The rest would depend on Zhang Luo, on whether he would truly move against Zhang Rong.
And if he did move when he would choose to do so?
After all, according to Ming History, in the winter of the 13th year of Zhenning, Zhang Rong had led multiple cabinet ministers, including Bai Huan, in jointly impeaching Deng Ying for encroaching on the school lands of two major academies in Hangzhou. This impeachment lasted two full months, during which two cabinet ministers resigned, and Bai Huan was even stripped of his official robes and thrown into the Eastern Depot prison. However, in the spring of the 14th year of Zhenning, when angry spring examination candidates gathered to kneel and weep in petition at Bai Huan’s door, the Zhenning Emperor, unable to bear the scholars’ resentment, ordered Deng Ying to be imprisoned.
This period of imprisonment was recorded in just twenty-some characters in Ming History, but Yang Wan had later read this passage in Yang Lun’s private collection:
“Meeting again after several months, though his face was as before, his spirit was seven-tenths diminished, yet his literary heart remained, blood crystallized in bone.”
This was written in a Beijing suburban travelogue by Yang Lun in the autumn of the 14th year of Zhenning.
When Yang Wan read these words, she wanted to cry.
Though there was no evidence of who Yang Lun was writing about, Yang Wan just felt it must have been Deng Ying, newly released from prison.
Thinking of this, Yang Wan couldn’t help but hope Zhang Luo would be even more ruthless than she imagined, though this was undoubtedly forcing Zhang Luo to commit patricide. But besides Zhang Luo, Yang Wan couldn’t think of anyone else who could move against Zhang Rong.
However, she never dared to guess specifically what Zhang Luo would do to her afterward.
A shudder ran through her body, triggering stomach pain. She hadn’t eaten for most of the day and was just thinking of going to the city moat guardhouse to cook some noodles with Deng Ying when, just as she left the side gate of Kunning Palace, she saw He Yu running towards her, out of breath.
“My lady, quickly return!”
“What’s wrong?”
Yang Wan instinctively asked, “Did something happen to His Highness?”
“Not His Highness, it’s Superintendent Deng!”
“Ah?”
Yang Wan unconsciously quickened her pace, with He Yu pursuing and explaining, “We don’t know what happened either. His Highness wouldn’t eat anything after returning from Wenhua Hall today. When I felt His Highness’s forehead, it was burning hot, but His Highness wouldn’t allow us to summon the Imperial Physician. He even threw the tea I offered. We originally wanted to find you, my lady, but we were afraid that coming to find you abruptly would let the Empress know and cause trouble for you. Then that muddle-headed Qing Meng went to the Eastern Depot to fetch the Superintendent…”
Yang Wan stumbled, nearly falling, “And then?”
He Yu hurriedly moved to support her, her voice growing more urgent, “Then His Highness ordered the Superintendent into the study and said some things we servants couldn’t understand. Somehow, the Superintendent angered His Highness, and His Highness ordered the cane. My lady… I tried to persuade him, but couldn’t stop it…”
Yang Wan didn’t hear the words that followed.
Recalling what He Yu had told her this morning and Deng Ying’s words yesterday – “His Highness will beat me to death” – she could roughly guess why Yi Lang had suddenly become angry. However, when she rushed to the gates of Chengqian Palace, she found them tightly closed.
He Yu stepped forward and demanded, “Why are the gates closed?!”
The palace servant looked apologetically at Yang Wan, “It was His Highness’s order. We didn’t dare disobey. Please forgive us, my lady. His Highness said it was for your good – if you don’t want the Superintendent to receive heavy punishment, please wait here.”
Yang Wan looked up at the palace gates. The elm tree’s crown had already lost most of its leaves. If plants could show emotion, this seemed to portend the fate of a human life. How long could someone survive under punishment? Not long, surely. Yang Wan thought of Deng Ying’s body – even with clothes covering it, one could still glimpse the remnants of torture. Her heart contracted painfully, and she accidentally bit through her lower lip.
“My lady, what should we do?”
What could be done? Nothing.
Yi Lang knew Yang Wan absolutely could not cry and make a scene at the gates of Chengqian Palace over a eunuch, so once these palace gates were closed, those who should suffer would suffer, those who should endure would endure, those who should execute “punishment” would execute “punishment.” Inside and outside the gates, everyone’s hearts were crystal clear, with an almost “painful” satisfaction.
In the study of Chengqian Palace, Deng Ying remained kneeling while Yi Lang stood before him. Though his throat was somewhat hoarse from fever, he stood perfectly straight.
“I’ve spared you many times, but this time I cannot show mercy.”
“Yes. This servant doesn’t seek mercy either.”
Yi Lang looked down, “You once told me to show no leniency to eunuchs.”
“Yes.”
“But I don’t understand. As a eunuch yourself, why would you say such a thing? Are you not afraid of punishment? Or are you not afraid of death?”
Deng Ying prostrated himself, his blue sleeves spread on the ground, his forehead touching Yi Lang’s feet.
“Your Highness, this servant was originally a condemned criminal, spared by His Majesty’s grace to live out my remaining life. No punishment is too severe for this servant, but since I’ve survived, I don’t wish to die too soon.”
“Why? When the descendants of the condemned officials who were punished with you all starved themselves to death at Nanhai Lake, how were you able to swallow that food?”
Deng Ying coughed once.
“The Three Great Halls were not yet complete. This servant couldn’t rest easy.”
Yi Lang pressed, “I believe that answer, but what about later? After the Tongjia Academy case, why did you take charge of the Eastern Depot? Raise your head and answer.”
Deng Ying obeyed and raised his head, “May this servant ask Your Highness how your teacher answered this question?”
Yi Lang was silent for a moment before saying, “You coveted power, corrupted justice, but…”
Yi Lang changed his tone, fixing his eyes on Deng Ying, “I am still young, with no place to speak in court. There are many things I cannot fully see or understand, but I don’t want to hear only one side. When I’m older, when Father Emperor allows me to participate in politics, then I’ll be able to see and understand everything clearly.”
He stepped back after speaking and called Deng Ying by name directly.
“Deng Ying.”
“This servant is here.”
“Do you know why you’re being punished today?”
Deng Ying nodded, “This servant knows. When Your Highness called to this servant before the side hall this morning, this servant has been waiting for Your Highness’s punishment.”
“Do you have anything to say?”
“Yes.”
“Speak.”
“Please show mercy, Your Highness. Fewer strokes.”
Yi Lang said coldly, “Is this you begging for mercy? Didn’t you say before that one must show no leniency to eunuchs? Were those just empty words?”
“No… this servant’s body is already weak. Please don’t take this servant’s life at this time. This servant still has unfinished business.”
After hearing these words, Yi Lang suddenly felt an inexplicable tremor.
He had always deeply hated when eunuchs begged their masters for mercy, but though the person before him was indeed pleading, somehow he couldn’t bring himself to hate him.