“These words of yours…”
Yang Wan looked up and interrupted her: “Although Your Highness will say I don’t understand when I speak like this, I know that hearing such words makes Your Highness happy.”
Consort Ning paused, her fingers slowly sliding down Yang Wan’s cheek to rest on her knee. She lowered her head and smiled, “You see right through people.”
She then changed the subject, holding Yang Wan’s hand, “What were you thinking about just now, so lost in thought?”
“I…”
Yang Wan glanced at her notebook hastily left on the round chair.
Consort Ning followed her gaze and couldn’t help saying: “I’ve seen you writing in that notebook more than once. What do you write in it?”
Yang Wan pressed her lips together without making a sound.
Consort Ning waited for a while, and seeing she had no intention of answering, said softly: “See, you won’t even tell sister about your concerns.”
Yang Wan fidgeted with her fingers, “Your Highness, this matter actually shouldn’t be done at this time, but…”
“Is it related to Supervisor Deng?”
Yang Wan didn’t deny it. “Mm, Your Highness will scold me again.”
“No.”
Consort Ning patted the back of her hand, “What you just said was very interesting. Everyone can speak of principles, and everyone claims to have others’ best interests at heart, but life is short – one should indeed listen to words they like to hear and do things they like to do. Sister is a consort in the back palace, not as free as you, and must speak formally. You only need to know your sister’s heart for you. Do whatever you want to do – while sister is here for a day, she’ll protect you for a day. If someday sister is gone, there’s still Yilang. Wan’er, don’t be afraid.”
After hearing this passage, Yang Wan felt somewhat terrified when she thought it through carefully.
Different concepts between ancient and modern times, though they seem to have a great gulf between them – such as women’s groups moving from silence to voice, and democratic consciousness awakening from deep sleep – have undergone thousands of years of evolution. People of the past absolutely cannot speak directly to people of the present, so do people dare to imagine that piercing sensation of worldviews being penetrated when people from two different eras communicate directly?
After all, history has walls of time as boundaries, but human nature can communicate through the cracks.
Yang Wan felt that beyond blood ties, this woman living in the Ming Dynasty had given her something that would be called “female friendship” in modern times.
It was just… magical?
“Mm… speaking of Deng Ying, there’s something sister needs to tell you.”
Consort Ning’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“Please speak, Your Highness.”
“Deng Ying hasn’t been in the palace these past few days.”
“Not in the palace?”
“Correct.”
Yang Wan hurriedly asked: “How does sister know?”
Consort Ning’s gaze darkened, “At Yangxin Hall, I happened to hear Lord He from the Office of Ceremonies reporting to His Majesty that the Ministry of Justice had taken Deng Ying away, but sister cannot ask why.”
Yang Wan lowered her head, “I…”
“You want to ask brother?”
Yang Wan was startled, then smiled and said: “Brother probably won’t see me.”
Consort Ning shook her head and said with a smile: “It’s alright. Sister will help you.”
The next day at the Grand Secretariat meeting.
Yang Wan walked along the palace path holding Yilang’s hand.
As they walked, she bent down to ask Yilang, “What did Her Highness tell Your Highness before having you come with me?”
Yilang looked up, “Mother said that if uncle won’t speak properly with an aunt, I should stop him and not let him leave.”
“What?”
Yang Wan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Seeing her laugh, Yilang swung her arm as they walked, “Aunt, you look the prettiest when you laugh.”
Yang Wan crouched down and picked him up in one motion, “Your Highness is so young yet already knows how to make us servants happy.”
Yilang hugged Yang Wan’s neck.
“No, aunt and mother are just the most beautiful people in the palace.”
“Ha, you just want to see this servant become small, don’t you?”
Just as she finished speaking, the sound of footsteps came from Huiji Gate.
Yang Wan held Yilang and looked up at the gate.
Young Supervising Secretaries from the Six Ministries were walking out of Huiji Gate, and Yang Lun was among this group, arguing something heatedly with a flushed face and ears. Upon seeing Yang Wan and Yilang, he hurriedly bid farewell to the others and walked quickly toward them.
Yang Wan put Yilang down and gave Yang Lun a ceremonial greeting.
“Lord Yang.”
Yang Lun didn’t acknowledge Yang Wan, but lifted his robes and knelt to pay respects to Yilang, “This subject greets Your Highness.”
“Lord Yang, please rise.”
Yang Wan watched this scene before her and found it somewhat interesting.