Chapter Five, The Injured Crane and the Hibiscus (Five)

Do you know who the person inside is

You ask, whatever you ask, I will tell the truth

The room is not large, and the flames of the charcoal cast a warm yellow light on the walls. Two people sit close together in silence, one deliberately maintaining physical distance, while the other strives to keep a psychological distance. However, there is no malice between them, so the atmosphere is not awkward. Yang Wan even cheerfully hums a segment of Jay Chou's "Coral Sea".

Deng Ying thought she was angry and felt a moment of regret

He wanted to pick her up, but he had to hold back

His former best friend is inside, and if Yang Wan were not also inside, he would certainly not be standing here in his current state

No, if I would rather die, then I would have truly gone on a hunger strike from the very beginning. I just feel that the court has been too ... ...

Why does the young lady want to stay here

What happened

Yang Lun was furious that she still dared to be lost in thought at this moment, and shouted angrily: "Do you know how many people were arrested because of him at Tongjia Academy? Even my father's teacher, Zhou Congshan, who is over eighty years old, has been tortured in prison. When Zhang Luo returns from the south, these people will not only face the guillotine, but their official careers will also be completely ruined. Do you know why? It is because someone among them wrote a poem for him, Deng Ying, to plead for mercy! Now look at yourself, sacrificing your reputation as a daughter of the Yang family, disregarding the lives and fortunes of our entire family. I didn't believe before that you would do such a thing, and now I truly regret coming to find you; you should have died in... Now look at yourself, sacrificing your reputation as a daughter of the Yang family, disregarding the lives and fortunes of our entire family. I didn't believe before that you would do such a thing, and now I truly regret coming to find you; you should have died in..."

Yang Wan, I will say it again, come out by yourself

At this point, Yang Wan was completely confused; knowing her name, one would wonder why someone would want to break her legs for no reason

He did not respond to Li Shan, but raised his head and shouted into the room: "Yang Wan!"

Yang Wan let out a soft "oh," reached down to pick up the shovel again, and casually began to stir the charcoal fire, following his lead to help conceal his sudden embarrassment

Yang Wan, listen carefully, you must walk out by yourself. If I bring you out, I will definitely break your legs

Father and son are equally guilty; it cannot be said that this is unjust. I just find it hard to understand

Deng Ying is unable to explain such a direct question

The truth is that he is a presence that has consumed ten years of her youth, more important than her man

I apologize. Deng Ying does not speak to the young lady because she feels ashamed to be in the same room with her in her current state

In the gentle and composed demeanor of Deng Ying, Yang Wan suddenly felt a genuine sense of suffocation

He himself is already in such a state, and there is no longer any reputation to uphold. However, the person before him is Yang Lun's sister. Regardless of her reasons for caring for him, he does not wish to cause her any harm because of his own circumstances

On the night of my birthday last year, I was still reading the article you wrote when you were seventeen or eighteen, "A Letter to My Son at the End of the Year." You remember it, right? It is the letter you wrote to Yang Lun. By the way, that letter was written when you were just a teenager.

Yang Wan was taken aback, realizing that he had indeed said so much, thinking that she was angry.

Yang Wan was taken aback

Since you know, why bring humiliation upon yourself

This person has an upright posture, and the sharp lines of the jaw suggest a demeanor that is typically serious and unsmiling, yet indeed, as recorded in historical documents, possesses a remarkable and elegant presence

It is still cool

Yang Wan suddenly felt her eyes sting with tears, and she quickly raised her head, clearing her slightly itchy throat, "So what are your thoughts on this"

"Wait a moment, Yang Lun? My elder brother?"

Deng Ying did not respond to Yang Wan's words, but instead asked her, "Are you no longer angry, young lady?"

No, young lady, do not look back

Written in the fourth year of Zhenning, at the age of sixteen

Yang Wan looked up at the window, quickly retrieving in her mind the relationships of this historical figure.

