The succession dispute of the previous court had not yet fully cleared its clouds and mist, but a corner of it could be glimpsed.
By mid-October, the Northern Censorate had arrested twelve people in the capital for “improper discussion of succession.”
Yang Lun stood before Yunyai Hall, where a central cedar pillar ran straight to the top. Four eave pillars stood around the central pillar, with pavilion pillars between the eaves. Starting three meters out from the central pillar’s base, four levels were carved, with cross-beams connecting the horizontal center pillar, eave pillars, intermediate pillars, and corner pillars into one unit. The structure was so complex that a single error would cause the entire building to tilt.
Wearing gray robes, Deng Ying stood in the autumn wind’s fine dust, looking up at the roof tiling work, raising his hand to point at the eaves while speaking with the craftsmen. As his sleeve fell back, the marks left by shackles were visible on his wrist.
“Master Deng, the food has arrived from the kitchen.”
“Good, everyone come down to eat.”
After speaking, he lowered his arm and turned to walk back, raising his head to see Yang Lun.
After their eyes met, they tactfully avoided each other’s gaze.
“You’re here,” Deng Ying casually greeted.
Yang Lun nodded, glancing at the scaffolding before him.
“Almost finished?”
“Yes.”
Deng Ying replied, “Just these two days left.” They stood side by side, looking up at the hall’s roof.
The deep autumn wind swept down from above, stirring their robes.
Yang Lun spoke sideways, “I came today to inform you that the Ministry of Justice has concluded the investigation of the elixir case at Qingtian Temple. His Majesty has summoned Cao Peilin for questioning.”
Deng Ying lowered his head, “What did he say?”
“He said the central pillar of Yunyai Hall reaches heaven above and connects to underground rivers below, securing the emperor’s longevity and stabilizing the realm. These words touch upon His Majesty’s vital point.”
Deng Ying silently lowered his head.
“What did His Majesty say?”
Yang Lun brushed the dust from his robes, saying lightly, “Wait here for the imperial edict. It’ll be just a day or two.”
Deng Ying didn’t ask anything more, just nodded and said, “Alright.”
Yang Lun looked up at the hall’s roof again and said evenly, “After the Tongjia tragedy, you climbed to the position of Eastern Factory Superintendent over those people’s corpses. The officials of the Censorate and Six Bureaus hate you to the bone. Now you’re walking the old path again – don’t you want to tell me anything beforehand?”
Deng Ying smiled slightly.
“What is there to say?”
His face was somewhat pale, but his voice was calm.
“What could you do even if I told you?”
“Hmph.”
Yang Lun snorted coldly and turned his back.
Deng Ying’s voice came from behind, “Zixi, this path is one I chose to walk. I’ve walked it steadily. Coming to this point, you’ve accepted me as a friend, and the teacher is willing to call me Fuling. What I once dreamed of has become reality – I have no regrets left.”
Yang Lun stopped walking.
“What about my sister?”
He turned to face Deng Ying, “She’s twenty-one now, her reputation ruined because of you, never having seen a single good day.”
Deng Ying didn’t answer immediately. He stared at the dust on the ground in silence for a while before saying, “Zixi, after the castration, the only thing I could make sense of was that, being a servant from then on, I could be subservient to Yang Wan.”
Yang Lun’s hands clenched.
Deng Ying had mentioned “subservience” – at that moment, Yang Lun didn’t know whether Deng Ying or Yang Wan was more tragic.
As they stood in silence, a supervisor from the Ministry of Works came looking for Deng Ying, saying someone from the Ceremonial Office had arrived to summon him back to the palace to receive an imperial edict.
Deng Ying turned and replied evenly, “I understand. I’ll go after changing clothes.”
Then he said to Yang Lun, “The cabinet can submit their memorial now.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that.”
Deng Ying was silenced by the rebuke and could only smile awkwardly.
The two parted before Yunyai Hall. Deng Ying followed the Ceremonial Office staff into the palace to hear the edict outside Yangxin Hall.
The Emperor, citing his merits in rebuilding Yunyai Hall, pardoned his punishment of exile to Nanjing as a slave and also waived the eighty strokes of the heavy bamboo, keeping him in the Ceremonial Office as Vice Director. After Deng Ying received the edict, Yangxin Hall ordered him brought inside for questioning. Entering the inner hall, he saw Emperor Zhenning reclining weakly on the imperial couch.
Deng Ying knelt on the couch, and Emperor Zhenning extended a hand toward him, “Is Yunyai Hall secure?”
“In reply to Your Majesty, your servant has reinforced the cross-beams on the foundation built by the teacher. Now all the eave pillars, intermediate pillars, and horizontal center pillars are embedded in the cross-beams.”
Emperor Zhenning said, “Guard it well… and you guard Us well.”
“Yes.”
“Deng Ying…”
“Your servant is here.”
“Have We not treated you well?”
“Yes.”