In the midst of the crowd, Hong Taiji walked towards Hairanju without a hint of hesitation, his horse stood obediently beneath him, stopping in place without moving.
He sat high on the horse, his expression appearing calm and indifferent, as if oblivious to the disputes and entanglements around him. Yet, all the gentleness in his gaze was directed solely at the woman before him.
"I'll ask you again," Hong Taiji leaned forward slightly, getting closer, "That night, you didn't answer me. Now tell me."
Hairanju's heart gradually steadied as his hoofbeats approached. At this very moment, her eyes saw no one but Hong Taiji. The moment she spotted him among the crowd, her wandering heart finally found a place to rest. She no longer had to feel fear or hesitation.
"I did not conspire with Wukeshan. I don't want to marry Suhebat," Hairanju replied to him, "I have never lied to you."
Hong Taiji held out his hand without a word.
His broad, solid hand, rough calluses marking his grip, was a testament to his strength. He was a true hero, her pillar of strength.
Hairanju would never recall what courage led her to reach out, but the moment their fingers intertwined, she knew there was no turning back in this lifetime.
With a gentle pull, Hong Taiji lifted her onto the horse, holding her securely in his arms. Wrapped warmly in his cloak, Hairanju's tense body gradually relaxed, slowly melting into the warmth of her new home.
She saw no one else, not even Qiqige, as she felt that she was finally heading home, knowing she had found a place where she truly belonged.
As Suhebat and Wukeshan both approached on horseback, Hong Taiji ignored their presence and turned his horse back along the road from which he had come. When Dorgon stepped forward, Hong Taiji said calmly, "I'll leave this to you."
An inner turmoil consumed Dorgon, torn by feelings of betrayal toward Da Yuer, as he found himself escorting Hong Taiji to retrieve the woman who had entered his own heart.
"Great Khan…" Dorgon's words were on the tip of his tongue, mixed with bitterness and blood, but he swallowed them down and gripped the reins tightly. "Travel safely, Great Khan. I'll join you shortly."
Hong Taiji nodded slightly and looked down at the woman in his arms. "Are you steady?" he asked softly.
Hairanju shifted a little and, though timid, responded, "I'm steady." No matter how delicate she seemed, she was a girl raised in the saddle.
With a crack of the whip and the horse's piercing neigh, their steed took off into the night like an arrow released from a bow. Firelight flickered, illuminating the swirling dust as the guards followed closely, kicking up clouds of dirt in their wake.
Qiqige ran to Dorgon's side, and with one swift motion, he pulled her into his arms. Glancing coldly at Suhebat and Wukeshan, he said, "Are you two planning to camp out here tonight?"
Wukeshan's heart raced, so elated that he nearly burst into song by the fireside. His plan had succeeded; he'd successfully sent yet another woman to Hong Taiji, but this time, he had sent her straight into Hong Taiji's heart.
Outwardly, he kept his composure, casting a cold look at Suhebat. "Now do you understand why?" he said.
Suhebat was indeed stunned. As domineering as he was, he dared not provoke Hong Taiji. The realization that he had nearly taken Hong Taiji's woman made his hand tremble slightly as he gripped the reins.
From Dorgon's arms, Qiqige looked back at the fading dust in the distance. Hong Taiji's figure had long vanished, yet the scene she had just witnessed burned in her mind.
Someday, would Da Yuer come to ask her about what happened that night?
Meanwhile, in Shengjing Palace, the lamps in Qingning Palace remained lit, standing out brightly against the night sky. This made it difficult for Zarut in the side palace to sleep. Her maidservants gathered information from multiple sources, learning only that the Khorchin tribe had been blocked halfway by the Zhalite tribe.
Zarut's eyes glinted with calculation as she cradled her not-yet-visible belly, sneering, "I knew it; that woman is a witch."
By midnight, Zarut, who had been drifting off, was startled awake by sounds outside. She called for her maids to help her to the window, where she saw Hairanju arriving, surrounded by three or four palace maids.
"Look, she's back," Zarut said to the maid at her side. "Hairanju is something else; she's completely won Hong Taiji's heart."
"Side Consort, please take care of yourself," her maid urged. "With Consort Yu's temper, do you really think she'd tolerate her sister? I don't believe it. Just let them fight among themselves; it'll be enough of a mess."
"Do you think so?" Zarut frowned, "That Da Yuer treasures her sister as if she were her own heart."
On the other side, Hairanju stood before Jeje and Da Yuer, bowing formally to her aunt. Jeje quickly responded, "What are you doing? Stand up."
