Qiqige said mysteriously, "So soft, handfuls of it—it just makes my heart warm all over. If I were a man..."
Da Yuer glared at her and said, "Why on earth does Aunt always compare me to you, always wanting me to learn this or that from you? Qiqige, if you have the guts to pinch Aunt's, I'll take your surname."
Qiqige replied, "We already share the same surname."
Da Yuer was momentarily stunned, then laughed at herself.
They couldn't stay in the hot water for too long. The two beauties, slightly dizzy, came out of the bath, with Qiqige still eager to give Da Yuer another feel. Da Yuer firmly covered herself, not allowing it. Besides feeding the children, there was only one person allowed to touch her there, and no one else—man or woman.
Qiqige was just teasing her. After drying their hair and dressing, Sumala brought them freshly prepared dishes from the kitchen. They were both hungry, but Qiqige asked Sumala, "Is there any alcohol here? The strong kind."
"You want to drink?" Da Yuer asked.
"Just a rare drink or two—it's cold, isn't it?" Qiqige tore off a piece of beef and chewed happily, speaking through a full mouth, "The meat here—tender, not dry—perfectly flavoured. I'm taking some with me when we leave and having the cook roast it for Dorgon."
She glanced out the window at the snowflakes drifting down again and, while chewing on her beef, said with concern, "He's only afraid of me. I wonder if those two at home can make sure he eats three meals a day."
Da Yuer said, "You only worry when he's at home. When he's at war, he hardly gets a single proper meal. Since he's not in front of you, just don't think about it."
Qiqige laughed, "Oh, so now you're calm enough to be advising me?"
"I've always been calm. The way I handled Zarut—that was not calm," Da Yuer replied. "I am calm; I just don't know what's best to do."
"So you came here?"
Da Yuer, chewing a mouthful of meat with her cheeks puffed up, murmured, "Qiqige, you're so good to come keep me company."
By then, Sumala had already brought the wine. Qiqige downed a cup in one gulp, the fiery taste scrunching up her eyes and nose, but without a pause, she poured herself another, bringing it to her nose to savour, saying, "The fragrance of grain—so good."
"I don't know how long I'll be staying here. If you miss Dorgon, you should go back sooner rather than later," Da Yuer suggested. "Otherwise, I'll feel like I've done you wrong, dragging you into this when I can't find peace myself."
Qiqige, not one to handle strong liquor well, was already flushed after two cups. She slurred, dazed, "I've told you a hundred times—I didn't come just for you. I had nowhere else to go, so I just came along. I want them to give Dorgon a child. If I'm at home, they wouldn't dare... I..."
But in the midst of her words, she suddenly started to cry. The alcohol loosened her emotions, making her more uninhibited. Hearing the sobbing, Sumala thought it was her own mistress, only to discover it was the Fourteenth Consort who was crying.
Da Yuer crawled over, embracing her and patting her back gently. Qiqige was heartbroken, crying, "Yuer, what if they have a child? What will I do then? What will I do?"
As Da Yuer held Qiqige, she wondered which of them had it worse. If Heaven didn't grant Qiqige a child, she could struggle her whole life and still end up empty-handed. She had claimed she'd come to terms with it, but how could she really be okay? She was just forcing herself to keep up appearances, to stay dignified, to support the reputation of Dorgon's household.
But Da Yuer, if she could just face it all with a smile, openly bless everyone, it would all fade away—just as it was before—a family of people who cared for one another.
Qiqige, while crying, took a few more drinks, soon slipping into a tipsy daze, finally falling asleep in Da Yuer's arms, sniffling as she drifted off.
Sumala came over to attend to them and, seeing the state of things, asked worriedly, "Do you think she'll be sick tonight? Fourteenth Consort truly is something."
Da Yuer gave Qiqige's cheek a little pinch. The sleeping woman made a soft whimper, looking utterly endearing. Da Yuer huffed, "Aunt must think that with Qiqige here, they'll all be reassured. But look at this—who's taking care of whom?"
Sumala chuckled, "Fourteenth Consort only feels at ease in front of you. With anyone else, she's always carrying herself just right—must be exhausting."
Da Yuer's heart softened, "Yes, while it may seem like we're both caught in the same struggles, Qiqige's burden is actually heavier."
Night fell, and Hetu Ala, already quiet by day, became even more deserted by night.
Qiqige, drunk, slept soundly, while Da Yuer leaned by the window, listening to the lonely sounds of the wind outside.
The candlelight flickered before her, but her eyes were blank, seeing nothing and wanting to see nothing.
In Shengjing, snow fell quietly, and after the lights went out in the Qingning Palace, the lights in the residences of Zarut and Consort Doudoumen also went dark. Only the side palace where Hairanju resided remained lit. Her maid, Baoqing, peeked out from behind the quilted curtains from time to time, checking to see if Hong Taiji has arrived.
