If so, what was there to fear?
Deng Ying had always been Deng Ying.
And Yang Wan had never changed.
In early January of the 14th year of Zhenning, while the schoolland case remained unresolved, another incident occurred in the Great Ming court.
The Salt Control Commissioner of Zhejiang submitted a memorial accusing Ministry of Rites Vice Minister Liang Weiben of colluding with Japanese pirates and operating illegal salt factories. The local salt tax collectors were either killed or beaten severely and sent back whenever they went to collect taxes.
Liang Weiben was a jinshi degree holder from the second year of Zhenning, Bai Huan’s student, and his current position had been recommended to the Zhenning Emperor by Bai Huan through the Cabinet.
Just as Liang Weiben was imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, an obscure Supervising Secretary from the Bureau of Revenue submitted a memorial accusing Prime Minister Bai Huan of accepting bribes from Liang Weiben and selling official positions, treating the Great Ming’s administration as a marketplace.
The Six Bureaus and Censorate usually fought their battles with brush and paper, and they were accustomed to the Zhenning Emperor leaving many impeachment memorials unanswered. However, this Supervising Secretary from the Bureau of Revenue submitted five memorials in three days.
The Cabinet was thus alarmed, and Bai Yuyang was also distracted in the Ministry of Justice’s main hall.
Deng Ying had no choice but to call out to him.
“Minister Bai.”
Only then did Bai Yuyang remember that Deng Ying was still under interrogation. He slapped the table to cover his distraction: “Silence! Did this official ask you to speak?”
Deng Ying couldn’t help but cough several times and fell silent.
Yang Lun, sitting to the side, stood up and casually pulled over a stool, placing it behind Deng Ying.
Deng Ying turned back in surprise, lowering his voice to ask, “Yang Zixi, what are you doing?”
Yang Lun didn’t try to avoid Bai Yuyang at all, speaking even louder than Bai Yuyang had earlier: “What am I doing? Can you even stand anymore? Sit down.”
Deng Ying glanced at Bai Yuyang and stepped aside. “This is the court hall.”
“What court hall? Has any formal court session been set today?”
Yang Lun said, sweeping his gaze toward Bai Yuyang, “The one conducting the investigation can’t even continue it.”
Bai Yuyang heard this and shouted: “Yang Lun, even if there’s no formal court session, this is still an interrogation. Your disrespect…”
“Are you going to punish me?”
Yang Lun forced Deng Ying to sit down. When Deng Ying tried to stand, Yang Lun pressed him down firmly.
“Vice Minister Yang let go.”
Yang Lun glared at Deng Ying. “You sit properly.”
Then he raised his head to address Bai Yuyang: “He’s the Head Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and hasn’t been convicted of anything. Why can’t he sit in the hall? His humility toward us is his choice. Our Cabinet is now in such a passive position—if we continue to torment him, who will help negotiate for our teacher before the Emperor?”
After hearing this, Bai Yuyang looked at Yang Lun in disbelief and shouted: “Yang Lun, you came to the Ministry of Justice today to assist in investigating his crimes. How dare you speak words of collusion with this person in the hall?”
Yang Lun released Deng Ying’s shoulder and laughed coldly: “You’re already panicking, what investigation can you conduct?”
Deng Ying stood up and walked between the two, gesturing to both to calm down. “Those five memorials are still being held by His Majesty without response, so there’s still room to maneuver. However, this case definitely cannot fall to the Three Judicial Offices. If it goes to the Northern Depot, things will become difficult.”
Bai Yuyang said, “In today’s interrogation, do you want these words recorded?”
Yang Lun snatched the record from the scribe’s hands and tore it up.
“Now it’s not an interrogation anymore. Deng Fuling, continue speaking.”
Seeing Bai Yuyang trembling with anger from Yang Lun’s actions, Deng Ying bowed to him respectfully. The shackles rubbed against his wrists, and he unconsciously pressed his lips together.
“Minister Bai, forgive my presumption, but Liang Weiben’s case is real. Even if the case against the Minister isn’t real, the Directorate of Ceremonial will eventually make it real. Moreover, there’s a crucial point—Liang Weiben was connected with Japanese pirates. Once this charge is linked to Minister Bai, the consequences will be unimaginable.”
“So what? You think by telling me all this, the Ministry of Justice won’t determine your punishment for embezzling school lands?”
Deng Ying looked up. “I didn’t say that. I will accept my punishment for privately taking school lands, but I hope Minister Bai can delay it for a while.”
He lifted his robe and knelt.
“One month is all I ask. Please grant this request.”
Bai Yuyang looked down at Deng Ying. “What do you want to do?”
“I want to save our teacher.”
“How can you save him?”
Deng Ying looked up. “If this case goes to the Eastern Depot and I investigate it, I can clear our teacher’s name.”
Bai Yuyang remained silent.
Yang Lun spoke up: “Minister Bai, neither of us has any other options. What harm is there in giving him one month?”
Bai Yuyang said: “This isn’t about one month, it’s about whether we should trust this eunuch slave.”
When Yang Lun heard the words “eunuch slave,” he yanked Deng Ying up, grabbing the iron chains under his arms. “You think he chose to be this half-human, half-ghost person in the Eastern Depot? When Zhang Zhanchun died in prison, who felt the most pain if not his student? Now our teacher is in trouble, and you’re still wondering whether to trust him?”