The wind had blown all day, but at sunset, the sun peeked out above the walls, its warm evening rays warming Yang Wan’s back.

When Yang Wan saw Deng Ying at Donghua Gate, he was still talking with Qin Wende.

Shackles bound his wrists and ankles, making it difficult to walk. He had to stop every few steps. Qin Wende tried several times to support him, but he waved him off each time.

“Send someone down to Hangzhou.”

“What’s there to investigate in Yangzhou at this time?”

Deng Ying carefully avoided a stone on the ground. “Investigate the Yang family’s cotton cloth business in Hangzhou. Whatever issues you find, don’t arrest anyone yet. Report back to me when you’re done. If I’m in the Ministry of Justice prison then, report directly to Yang Lun.”

Qin Wende asked: “What if the local Hangzhou authorities are also investigating the Yang family?”

Deng Ying gently gripped one of his wrists. “Then counter-investigate the Hangzhou Prefect. Remember, don’t start with financial crimes like private fields or salt—only investigate his administrative record. Stop when he’s forced to back off.”

Qin Wende responded with a “Yes,” and then looked at Deng Ying’s wrists.

“Director, seeing you like this pains us. We want to tear down the Ministry of Justice hall.”

Deng Ying lowered his hand. “I rely on you to handle matters. You must not act on impulse.”

Qin Wende said dejectedly: “Your subordinate understands. But in your current state, how will you manage daily activities?”

He felt awkward asking such a question as a man, and Deng Ying didn’t answer.

“You have me.”

Qin Wende raised his head at the voice and saw Yang Wan standing alone before him, smiling.

“Miss Wan…”

“Don’t worry about leaving your Director with me. I’ll make sure he’s neither hungry nor cold.”

Upon seeing Yang Wan, Deng Ying instinctively pulled at his sleeves, trying to hide the shackles on his wrists, his expression somewhat shy.

Yang Wan didn’t look at the things that embarrassed Deng Ying, instead raising her head to look at his face and asking: “Why did it take so long to return?”

“Filling out the interrogation records took longer than expected.”

As he spoke, he turned and called: “Qin Wende.”

“Your subordinate is here.”

“You may go now.”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan stood behind Deng Ying, peering at Qin Wende who kept looking back as he left. “You’ve led these people well. They can work effectively across different regions, yet remain gentle and approachable, not intimidating at all.”

She straightened up and finally looked down at the shackles on his hands. “What’s most remarkable is that they genuinely care about you.”

Deng Ying gripped his sleeve, trying to hide his wrist further inside.

Yang Wan grabbed his hand. “Stop hiding. Now that you’re back, you have to let me know how to care for someone with limited mobility.”

Deng Ying looked at Yang Wan’s downcast eyes and said softly: “I’m not much different from before. I can take care of my daily needs. Wanwan, don’t worry about it.”

“Mm.”

Yang Wan sniffed. “If you don’t mind, I won’t either.”

As she spoke, she gently held Deng Ying’s hand, her gaze softening. “Deng Ying, before I came, I was quite upset. But seeing you talk with Qin Wende just now, I realized I was being too shallow.”

While speaking, she tucked back her wind-blown hair. “What are these things anyway? Just pieces of iron meant to discipline people. But even wearing them, you can still do what you need to do, little Deng Ying.”

Yang Wan lifted her head and smiled at him. “You’re amazing.”

After hearing her words, Deng Ying tentatively raised his hand.

The chain of the shackles slid out from his sleeve, falling against his arm. He carefully pressed it with his other hand to avoid hitting Yang Wan and gently stroked her cheek. Only then did she see the swollen bruise on his face.

“My brother did this?”

“How did you know?”

“Because that’s exactly the kind of thing he’d do. Don’t be angry. Next time I’ll drag him before you and hold him down so you can hit him back.”

Deng Ying couldn’t help but laugh.

Yang Wan pressed her lips together and continued softly: “Deng Ying, I’m not joking. He already owes you more than he could repay in his next life, but for my sake, don’t hold too much against him.”

Deng Ying stroked Yang Wan’s temple hair and smiled, responding with an “Alright.”

Only then did Yang Wan smile broadly. “Let’s walk back slowly.”

“Mm.”

Yang Wan accompanied Deng Ying as they slowly walked toward the city moat. Along the way, Deng Ying briefly told Yang Wan about what had happened at today’s Imperial Gate court session. Yang Wan unconsciously hugged her arms. “His Majesty letting you handle affairs while awaiting punishment is giving time and room for the Directorate of Ceremonial to react.”

“Yes.”

“So, you’re having the Eastern Depot investigate my family’s cotton business in Hangzhou because you’re worried the Directorate of Ceremonial might use local officials to counter-impeach my brother?”

Deng Ying’s steps grew slower, but his voice remained clear.

“The Ministry of Revenue and the Cabinet are doing everything they can to protect Yang Lun. I can’t do much, but I’ll help where I can. Zixi is still young, and he’s straightforward. He doesn’t have many connections in officialdom. As long as we cover up the clan’s mistakes, the Directorate of Ceremonial can’t touch him, but…”

Yang Wan finished his thought.

“Elder Bai’s situation is more difficult, isn’t it?”

Deng Ying nodded.

