If it were any ordinary day, Hairanju might have been intimidated by Hong Taiji's command, but today, with little Atu in her arms, she couldn't allow the child to witness such a salacious scene or hear anything frightening.
As a mother herself, despite her typically gentle demeanour, she would not allow anyone to harm the child. She didn't look back as she pushed her way out, her eyes meeting Baoqing's in panic. Baoqing, ever quick-witted, helped her quickly move away from the scene.
Nearby, Niman had only taken a few steps away when he saw Princess Lan carrying Atu out of Consort Doutumen's tent, bewildered and unsure of what to do next. He rushed back to the front of the tent, about to inquire with the Great Khan, but then he heard a languid voice from inside.
"Great Khan, who is more beautiful, me or Hairanju?" followed by the repeated calls of "Great Khan, Great Khan..."
Zarut's voice, as if capable of ensnaring a man's soul, resonated with a yearning to entwine with Hong Taiji. Her breaths came in quick gasps, interspersed with bursts of reckless laughter.
Niman, waiting outside, overheard the seductive commotion. Having served Hong Taiji for many years, he was accustomed to unusual sights, but Zarut's overt display, seemingly desiring an audience for her antics, was shockingly brazen.
He thought to himself that if such a woman were kept close to the Great Khan, the palace would indeed see lively days ahead.
Sighing, he instructed his subordinates to prepare hot water, curious about how long such a person could last close to the Great Khan.
Meanwhile, on the grassland, Da Yuer rode with Yatu, while Dorgon returned from patrolling with his men. From a distance, he initially didn't recognize Da Yuer and Yatu. He ordered his subordinates to go forward and remind them of safety. Just as he was about to turn his horse around, he heard Da Yuer's voice and looked back.
Yatu, riding her little pony, was galloping ahead, her reins flapping in the air as if they had slipped from someone's grasp.
Da Yuer chased after her, shouting, "Yatu, pull on the reins, hold them tight..."
The pony, though small, was a swift and well-bred steed. The situation looked dire; if Yatu were thrown off, she could be seriously injured.
Without a second thought, Dorgon spurred his horse forward. Seeing the larger horse, the pony became even more excited and started bucking wildly. Yatu screamed and was thrown off.
Dorgon, reacting swiftly, dove from his horse, catching his niece and rolling with her on the ground to cushion her fall. Da Yuer, terrified, stumbled over, pulling her daughter from Dorgon's arms, trembling and stammering, "Yatu, are you hurt? Let me see…"
But Yatu just giggled, unscathed and unfazed, scrambling out of her mother's arms and clinging to Dorgon, sweetly coaxing in her childlike voice, "Fourteenth Uncle, I want to ride the big horse, ride big horse with Fourteenth Uncle."
Everyone was momentarily stunned. Before Da Yuer could object, Dorgon lifted Yatu onto his shoulders, declaring, "Fourteenth Uncle will take you to ride the big horse."
Yatu was delighted, the fear forgotten, blissfully unaware of her mother's fright. She rode away with Dorgon, seated in his lap, marveling at everything around her, waving at her mother: "Mommy, I'm so high up!"
Sumala hurried over to help Dayuer up, but Dorgon had already taken Yatu off into the distance.
Breathing hard and still shaken, Da Yuer exclaimed, "When we get back, I'm going to spank her hard, this little girl is getting wilder by the day."
Sumala laughed, "Isn't she just like you?"
Da Yuer glared at her: "Nonsense, I've always been obedient since I was young."
But the word "obedient" felt like a curse to her, twisting her heart whenever it was mentioned.
Da Yuer tried to suppress these troubling thoughts, determined to enjoy this rare outing and to live according to her own desires nowadays.
"Mommy…"
From a distance, Yatu's voice carried over, prompting Da Yuer to look up and see Dorgon turning his horse around to face the setting sun. He and Yatu were bathed in golden light, as if armored in gold, dazzling and bright.
Da Yuer waved joyfully at her daughter, "Mommy's here!"
As uncle and niece approached, Yatu chattered excitedly. Dorgon said, "It's getting dark, Yatu, be good and go back with your mommy."
The little girl, though playful, was very obedient to her Fourteenth Uncle, giving him a kiss. Dorgon tickled her, making her giggle and shriek for her mommy to save her.
Da Yuer opened her arms to catch her daughter, playfully scolding, "No more trouble, or mommy will spank you if you wet the bed tonight."
