Hong Taiji's brows knitted in deep frustration, Dorgon's words reminding him of a disturbing possibility. His gaze drifted back to the unconscious Hairanju; anger simmered as his fists clenched.
Had he fallen into Wukeshan's scheme? Could this woman have conspired with her brother in some calculated display of helplessness?
"Great Khan, allow me to escort you back to the palace," Dorgon suggested, noting the late hour.
As Hong Taiji prepared to leave, Qiqige stepped forward and said, "Great Khan, I'll take good care of Sister Hairanju. But… should you inform Consort Yu? If she learns how her sister was mistreated, she'll be furious—furious enough to kill someone."
Hong Taiji let out a derisive laugh. "You know her well," he replied, an inscrutable expression crossing his face. "Seems anyone can see through her."
Without further explanation, he turned and departed. Qiqige was too preoccupied to consider the meaning of his words deeply, but curiosity gnawed at her. Why had Hong Taiji come to the outskirts tonight in the first place?
This matter wasn't explained in full to Qiqige until Dorgon returned after escorting his elder brother. Dorgon himself was unsure why Hong Taiji had suddenly wanted to take a stroll outside the city; he seemed just like his usual self.
"We ran into Princess Lan unexpectedly. She recognized the Great Khan, but Wukeshan's woman did not. We didn't reveal our identities or alert anyone, so even you didn't know the Great Khan had been there, did you?" Dorgon asked.
Qiqige shook her head, recalling the night's events. "I didn't know. They were drinking, singing, and dancing with much enthusiasm. Sister Hairanju showed up briefly; I waved at her from across the crowd but got held back by my brother's children and couldn't get away. Then, at some point, she was just gone. I had no idea…"
"Wukeshan is so cruel; that's his own sister!" Dorgon was furious.
Qiqige, feeling deeply guilty, said, "If I had just spoken to her for a moment, she might have asked me for help… It's my fault…"
"How can you blame yourself?" Dorgon said, almost accidentally mentioning Da Yuer's name in front of his wife. Quickly realizing, he corrected himself, "Consort Yu should feel even more responsible, as should the Great Consort. They both know Wukeshan's true nature better than anyone."
Qiqige sighed, "What have we Khorchin women done to deserve this fate? One by one, we're sent here as gifts to your kingdom, regardless of how we fare. No one seems to care about our lives. Sisiter Hairanju only narrowly escaped this ordeal, but heaven, so quick to take back its blessings, has let her endure such suffering."
At that moment, the doctor treating Hairanju came out and informed Dorgon and Qiqige of her condition. Midnight had passed, and soon after, one of Dorgon's men hurried in to report that Wukeshan was frantically searching for Hairanju.
This night was destined to be anything but peaceful.
The next morning, Niman was ordered to report the incident to the Great Consort in the Qingning Palace. Unfortunately, he hadn't been there and knew only limited details. Jeje wanted to ask for more specifics but couldn't get the answers.
She could guess what Wukeshan might have done to Hairanju, but what puzzled her was why Hong Taiji had been present. She remembered their night together at the Fenghuang Tower—what exactly happened between Hong Taiji and Hairanju that night?
As Niman departed, Da Yuer arrived with Yatu, informing her aunt that she planned to go outside the city to look for her sister, saying that Yatu had missed her aunt so much that she hadn't slept all night.
Yatu, indeed thinking only of her aunt, clung to Jeje, saying, "Auntie, I miss Auntie!"
Jeje ordered Adai to take the young princess out, then solemnly said to Da Yuer, "Something happened to Hairanju. She's now at the Fourteenth Beile's residence. Do you want to go see her?"
Da Yuer froze. "Aunt… what do you mean?"
In the Grand Politics Hall, the news from Qingning Palace reached them: the Great Consort and Consort Yu were planning to go to the Fourteenth Beile's residence. Hong Taiji looked calmly at the memorial in his hand and nodded, saying, "Understood."
Niman hesitated before speaking softly, "Great Khan, the Great Consort asked me why you went outside the city last night."
Without lifting his gaze, Hong Taiji replied, "What did you say?"
"I… I told her I didn't know," Niman answered.
Hong Taiji gave a faint chuckle. Of course, Niman didn't know. Even Dorgon, who had accompanied him, was uncertain. But then, what about himself?
Yesterday evening, when he met Hairanju at the foot of the Fenghuang Tower, he saw a plea for help in her eyes—a look he couldn't shake.
Later, as Dorgon delivered Fan Wencheng's memorial, the Han officials' words reminded him of that confrontation in the maple forest.
Here was a delicate, helpless woman who had asserted with such strength that she wasn't a mere object to be given and taken as others pleased. She had such determination, but fate seemed to show her no mercy.
Hong Taiji wanted to save her. An inexplicable urge had driven him to visit the outskirts, to go and see for himself. If, in that moment, he had felt even a bit less compelled, if Dorgon hadn't mentioned going to fetch Qiqige… but there are no "what-ifs." The fact is, he went, and he went at exactly the right time.
