Chapter 3, The Injured Crane and the Hibiscus (Three)

He was robbed of his jade, and his words were particularly unpleasant

The execution chamber is a pavilion draped with cotton curtains, inside which charcoal is burning and lamps are lit. Two officials from the Ministry of Justice are seated facing south, along with Zheng Yuejia, the chief eunuch of the Court of Rites. Outside the door stand four Imperial Guards.

Just as this was not well hidden, I suddenly heard someone behind me asking: "What are you doing squatting?"

Seeing him drive people away, the guard realized that it was time for the white tribute. Although he felt displeased in his heart, he could only reluctantly agree on the surface, muttering to himself as he turned to take the people away

Yang Wan cannot accept any historian of the Ming Dynasty, for any reason, to personally insult Deng Ying. The best way to counter these chaotic accounts is through authentic primary sources.

He has no other purpose; he simply wants to take a glance at the people or objects outside

Zheng Yuejia saw that he was silent and continued to ask: "How do you know she is Yang Lun's sister?"

Yes

On the second day after the snow, the lake was bright with snow.

She has been missing for more than half a month, the third young lady of their family, renowned for her beauty. If we were to find a corpse, it might still be a pile of innocent bones, but if we find a living person, well... what could that possibly be

In the past, he had never relied on anyone, including his parents and close friends, but at this moment, he desired physical contact, even if it was through the prison uniform; if possible, it would be best if the other person were just a little warmer than him

They are equal

Deng Ying shook her head

Emotions should not be given too much, as excess leads to fodder for gossip. Zheng Yuejia raised his hand to signal, "Remove the torture instruments from him."

Yang Wan sat on the stone steps behind the interrogation room, holding a small booklet in her hands

After speaking, he said to the outside, "Let Li Shan come to find me"

Oh. These people who are crying poor still have private files hidden...

Deng Ying finally stood up, turned around, and half-knelt on the wooden couch, using her fingers to lift a small corner of the window paper

Forget it

Where is she now

He said that after Deng Ying was tortured, he hid his "treasure" in a small pottery jar, which he carried with him at all times. Later, when he became the chief of the Eastern Depot, he purchased a large residence in the city and buried the jar under the root of an elm tree in front of the main hall of the outer residence, instructing someone to water the jar daily with wine. It is said that this is called "planting roots." When planting the roots, one must be sincere in heart, and perhaps it could escape the scrutiny of the inner palace, allowing it to grow again. Unfortunately, later on, Deng Ying was convicted and executed. The enraged youth of the Donglin Party dug up the jar and smashed it open, extracting the decayed contents and burning them into charcoal. When planting the roots, one must be sincere in heart, and perhaps it could escape the scrutiny of the inner palace, allowing it to grow again. Unfortunately, later on, Deng Ying was convicted and executed. The enraged youth of the Donglin Party dug up the jar and smashed it open, extracting the decayed contents and burning them into charcoal.

Deng Ying lowered her head and silently absorbed every word he said; when she raised her head again, she had already reached the door of the interrogation room

She silently recited these two characters once again

After speaking, he crossed his arms and asked Deng Ying, "Apart from this matter, is there anything else to discuss?"

Is there anyone outside at this moment

Good

Zheng Yuejia smiled and said, "Lord Yang is very fond of his little sister."

For instance, a rather unconventional literati from the Qing Dynasty once fabricated a passage in his private collection

The charcoal is gradually burning out

After Zheng Yuejia and the others walked out, he then walked towards Deng Ying with his hands behind his back

Oh, yes. We entered the Haizi together with him; he took people to the West Slope. However, I don't think we can find anything. This year, the Haizi has not yielded any harvest, and at the West Slope, not even a single blade of grass grows.

Zheng Yuejia smiled without speaking, raising his head to look at Deng Ying, who was just lifting his hand to assist the person who was explaining the torture instruments to him

The shackles and chains were clattered down and piled at his feet

Zheng Yuejia nodded and did not inquire further

Taking advantage of the break, I continued to converse with the officials of the Ministry of Justice

The guard had no choice but to present the piece of jade, smiling apologetically and saying, "I found this."

What more direct evidence could there be than being present at the time and witnessing it with one's own eyes

Ah? I haven't done anything...

It's fine

The official from the Ministry of Justice glanced at the thinly dressed Deng Ying and suddenly sighed, "Alas, this year has truly been difficult; it is evident that all the members of the Deng faction have perished."

He is not a pile of charcoal that cannot be ignited, and does not require rekindling

The speaker is a junior official under Li Shanshou. Seeing him acting furtively, he unceremoniously kicked him twice from behind and raised his chin, saying, "Hurry up and get up to bring the person out; the officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices are coming over this morning"

The supervisor covered his mouth and nose and took a step back, "How careless indeed, keep your distance."