At a distance by the tents, Qiqige stood with her maid, having come to find Da Yuer. It was a coincidence that she saw her husband returning from patrol, and by then, Yatu was already sitting on her husband's horse.
She was initially happy to join the fun, but seeing Yatu kiss Dorgon, watching Dorgon playfully engaging with his niece, and seeing Yatu wave reluctantly to Dorgon as she returned to Dayuer's arms, stirred complex feelings in her. She noticed Dorgon's gaze linger long on the child…
Qiqige's hands clenched into fists. Dorgon's affection for children, whether it was Yatu or any other little nephew or niece, was evident.
After so many years, didn't he feel any urgency, any desire for his own children?
No, it wasn't that Dorgon wasn't eager; it was her own inability to bear a child, her own shortcomings. Out of consideration for her, Dorgon even refrained from taking concubines or other women.
"Consort?" her maid prompted, "Shall we…?"
"Let's go back," Qiqige turned stiffly, "I'm tired, let's go rest."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the grassland was slowly enveloped by night. Dorgon sat on his horse, watching as Da Yuer and Yatu walked away until their figures disappeared completely from view.
"Beile," one of his men approached, "it's getting dark. Please, let's return to camp and rest."
Dorgon waved his hand dismissively, "Let's patrol once more, ensuring the Great Khan's safety is paramount."
Meanwhile, Da Yuer returned to her tent where her aunt had sent some food over. She asked where her sister was, and soon Baoqing arrived, smiling warmly, "Princess Lan has already had her dinner and has gone to sleep. She was so tired from today's journey that she fell asleep while putting the little princess to bed. I didn't have the heart to disturb her."
Da Yuer commented, "It's so good to have a sister; with her around, I don't have to be so busy."
Yet, she stopped Baoqing before she left, "Don't mention this to my sister."
Baoqing understood. If Princess Lan still had her own husband and child, she wouldn't have the time to care for her sister's child—Da Yuer's comment was just a casual remark.
But as Baoqing stepped outside the tent, the news of the Great Khan and Zarut's affair was likely to spread sooner or later. Earlier, she heard Princess Lan muttering about how upset Consort Yu would be.
Shaking her head, Baoqing knew such concerns were beyond her scope, so she hurried off.
Sumala, who just came in, noticed Baoqing's troubled look and mentioned to Da Yuer, "Baoqing seemed preoccupied, a bit odd."
Da Yuer dismissed it lightly, "I'll ask my sister later if someone has been bullying Baoqing. But now that Baoqing is with my sister, bullying her is like bullying my sister."
Sumala remarked, "Some of the other consorts are no easy characters."
Da Yuer then inquired, "Where is the Great Khan tonight?"
Sumala smiled, "I've already checked for you; the Great Khan is spending the night in the Great Consort's tent."
"Aunt," Da Yuer murmured understandingly, deciding not to pursue the matter further.
No matter who it was, she wouldn't be pleased, but what could she do? It was all fate.
As the night deepened, Dorgon finally delegated his patrol duties to someone else and returned to his own tent. It was all dark, thinking Qiqige was asleep, he tiptoed in.
But just as he let down the curtain and darkness enveloped him, suddenly someone embraced his waist. Dorgon tensed, ready to break free, but in an instant, he realized it was Qiqige.
"You haven't slept?" Dorgon chided with a smile, "Or did you wake up hearing me come in?"
"I was waiting for you," Qiqige said while pulling at Dorgon's clothes, not with her usual care but with a fierceness that threatened to tear the fabric, audible even in the snapping of threads.
"Qiqige?" Dorgon was taken aback.
"Get on the bed!" Qiqige urged, pushing her husband while simultaneously tugging at his clothes and her own.
The tent was pitch black, nothing visible, but Dorgon could feel his wife's skin, now bare and icy against his, sending shivers through him.
"Qiqige…" he began, sensing something amiss beneath him and instinctively shouting as he pushed her away, hearing a loud thud as she must have hit the ground.
He immediately rolled over to help her, but the fragile woman had already scrambled up and lunged at him again.
"Qiqige, what's wrong with you?" Dorgon realized something was seriously off and restrained her more firmly, knowing her physical strength was limited.
"What's the matter, Qiqige?"