“Teacher has been a court official for nearly fifty years. Half the Hanlin Academy scholars are his students, and hundreds of his former students still hold positions in various departments. If the Directorate of Ceremonial finds crimes among these people, Teacher will have to bear the main responsibility.”

Yang Wan asked: “Have you thought of what to do?”

Deng Ying stopped walking. “The Eastern Depot prison.”

He lowered his head. “I will request His Majesty to personally interrogate Teacher.”

Yang Wan stood beside Deng Ying, recalling the historical facts of spring in the fourteenth year of Zhenning.

Bai Huan was implicated in the corruption case of the Right Vice Minister of Rites and sent to the Eastern Depot prison. The Ming History’s assessment of Bai Huan’s imprisonment and later research generally agree that this was Deng Ying’s revenge for Bai Huan’s impeachment of him. However, the truth was that it was a student at the end of his rope, using his last bit of strength to save his teacher.

Later, when Yang Wan opened her notes, she could never bring herself to write this part.

During the period when Deng Ying handled affairs while awaiting punishment, Yang Wan witnessed firsthand the humiliation and torment the shackles inflicted on him.

The chains locked his hands and feet, preventing him from changing clothes or bathing properly—extremely difficult for someone who had been castrated. But every day he would heat water, close the duty room door, and carefully wash himself. Yang Wan rarely saw Deng Ying during the day. He had many duties, either at the Eastern Depot or being interrogated at the Ministry of Justice. After several days, his digestion suffered, and he gradually couldn’t eat the food sent from the Directorate of Ceremonials. Yang Wan had to cook noodles for him.

The bruising on his ankles grew worse. To keep Yang Wan from seeing, he always pulled his trouser legs down to cover them. But Yang Wan still saw the almost broken skin when he soaked his feet.

Yang Wan crouched down to help him lift the chains from the basin.

Deng Ying suddenly pulled his foot from the basin, splashing medicinal water on Yang Wan’s face. He hurriedly tried to wipe it with his sleeve.

“I’m sorry, Wanwan…”

Yang Wan pushed away Deng Ying’s hand, pointing at the basin: “Quickly, put your feet back in. We only made this much medicine water, and you just wasted half of it.”

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves and pushed the basin closer to the bed, looking up with furrowed brows. “Hurry up.”

Deng Ying obediently put his feet back in the basin.

Yang Wan carefully lifted the chains. “I didn’t mean anything by it. These are too cold—the water gets cold quickly when they’re in it.”

Deng Ying looked at Yang Wan’s half-raised arm, wanting to say something but unable to speak.

As Yang Wan had said, he didn’t care how Emperor Zhenning and the Ministry of Justice treated him.

But he didn’t want Yang Wan, who accompanied him, to share in the humiliation brought by these shackles.

For his comfort, she touched the dirty water. Even this brief moment was enough to break Deng Ying’s heart.

“Deng Ying, can you sit properly?”

Noticing his unease, Yang Wan lifted her head while holding the chains.

Deng Ying looked helplessly at Yang Wan and nodded. “I’ll sit properly.”

Yang Wan wiped the water from her face and looked at his ankles. “In a moment, try the pad I made for you.”

“What?”

“The one I made from sheepskin before. When I made it then, I hadn’t expected this situation, but now it’s perfect to use. Hey, didn’t I give it to you? Where did you put it?”

“In my wardrobe.”

Yang Wan got up and opened Deng Ying’s wardrobe. The clothes inside were neatly folded, and the scent of soap wafted out.

“Where is it?”

Deng Ying raised his hand to point: “In the box at the bottom.”

Yang Wan crouched down and opened the box Deng Ying mentioned. Inside, besides the sheepskin pad she had made, she found the hibiscus silk she had first given him to cover his ankles, cleanly folded in the box.

“You never use the things I give you.”

“I want to keep them.”

Yang Wan took out the sheepskin pad and walked to Deng Ying. “No keeping them—use them. I can make you many more things in the future, remember? When we’re old, we’ll live in your outer residence. By then, you’ll be the Great Ming’s finest craftsman, and I’ll be the Great Ming’s finest knitter.”

She couldn’t help but laugh after saying this, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Is the water cold?”

“Yes.”

“Then lift your feet onto the bed edge, and I’ll help you put this on.”

“No need, Wanwan, it’s too dirty.”

Yang Wan sat beside Deng Ying. “Little Deng Ying, did I just waste my breath? Will you listen or not?”

Deng Ying quickly said: “Not wasted.”

Yang Wan jerked her chin toward the bed edge. “Then bring your feet over.”

Deng Ying had to lift his feet and pull up his trouser legs himself.

Yang Wan lowered her head, carefully stuffing the sheepskin pad into the shackles, then gently pulling it through from the other side.

Deng Ying pressed his lips together without a word.

Yang Wan said: “It’ll be better after this summer passes.”

Deng Ying blurted out: “That long?”

Yang Wan’s hands paused, and she said softly: “Don’t be afraid, you have me.”

After speaking, she covered him with a blanket. “When do you go to the Ministry of Justice?”

“Noon.”

Yang Wan nodded. “Then you can still sleep for a while.”

She stood up as she spoke.

“Wanwan…”

“What is it?”

“Oh…”

Deng Ying tucked himself further under the blanket. “Nothing.”

Yang Wan turned back and smiled at him. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving now. I’m going to write for a while. You sleep, and I’ll wake you at noon.”