those of my lecturers. However, your actions contradict your words, and in my eyes, you remain an unforgivable person according to the ‘Founding Emperor’s Internal Instructions.'”

After speaking, he descended from his high chair, put down his brush, and went to the main hall.

Yang Wan bent down to help Deng Ying up.

Having knelt for so long, Deng Ying struggled to stand.

“When did His Highness read the Southern Han history?”

Yang Wan ignored his question and looked at his ankles, saying: “Have you been neglecting to soak your feet in medicinal water these past few days?”

“Yes.”

He answered Yang Wan honestly.

Yang Wan said: “Once I move out of the Fifth Office, I’ll be able to keep an eye on you.”

Deng Ying asked Yang Wan, “You’re moving out of the Fifth Office?”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan nodded, “It’s good actually. Before, in the Fifth Office, I was far from your place, but now I’ll be closer.”

“Whose idea was this?”

Yang Wan replied: “His Majesty’s.”

Deng Ying nodded upon hearing this, “Wanwan, once you’re settled, I’ll take you to see the house I bought.”

At the mention of Deng Ying’s house, Yang Wan immediately smiled, “Is that allowed? But now that Consort Ning isn’t here anymore, how can I leave the palace?”

Deng Ying smiled, “With me, you can.”

Yang Wan’s departure from the Fifth Office also meant officially relinquishing her position as a lady-in-waiting.

On the day the Ladies-in-Waiting Bureau removed her name, Song Yunqing felt sorry for her.

“Now you really won’t be able to leave.”

Yang Wan was packing her clothes in the Fifth Office while Qin Wende led the Eastern Depot guards at the door, ready to serve as porters. Hearing Song Yunqing’s words, he couldn’t help but retort, “With our Depot Superintendent here, you think Young Miss Yang won’t be able to go out? The Superintendent has already bought a house, and after winter, we’ll be going to buy furniture for his residence.”

Song Yunqing put her hands on her hips, walked to the door, and snapped at him: “What do you know?”

She slammed the door shut with a “bang” and walked to Yang Wan’s side to help her fold the clothes piled on the bed, saying, “Don’t mind what I said. You know I speak directly, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s not that Superintendent Deng isn’t a good person, I just feel it’s unfair to you.”

Yang Wan hugged the folded clothes and packed them into the wooden chest, turning back with a smile to respond, “I understand.”

Song Yunqing sat on the couch, looking at the half-empty room, “We’ve lived together for almost two years. When I first saw you come in, I envied you, thinking that as Consort Ning’s sister, you entered the palace straight into the Ladies-in-Waiting Bureau. Madam Jiang and Palace Servant Lu valued you, naturally different from me. Later, waiting for imperial grace, you could reunite with your family… You know, among palace women, only ladies-in-waiting can wait for such a day. Now, you’re going to Chengqian Palace, and you’ve lost your lady-in-waiting status. If you want to leave, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until His Majesty…”

The latter part was taboo—people of the Ladies-in-Waiting Bureau who knew etiquette would never speak of it lightly.

Song Yunqing pressed her lips together and continued helping Yang Wan fold clothes.

Yang Wan sat down beside her, “Do you still have that hand cream?”

“Still have some, do you want it?”

“Yes.”

Song Yunqing brought the cream, and Yang Wan scooped some to apply on her wrist, removing one of her jade bracelets to give to Song Yunqing.

“This is for you.”

Song Yunqing hurriedly said: “No, no, the jade from your Yang family is a rare treasure, I can’t accept it.”

Yang Wan took her hand, “Then just keep it for me. If I fall into hardship someday, this might be life-saving money.”

Song Yunqing hesitantly accepted the bracelet, “You… fall into hardship?”

Yang Wan smiled.

“Who can say for sure about these things?”

She finished speaking and adjusted the silver hairpin in Song Yunqing’s bun, speaking seriously:

“Yunqing, though being a lady-in-waiting in the palace is respectable, you and I both know how exhausting the duties are. When things get busy, I won’t be able to help you anymore, so take good care of yourself.”

Hearing this, Song Yunqing embraced Yang Wan, “You too. Since being tortured in the prison, your complexion hasn’t been as good as before. Now that Superintendent Deng has power and money, don’t neglect yourself. He now moves more freely in and out of the inner court that Chen Hua—whatever ginseng or snow frogs you want to eat, he can buy them all for you.”

From Song Yunqing’s words, Yang Wan realized she didn’t know about Deng Ying borrowing money like Chen Hua to buy a house.

“What ginseng and snow frogs? He has no money. Probably even less than me.”

Song Yunqing released Yang Wan and raised an eyebrow, “How is that possible? I heard Chen Hua say that the Eastern Depot has broken ground north of Zhengyang Gate to build the Eastern Depot prison. Just the materials—wood, bricks, and stones—cost tens of thousands of silver taels.”

What Song Yunqing said was true.

After the Hejü case, the Emperor’s attitude toward the Northern Patrol Commission underwent a subtle change.

But such changes had occurred many times, each varying in degree, and could even reverse immediately depending on the situation, so there are no specific historical records. However, historians, through analysis of vast historical materials, roughly determined several periods, including one in the autumn of the thirteenth year of Zhenning, when Emperor Zhenning issued a clear edict allowing the Eastern Depot to build its prison at Zhengyang Gate, later known as the “Depot Prison.”

The construction of this great prison gradually began to change the judicial landscape beyond the Three Judicial Offices, with the Eastern Depot’s power slowly matching that of the Northern Patrol Commission. Researchers analyze that after the Hejü case, Emperor Zhenning began doubting his safety, believing that although the Imperial Guard was subordinate to imperial power, they were still external officials who had their principles and could hardly fully understand his intentions, let alone wholeheartedly protect his life. Thus, he gradually delegated power to the Eastern Depot, tacitly allowing it to infiltrate the Imperial Guard, with the prison’s construction serving as a symbol.

Through the prison’s involvement in criminal law, Deng Ying’s life also opened a chapter of political participation.

Except for Yang Wan, most historical researchers viewed the construction of this prison negatively, with many considering it an even more deplorable place than the Eastern Depot’s detention center.

On this point, even Yang Wan couldn’t argue.

After Yi Lang and Deng Ying’s deaths, the later Eastern Depot prison, through continuous reforms and developments by various eunuchs, indeed became a verifiable hell on earth. When scholars traced this prison’s history, they naturally picked up the flesh of its builder to flog once again.

“Yang Wan, why aren’t you speaking?”

Yang Wan was still absorbed in her thoughts when Song Yunqing noticed her eyes seemed a bit red.

“What are you thinking about? You’re completely dazed.”

“Oh…”

Yang Wan pressed her brow, “Nothing, maybe I didn’t sleep well last night, I’m a bit scattered right now.”

Song Yunqing stood up and said: “Then sit and rest, I’ll help you organize the rest. We’ll have those people outside move everything at once, so they won’t need to make a second trip.”

She efficiently closed the chest latches, tied up the bundle’s opening, and opened the door to tell Qin Wende: “Alright, you can come in and move things now. Let me tell you first, Young Miss Yang’s things are all very precious. If you’re even slightly careless, your Superintendent won’t let you off.”

“We know, we know. Our Superintendent is waiting at Chengqian Palace.”