In that fleeting moment when they crossed paths, the light in Hairanju's eyes—Hong Taiji could almost still see it now when he closed his eyes. She saw him, and it was as if she saw hope.
But if all this was merely a trick by Wukeshan and Hairanju, then what made them so certain he would fall for it? And why wouldn't he have seen through it?
While he was lost in thought, a message came from outside the hall: Wukeshan was requesting an audience at the palace gates.
Hong Taiji's eyes turned icy. "No," he ordered.
Meanwhile, Da Yuer, rushing with Jeje, arrived at Qiqige's residence. By then, Hairanju had already woken and was leaning against the headboard, eating the milk porridge that Qiqige was feeding her. Suddenly, she saw her younger sister burst in, rushing forward like the wind.
"Quick, close the door—don't let Princess Lan catch a chill... Oh! Aunt, you're here too?" Qiqige instructed a maid to shut the door and hurried to greet Jeje as she entered with steady steps. She invited her aunt to sit.
"Sister…" Da Yuer began to cry, cradling Hairanju's face in her hands. The teeth marks on her sister's chin were shocking, and as she looked down her sister's neck, she could see bruises faintly visible beneath her collar.
Da Yuer grabbed her sister's collar, pulling it down, and what she saw turned her tears into anger. Hairanju's snow-white skin was covered in scratches and bite marks. A murderous glint rose in Da Yuer's eyes as she clenched her jaw in fury.
Hairanju's reaction to her sister's gesture stirred up her deep-seated fear and shame. She clutched her chest and backed away, pulling a quilt around herself as if to hide.
"Yuer, don't frighten your sister," Qiqige rushed over, gently nudging Da Yuer aside and wrapping her arms around Hairanju. "It's alright, sister. It's just Yuer, it's us—not anyone else."
Hairanju trembled, curling up, her gaze dazed as she looked at Da Yuer, tearfully calling out, "Sister…"
The sight made Da Yuer's heart twist with anguish, and she frantically turned to Qiqige. "Who did this? Who hurt my sister like this?"
With a cold tone, Jeje spoke up, "Leave and calm yourself, Yuer. Do you hear me?"
Da Yuer's eyes were bloodshot with fury, and Qiqige, seeing her like this, knew it was best to ease her away. She pushed and coaxed her out, saying, "Stay out here for a moment, calm down before you go back in. Hairanju's terrified enough—don't make it worse." She handed a hand warmer to Da Yuer and went back inside.
Inside, Jeje was already seated beside Hairanju, holding her hand. Gently, she reached to brush aside Hairanju's messy locks, but the fragile young woman trembled visibly, even at her touch.
"It's my fault, I shouldn't have let him take you away," Jeje consoled her softly. "Don't worry, I won't let him touch you again. I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Aunt…" Hairanju's tears fell freely, but she bit her lip, afraid that her constant crying would make her an annoyance, afraid that one day even the people who protected her would grow tired and leave her.
Seeing this, Jeje's heart ached. She embraced her tightly. "I'm sorry, my dear. Don't be afraid."
Hairanju, who had been whimpering quietly, now wept openly in her aunt's arms, as if pouring all her sorrow, pain, and despair into her tears. Why, she wondered, why was it always her? What had she done wrong?
Qiqige, feeling heartbroken, went to fetch a towel, handing it to her cousin and aunt. She spoke calmly, "We must find a way to handle this, to make Wukeshan give up once and for all. He crossed paths with the Great Khan this time; it won't end as he wishes."
Hairanju looked at Qiqige, recalling everything that had happened yesterday. Why had Hong Taiji appeared outside the city? Had he understood the plea in her eyes back at the Fenghuang Tower?
Jeje noticed the faint glimmer in Hairanju's eyes when Qiqige mentioned Hong Taiji. Her heart sank as she glanced toward the door, where, separated by a single wall, Yuer was standing just outside.
Outside, the cold wind gusted over and over, but Da Yuer stood still, ignoring the chill. Twice, the maid tried to hand her a hand warmer, only for Da Yuer to drop it to the ground both times.
Her mind was somewhere far away, as if she had already slaughtered the beast who hurt her sister in her imagination, trampling Wukeshan's head into the dirt a thousand times.
Rage radiated from her entire being, and the instant that Dorgon entered the courtyard and saw her like this, he froze.
"What's going on with you?" Dorgon eventually walked over, "It's freezing out here—why aren't you inside? Did the Fourth Sister-in-law punish you again?"
Dayuer snapped out of her thoughts and stared at him in a daze, a sudden realization making her heart jolt. She gripped his arm tightly, fury in her voice, "Dorgon, were you there last night?"
Dorgon met her gaze and answered, "I was."
Da Yuer's grip tightened as she demanded, "Who hurt my sister? Which vile beast was it?"