Da Yuer shook her head fiercely, sobbing. "For you to say something like this to me one day… just how far have we come? You have so many women, but I only have you. No matter how you add it up, you owe me for this lifetime. But please don't say it out loud. Even if I have to lie to myself forever, I'd be willing."
"I understand," Hong Taiji replied gently, a warm smile on his face. "And I'll change too. I always scold you whenever something happens, never stopping to think. I'll change that, too."
"That's what I want to hear." Da Yuer's voice was filled with grievance. "I'm not a child, I wasn't acting out of nothing—I know what's important. I really do."
"Do you, now?" Hong Taiji chuckled, pulling his little beauty close. Seeing the smile return to Da Yuer's face, he finally felt at ease. He couldn't resist teasing, "Do you think the Koreans or Chongzhen would ever guess that, when I'm at home, I'm just keeping my wife entertained?"
Da Yuer chuckled mischievously, "I'll write to them and let them know."
Hong Taiji gave her a playful bite on the lips—not enough to hurt, but enough to make her pounce on him. Unable to resist her antics, he took her in his arms and showered her with affection.
In the quiet of the night, Da Yuer opened her eyes. The man beside her was fast asleep. She had been resting on his arm, but worried it might go numb by morning, she gently tried to move it.
Hong Taiji suddenly woke, looking at her warily. She froze, but quickly relaxed; this wasn't the first time he had woken up so suddenly.
Even in the palace in Shengjing, Hong Taiji rarely slept soundly, let alone here in this temporary residence.
"Go back to sleep," Da Yuer said softly, lightly stroking his chest. He took her hand in his, closed his eyes again, and soon his gentle breathing resumed. Da Yuer breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to withdraw her hand, but stopped for fear of waking him again.
She sat there, looking at him in silence for a long time. She vividly remembered that night when she first became his woman, the night she began to truly love her husband like a woman loves a man.
In Hetu Ala, Qiqige had asked her, with their twenty-year age gap, did she know whether her feelings for the Great Khan were love or simply respect? Da Yuer replied that whenever she thought of Huang Taiji, her heart ached. Qiqige had quickly assured her that this was indeed love.
But Qiqige also asked, "In your life, there is only the Great Khan. You're upset that he loves Hairanju, but can you be sure that you'll never fall in love with anyone else?"
"Never," she had said then. And now, Da Yuer repeated those three words in her heart as she lay down beside Hong Taiji. "Absolutely never."
Half-asleep, Hong Taiji sensed her beside him, turned to embrace her, gave her a gentle pat, and mumbled, "Go to sleep."
That night in Fushun, Da Yuer felt deeply content. Though she knew such peaceful days would soon end, she was returning to be with the people she loved.
She loved her aunt, of course, and, even now, she still loved her elder sister, though she hadn't yet found a way to bridge the gap between them.
The night passed. The next day, the skies over Fushun finally cleared, as did the snowy skies over Shengjing. The bright morning sun made people want to go outside to take a walk.
Jeje, tired of staying indoors, took her daughters to stroll through the palace gardens.
She left quietly, so Hairanju didn't hear her leave. After tidying up, Hairanju prepared to pay her respects at the Qingning Palace, but when she reached the entrance, the palace maid informed her that the Great Consort and the young princesses were already out for a walk in the gardens.
Baoqing asked, "Side Consort, should we go join them?"
Hairanju thought for a moment, "Yes, Auntie keeps telling me not to stay cooped up. She'll be glad if I go for a walk."
They descended the steps and headed toward the Fenghuang Pavilion. Just then, Zarut arrived with her maid, swaying as she walked.
Hairanju couldn't intentionally quicken her steps to avoid her, so she paused and nodded as a greeting.
Zarut approached her, just about to speak, when the sleeve warmer in her hand fell to the ground. She exclaimed, "Sister, I can't bend over; could you help me, please?"
Baoqing quickly moved to pick it up, but Zarut scolded, "Filthy maid, don't touch my things with your dirty hands."
Baoqing wanted to protest but was stopped by Hairanju, who knelt down to retrieve the sleeve warmer. In that instant, Zarut's thick-soled shoe came down hard on her fingers.
Hairanju gasped in pain, quickly pulling her hand back and falling to the cold snow-covered ground. Zarut, holding onto her maid for support, exclaimed, "Oh, the wind is strong—I couldn't keep my balance and accidentally stepped on you. How clumsy of me!" She ordered her maid to help Hairanju up, but Baoqing wouldn't let them touch her mistress and helped her up herself.
Hairanju looked utterly dishevelled, her fingers throbbing in pain. At that moment, Jeje returned with her children. Seeing them in the courtyard, she immediately sensed trouble, approached with a cold expression, and asked, "What's going on here?"
Zarut smiled and replied, "Just so, knowing that you had gone for a walk, I was about to join Hairanju to accompany you."
Jeje gave Hairanju a brief look and said, "It's cold outside; standing still will make you catch a chill. The sun's good today; go take a walk yourselves. The Great Khan will be returning soon, so make sure you're all prepared."
Zarut sneered, "The Great Khan naturally heads to Hairanju's chambers; what do I need to prepare?"
