Hong Taiji gestured for Hairanju to stand, and she rose with the grace of a fragile willow, her gaze lowered, her sadness mingling with a certain calmness that stirred unexpected sympathy. To him, her words matched exactly what he had already learned through his inquiries. She was being truthful.
"If Jeje asks about your visit here, what will you say?" Hong Taiji inquired, his tone measured.
Hairanju hesitated for a moment before bowing deeply. "I'll follow your guidance, Great Khan."
Shortly after, the lights in the Fenghuang Tower dimmed, and a slender figure quietly slipped out, returning to her own chambers in silence. Just as Hong Taiji had predicted, Hairanju's late-night visit was noticed. By the next morning, whispers had already reached Jeje's ears.
Jeje sat motionless, holding a bowl of milk tea, staring blankly ahead as her youngest daughter's cries broke her reverie. She glanced up just as Da Yuer entered, greeting her as usual to wish her a good morning.
Jeje spoke softly, "With so many children now, you should take better care of yourself. You don't need to come every day."
Da Yuer smiled gently. "Though you are my aunt, here in the Great Khan's palace, we are all consorts. It might be alright if I were alone, but with so many others around, I can't afford to be careless with propriety."
Soon after, Hairanju arrived as well. Da Yuer, eager to clear up any misunderstandings, quickly explained to Jeje the confusion that had arisen at the mausoleum, reassuring her aunt, "Please don't believe the rumours, Aunt. I swear, you mustn't wrongly accuse my sister."
Hairanju and Jeje exchanged glances. Both women knew far more than they let on, but Jeje, in her pride, said nothing.
As the day wore on, Hairanju waited for Jeje to bring up the previous night's visit to the Fenghuang Tower, but the question never came. Hong Taiji had advised her well—if Jeje didn't ask, she wasn't to offer an explanation. Perhaps Jeje would never ask. The Great Khan truly knew his wife well.
Later that afternoon, Qiqige arrived at the palace. She always seemed to be able to find delightful, interesting things from Shengjing to entertain the children, and the atmosphere in Qingning Palace was lively and joyful. Amid the laughter, Adai suddenly rushed in, breathless, and announced, "Great Consort, the Great Khan has just sent word—he's ordered a ceasefire at the front. This winter, he's staying in Shengjing and won't be leaving."
Da Yuer immediately jumped to her feet, rushing over to Adai with excitement in her voice. "Really? The Great Khan is staying home for the winter?"
Adai nodded enthusiastically and added, turning to Qiqige, "And the Fourteenth Beile isn't leaving either. The Great Khan has also issued a decree to summon the Fifteenth Beile back."
Qiqige's heart surged with joy, she would now fly out to find Dorgon, but she maintained her calm and composed demeanor, only offering a soft smile. "I understand."
Jeje, seeing her restrained excitement, playfully chided, "Why hold it in? If you're happy, just show it. It's only me and Yuer here—we're not going to laugh at you."
Blushing, Qiqige was about to respond when Da Yuer bounded over, wrapping her arms around Qiqige with a cheeky grin. "Warm up your room during the day, but don't let the bed get too hot at night. And make sure to prop your back up a little, so don't say I didn't teach you anything."
Qiqige was mortified, her face flushing as she lightly slapped Da Yuer in embarrassment. She then sat down beside Hairanju, laughing. "Sister, look at her! She pretends to be this sweet, innocent little rabbit, but she's really a sly wolf, always teasing people."
Hairanju smiled gently, scolding her younger sister, "Stop teasing Qiqige. You're always so carefree."
Da Yuer playfully pouted and went off to join the children, but her heart was full of warmth. The thought of spending the entire winter curled up in her husband's embrace, no longer having to worry about the cold, filled her with happiness.
But while the women rejoiced, the sudden announcement of a ceasefire was not met with the same enthusiasm among the ministers. Huang Taiji's decision had thrown them off guard, and Dorgon was the first to voice his disagreement. He waited outside the Ten Kings Pavilion, anticipating the Great Khan's summons, feeling restless and dissatisfied with the unexpected news.