Connecting it to the current situation, he felt a wave of regret.
At that moment in the palace, Yang Wan was copying documents in the Department of Imperial Ceremonials.
The daylight was dim, and just as she was about to look for a candle, Song Qingyun rushed in and asked her, “Do you remember where we kept that medicine for injuries that Lady Jiang had?”
Yang Wan pointed to a red wooden box nearby, “I think it’s in there.”
“Ah, good.”
Song Qingyun quickly rolled up her sleeves and began searching the box. Yang Wan went to help her look, asking, “Did Chen Hua get hurt, or was it Li Yu?”
Song Qingyun replied, “Neither. It’s Chief Secretary Eunuch Hu from the Directorate of Ceremonial. He was beaten outside the palace. Li Yu’s godfather heard we had some good medicine for wounds in the Department and came to ask for it. Considering how good he’s been to Li Yu, I thought I’d help find it.”
“He was beaten?”
“Yes. Haven’t you heard?”
Yang Wan shook her head, “I’ve been copying all day and haven’t finished yet. Oh, is this the bottle?”
“Yes, yes it is.”
Song Qingyun took the medicine and headed out. Yang Wan quickly followed, “You haven’t finished telling me – why was he beaten?”
Song Qingyun answered while walking, “I don’t really understand these outside matters, but Master Zhang died in the Ministry of Justice prison. They’re all saying it was murder to silence him…”
Before she could finish, a stern female voice came from behind.
“Do you two have a death wish?”
Yang Wan turned to see Lady Jiang standing by the medicine box.
“Qingyun, go deliver the medicine first.”
Then she walked toward Yang Wan, “Have you finished copying the documents?”
Yang Wan replied quietly, “Not yet.”
“Yang Wan, you absolutely must not go see Deng Ying today.”
“I…”
Lady Jiang cut her off, “You’ve always been intelligent. Do I need to explain why?”
Yang Wan silently lowered her head.
Lady Jiang softened her tone slightly, “After you finish copying the documents, return to Chengqian Palace and attend to Consort Ning. Remember, you’re a palace lady. It’s fine to be kind to a eunuch, but if that person is deeply involved in court affairs, protect yourself first when the situation is unclear.”
“I understand, Lady Jiang.”
Seeing her compliance, Lady Jiang sighed.
“Go on. Finish copying the documents. The candle is on the windowsill, light it yourself.”
Yang Wan returned to her desk and rolled up her sleeves.
The characters on the desk gradually became blurry before her eyes. She took out her notebook from her robes and opened it.
Under Zhang Zhanchun’s name, she had already written a detailed record, leaving only a blank space after the words “died on.”
This day was the second of May.
Yang Wan held her brush in silence for a long while before finally writing to complete that blank space.
Raising her head after writing, she suddenly felt dazed.
The only elder who truly cared for Deng Ying was gone.
Two months remained until autumn of the twelfth year of Zhenning.
After hearing about Hu Xiang being beaten, her historical sensitivity suddenly helped her almost understand the connection between this blank space and the Tongjia Tragedy.
So before he truly stepped between the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Cabinet, he had lost so much.
Yang Wan closed her notebook and looked out the window.
The clouds hung low, with birds flying about in panic.
“Don’t be too sad, and don’t blame yourself too much…”
She repeated these words to herself, yet found she couldn’t believe them either.