Yang Wan bent down to move two stones to stand on, climbing up to the windowsill.
“Can you lift your hand?”
Deng Ying looked at his arm, somewhat numb, the binding marks still visible.
He tried to grip, following Yang Wan’s words, slowly reaching his hand to the window edge.
A delicate finger reached through the hole he had torn in the paper, gently hooking his index finger. Deng Ying was startled, instinctively wanting to withdraw his hand, but Yang Wan held him firmly at that moment.
“Deng Ying, I have to go, but I’ll come back to find you. I still have some questions to ask you. Let’s make a pinky promise – next time you see me, don’t become mute again.”
See?
The wishes of people in great suffering are often mysteriously fulfilled.
The person warmer than his body that he had wanted before his punishment had come.
Yang Wan had touched him.
Before he could understand his circumstances when he had nearly come to despise himself.
Yang Wan was brought back to the Yang residence by Yang Lun.
Late at night, heavy snow fell in the capital.
The snow on the carriage path had piled up half a horse’s leg high. When the servants sweeping snow in front of the Yang residence saw Yang Lun bringing Yang Wan back on horseback, they joyfully threw down their brooms and tumbled over themselves to report the news. The snowy wind on the long street carried their voices far, echoing in the quiet snowy night of the capital.
Yang Lun dismounted and turned, reaching out to help Yang Wan down.
“I can get down myself.”
Yang Lun didn’t respond, instead putting her arm around his neck and lifting her down in one motion, then instructing the servants at the door: “Have Yin’er come out to assist the young miss. Take my card to Zhengjue Temple to invite Doctor Liu.”
Just as he finished speaking, the east side door opened halfway, women’s soft robes billowing like clouds as four rows of wind lanterns hurriedly descended. Madam Chen, having received the news, came out in the snow supported by several ladies. Seeing Yang Wan, she immediately embraced her. “My daughter, how did you end up like this? You had your mother worried sick!”
Yang Wan tilted her neck back, remaining motionless as Madam Chen held her.
Suddenly becoming the object of so many people’s emotions, she felt quite at a loss.
Yang Lun’s wife Xiao Wen hurriedly came forward to support Madam Chen. “Mother, let’s not talk here. Let’s go in first to properly clean up Third Sister and change her clothes, then you can question her slowly.”
Only then did Madam Chen reluctantly release Yang Wan. “Yes, look how frozen she is. Quickly come in with Mother. Yin’er, bring a cup of tea to my chambers. Tonight the young miss will stay with me – all of you come to serve.”
After Madam Chen’s group took Yang Wan inside, Xiao Wen bowed to Yang Lun.
“Was the journey alright?”
Yang Lun had been wearing a stern expression with no mood to talk, but hearing Xiao Wen’s gentle voice, he managed a weak smile and wave. “Let’s not discuss it now. Go in.”
Xiao Wen followed behind Yang Lun. “It’s late today, and I thought to tell you tomorrow, but this matter still weighs on my mind.”
Yang Lun walked while making an acknowledging sound, indicating she should continue.
“Today while you were away, someone came from the Zhang family. The things they said still trouble me now when I think of them.”
Yang Lun turned to help Xiao Wen across the threshold, seeing a flash of displeasure cross her face. He couldn’t help asking: “Did they disrespect you or what?”
Xiao Wen smiled faintly, saying, “Never mind about me. After all these years with you, what words could hurt me? Besides, most of what they said was aimed at Wan’er.”
Yang Lun stopped walking and asked formally: “Who did the Zhang family send?”
“Who else? The eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Jiang.”
“What exactly did they say?”
Xiao Wen sighed, “I don’t want to parrot those words back to you. Just know that they had heard some unfavorable talk outside. They said that even if Wan’er was found, she must have been traumatized and would need time to recover properly. They said taking a bride was a major matter for the Zhang family, and they weren’t in any hurry at this moment.”
Yang Lun stepped into the main hall where warm air rushed up, flushing his face.
He took off his robe and threw it on the round-backed armchair, calling for tea.
“What kind of riddles are you women speaking in?”
Xiao Wen bent to pick up Yang Lun’s clothes and hang them on the wooden rack in the inner room, then came out saying: “It’s not a riddle. From what I understood, they feel our Wan’er can’t be Zhang Luo’s primary wife, but they couldn’t say it directly, so they came with their eyebrows raised and eyes white to speak such hypocritical words.”
After hearing this, Yang Lun angrily struck the table: “These bastards!”
Xiao Wen looked at the tea splashing on the table, took out her handkerchief to clean it up, and then took Yang Lun’s hand to wipe it.
“You can be angry, but keep it down – I haven’t reported to Mother yet.”
“What’s there that can’t be reported?”
Yang Lun pulled his hand from Xiao Wen’s handkerchief impatiently. “Enough, stop fussing.”
Xiao Wen knew he was unhappy and didn’t mind his poor tone. She put away her handkerchief and stood up. “I’m a foolish person and thought we should wait for your return to discuss what to do. I know you’re busy in the ministry, with many matters at the start of the year. But with the Zhang family putting on such airs, Lady Jiang coming as eldest daughter-in-law to speak with me was just like using fire tongs – this matter, both inside and out, isn’t something we women can meditate.”
These words carried layers of meaning.
Yang Lun tilted his head back and thought silently for a while.
“Zhang Luo is still in Zhejiang; this might not be his intention. When he returns from the south, I’ll meet him outside court. You and Mother shouldn’t worry yet – this kind of thing doesn’t just happen to our family.”
Then he held her wrist, “Sit down.”
Xiao Wen sat beside him as told. “I’m relieved if you have a plan. By the way, I haven’t asked – how did Wan’er end up in that state?”
Yang Lun raised his hand and struck his knee twice hard, his anger rising again.
Just missing for ten or so days, and the Zhang family had already started questioning Yang Wan’s chastity. If news of her and Deng Ying in the Lake Palace got out, he wouldn’t know how to face Zhang Luo.
“The injuries are from falling down a slope.”
“She fell down a slope?”
Xiao Wen drew in a breath, “No wonder I saw she was injured all over. Thank heaven and earth she’s not seriously hurt, but why didn’t she come back?”
Yang Lun waved his hand, “I’m not speaking today because I don’t want to hurt Mother’s heart. Otherwise, I would give her a beating.”
“You’re being reckless again.”
“What’s reckless? This time, whether the Zhang family makes trouble or not, she has committed a serious error. It’s fine if Mother protects her, but you and I absolutely cannot indulge her.”
Seeing he was truly quite angry, Xiao Wen softened her voice.
“What do you plan to do?”
Yang Lun stared at the cup of tea beside his hand, suddenly raising his voice, “How should I know!”