So Yang Lun's younger sister is named Yang Wan, then her current state... it can't be that bad

Well, it is indeed good-looking, but its temper is really too bad

Yang Lun stood in the snow, gazing at the execution chamber before him, suddenly feeling a chill rise from the depths of his heart

The young lady has stated that she will speak the truth

The inner palace of the imperial city has been the lifelong dedication of my teacher, as well as the efforts of several generations of craftsmen over more than forty years. I am fortunate to have participated in this project and wish to see it through to its completion.

You need not feel ashamed in front of anyone; it is the court that should feel ashamed in front of you. The execution of an entire family for the crime of one person is not an act of benevolence, nor is it just.

But he did not dare to speak directly, thus falling into silence once again

Yang Wan sat there, holding her face in her hands, motionless, her cheeks flushed red from the heat of the fire

Deng Ying recognized Yang Lun's voice. Although she did not understand why Yang Wan could not recognize it, she still replied, "Your elder brother, Yang Lun"

Line

She cleared her throat, "Alright, then listen carefully. I... used to live for you. My parents often said that I should be thinking about getting married at my age, and not just about you every day. You, as a person, could never know who I am, nor could you truly accompany me for a lifetime... They introduced me to a man, who is decent in both character and appearance, but I am unwilling to accept him.

Yang Lun was extremely furious, unaware that she was injured, and forcefully dragged her several steps. Yang Wan's neck ached so much that she trembled all over, wanting to break free but afraid to move recklessly, and thus she was almost dragged by Yang Lun into the snow.

Deng Ying opened her mouth, and she no longer insisted. She hugged her legs and curled back up to sit, "Then you sleep for a while, and I will keep the fire going for a bit before heading out."

Yang Wan took a few steps toward the door, intending to sneak a glance at that person. However, just as she opened the door a crack, she was directly pulled out by Yang Lun.

Yang Wan pressed the back of her head, momentarily unsure whether to laugh or cry

Although Yang Wan was well aware that Deng Ying of the Zhenning period, which lasted for twelve years, was a taboo, this was merely a statement found in literature. Those separated by time could only grasp the political despair, making it difficult to sense the fear inherent in human nature

However, the phrase "bring humiliation upon oneself" spoken by Yang Lun left Yang Wan in shock

He paused for a moment, and Yang Wan heard the sound of teeth grinding.

She responded to him without a moment's hesitation

You said

I do not know how to express this to you, so just consider that I am living for you...

Yang Wan forced herself to calm down, "I just feel that you should take it easier. No matter how good you are as a person, what difference does it make? They still talk nonsense and write whatever they want."

Before she could finish her sentence, a blinding light suddenly pierced through the paper hole that Deng Ying had made, and Yang Wan quickly raised her arm to shield herself.

In the past, he spent too much time on the construction projects of the imperial city, which delayed his marriage and having children. To this day, he still does not fully understand the implications of a woman's words. Thus, while he does not want to see Yang Wan in distress, he is at a loss as to how to communicate with her.

I do not want to

Of course, she cannot speak so directly at the moment, but after hesitating for a while, she still decided to respond more honestly. The clichés in the story of crossing over do not mean much, after all, she does not expect, nor is it possible for anything to happen with Deng Ying

Deng Ying attempted to move his leg, but the piercing pain caused him to instantly lose strength. He could not help but draw in a sharp breath.

Ah?

Miss Yang

Behind this sentence lies an overt desire for self-harm

I wasn't angry to begin with

Yang Lun's voice ignited a fire of anger

He attempted to explain

She unconsciously looked at Deng Ying, "Do you... do you... do you know who the people outside are?"

May I ask the young lady a question

His response genuinely delighted Yang Wan

He ultimately did not allow himself to speak words of immorality

Understood

This statement is more candid than any previous one.

It is nothing

As she spoke, she tucked the hair by her ear gently behind it.

He opened his mouth, hesitating to speak.

Yang Wan stood up abruptly at the sound of the call. She had only told Deng Ying her name, so how could this person outside know it?

I am warming myself by the fire

Yang Wan felt helpless; just as she was about to stand up to change the pad, he suddenly spoke again

Li Shan observed the scene and hurriedly dispersed the people around him, personally coming forward to persuade, "Lord Yang, it would be best to let the young lady go inside to see if she has sustained any injuries."

She looked at her shadow cast on the ground and said, "Do you know that the court treats you this way in order to use you?"

