HomeUncategorizedChapter 151: Silver Sand Pecking Jade (Part 7)

Chapter 151: Silver Sand Pecking Jade (Part 7)

But this fame was truly difficult to seek. While transcribing and translating, Yang Wan experienced a sense of her modern life interweaving with the present.

She remembered falling seriously ill before sending her doctoral dissertation for blind review. The hospital couldn’t find anything wrong, but she couldn’t stop coughing and later began having recurring fevers—only sleep could alleviate the symptoms. Even so, she would often “bolt upright from her deathbed” in the middle of the night, ‘stubbornly’ crawling up to open her computer, afraid the thoughts in her mind would vanish in an instant.

When completely absorbed in something, one feels that everything else around becomes ashes burned by obsession, including one’s own flesh, gradually separating from consciousness to become a humble vessel, unworthy of attention.

Just as Yang Wan was halfway through transcribing her notes, the Ministry of Justice requested imperial permission to interrogate Deng Ying about the old Liuli Factory case for the first time.

That day, Beijing was drenched in heavy rain, and though it was chen hour, the sky was dark.

Black clouds hung overhead like an endless thick cloth, hovering wetly.

Rainwater rushed down the palace walkways, carrying fallen leaves, forming whirlpools in the depressions. When black boots stepped in them, water splashed like flowers. Bai Yuyang walked through a puddle holding an umbrella, his official robes’ hem completely soaked. Walking behind him, Qi Huaiyang said: “Last year’s snowstorm was severe, who would have thought this year’s rains would also be so heavy.”

Bai Yuyang didn’t answer him, instead turning to ask Yang Lun walking beside him: “What does Assistant Minister Yang think?”

Yang Lun silently watched the flowing leaves on the ground, not speaking.

“Yang Lun.”

Bai Yuyang called his name, and only then did he come to his senses.

“I await Prime Minister Bai’s guidance.”

Bai Yuyang stopped walking, “Your eyes are deeply sunken, didn’t sleep well last night?”

Yang Lun responded: “I was on duty in the duty room last night, didn’t leave the palace.”

Bai Yuyang raised an eyebrow: “Busy all night?”

Yang Lun knew he was asking rhetorically, so simply nodded without answering.

Bai Yuyang patted his shoulder, “You were classmates with Minister Qi, and took the imperial examinations the same year as Assistant Minister He. They’ve both worked in judicial positions—why not ask them to resolve your doubts?”

Yang Lun said coldly:

“I know my bounds.”

“Alright, alright.”

Bai Yuyang squeezed Yang Lun’s shoulder once, said nothing more, and turned to continue walking toward the Yangxin Hall.

Yangxin Hall was filled with lit lamps. The daily lecture at Wenhua Hall had just ended, and Yi Lang had returned through the rain in his carriage, though his clothes were still damp. He walked straight to the main chamber, while Heyu and Qingmeng hurriedly followed saying: “Your Majesty, please change your clothes.”

Yi Lang didn’t respond to them, sitting down at the imperial desk and picking up a brush to write silently.

Heyu wanted to say more but was stopped by Qingmeng.

The two withdrew to stand behind the screen, and soon the Emperor’s voice came from inside, “Heyu, where is the Director?”

Heyu hurriedly came forward saying: “The Director hasn’t returned from the Department of Imperial Ceremonial yet.”

Yi Lang put down his brush, “Summon the Director.”

Just as he finished speaking, a lamp was brought in from the corridor. Qingmeng quickly announced: “Your Majesty, the Director has returned.”

Deng Ying placed the lamp beside Yi Lang and bowed in greeting.

Yi Lang stopped writing and said: “Why wasn’t the Director at today’s lecture in Wenhua Hall?”

Deng Ying straightened up and replied: “Several Cabinet ministers requested an audience with Your Majesty to discuss governance. The rain was heavy today, so this servant personally delivered the drafted documents.”