So, did you encounter Lord Yang when you came over today

It would not be accurate to say she was frightened, but she did appear cold. Unconsciously, she hugged her legs tightly, resting her chin on her knees, silently picking at the corners of the booklet, her eyelids heavy, yet she felt no inclination to sleep

The Yang family, known for their reverence for jade, has members of both genders who all cherish wearing jade

Zhang Huzi has not yet arrived, and it is unclear whether this is due to Zheng Yuejia's arrangements. I would like to give him a bit more time

Zheng Yuejia frowned, "That is probably not correct. For the past half month, Haizi has been searching for her outside, causing quite a stir. She has no reason to be unaware of this; why hasn't she sought help from Li Shan?"

If that is the case, then it is indeed somewhat redundant

Indeed, there is.

The minor official spread the jade in his hand for a closer inspection, and upon seeing him still standing in front, he quietly reprimanded, "What are you still standing there for? Take someone with you."

Yang Lun also came to Haizi early in the morning

The guard stood up busily, brushed off the snow from his clothes, and leaned closer to ask the young supervisor: "Are we taking them over now? Has that bearded man returned to the sea yet?"

Yang Wan understood everything in her heart, but how could she express it

When conducting historical research, it is best not to express any stance, and ideally, one should not even have a personality.

The guard knew that his duties would come to an end in front of these gentlemen, and after carefully handing over the person, he left without daring to lift his head

Bring it here

In the middle of the night, I woke up and opened my eyes to find Deng Ying gazing at the shadows of the snow on the window, seemingly having not slept at all

After speaking, he shook his head and led the person out

Deng Ying has not consumed any food or water for three days in preparation for her punishment. Although she cannot walk quickly, she is making every effort to maintain her composure while walking.

Come back. What is it that you are hiding in your sleeve

After Zheng Yuejia left, the door of the room was tightly locked, leaving behind a charcoal stove that did not provide much warmth. Sparks scattered and jumped to Deng Ying's feet. Deng Ying squatted down, leaned against the stove, slowly took off her shoes and socks, and sat quietly for a long time

No

The person in the literature is dead, and there is no boundary between the living and the dead. They have no privacy; a life that has already extinguished is merely a spectacle for future generations to gaze upon. However, this Deng Ying, who lives before Yang Wan, is different

Zheng Yuejia noticed that he had no intention of saying much, so she fell silent as well. After a while, she suddenly asked: "Is there nothing you want to say? I can take charge of what Li Shan cannot."

How twisted must a person be to concoct something as nonsensical as Deng Ying's "seedling"

Upon seeing this, Yang Wan decisively discarded all the materials of that Qing Dynasty scholar

She ultimately decided against keeping this firsthand information, stood up to brush the snowflakes off her hair, yet still felt a tinge of reluctance as she turned back to glance at the wall covered in black moss

Zheng Yuejia is a eunuch and clearly has no curiosity about these matters

Then I shall take my leave

Just as I was about to step inside, I was called from behind.

Deng Ying deserves peace

In the past, in order to understand the events surrounding Deng Ying before and after her punishment, Yang Wan had almost searched through several libraries in Xijing, yet she could not find any reliable related literature

Last night, she slept in front of Deng Ying, and her sleep was not very good

This was also a question in Deng Ying's heart. If he had not overheard the conversation between Zheng Yuejia and the officials of the Ministry of Justice here, he would have found it hard to believe that Yang Lun's sister, the woman who was already betrothed to the legitimate son of a high-ranking official, would utter words about living her life for him on the eve of her own punishment

However, there is a plethora of disorganized materials scattered among the private collections of literati from the late Ming and Qing dynasties

Let's wait until he feels a bit better to discuss it, after all, this part is not very important either

Deng Ying's humanity has the potential to heal many people for a significant part of their lives in the twenty-first century

The night was devoid of light, yet in his eyes, there was a shimmering spring that glimmered. Even though he was dressed very lightly and appeared to be cold and stiff, the tranquility he maintained while sitting calmly in the corner on the eve of his punishment brought a sense of warmth to Yang Wan.

Deng Ying raised her head and unexpectedly spoke of something that surprised Zheng Yuejia

The guard, upon hearing this, happily exclaimed, "Alright, I will bring the person out right away. Having completed this task, we can also enjoy a grand New Year celebration tonight."

His voice was very faint, carrying a sense of detachment. Zheng Yuejia understood his meaning and nodded in response

The person laughed and said: "I am just having a chat with you. It is well known that your esteemed ancestor has always been at odds with Yang Lun. Those who have come out from the Six Departments constantly criticize the Ministry, the Office, the Court of Rites, and the Twenty-Four Bureaus. Why bother? In this day and age, who in the court has it easy? The troubles caused by Yang Lun's tongue will not fall upon him, but will surely befall his family"

He withdrew his hand after speaking and adjusted his tone.