"I want to have a child, I want to give you a child…" Qiqige's last shreds of reason disintegrated. She was frantic, crying and struggling violently, desperately trying to unite with her husband. "Dorgon, I want a child, I want our child…"
Dorgon had never seen his wife like this; the composed and dignified Qiqige he knew, the respected consort of the Fourteenth Beile, seemed to have vanished.
Her madness was palpable, almost visible in the darkness of the tent.
"I want a child, Dorgon, I want to give you a child," Qiqige repeated, her pleas interspersed with desperate struggles, making Dorgon fear she might hurt herself or lose her mind completely.
With a loud slap, the tent fell into sudden silence, followed by a long, painful pause before soft sobs began to echo.
Dorgon had slapped Qiqige, momentarily shocking her out of her frenzy. The pain on her face and the agony in her heart turned into tears.
Dorgon wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling a blanket over her frail body, speaking tenderly, "I'm sorry, I've been away for so long, leaving you alone at home. Qiqige, I'm so sorry…" His words were filled with remorse as he comforted her, reconciling the distance and the pain that had built up over the years.
The little wife, overcome with grief, cried heartbreakingly as she confessed to Dorgon, "They mock me, saying I am a hen that can't lay eggs. Dorgon, it pains my heart so much..."
Dorgon gently patted her back, soothing her like a child, kissing her forehead and cheeks, and said tenderly, "Stop crying. If anyone says such things again, if anyone bullies you again, I'll cut out their tongue."
Exhausted, she nestled in her husband's arms, crying out her grievances, speaking much and for a long time until later she could not remember what she had said or when she had fallen asleep.
Dorgon stayed by her side, gently wiping away her tears. It was the first time he had heard Qiqige speak of these things; although he had always known that staying in Shengjing alone was not easy for her, he had not realized the extent of her distress.
The glory he had fought so hard to earn had become an unbearable burden for Qiqige.
"I'm sorry you've had to suffer," Dorgon whispered as he kissed his wife's forehead, thinking that in the months to come, no matter what, they should try to have a child.
The night passed, and the next day dawned bright and clear, perfect for autumn hunting.
The young men of the Eight Banners, long wearied by years of campaigning, relished the day's relaxed excitement. Even Dodo had returned, bringing with him the dust of battlefields, to join the hunt.
While the men enjoyed their raucous activities, Jeje and the other consorts watched from the side-lines, and some of the ladies even discussed joining in on horseback for the hunt. Da Yuer, easily swayed, was eager to join in the fun. Glancing timidly at her aunt, she saw Jeje smile and nod, and joyfully followed the others.
Hairanju, accompanied by Atu and Yatu, listened as Yatu talked about learning to ride with Fourteenth Uncle. Hairanju's gaze inadvertently met that of Zarut, who was standing next to Consort Doutumen.
Zarut was dressed in striking peach red, which stood out vividly against the fading yellow of the grasslands, her snow-white and charming face undeniably stunning.
Yet, remembering the previous day's scandalous scene with Hong Taiji, Hailanzhu felt a chill of fear.
"Aunt… I want to go too," Hairanju stood up, saying nervously, "Aunt, I'll go with Da Yuer."
An elder consort nearby commented, "Khorchin girls have been riding horses since they were young, my dear, go ahead."
Jeje smiled and advised Hairanju to be careful, her gaze shifting meaningfully towards Zarut. What did that deep, meaningful look signify?
Jeje glanced at Adai, who immediately understood her intent.
Meanwhile, Da Yuer waited for her sister to join her before they both went to see Hong Taiji. He advised her to be careful and then playfully whipped the back of her horse, causing it to bolt forward at a gallop.
Seeing her sister speed off, Hairanju hurried to follow, but noticing Hong Taiji's intense gaze on her, she momentarily panicked and also cracked her whip hard, speeding after Da Yuer.
Hong Taiji's lips curled into a disdainful smile as he turned to rally his brothers, proposing a competition among them. He declared that the victor would be handsomely rewarded, while the loser would have to stay and clean up the hunting grounds. The men's shouts echoed thunderously across the field.
Hairanju, while chasing after Da Yuer, was still haunted by Hong Taiji's earlier look. She was frightened—not just of Hong Taiji but also of that woman...
"Sister, come quick!" Da Yuer called from ahead, her voice full of excitement as she rode. Holding the reins tightly with one hand and waving energetically with the other, she shouted, "There are rabbits here, hurry up, they are about to run away!"