I know it is known ... ...

However, the meaning that Deng Ying understood was completely different; it was a kind of love that he could not bear at this moment. Yet, at the same time, he felt a cruel warmth in these words, like a blade tempered by fire cutting through the skin, provoking the flesh. He felt a great pain, but apart from that, there was nothing around him that possessed the same warmth.

What did the girl say

No

She simply responded with two words, her emotions were quite evident, yet Deng Ying still could not handle it

After speaking, there was no further sound, and it was no longer like before when they hummed a tune

Speak

Do not think of it this way

Well, I have read that article no less than a hundred times. In it, you wrote a line: 'With the heart of literature, I vow to remain steadfast for life, to encourage you together.' I particularly like it. Every time I read it, I am convinced that my initial thoughts about you were not wrong. If I were to give you up, I would feel that the past ten years of my life would have been meaningless. So, let others say what they will; I do not care.

He had just undergone the humiliation and lay there almost completely unresponsive, unable to move at all, let alone produce anything to appease her. After much hesitation, he finally attempted to express his true feelings.

Yang Wan chuckled and said, "I told you that the "Ming History" is erroneous; it is all written in a chaotic manner."

The person behind me has fallen silent again

Yang Lun looked at Yang Wan, who was sprawled on the ground and unable to get up. Her hair was already disheveled, her clothes were tattered, and her body appeared to be covered in bruises.

Do not speak to anyone about my current appearance after you leave

A self-revelation from a research subject, yet Yang Wan found herself unable to listen any longer

Li Shan's voice sounded from outside, "Lord Yang, have you not searched this place yet?"

She knew that Deng Ying could not fully understand, and after speaking, she lowered her head and chuckled to herself. Although she restrained herself from laughing out loud to consider the feelings of those behind her, she felt more relaxed overall. She put down the shovel, gently swayed her legs, and reached out to continue warming herself by the fire, casually asking Deng Ying, "Is the mat still cold?"

Zhang Luo

Understood

This name Yang Wan is quite familiar, "Is it Zhang Luo, the Inspector of the Northern Town? I ... ... "

Yang Lun was a cabinet minister during the Jinghe period. In the twelfth year of the Zhenning era, he was still serving in the Ministry of Revenue. He had a younger sister, born of the same mother, whose name is not recorded in historical sources. It is only known that Yang Lun betrothed her to Zhang Luo, the governor of the Northern Pacification Office, but she tragically drowned before the marriage could take place.

I simply cannot understand why I am here, enduring such punishment

Yang Wan shifted her leg to one side, slightly leaning towards Deng Ying, yet her eyes remained fixed on the flickering sparks in the charcoal stove. "You always fail to speak the truth, and it does not make me feel good either"

Yang Wan forced herself to sit up, covering her frostbitten hands in her embrace, and quickly cast a glance at Yang Lun in the meantime

What is that

Deng Ying smiled

That was once Deng Ying's best friend. Yang Wan glanced at the door of the interrogation room, where the sound of the wind and snow was still quite loud, tormenting the door that Yang Wan had not had time to close when she came out. The sound of "bang bang bang" echoed, and it was uncertain whether the people inside heard the words "self-inflicted humiliation".

Deng Ying had not heard her voice for a long time, and could not help but turn her head to look at her

So... you are unwilling to marry Zhang Luo

Deng Ying... did not intend to be disrespectful to the young lady

Yang Lun, in a fit of rage, spoke words he did not mean. By the time he realized it, the most venomous words had already escaped his lips. His mind buzzed with regret, yet he found himself at a loss as to how to make amends.

Yang Wan felt somewhat displeased after hearing this. "Is this how you think of me?"

After she finished speaking, she tilted her head to look at the water droplets condensed on the beam, "Do you want to take a nap? If you don't want to sleep, I can chat with you."

Would you rather die

Speaking about one's academic aspirations in front of one's research subject is perhaps a privilege that no doctoral candidate in history could ever enjoy. Yang Wanyue became increasingly serious as she spoke, immersed in a desire to narrate that was both unadulterated and pure.

Yang Wan was startled, causing her entire body to shiver