They waited until midnight. The warmth in the room made them drowsy, and Hairanju was already half-asleep when suddenly a cold draft brought her to her senses. She opened her eyes to see Hong Taiji looking at her gently.
With flushed cheeks, Hairanju quickly rose. Baoqing and the other maids hastily came forward to remove Hong Taiji's outer robe and boots. Hairanju ordered them to prepare a late-night snack, but Hong Taiji waved it off, saying, "I'm not hungry; I'm tired and just want to sleep."
The maids brought in hot water and then withdrew quietly.
Hailanzhu wrung out a hot cloth and began carefully wiping his face. Hong Taiji, already weary, closed his eyes. She knelt beside him, attentively tending to him, when suddenly he opened his eyes, startling her.
He took hold of her soft hand, which was warm and flushed from the hot water, making her fair skin turn a gentle pink. He recalled the night he had stormed into the Fourteenth Beile's residence, finding her just after a bath—the glow in her cheeks, her neck, her hands; every inch of exposed skin carried a lovely rosy hue.
When a man notices a woman's beauty, she enters his gaze. But when he wants to look at her longer, not just for her beauty, she has entered his heart.
"You must be tired from waiting so long?" Hong Taiji said. "From now on, go to bed earlier."
Hairanju nodded with a soft smile. "But don't just dive straight into bed; it's so cold."
"Don't you want to warm me up?" Hong Taiji replied.
Hairanju laughed lightly. "That's what a warm brick bed is for."
Hong Taiji patted the space beside him, signalling her to lie down. Hairanju said, "I'll put the cloth away first."
But as she turned, a strong arm pulled her down onto the thick bedding. In his deep, dark eyes, she saw her own nervous reflection. Her fingers relaxed, and the cloth fell to the ground.
"Tonight, you can't escape," he whispered, giving her a gentle kiss, his voice firm yet tender, his eyes filled with affection. "Tonight, I won't let you go."
Hairanju's eyes sparkled with tears. "But…"
But she had no right to protest. His warm, passionate kiss quickly overwhelmed her, and in the presence of this powerful man, she found herself without resistance—nor did she wish to resist.
Previously, out of fear and nervousness, Hong Taiji had not forced her. But tonight, she wanted to truly be Hong Taiji's woman, without any hesitation.
Ten days had passed since Da Yuer left Shengjing. During this time, Hong Taiji spent every night in Hairanju's palace, and sometimes, even in the middle of the night, Hairanju would be summoned to the Fenghuang Tower.
The favouritism shown to the new consort was obvious, as if Hong Taiji wanted everyone to know. Now, everyone who saw Hairanju would greet her with flattering smiles and respect.
In Khorchin, the news travelled fast. While they were pleased with Hairanju's rise in favour, they were not pleased with Da Yuer's departure to Hetu Ala.
What Wukeshan wanted was for Jeje and her two nieces to keep Hong Taiji's heart tied to them, thus securing all of their standing in the Jin court and Khorchin's influence in Southern Mongolia.
One day, a letter and gifts arrived from Khorchin, divided into three parts for Jeje, Hairanju, and Da Yuer. Since Da Yuer was not in Shengjing, her portion was to be forwarded to Hetu Ala. Jeje remarked that she would take this opportunity to send a letter asking Da Yuer to return soon.
And so, Jeje's letter, along with the gifts from Wukeshan, was delivered to Hetu Ala. Da Yuer showed little interest in reading the letter, as her aunt's messages were always the same, filled with requests for her to come back.
"These must be fertility medicines. Wukeshan isn't even trying to hide his intentions," muttered Qiqige, who was sitting cross-legged on the kang, unpacking the contents with Sumala. She recognized the smell of medicinal herbs at once. Then, noticing a letter inside, she asked, "Do you want to read it?"
"I don't," Da Yuer replied, barely looking up from the cat's cradle she was playing with Yatu and Atu. "It's just the same words over and over."
Qiqige opened the letter and began reading aloud anyway.
Jeje's letter was, as expected, nearly identical to her previous ones. She finished reading it and set it aside, then opened another letter, this one from Wukeshan.
The first part contained nothing surprising, just some pleasantries and advice. But when she turned to the second page, she found a shocking message: I feel deeply guilty for causing you to miscarry and lose your posthumous child. I hope you can forgive me. Taking medicine to induce miscarriage has harmed your health, so take good care of yourself. We hope you can bear a son for Hong Taiji, which would relieve both your aunt and Bumubutai. If you are favoured, you must not neglect Bumubutai; together, you should win Hong Taiji's affection.
The room fell into silence. Qiqige had read the letter in Mongolian, which the children didn't fully understand, but Da Yuer and Sumala did.
After a long pause, Sumala spoke, "Could it be that older Princess's child was killed… by Wukeshan Taiji?"
Da Yuer's whole body tensed, a surge of heat filling every corner of her being. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, "Sumala, what did you say?"