He looked at Yi Lang’s clothes and rose to his knees saying: “Please let Your Majesty change first.”

Yi Lang nodded and went to the side chamber.

Deng Ying followed Yi Lang into the side chamber, rolling up his sleeves to help Yi Lang wash his face and change clothes.

While undoing the sash, the titles of the Cabinet ministers were announced from outside the hall. After hearing the eunuch’s report, Yi Lang lowered his head and said: “I don’t want to hear their political discussion today.”

Deng Ying knelt, arranging Yi Lang’s hem, “Why not?”

Yi Lang said: “I like hearing Minister Yang lecture about territories, fields, household registration, taxes, and official salaries. He explains things simply and clearly, I understand very well, but these past few days, Minister Yang hardly speaks. Minister Qi is discussing the Liuli Factory case and the Tongjia case, Director…”

Yi Lang looked at Deng Ying, “‘Using the pretext of building the imperial city to commit corruption’—this was one of the crimes recorded in the volume you wrote for me.”

“Yes.”

“‘Framing his teacher to escape punishment, leading to Master Zhang’s tragic death’—this was also included.”

“Yes.”

“‘Conspiring with the Department of Imperial Ceremonial to cruelly kill over eighty people from Tongjia Academy, forcing the sovereign father to reform the Eastern Depot.’ This too…”

“Yes.”

He answered “yes” three times in succession, but his hands never stopped their work.

Yi Lang’s voice caught, “Director.”

“This servant is here.”

“Did you do these things?”

Deng Ying straightened up, looking directly at Yi Lang.

“If they weren’t done by this servant’s own hands, how could I have written them down?”

Yi Lang was silent for a while, “Director, how do you want me to deal with you?”

“Follow the will of the Ming ancestors, refer to the Imperial Ancestral Instructions, and consult the Great Ming Code.”

Yi Lang tilted his head back, “But you taught me the thirteenth chapter of the Zhenguan Zhengyao (The Way of the Virtuous Ruler), and after I had you beaten, you also warned me to be cautious in applying cruel punishments. Director, I can discuss with the Cabinet about showing you leniency.”

“Your Majesty, you have pardoned me many times already.”

Deng Ying interrupted him with lowered hands, continuing evenly: “The thirteenth chapter of Zhenguan Zhengyao speaks of subjects submitting to benevolent governance. Your Majesty’s benevolence should be shown to the common people and officials, not to me. Regarding punishment, it should indeed be used cautiously, otherwise cases like Tongjia will happen again. But in managing palace servants, there should be no mercy. The founding emperor ruled for over fifty years without eunuch troubles, but your father’s fourteen-year reign saw over a hundred wrongful cases stemming from the Department of Imperial Ceremonial. Prime Minister Bai should have explained the reasons to Your Majesty. They aren’t wrong—to this day, my teacher, the over eighty students of Tongjia Academy, and countless wrongfully imprisoned former officials are still criminals in their graves, all waiting for you to clear their names. Your Majesty, a ruler must be decisive in execution, there’s no need to show me mercy.”

“Stand up first.”

Yi Lang was silent for a long time before speaking these words.

Deng Ying stood up, and Yi Lang had to tilt his head back to see him.

“Director, though you were never a lecturer at Wenhua Hall, and I cannot regard you as my teacher, I will remember every word you’ve said to me. You tell me not to show you mercy, I’ll listen to you. Besides this, is there anything else you want me to do?”

Deng Ying nodded.

“I have no family registration. If Your Majesty permits, after I am found guilty, please transfer my palace registration to the Yang family.”

A clap of thunder sounded from the sky.

Yang Lun looked up at the sky after the lightning flash.

The black clouds had been torn open, letting through a weak beam of light through the rift, yet he could hardly bear to look at that light.

Qingmeng led palace servants carrying more than ten cups of hot tea out from the hall, saying to Yang Lun and others: “His Majesty was caught in the rain, Director Deng is helping him change clothes. His Majesty is concerned that the ministers are also cold and has specially ordered tea to be served.”

