The punishment rods had already been prepared outside. The bailiffs brought in the punishment bench, then stepped forward to lift Deng Ying and push him onto it, binding his hands and feet with rope.
Deng Ying realized the bailiffs had left him no room to move. The rope bonds aggravated the old wounds on his ankles, causing heart-piercing pain.
But at this moment, he hardly cared about these sensations.
He only felt cold.
That cold came from his spine, penetrating wave after wave into the depths of his heart.
The rod punishment in the Great Ming always carried two aspects.
One was the power class demonstrating humiliation over the punished, the other was the punished demonstrating their resolve to the power class.
Many civil officials who spoke directly to the throne and angered the emperor would receive court-ord punishment.
But this punishment would often become a badge of honor afterward, branded in the officials’ records of glory.
But Deng Ying understood this had nothing to do with him. What he deserved to bear now was only humiliation.
Though he had prepared for this, he still couldn’t help feeling desolate.
Seeing this scene, Yang Lun grew anxious and stood up, about to speak again.
But Zhang Luo said coldly: “Dignified attire is reserved for men of state. By law, criminal slaves don’t deserve this privilege.”
Hearing him say this, Yang Lun could hardly contain himself, wanting to punch Zhang Luo directly.
“Zhang Luo, don’t go too far. This is the Ministry of Justice’s public court, not your imperial prison’s torture chamber.”
Zhang Luo’s expression remained blank, “My office manages the imperial prison and should uphold Great Ming law alongside the Three Judicial Offices. Since when can the Ministry of Revenue interfere with criminal law? Moreover, if torture is to be used, these clothes are no longer dignified attire – leaving them on only allows them to be beaten into the flesh, increasing injury and hindering the next interrogation.”
After speaking, he looked down at Deng Ying, “I’m not pursuing a personal vendetta with you. This is to maintain the dignity of Ming law, and it’s also for your good. Do you understand?”
Deng Ying didn’t look at him, closing his eyes to respond: “Yes.”
But Yang Lun had already stepped forward from his desk: “Zhang Luo, you…”
“Lord Yang.”
The man on the punishment bench suddenly called out to him.
Yang Lun had to stop in his tracks and look down at him, only to see him lower his head and close his eyes, saying softly: “Take it lightly.”
Yang Lun was struck speechless.
The several censors present also suddenly felt conflicted.
Seeing Bai Yuyang remain silent, Qi Huaiyang spoke up: “If that’s the case, follow the official’s instructions.”
He looked toward Deng Ying, “Remove the clothes.”
Just as he finished speaking, a bailiff suddenly reported, “Honored officials, there’s an elderly man outside who passed along this item, asking me to present it to you immediately. He says it’s relevant to today’s trial.”
Yang Lun quickly said: “Hold the punishment, let’s see what it is.”
Qi Huaiyang took what the bailiff presented, glanced at it, and handed it to Bai Yuyang, “Minister, it’s an account book.”
Hearing this, Deng Ying raised his head on the punishment bench and looked, suddenly struggling: “Lord Bai, everything only concerns Deng Ying, I am willing to accept punishment! Please, my lord…”
Bai Yuyang frowned and gave the bailiff a look.
Immediately a rod struck Deng Ying’s back. Caught off guard, his body shuddered, and the rest of his words were immediately cut off by pain.
Bai Yuyang passed the account book to Zhang Luo.
“Deputy Commander Zhang, take a look as well.”
Then he called to those outside the hall: “Bring in the person from outside.”
Yang Lun hadn’t understood why Deng Ying suddenly lost composure, but when he saw who walked in with the bailiffs, he immediately understood everything.
The man wore an apricot-colored straight robe, his white beard reaching his chest, and walking with faltering steps – it was Zhang Zhanchun.
He slowly crossed the threshold, entered the main hall, and bowed to Bai Yuyang.
Deng Ying turned his face to look at him, calling out through his pain: “Master…”
Zhang Zhanchun didn’t look at Deng Ying, saying in a deep voice: “Be quiet.”
Bai Yuyang stood and bowed to Zhang Zhanchun, then straightened up and said: “I didn’t expect Elder Zhang, after returning to your hometown for many years, would come back to the capital.”
Zhang Zhanchun didn’t respond to him, instead turning to crouch down shakily, silently reaching out to untie the ropes binding Deng Ying’s hands and feet.
He was elderly now, without much strength in his hands, undoing the knots very slowly, one by one.
“Master.”
“Don’t speak.”
“But Master…”
“I told you not to speak!”
Finally managing to undo all the binding ropes with effort, he said, “Get up and kneel.”
Deng Ying dared not disobey him and hurriedly rose to kneel.
Zhang Zhanchun straightened up and said to Bai Yuyang: “This is the Ministry of Justice’s public court, and I shouldn’t speak such words, but I fear I won’t have another chance to say them, so I must be discourteous today.”
He stepped forward, pointing back at Deng Ying, “Tell your father that Fuling was originally the best student of both him and me. I left Fuling to him, yet he allows you all to humiliate him like this. In forty years of palace construction, he only spent ten years on projects – how much does he know? Huh?”
He gave a hoarse laugh, pointing outside the hall, “I hear he refused to see Yang Lun for two days. What? He won’t lay hands on his old friend himself, but he also forbids his students from maintaining fellowship. Shameless wretch!”
This tirade made Bai Yuyang’s head throb. He opened his mouth to say something but heard Zhang Zhanchun’s voice rise even higher.
“No need to explain to me.”
“Mr. Zhang…”
“Heh.”
Zhang Zhanchun gave a cold laugh, “Don’t you want to know where the silver for those twenty thousand bricks went? The account book in your hand contains the actual accounts, not just from the tenth year, but from the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth years of Zhenning – all the construction funds. You look first, then question me!”