“Imperial Physician?”
Yang Lun recalled the earlier words of the cabinet minister and suddenly became annoyed. He caught up to her in a few steps and rebuked her, “How can a palace servant’s illness be treated by the Imperial Physician? Don’t think that because His Majesty has ascended the throne and you raised him for several years, you can overstep your bounds.”
Yang Wan quietly accepted his words without argument.
She stopped and looked at him, asking, “You’re afraid too, aren’t you?”
Yang Lun froze. “I…”
Yang Wan smiled with a sigh, “I hope His Majesty becomes a benevolent ruler, but I can no longer bear his benevolence toward me. If this continues, even if I do nothing, the inner court won’t tolerate my presence.”
She looked up at Yang Lun, “Brother, you’ve changed quite a bit over these years. I watched you worry about Deng Ying and mediate for him, and I was very touched. But…”
She clutched the medicine package tighter.
“I’ve gradually come to understand that individual changes are not enough to resist the hearts of an entire court. People’s hearts…”
She pressed her lips together, and her loose hair was suddenly blown by the cold wind, making the jade ornaments by her ears sway and chime delicately.
She held back her words and narrowed her eyes, seeming to endure some hidden pain, “Hearts are both complex and unified. Whether officials or common people, each has their worries and joys. But they all know who they should hate at this moment. If you try to be kind to the one who is hated, it only deepens their ‘sins’ and hastens their death.”
“Hastens their death.”
Yang Lun repeated, “Is this how you speak of him?”
Yang Wan said, “Isn’t it true?”
“Yes.”
Yang Lun sighed, “You’ve seen it all.”
Staring into Yang Wan’s eyes, he said, “Your words are truly disheartening.”
“That’s just you.”
Yang Wan retorted.
Yang Lun turned his head and laughed softly, nodding while saying, “Yes, I’m the disheartened one. You and Deng Ying are alike – even with the execution ground ahead, you dare to walk forward without looking back.”
Yang Wan was about to respond but broke into another fit of coughing.
Yang Lun quickly spread his arms to shield her from the wind. “Can’t even the Imperial Physician cure you?”
Yang Wan shook her head, “I haven’t taken the medicine prescribed by the Imperial Physician.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t leave myself any vulnerabilities. I must live to leave the palace.”
She took out the medicine from her arms, “The Empress Dowager has already permitted me to take my sister out of the Banana Garden. These medicines for dispelling dampness and cold are prepared for my sister. I’ve already informed the Empress Dowager that after taking my sister out of the garden, I will leave the palace, and then…”
She paused, “What I’m going to do might bring shame to you. I hope… you won’t manage me, won’t stand on my side, and especially won’t try to save me.”
“You…”
“Brother.”
Yang Wan interrupted him, “I’m truly happy that you no longer rebuke me or blame Deng Ying. This big step you’ve taken toward us is already a great kindness to us. This step is enough. Now… please step back, return to where the Inner Cabinet should stand, and leave the path ahead for me to walk.”
“How will you walk it? You’re just a young woman. Do you want to chase him to the execution ground and die together?”
“I won’t do such useless things, but his path forward can only be guided by me.”
She tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, “He is my person, and he only listens to me, only accepts my reasoning, though I don’t have much reasoning – I just force him to take medicine and eat fruit, to take care of his health. But he has decided to follow me, so this is how he must live. Brother, the Great Ming’s laws are just an empty framework to him, but I am real. I will take care of him for life.”