Hairanju's fingers, hidden in her sleeve warmer, throbbed with intense pain, making her dizzy. Jeje, thinking Hairanju was once again remaining silent, dismissed it and left with her children.
As she left, Zarut chuckled, "I'm truly sorry—Sister is so well-mannered. If it were Sister Yuer, she'd have fought with me. I didn't mean to do it, of course. Pregnant women are simply weaker. You've been a mother before, so you understand."
Hairanju said nothing, returning to her room with Baoqing. When she finally pulled her hand out of the sleeve warmer, her fingers were swollen, and one nail was broken, showing that Zarut had indeed stomped down with full force.
Baoqing muttered angrily, "She really isn't afraid of death. Doesn't she fear the Great Khan seeing this? Wouldn't it cost her life?"
Meanwhile, on the road back to Shengjing, Hong Taiji was still riding with Da Yuer, or sometimes Da Yuer would ride alongside him. The two of them raced along, chasing each other, and returned to Shengjing just before sunset.
Dorgon had been waiting by the city gates with his men, as his woman was also in the party. When he saw Hong Taiji riding with Da Yuer, accompanied only by a few guards, he greeted them.
Hong Taiji said, "Qiqige and the children are behind, you wait here."
"Yes, Great Khan," Dorgon replied, bowing and clasping his hands. Hong Taiji galloped past like the wind. When Dorgon glanced back, he saw a corner of Da Yuer's bright red wind coat peeking out from under Hong Taiji's cloak, the colour as bright as the blood in his heart.
The main group arrived shortly after. Once Qiqige returned, she resumed her dignified position as the Fourteenth Consort. She had left behind the roasted sunflower seeds from Hetu Ala for Sumala and the wet nurses.
Since they were heading to the palace to report in, the couple didn't have much time to speak, but when they were alone, Qiqige said, "Dorgon, yesterday in Fushun, I saw Yoto glaring at Da Yuer and the Great Khan. Do you think he might try something reckless? I don't care how he treats Hong Taiji, but I'm warning you to be prepared. They still hold grudges against us."
Dorgon's expression darkened as he suddenly recalled what Ajige's drunken words at the banquet had been: that he would use Da Yuer to disgrace Hong Taiji. He answered gravely, "I understand. You be careful too."
Before they even reached the palace, Hong Taiji and Da Yuer had already arrived. They had agreed beforehand that Da Yuer would go to see Jeje alone, while Hong Taiji would head to the Grand Politics Hall.
But when they arrived at the Fenghuang Pavilion, ready to part ways, Da Yuer felt reluctant.
She knew that once she stepped through the door, the tenderness of Fushun would come to an end.
From now on, they could never be as they had been. Even though he still cherished her, he would need to free one of his hands to warm the other woman that Da Yuer herself loved.
"If Jeje scolds you, just cry. When you cry, she'll soften up," Hong Taiji said.
Da Yuer laughed foolishly and asked, "Are you afraid of Auntie too?"
Hong Taiji replied, "Hurry up and go."
But Da Yuer looked at him deeply and asked, "If I make you angry again, will you still come to comfort me?"
Hong Taiji nodded, "Once I've calmed down, I will comfort you. But before I'm calm, you'd better behave."
At this moment, Adai had arrived at the foot of the Fenghuang Pavilion, just in time for Hong Taiji and Da Yuer to part ways. Adai stepped forward, supporting Da Yuer, and cheerfully said, "Consort Yu, you're finally back! The Great Consort has been waiting for you every day. As soon as it snowed, she was anxious and worried about you and the little princesses."
She looked around and asked, "Where are the little princesses? Haven't they come back yet?"
Baoqing, standing under the eaves, saw Adai surround Da Yuer and quickly ran back inside, excitedly telling Hairanju, "Consort Yu is back, the Great Khan really brought Consort Yu back!"
Hairanju was overjoyed but took a few steps forward before stopping. "Now she must have a lot to talk to Auntie about. I'll wait and go later."
Baoqing pointed to Hairanju's hand, which had turned purple. "If Consort Yu sees this..."
Hairanju instinctively hid her hand and said, "Yes, now she's finally back, I certainly don't want to cause any trouble again. It's my fault."
Meanwhile, Da Yuer had kowtowed to Jeje, and after being helped to her feet, she was gently pushed in front of Jeje. Adai and the palace maid retreated, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Jeje took her hand and looked her up and down, asking, "Yuer, are you still spitting blood? How's your health?"
Da Yuer's heart ached, and tears began to fall uncontrollably. She threw herself into Jeje's arms, calling out, "Auntie."
For Da Yuer, who had lost her mother early and arrived in Shengjing at the age of thirteen, Auntie was more like a mother to her.
Though their roles were those of co-wives to the same husband, Da Yuer had always deeply respected Jeje and regarded her as a pillar of support, someone who would protect her with all her heart.
"How old are you, and still crying?" Jeje said, tears welling up in her own eyes. After composing herself, she asked, "Have you made up with the Great Khan?"
Da Yuer nodded, saying, "I admitted my mistakes."
Jeje smiled with relief, "That's good. Yuer, Auntie won't blame you. Don't take it to heart. Since the Great Khan is not coming over right now, why don't you go see your sister? Hairanju has been thinking of you."