Inside the cell, Deng Ying turned back to Zhang Luo and raised his hands, making a formal bow through the prison bars.
Zhang Luo remained silent for a moment, then stepped back and returned the full bow.
The Ministry of Justice quickly determined Deng Ying’s sentence: death by beheading, to be carried out after autumn.
Though Yang Lun wanted to transfer Deng Ying to the Ministry of Justice prison, Emperor Zhenning did not approve.
As summer arrived, Emperor Zhenning’s throat condition worsened. On humid, rainy days, he would cough incessantly. The palace consorts took turns attending to his illness. Even the two unfavored beauties in Chengqian Palace had several audiences with the emperor because of this. Perhaps due to these encounters fostering affection, they began making personal garments for Emperor Zhenning upon their return.
Yang Wan secretly learned from them. Consort Chen asked her, “With the Needlework Bureau serving His Highness, why trouble yourself?”
Yang Wan trimmed their lamps, “With my salary being penalized, I should save where I can. Both Your Graces embroider so beautifully, this servant wishes to learn.”
Consort Chen, mindful of Yang Wan’s usual kindness, taught her everything she knew. However, Yang Wan truly had little talent in this area. Song Yunqing couldn’t bear to watch and came personally to correct her stitching.
“What are you making?”
“A shirt.”
Song Yunqing shook out the fabric in her hands, “The sleeve seams are all wrong.”
Yang Wan quickly moved the lamp closer, “Where are they wrong? Please teach me how to fix them.”
Song Yunqing said: “You’re making this for Deng Ying, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Song Yunqing shook her head, “Gray again.”
Yang Wan took back the needle and thread, holding them under the lamp, “He likes wearing gray.”
Song Yunqing looked at Yang Wan with concern, “He’s been sentenced to death. How can he wear these things you’re making?”
Yang Wan didn’t look at her, only saying quietly: “Just teach me how to fix it first.”
Song Yunqing sighed: “I told you before, in the palace, just treat them as companions. Don’t invest yourself too deeply. Look at you now…”
Yang Wan smiled slightly, “I’m fine now. Stop nagging and teach me quickly.”
Song Yunqing thought she was avoiding facing reality and, not wanting to upset her further, moved the lamp to the embroidery table, “Alright, I’ll teach you how to set the sleeve seams.”
Throughout the entire summer, Yang Wan continued working on that shirt.
Not just Song Yunqing, but even Yi Lang worried about her state of mind.
He often asked Yang Wan if he could plead with Emperor Zhenning on Deng Ying’s behalf. But Yang Wan always shook her head.
Yi Lang couldn’t help asking her, “Aunt, aren’t you upset about the Depot Supervisor’s sentence?”
Yang Wan embraced Yi Lang, resting her head gently on his shoulder, and said softly: “A little bit.”
Yi Lang turned to look at Yang Wan, “Aunt, I don’t want the Depot Supervisor to die.”
“Mm.”
Yang Wan said quietly: “I thank Your Highness on the Depot Supervisor’s behalf.”
Yi Lang pulled away from Yang Wan, stood up, and took her hand, “Why won’t you let me plead for him, Aunt? Last time I saved the academy students, why can’t I save the Depot Supervisor this time?”
Yang Wan looked at Yi Lang before her, rubbed her stinging eyes, and said, “Because he’s a eunuch, while they were scholars. Pardoning scholars show benevolence, but pardoning a eunuch – what would that show?”
“It would show a lack of principle.”
Yi Lang answered directly.
Yang Wan felt a pain in her chest but could only say: “Your Highness speaks truly.”
Yi Lang looked at Yang Wan and said formally: “That’s why the Depot Supervisor told me never to show him mercy in the future.”
Yang Wan started, “When did he tell you this?”
“Once when you were cooking noodles, he told me in the study. He also taught me to write something…”
His voice grew quieter as he spoke. Yang Wan squeezed Yi Lang’s hand, “What was it?”
Yi Lang shook his head, his voice becoming urgent, “I won’t say. I promised the Depot Supervisor I absolutely wouldn’t tell…”
Yang Wan stroked Yi Lang’s forehead, comforting him: “Alright, Aunt won’t force you to tell.”
Only then did Yi Lang relax his shoulders.
Yang Wan asked again: “He told Your Highness not to show him mercy – what does Your Highness think about that?”
Yi Lang didn’t answer immediately, crossing his arms to look out toward the courtyard.
The giant crown tree in the courtyard swayed its leafy canopy in the early autumn wind, its rustling leaves sending chills down one’s spine.
Yang Wan followed Yi Lang’s gaze and said softly: “No matter what Your Highness thinks, Aunt will save him. Even if later, Your Highness doesn’t like Aunt anymore, or even thinks Aunt is a hateful woman, Aunt won’t give up on him.”
“I won’t!”
Yi Lang said urgently: “I will always be good to Aunt.”
Yang Wan smiled and opened her arms to Yi Lang, saying gently: “Come here.”
Yi Lang quickly nestled into Yang Wan’s embrace. Yang Wan held him as they listened to the wind outside the hall, “Your Highness, you are a youth with a bright future. As you grow older, you will live more freely and resolutely. But Aunt loves someone who has only a past and no future. He has always been this way, and Aunt can do nothing about it. But Aunt doesn’t want to blame him, only wants to give him a little more, so…”
She looked down at Yi Lang in her arms, “If in the future, Aunt does things that seem wrong to you, you don’t need to show Aunt mercy either.”
“Aunt…”
Yi Lang grabbed Yang Wan’s sleeve, “Don’t say such things.”
Yang Wan held Yi Lang’s hand, “Don’t worry, even if you show no mercy, Aunt may not necessarily lose.”
After saying this, she reached up to tighten Yi Lang’s robe.
In early autumn of the fourteenth year of Zhenning, the bright moon hung in the window, gazed upon by all under heaven.
In prison, though Deng Ying had acquired some injuries and illnesses, he never gave up eating. He followed Yang Wan’s words, eating well and sleeping as much as possible. Even as a death row prisoner, he didn’t deliberately count the days, only occasionally asking the jailers how many days remained until autumn.
In Chengqian Palace, Yang Wan continued learning needlework from Consort Chen and Song Yunqing. Though her work remained crude, she finally managed to complete, however awkwardly, the autumn shirt she had promised to bring to Deng Ying.
In mid-August of the fourteenth year of Zhenning, Emperor Zhenning’s throat condition grew even more severe.
In the Cabinet duty room, Yang Lun finally awaited the turning point Yang Wan had spoken of.