Zhang Luo looked down at He Yixian.
This man had entered the palace as a eunuch at age seven, and now had “numerous descendants” – all the palace servants in the inner court called him Patriarch, and even the female officials of the Bureau of Ceremonies called him “Godfather.” He had managed the Directorate of Ceremonial for twelve years, and though constantly criticized and cursed by civil officials, the Emperor himself had said to Zhang Luo: “Without this servant, if I want to reward someone in my household, must I go beg at the duty office of the Grand Secretariat?”
These words held no hidden meaning; Zhang Luo had understood them perfectly at the time.
Though he despised associating with these eunuchs, they were dogs that couldn’t be beaten.
He turned and walked toward the east gate, saying solemnly, “If it’s His Majesty’s business, let’s discuss it inside the office.”
He Yixian followed Zhang Luo into the main hall.
Zhang Luo unbuckled his sword and placed it on the desk, casually pulled over a chair to sit down, and looked up saying: “Speak.”
He Yixian stood before Zhang Luo with a slight stoop. “Lord Zhang showed mercy to Huang and Liu.”
Zhang Luo said: “It was His Majesty who showed mercy.”
“Indeed.”
He Yixian sighed with a smile. “His Majesty has shown these people the utmost benevolence, yet they completely fail to recognize his grace.”
Just as he finished speaking, a blood-curdling scream suddenly came from the imperial prison in the rear courtyard. Zhang Luo turned his head. “Who’s back there?”
The commander replied: “It’s Captain Qin. The prisoners from Tongjia Academy were making a commotion in their cells, speaking rashly about His Majesty. Captain Qin is dealing with Zhou Congshan.”
Zhang Luo said: “Can’t you see we’re discussing matters here? Gag him!”
“Yes sir.”
The commander hurried to the rear courtyard.
He Yixian straightened up and looked toward the back courtyard.
“Is this Zhou Congshan the teacher from Tongjia Academy?”
The terrible screams turned into wretched whimpers.
Zhang Luo frowned and said directly: “Director He, speak plainly.”
“Yes.”
He Yixian turned around. “Half a year has passed since Deng Yi’s case. These people, using the pretext of speaking up for Deng Ying, have written a pile of treasonous articles. In truth, it’s still the Donglin Party’s way – insulting the sovereign father, their arrogance knows no bounds. They should have been convicted and executed long ago. Today they dare to speak rashly about His Majesty again – they truly deserve death by a thousand cuts. His Majesty pities the young officials of the Six Offices and Censorate and is unwilling to use severe punishment, but for these grave offenders in the imperial prison, Lord Zhang, surely there’s no need for further leniency?”
Zhang Luo clenched his hand.
“Kill the people from Tongjia Academy?”
He Yixian responded: “These people were convicted because of the Deng case – they should have been executed from the start. Even the Censorate wouldn’t dare object. Lord Zhang need only let the civil officials at court see the consequences of insulting the sovereign father.”
Zhang Luo stood up and strode to He Yixian. “Is this His Majesty’s intention, or yours?”
He Yixian bowed. “Forgive me, my lord, but if His Majesty had such intentions, he wouldn’t say it.”
Hearing these words, Zhang Luo suddenly struck He Yixian hard across the face with the back of his hand. He Yixian rolled under the desk from the force.
But he didn’t cry out. He lifted his sleeve to press his mouth corner and said to Zhang Luo:
“If every word must come from His Majesty, every action must be done by His Majesty, then how are this old servant and my lord to conduct ourselves?”
Zhang Luo looked down at him. “Don’t lump me together with people like you.”
“Yes, my lord’s lesson is well taken.”
Zhang Luo took the sword from the desk and pressed its scabbard against He Yixian’s injury, tilting his head to ask: “What will you say happened?”
“This old servant struck himself.”
The June heat was stifling. The Imperial Dispensary was brewing cooling tea for various palaces, and the twenty-four Inner Court Offices and Six Bureaus each sent some palace servants to help.
Yang Wan finished her shift and squatted by the tea stove with Li Yu, her sleeves tied back.
She had never gotten along well with these fiery things, and in no time was covered in soot and dust.
Li Yu watched her fumbling about and said with exasperation, “Hey, is this tea so urgent that even the Bureau of Ceremonies had to send you?”
Yang Wan fanned herself a few times with a fan, wiping away sweat as she said, “What would a child like you understand?”
Just then, she saw the Imperial Physician walking out with his medicine box. Yang Wan quickly wiped the soot from her face and stood up to address Physician Peng: “Physician Peng, are you leaving the palace now?”
Physician Peng looked at Yang Wan’s appearance and smiled: “Young lady, you’ve been helping here after your shifts these past few days – such hard work. Come in and wash your hands.”
“Alright, I also have something to ask of you, Physician.”
Physician Peng led Yang Wan into the medicine hall, ordered an attendant to bring water, set down his medicine box,g and gestured for Yang Wan to sit with him.
“What can I do for you, Lady Yang?”
Yang Wan wiped her face with the water the attendant brought, clasped her hands in her lap, and said somewhat nervously in a soft voice: “Actually, I’m afraid to ask. I know the Imperial Physicians never treat the palace servants. But Deputy Director Deng’s leg injury has been particularly painful this month, and even though he can get some medicine, it doesn’t seem to help much. I don’t know what else to do, so I thought I’d try asking you.”
Physician Peng smiled slightly. “So that’s what this is about. Lady Yang, how did Deputy Director Deng injure his leg?”
Seeing he hadn’t immediately refused, Yang Wan quickly replied: “Last year in the Ministry of Justice prison, he wore heavy chains for too long and it injured the bone. This year has had particularly heavy spring and summer rains. After getting caught in the rain early last month, I’ve noticed he seems to be in constant pain.”
Physician Peng nodded after listening. He opened his medicine box and took out a bottle of medicine for injuries, but as he was about to hand it to Yang Wan, he suddenly paused, put it back, and said: “How about this – have him come here and I’ll examine him.”
Yang Wan couldn’t help standing up. “Really?”
“Yes. It’s been injured for over half a year now. We need to examine it to know how to treat it properly – otherwise, any amount of medicine will only treat the symptoms, not the root cause.”