Hong Taiji removed his outer robe while closely observing Da Yuer's expression. He instructed Sumala to light a candle and then step back. Standing by the brazier to warm himself, he asked, "Did you cause trouble again?"
Da Yuer stiffly shook her head, a thin layer of tears welling in her eyes. Hong Taiji walked over, lifted her chin with his hand, and frowned, "What's this about? Did Jeje scold you over the incident at the Fifteenth Beile's residence, and now you're feeling upset? I thought you'd be happy, maybe even secretly pleased."
Da Yuer suddenly embraced him, leaving Hong Taiji momentarily stunned. In the side palace across the courtyard, Zarut sat by the window, staring intently at the flickering light from the other side. Her maid whispered softly, "My Lady, do you think Consort Yu will complain to the Great Khan? This is quite a risk."
Zarut sneered, "Why would she? In Hong Taiji's eyes, she's as innocent as a little rabbit. If she gets entangled in schemes and plots, he'll lose his affection for her."
"But..." The maid hesitated, knowing Zarut's temper. In the end, she kept silent.
A midnight snack was sent to Da Yuer's side palace. Hong Taiji sat leisurely on the kang, eating slowly, while Da Yuer knelt by his side, occasionally adding small dishes to his plate.
"The porridge is especially delicious tonight," Hong Taiji remarked, his appetite hearty as he asked for another bowl.
"Aunt said it's not good to eat too much at night. If you like it, I'll have them make more for breakfast tomorrow," Da Yuer said, signalling Sumala to clear away the dishes. Hong Taiji lazily allowed the attendants to help him rinse his mouth and wash his face. Suddenly, he grabbed Da Yuer's hand and ordered all the palace maids to leave.
Da Yuer stood on the floor with her head lowered, trying to pull her hand free with slight force. Hong Taiji asked, "Can you tell me now? What's on your mind?"
"I don't know…" Da Yuer murmured.
"Do you not know what's on your mind, or do you not know if you should tell me?" Hong Taiji hit the mark immediately.
Da Yuer bit her lip, timidly gazing at her man. How could she hide anything from his sharp eyes?
"Fan Wencheng's concubine was brought back to him," Hong Taiji said, his tone laced with a cold chuckle. "He secretly expressed his gratitude, vowing lifelong loyalty. Whether he vows loyalty or not, I don't care. It was merely a favour on my part. What Dorgon and Dodo don't want, I take. As long as he's a talent useful to the Great Jin state, I want him. But I never assume any minister would truly swear eternal loyalty. If tomorrow I'm no longer the Great Khan, they'd promptly find another master to follow."
"You're the only one fit to be the Great Khan. No one else deserves it," Da Yuer said.
"Such childish words." Hong Taiji smiled indulgently. He pulled her gently into his arms, reclining comfortably against the soft cushions.
"I'm not a child…"
"Did you have an argument with Zarut today?" Hong Taiji suddenly asked, mentioning that woman.
"How did you know?" Da Yuer immediately sat up straight, her face full of nervousness. "Did you see it?"
"This palace is filled with my eyes, and the entire Jin state echoes with my ears. Mistakes may happen occasionally, but you two stood talking in the palace corridor—were you hoping not to be seen?" Hong Taiji sneered. "What did she do to you? Are you upset because of her?"
"It's because of Qiqige," Da Yuer finally couldn't hold it in anymore. To her, Hong Taiji was her sky, her reliance in this lifetime. If it wasn't what she thought… Should she misunderstand him forever? But if it was true…
"Was it you who gave Qiqige the medicine that made her unable to conceive?" Da Yuer asked, her heart so tense it seemed to stop beating. As the words left her mouth, her mind went blank.
"Zarut told you, didn't she?" Hong Taiji wasn't surprised. It was as if he had anticipated this moment all along. Naturally, he had hoped Da Yuer would never find out about this, but it was already too late.
Through tears, Da Yuer recounted Zarut's threats. She couldn't hide anything. Such a monumental revelation had crashed down on her, and she was incapable of bearing it.
She knew that even among the women in the Beiles' households, there was constant scheming and fighting. The women around Hong Taiji were no exception. Yet she had always stayed shielded behind her aunt, under Hong Taiji's protection. Even amidst storms of intrigue, she had remained untouched.
"It's not just Qiqige," Hong Taiji said coldly. "It's also his concubines and even the young maids in his household. When Dorgon returns, they will all be given medicine to prevent pregnancy. He doesn't need children. He only needs to dedicate his life to the Jin state."
Da Yuer kept her head lowered, recalling the words Qiqige had said to her in the study. Qiqige had willingly shouldered all the blame herself, unwilling to let Dorgon face ridicule for being "impotent."
Little did Qiqige know that everything about her and Dorgon had long been under Hong Taiji's control. Their children had perished, one by one, through bowls of medicinal concoctions.
Hong Taiji closed his eyes, indifferent. "Are you planning to sit there all night? Is this really such a big deal that you can't figure it out even after an entire day?"
"Even if it's a daughter… would that be allowed?" Da Yuer managed to squeeze out the words.
"No," Hong Taiji said firmly. Opening his eyes, he sat up with a face full of anger. "If you can't figure it out, go stand outside the door and cool off."