Only after he stood still, wiping his clothing, did he lower his hand and respond to his earlier question in a leisurely manner: "I heard that Lord Li was brought back from the temple last night and was sobered up overnight."

Good is good

When the conversation cools, the meaning also fades away

Forget it

Oh, this ... ...

Zheng Yuejia also stood up and said, "Excuse me."

Yang Wan felt that, at least in this space-time, he was not only her research subject but also a living person

It is currently unknown; she has injuries, perhaps from a previous fall down a slope. For the past ten days, she has been lingering outside the warehouse where I have been detained.

Deng Ying pointed this out, and Zheng Yuejia couldn't help but sigh, "Perhaps you really have seen it clearly."

The officials of the Ministry of Justice felt that they had perhaps spoken a bit too much. Seeing that their task here was complete, they propped themselves up on their knees and stood up, saying, "It is settled, Master Zheng. From today onwards, this matter will no longer be in the purview of our Ministry of Justice, and we will completely hand it over to your Court of Ceremonial."

Indeed, I see that the Zhang family has given up, yet he is still searching. Not only is he searching, but he is also taking great care of his sister. Today, I spoke out of turn and suggested that he inquire with those households that have adult men to see if there is any news. What do you think, Lord Zheng? If it weren't for someone holding him back, I believe he would have come up to take action.

How is your health?

Deng Ying silently looked at him with her hands hanging down, her gaze unchanged, but she appeared significantly thinner than the last time they met

Yes

Zheng Yuejia was taken aback, "How did you know?"

Zheng Yuejia did not respond to him, "Even adults should practice restraint in their words"

He finished speaking, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and muttered, "They all say you won't last long in the sea and will end up taking your own life, yet you have stubbornly lived for more than half a month. The Ministry of Justice and the Court of Rites question us daily, not knowing whether they want you dead or alive. Today, you have your outcome, so hurry up and leave. The longer you drag this out, the more suffering you will endure, won't you? Are you scared now and thinking of running away? Save it."

Snow is sliding off the eaves, occasionally a few clumps fall and land at her feet

Deng Ying, bearing the weight of her sins, is not in a position to elaborate

The guard, with his eyes covered, opened the warehouse door, and those who had been suffocating inside rushed out one after another. Before the guard could finish yawning, he was shoved into the snow, causing his nose to bleed. He struggled to sit up, pressing his nostrils while cursing, "Damn it, everyone is in a hurry to be reborn." Just as he was about to get up, his hand brushed against something in the snow, and squinting against the glare, he picked it up to find it was a piece of jade pendant. He struggled to sit up, pressing his nostrils while cursing, "Damn it, everyone is in a hurry to be reborn." Just as he was about to get up, his hand brushed against something in the snow, and squinting against the glare, he picked it up to find it was a piece of jade pendant.

Zheng Yuejia nodded and said, "The Yang family is still looking for their third young lady."

He waved his hand at the speaker, looked up at Deng Ying, gestured for the person to close the doors and windows, withdrew his hand from the hand warmer, placed it on his knee, and said in a slightly raised voice: "You are already aware of His Majesty's grace, aren't you"

He was in a bad mood and was quite rude to Deng Ying

The meaning of the ancestors is to let you enter the Inner Study Hall. Although you are a eunuch, you are still to teach in the Inner Study Hall like Yang Lun and others. When you have time, you should recite poetry and literature to the descendants of the Inner Study Hall. If you can see some promising young talents, provide them with some guidance in the fields of engineering and divination. Furthermore, regarding the construction of the three main halls of the imperial city, you will still be in charge of the project, and the Ministry of Works will assign an official to assist you. Of course, this will have to wait until you have recovered.

Please convey to Lord Yang Lun on behalf of Deng Ying that there is a woman in the sea, perhaps she is his younger sister.

Deng Ying walked alone into the interrogation room, where the people inside were engaged in conversation. Upon seeing him enter, they merely glanced up at him and did not intentionally stop their discussion

Zheng Yuejia couldn't help but sigh, gently patting Deng Ying's shoulder.

Entering the world, though severely injured, one does not harbor jealousy

Zheng Yuejia is not meeting Deng Ying for the first time. Although he is aware that Deng has always conducted himself with great decorum, he did not expect that in the current circumstances, he would still be able to maintain such etiquette.

After speaking, he hurriedly covered his mouth, instinctively hunching his back and looking around. Taking advantage of the surrounding chaos and the fact that no one was watching, he quickly hid the jade pendant in his bosom

The guard, growing impatient, pushed him from behind and said, "Hurry up, do you still think there's not enough bad luck?"

Deng Ying lowered her eyes, "She has two pieces of hibiscus jade pendants on her body"