Deng Ying asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I…”
Yang Wan placed her bowl on her knees, “I’m not very happy.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t do well.”
Yang Wan shook her head, “It has nothing to do with you. I couldn’t control my emotions. I knew some things couldn’t be won no matter how hard I fought, but I still wanted to fight. Actually… I should have been calmer, then I wouldn’t have been disrespectful to your teacher, but I couldn’t help it…”
She lowered her head and sniffled, “I’m sorry, Deng Ying, I should apologize. I shouldn’t have spoken to Teacher Bai and brother that way in front of you.”
Deng Ying put down his rice bowl and asked, “The justice that outweighs all common suffering you spoke of, what is it?”
“It’s an evaluation, an evaluation of you.”
She paused, then added, “It’s the voice of contemporary people, the ink of future generations.”
Deng Ying raised his hand and gently dabbed at Yang Wan’s eyes with his inner robe sleeve.
“You know, I don’t care about how contemporary or future generations evaluate me. I only worry whether I’ve made you angry.”
Yang Wan smiled slightly, “You’ve been so obedient these ten days, sitting quietly in bed, eating, and taking medicine conscientiously. What do I have to be angry about? Deng Ying, no matter what you choose, I won’t say anything. Remember what I said – I’ve lived long enough to have seen everything. Go ahead and risk your life, I’m here for you.”
Deng Ying asked softly, “Just how old are you?”
“Twenty-one.”
Yang Wan lowered her head, “But it feels like I’ve lived too long already.”
She handed the bowl and chopsticks to Deng Ying, “Let’s eat. After eating, you soak your feet, and I want to write in my notebook for a while.”
After they finished eating together, Deng Ying sat on the edge of the bed soaking his feet while Yang Wan sat at the desk and opened her notebook.
Autumn of the 14th year of Zhenning – this notebook recorded all historical facts of the past two and a half years. It had grown so thick that the original thread binding had broken. The copy she now held had been rebound by workers at Qingbo Hall.
Yang Wan turned to the newest page and picked up her brush to write the date.
Late eighth month of Zhenning’s 14th year – just over three months before Emperor Zhenning’s death, and less than two years before Deng Ying would be tried and convicted by the Three Judicial Offices.
Historically, the second year of Jinghe was a crucial period for scholars studying eunuch politics during the Zhenning and Jinghe reigns.
It was the year Deng Ying was executed by lingchi (death by a thousand cuts). His cruel death symbolized young Emperor Jinghe’s determination to eliminate the eunuch’s influence and not repeat the previous dynasty’s mistakes. It was also a watershed moment in the Great Ming’s resurgence.
Most researchers highly praised Yi Lang’s punishment of Deng Ying. When Yang Wan was studying, she had read over a hundred related papers. In these papers, Deng Ying floated as light as an insignificant feather, yet paradoxically supported all their arguments.
Yang Wan held her brush and looked up at Deng Ying.
He had rolled up his sleeves and was bending down to massage his injured ankle, his shoulder bones visible through his thin inner robe.
This warm body would carry his soul for two more years.
The Ming History recorded many major events during these two years. Near the year’s end, the Emperor passed away, followed quickly by Second Prince Zhu Yi Jue’s sudden death from illness. Yi Lang succeeded to the throne, Directorate of Ceremonial Seal-holder He Yixian fell from power, and Deng Ying was promoted to Seal-holder of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Superintendent of the Eastern Depot. Though he seemed to have reached the pinnacle of power and glory, by the end of Jinghe’s second year, he faced joint impeachment from the Cabinet, was imprisoned, and was tried by the Three Judicial Offices. What happened during this time was recorded in just a few hundred characters in Ming History. Afterward, all his alleged “crimes” were brought forth, the heaviest being “conspiracy against imperial relatives,” but this relative remained unnamed in both the Record of Hundred Crimes and Ming History.
Such a bloody charge fell lightly on him, hiding some unspeakable secrets.
Many researchers, reviewing the Record of Hundred Crimes and late Zhenning palace historical materials, connected “conspiracy against imperial relatives” with Second Prince Yi Jue’s sudden death, but this remained speculation without conclusion.
So what exactly happened during this period, and what did Deng Ying do? Yang Wan had originally wanted to know. But at this moment, looking at Deng Ying sitting before her, she suddenly wished time would stop right here.
However, this thought only flashed briefly through Yang Wan’s mind. Her respect for Deng Ying was also her respect for the course of history.
“Deng Ying.”
“Mm?”
“I’m a bit cold. I want to soak my feet with you.”
Deng Ying looked down at his feet, “The water… I’ve made it dirty.”
“You’re not dirty at all.”
Yang Wan stood up and removed her hair tie, “Hold out your hands.”
Deng Ying was confused but complied.
Yang Wan gathered his wrists and gently bound them with her hair tie.
Deng Ying watched her actions and asked softly, “Wan-wan, why are you binding me like this?”
Yang Wan said, “Listen, this is the crime I’m charging you with. Any charges others make against you later don’t count.”
Deng Ying looked down at his wrists, “What crime?”
“The crime of being a scoundrel.”
She pressed her lips together and said evenly, “Deng Ying, in your entire life, perhaps I’m the only person you’ll ever wrong.”