Da Yuer shook her head vigorously, protesting pitifully, "It's cold outside. I won't go."
"What will it take to settle you, then? Do you think I'm cruel? Do you pity Qiqige, or are you sympathizing with Dorgon?" Hong Taiji asked.
Da Yuer's lips trembled, but she didn't dare say it aloud: she did think he was cruel. Yet the look in her eyes betrayed her thoughts, and Hong Taiji noticed instantly.
Lying back down, he said, "Either lie down quietly, or go outside to cool off. Your choice."
Without hesitation, Da Yuer slid into bed and clung to his side. Hong Taiji, annoyed, shifted away slightly, only for her to immediately move closer again. Her stubbornness made him both exasperated and amused.
Da Yuer nervously said, "Zarut threatened me. She said if I told you, she would tell Qiqige and let everyone know how you've treated Dorgon."
Hong Taiji replied calmly, "If she really had the ability to do that, she wouldn't have been so foolish as to threaten you in the first place. Only someone like you would let her lead you by the nose."
Da Yuer, however, proudly responded, "I told you, didn't I? I wasn't afraid of her, and I wasn't led by the nose."
Hong Taiji wasn't angry at all. Instead, seeing her defiant attitude, he found himself liking her even more. Smiling, he asked, "So you've been thinking about this all day, hesitating whether to tell me or not?"
Da Yuer shook her head. "When I was at Dodo's house, I had already decided to tell you. I just felt sorry for Qiqige—it made my chest feel tight."
"Yuer, am I cruel?" Hong Taiji asked.
Da Yuer nodded without hesitation. "Mm."
Hong Taiji burst into laughter. "Aren't you afraid Jeje might hear you?"
Da Yuer replied confidently, "I'm not afraid. This is the way of a ruler. As the Great Khan, you must be ruthless when dealing with cunning ministers and fierce enemies. Since it's true, why fear being judged?"
Hong Taiji's eyes lit up. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Did Fan Wencheng teach you these ideas?"
"No, he didn't put it that way. But that's how I understand it. He told me many stories about emperors," Da Yuer said earnestly. Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, as if she were suddenly excited. "In a hundred or a thousand years, I'll also be recorded in history alongside you, won't I? Maybe I'll reincarnate and look back on this part of history myself. Or maybe right now, I'm watching the story of my past life unfold. How fascinating!"
Hong Taiji was taken aback. He thought the evening would be consumed by the matter of Qiqige, but the conversation had unexpectedly shifted to centuries past and future. Delighted, he gazed at her. "Have you never thought about being immortalized in history with me?"
Da Yuer smiled. "How could I have known that dynasties and their histories would be recorded in such detail? The Han people are truly remarkable."
But her gaze dimmed slightly, and she added with a trace of sorrow, "I also just learned about the terrible things Kublai Khan's Yuan dynasty did to the Han people. That was true cruelty—not like you. You've always asked the Eight Banner men to treat the Han people well and to respect their officials."
Hong Taiji was deeply surprised. He had never imagined he would discuss such topics with Da Yuer. He asked, "Is studying fun?"
Da Yuer's face lit up with joy. "It's so much fun! Do you know about Wu Zetian?"
Hong Taiji chuckled. "Why bring up that woman? Fan Wencheng seems to have no reservations, telling you everything."
Da Yuer replied, "Mr. Fan told me not to mention Wu Zetian to you because men generally don't like her."
Hong Taiji glanced at her. "And yet you still brought her up?"
Da Yuer smiled. "But you're magnanimous! How could Fan Wencheng know that his sovereign is a man with a heart as open as a valley?"
"A heart as open as a valley?" Hong Taiji laughed. "And yet I cannot tolerate Dorgon having children."
The conversation abruptly turned back to the earlier topic, and Da Yuer's smile vanished. Still, she kept her promise to Qiqige, refraining from mentioning her plan to fake a pregnancy through a concubine.
Hong Taiji continued, "Qiqige is exceptionally clever. Her kindness to you is genuine, but so is her use of that kindness to probe into palace affairs for Dorgon. From now on, you may remain as close to Qiqige as before. You don't need to avoid her or guard against her. I've already arranged for everything that needs doing. But there's one thing you must understand."
"Yes," Da Yuer replied, her heart trembling. She hadn't even asked what it was before agreeing.
"If one day Qiqige meets her end, it will be her destiny," Hong Taiji said. "Yuer, don't blame me."
"Yes…"
"Studying really does help," Hong Taiji said with a faint smile. "A month ago, you'd have made a huge scene over this." He gently pinched her cheek. "At the grand banquet on New Year's Eve, I want you to do something for me—administer a dose of medicine to Qiqige."
Da Yuer froze in place.
Hong Taiji spoke as if it were the most casual matter. "It's a sterilizing formula from the Han people's herbal texts. One dose, and from then on, Qiqige won't need to be secretly dosed with medicine all the time. What do you think?"
"You want me to personally give Qiqige the medicine?" Da Yuer asked, her voice tense.
"I need to see her take it with my own eyes to feel completely at ease," Hong Taiji replied. "Yuer, can you do this?"