Hong Taiji was about to set down his chopsticks, but at the last moment, he lifted them again, calmly picking up another bite of food.
Niman glanced at him surreptitiously, but quickly lowered his gaze, not daring to speak further.
"Let her stand a little longer," Huang Taiji said, his tone casual. "Come get me in an hour."
"Yes, Great Khan," Niman responded, then quietly left the hall, leaving attendants to continue serving the meal while he slipped back into the inner palace.
True to his word, Niman returned to the Grand Politics Hall an hour later.
As soon as he informed Hong Taiji that the time had passed, the Great Khan immediately set down his tasks and began to stroll leisurely toward the Qingning Palace.
Under the eaves of the palace, Da Yuer was leaning against the wall. Although it wasn't clear how she had looked earlier, now she was perched half-sitting on the window ledge, fidgeting with her legs, alternating between stretching them out and pulling them back, clearly impatient but with a hint of stubborn defiance.
Hong Taiji shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he recalled the little girl from years ago who used to cry miserably whenever Jeje punished her. Da Yuer had always been sensitive and soft-hearted, and she would rather kneel inside Jeje's chambers than stand outside where everyone could see. Whenever she was scolded, she cried so hard. In the end, Jeje always seemed to feel guilty, as if she were at fault for punishing Da Yuer at all.
Without realizing it, that same little girl had grown into a gentle and considerate beauty. Hong Taiji couldn't quite remember what she had looked like when she first arrived in Shengjing. Back then, his mind had been entirely consumed with his father's declining health and the looming struggle for the throne.
As Da Yuer spotted Hong Taiji approaching from the Fenghuang Tower, she immediately stood up straight, her body tensing in anticipation.
But Hong Taiji, as he neared her, didn't spare her a glance.
Meanwhile, Hairanju, worried for her sister, peeked through the window, just in time to see the Great Khan walking toward Da Yuer.
"Why don't you look at me?" Da Yuer asked, stepping forward to block Hong Taiji's path.
"Look at you?" Hong Taiji's gaze remained stern, but a smile played at the corners of his mouth. He couldn't help but be amused. "And now, you're done pretending to be pitiful?"
"I've never pretended to be pitiful. I was truly pitiful back then—no one cared about me, no one loved me," Da Yuer said with a playful smile. "But now, I'm not pitiful at all, because you care for me."
Hong Taiji chuckled. "It seems unthinkable that there would be a day when you can speak so boldly. Three or four years ago, you hardly dared breathe in front of me, isn't that right?" he added.
Da Yuer gazed at her husband with affection, her smile deepening. "That's because you spoil me."
Hong Taiji playfully tapped her forehead. "I spoil you, and now you dare to talk back to Jeje and throw a fit? How daring have you become?"
Despite his words, he felt a deep sense of pride and comfort. Da Yuer's transformation had been a pleasant surprise. He had noticed her gradual defiance against Jeje, her resistance to the expectations placed upon her by Khorchin. She was trying hard to assert herself, to become her own woman, and he admired her for it.
"I've been standing for four hours…" Da Yuer clutched at his sleeve, her voice suddenly pitiful again.
"You deserved it," Hong Taiji said, but he took her hand, leading her inside. "Let's go beg for mercy. If you don't feel embarrassed, I certainly do. You're becoming more unruly with age…"
They walked into the palace side by side, the young maids giggling softly to each other as they passed. From the window, Hairanju, fearing she might be seen, quietly shut it and returned to the kang, where little Azhe was clumsily crawling toward her.
She gathered the child into her arms, gently patting and comforting him, her mind replaying the scene she had just witnessed—of a woman cherished and loved by her husband. Once upon a time, she too had been that woman.
Not long after, a maid arrived, carrying a box sent by Qiqige. It was a gift for Hairanju, meant to comfort her after the frightening events of the day.
Hairanju instructed the maid to leave it aside, saying she would sort it out when Yuer returned. Curious, she asked when Qiqige would next visit the palace. The maid lowered her voice and replied, "Princess Hairanju, tomorrow is the anniversary of Empress Dowager Abahai's death, so the Fourteenth Consort won't be visiting for the next few days."
Just then, Da Yuer entered, lifting the curtain with a bright, cheerful expression, hardly looking like someone who had just been punished. She sat beside Hairanju, her face beaming with happiness. "Sister, don't worry! Aunt isn't angry anymore. Everything's been smoothed over."