The ministers expressed their thanks and received their tea while standing in the corridor. Bai Yuyang asked: “Have today’s draft documents been submitted?”

Qingmeng said: “Yes, the Director personally brought them.”

“Oh.”

He acknowledged and then asked: “Did the Director say anything?”

Qingmeng shook his head: “No.”

“I see.”

Just then, from inside came an order to announce titles again, and all ministers put down their tea to step forward and announce their titles.

Soon after, a message came summoning the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Justice and Revenue into the hall, while the other Cabinet ministers were to wait in the corridor.

After the announcement, palace servants immediately came forward to help brush the rain from Yang Lun and the others’ clothes. Qingmeng withdrew to the doorway to guide them, while palace servants added ten more gilded copper lamps. Though the sky was dark, the main chamber was brilliantly lit.

The three men entered the hall, where Yi Lang sat behind the imperial desk, now changed into casual court dress.

Bai Yuyang stepped forward: “Has Your Majesty stamped the draft documents submitted by the Cabinet today?”

“Yes.”

“Does Your Majesty have any doubts?”

Yi Lang raised his head, “I have no doubts.”

Both Bai Yuyang and Yang Lun were startled by these words.

Yang Lun remained silent while Bai Yuyang tentatively said: “Since Your Majesty has no doubts, I request that Your Majesty hand over the Director of Imperial Ceremonial to the Ministry of Justice for investigation.”

“This is not permitted.”

“Your Majesty!”

Bai Yuyang hadn’t expected the emperor to refuse his request, and couldn’t help raising his voice, “Public anger is boiling over, Your Majesty cannot show favoritism!”

Yi Lang stood and walked to Bai Yuyang, “I didn’t say I wouldn’t deal with him. Let the Ministry of Justice determine his crimes as they should. After I review what they submit, I will write an imperial decree declaring his crimes to be proclaimed throughout the empire. Before that, I will have him held under the Northern Pacification Guard.”

Bai Yuyang said: “Does Your Majesty mean to condemn him without trial?”

“Yes, condemn without trial.”

“This…”

“Prime Minister Bai, is my decision correct?”

Bai Yuyang inexplicably felt pressure, coming from this young emperor’s questioning of him and his position as Prime Minister. The words “Your Majesty is wise” stuck in his throat.

Yi Lang turned to look at the silent Yang Lun, and asked again, “Minister Yang, is my decision correct?”

Yang Lun took a breath of the damp air, slowly lifted his robes, and knelt, bowing as he said: “Your Majesty is wise.”

“Even the Minister can say it.”

Yang Lun’s hand pressed against the ground tightened as he kowtowed heavily, “Your Majesty, I am ashamed.”

Yi Lang turned away, forcefully suppressing his voice: “Prime Minister, you and Minister Qi may take your leave first.”

“Yes.”

The hall doors opened and closed, letting in damp cold air that made the lamp flames flicker.

“Uncle, please rise.”

Yang Lun stood up, suddenly noticing that Yi Lang before him had somehow begun crying silently.

“Your Majesty…”

“Uncle, Aunt will never forgive me.”

Yang Lun stood stiffly before Yi Lang.

All these years, like the lecturers in Wenhua Hall, he had only treated him as a royal student, disciplining his speech and conduct, his thoughts and ideas, yet didn’t know at all what kind of person he truly was. So much so that when he called him ‘uncle,’ he didn’t know how to respond.

“I’ll never dare to face Aunt again.”

After saying these words, his face was covered in tears.

As a subject, Yang Lun could not wipe away the emperor’s tears, and could only step back and bow: “Your subject begs Your Majesty not to speak this way.”

Yi Lang reached out to grab Yang Lun’s sleeve. “Uncle, please help me tell Aunt, I don’t want to kill the Director.”

“Yes, I will tell her.”

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