Yang Wan remained silent, knowing this was meant to pressure Yang Lun.
When Consort Ning returned, she said nothing, only held Yi Lang and softly told him stories until he fell asleep. Only then did she let Heyu and Yang Wan apply medicine for her.
Seeing her silence, Song Yunqing thought she was troubled and quickly said, “Alright, alright, hurry down and go get some sleep. You standing there without speaking, I’m afraid you’ll get dizzy and fall.”
Yang Wan followed Song Yunqing’s advice, climbed down the ladder, and straightened her clothes.
“Then I’ll head back, and come again later.”
“Go on.”
Yang Wan walked out of the Ceremonial Office and after a few steps reached the entrance of the Ceremonial Department.
Deng Ying was standing at the door talking with Zheng Yuejia.
He wore the official uniform of a Secretary Eunuch and seemed to have lost some weight.
Seeing him look her way, Yang Wan quickly turned and walked back, but just as she rounded a corner, she saw Deng Ying standing at the end of the path.
“You… where did you come from…”
Deng Ying walked closer to Yang Wan. “There’s an ungated water passage behind, built to prevent fire in the western pavilions.”
Yang Wan pressed her lips together. “Did you design it?”
“Yes, built ten years ago. Later when the moat was rebuilt, I took down the wall in the back and connected it to the path you just walked. However, because four auspicious vats were placed on that path, few people use it.”
After hearing his words, Yang Wan nodded and smiled, “I was foolish, trying to hide from you in the imperial city—where could I hide?”
Deng Ying looked down at Yang Wan. Her face was reddened by the snowy wind. She sniffled and looked to the side. “I’m a bit afraid to see you now.”
“Why?”
Yang Wan pressed her lips together. “Because I did wrong, making you kneel before Yi Lang, letting you hear those words… I haven’t said anything… I…”
She didn’t continue, and Deng Ying waited until she had fallen completely silent before saying softly, “I don’t mind.”
After speaking, he supported himself on his knees to crouch down slightly. Though not very close, Yang Wan could still feel his warm breath.
“You know in your heart that the young master’s words were right, don’t you?”
Yang Wan didn’t agree. “No…”
At this moment, she didn’t know if she was speaking from her own heart or representing the more advanced civilization of the future in these two words.
“Wrong as hell…”
Hearing her words, Deng Ying couldn’t help but smile.
He released his hand from his knee, turned it over, and lightly made a fist, extending it toward Yang Wan. This motion caused his official robe’s sleeve to naturally fall, revealing his wrist with a faint mark—an injury from the shackles in the Ministry of Justice prison before last year’s punishment.
“Look, these are marks from the shackles, and the wounds on my ankles are also very difficult to heal. Although I’ve been following your words, taking medicine properly, and taking care of my health, the effect isn’t great. At first, I didn’t understand why I had to receive such punishment when I hadn’t done anything treasonous, but now, I want to accept this punishment and continue living.”
“You can accept it, but I can’t.”
Yang Wan stared at his wrist. “How can anyone accept this…”
“Because of you.”
“What…”
Yang Wan was stunned.
Deng Ying continued without pause: “I, a mere insect, coveted you, was rebuked by the young master, yet still didn’t know to repent and reform. Since that’s the case, whatever punishment I receive isn’t excessive.”
Yang Wan was silent for a while, then tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and looked back at Deng Ying. “You’re using yourself to comfort me again.”
“Aren’t you doing the same?”
Yang Wan pressed her lips together.
“So… you won’t avoid seeing me?”
“Mm.”
He nodded gently to Yang Wan, “Today you were the one hiding from me, I came looking for you myself.”
After speaking, he slowly lowered his hand, stood straight, and said looking down, “In the future, no matter what the young master says or does to me, just watch like you did that day. Master Yang and Vice Minister Zhang have put much effort into him, he is a prince I am willing to serve, and his protection of you is also a grace to me. Now that Concubine Jiang is about to give birth, the court situation is unstable, and His Majesty’s intentions are still unclear. The young master is young and inevitably anxious. You are his closest relative in the palace, don’t make both of you uneasy for my sake.”
Yang Wan nodded.
“I was confused.”
“There’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
“Mm.”
Deng Ying looked up in the direction of Chengqian Palace.
“I know Consort Ning was humiliated in the Hall of Mental Cultivation the other day, so I brought up the matter of inappropriate speech by palace servants in Concubine Jiang’s palace before the Palace Disciplinary Office. If the Disciplinary Office investigates and deals with these people fairly, it will improve Chengqian Palace’s situation somewhat. And Master Yang and the others won’t be so passive. But as internal supervisors, neither Zheng Binbi nor I can be too involved in this matter.”
“I’ll report it.”
Deng Ying didn’t stop her, only said, “Be careful yourself.”
Yang Wan nodded: “I’ll be discreet.”