Da Yuer stepped forward, hugging her sister tightly as tears spilled down her cheeks.
Hairanju gently said, "My body's cold, Yuer; don't catch a chill."
But Da Yuer shook her head, saying, "I'll keep you warm, Sister. With me here, you don't have to be afraid."
Hairanju patted her reassuringly, but her gaze went over her sister's shoulder, meeting Jeje's eyes. She could read all the unspoken emotions in her aunt's gaze, and she lowered her long lashes, unable to look again.
"Get her settled quickly," Jeje said. "No need for a fuss. Hairanju, you can stay in your old room. We can talk about everything tomorrow."
"Aunt, I'd like my sister to stay in my room," Da Yuer said, "It's warmer there."
Jeje considered stopping her but then thought, what if this were their last night together?
"Do as you wish," she sighed, waving a hand with feigned irritation. "I'm tired. As if I were as young as you two, every day adding to my worries."
Overjoyed, Da Yuer took her sister's hand and led her to her quarters. She could be heard asking, "Has Qiqige returned?"
Jeje instinctively put a hand to her heart, feeling a pang. Her attendant, Adai, approached in concern. "Consort, are you all right?"
"Adai…" Jeje clutched her arm, saying, "Adai, what should I do?"
In the side palace, the sisters quietly washed up, mindful not to wake the children, and then climbed into bed. Da Yuer nestled close to Hairanju, contentedly saying, "If you went back to Khorchin, I'd worry night and day. I'd probably rush over to bring you back and then face a scolding from aunt."
Hairanju chuckled, "Aunt isn't that unreasonable."
Da Yuer rubbed her head on her sister's arm like a child, saying, "With you here, I can always be the little sister, forever spoiled. With Aunt, there will always be a difference in rank, and I know that in my heart."
Hairanju felt a heaviness settle in her chest. Though Hong Taiji had spoken no words on the journey back, as he helped her down from his horse before entering the palace and wrapped her warmly in his cloak, he had said, "Stay here with peace of mind."
Those few words—each was precious, each heavy with meaning, and she knew she would spend her life repaying them and bearing their weight.
Hairanju turned to look at her sister, whose face shone with happiness, as if even her dreams would make her smile.
"Yuer…"
"Hmm?"
The night deepened, and dawn grew closer. By the time Qiqige had finished her washing and finally lay down, the sky outside was already a dim gray.
Dorgon was already lying in bed. She added an extra blanket over him, feeling the warmth radiating from his body. Yet they were both exhausted tonight, their emotions tangled and complex, so much so that other matters couldn't even cross their minds.
"Get some sleep," Dorgon said as he pulled Qiqige into his arms. "Did you get scared today? If I'd known, I wouldn't have let you go to send off Princess Lan."
Qiqige replied, "I had my own brother and sister-in-law to see off as well. Fortunately, they're nothing like Wukeshan."
Dorgon sighed. "Suhebat could only swallow his anger, but that Wukeshan—you saw how his grin almost stretched to the back of his head."
"Don't overthink it," Qiqige soothed him, gently running her hand over his chest. "Whether it's a blessing or a curse, we'll just have to wait and see. We knew this was bound to happen eventually; it just happened a little later and a bit more fiercely than we expected. Who would have thought that gentle, demure Hairanju would stir up such a storm?"
Dorgon turned over, holding Qiqige close and closing his eyes heavily.
Qiqige, still mumbling, asked, "Do you think tonight might end in a falling out? Do you think Da Yuer…"
But then she heard Dorgon's steady breathing; he had fallen asleep.
Qiqige smiled wryly, muttering, "Alright then, what does it have to do with us anyway?"
She didn't know that his sleep was feigned, and the matter twisted tightly in his mind, winding around and around, tightening with each turn.
As the night ebbed and dawn arrived, the palace stirred. Servants were preparing for the morning court assembly and the early meal in the inner palace. Hong Taiji sat up on his couch, having not slept a wink. The image of Hairanju in the crowd lingered in his mind.
He felt dazed, as if caught in a dream, uncertain at what point he might truly wake. He had spent a lifetime on the battlefield, expanding his empire—how was it that now, at this age, he found himself acting so irrationally for the sake of a woman?
"Great Khan…" Niman appeared. "the Great Consort sent word, inviting you to Qingning Palace for breakfast. Everything is ready, and it won't interfere with the timing of the morning court."
Hong Taiji glanced at the dim sky outside and shook his head. "It's too late. I'll go to court first."