Palace Eaves

Chapter 96: I Didn't Push Her



Zarut was still in the early stages of pregnancy, so seeing blood at this moment was a serious matter. When she fell in the snow that day, the physician had already advised her to rest in bed and recuperate. At the time, there had been no signs of trouble. Yet, after two days, the inevitable had happened.

Baoqing entered the room to light the lamps. Hairanju climbed down from the kang and instructed her to prepare tea. She glanced out the window, then turned to look at Hong Taiji. His expression was calm and indifferent, as though the woman and the unborn child's fate had nothing to do with him.

When the tea was ready, Hairanju carried a bowl to the edge of the kang. Blowing on it lightly a few times, she ensured it was the perfect temperature before offering it to him.

As Hong Taiji sipped the tea, his gaze fell on the faint bruises on her fingers that had yet to fade. He thought of how much force that woman must have used to leave such marks, trampling her hand like that.

Setting down the tea bowl, Hong Taiji took Hairanju's hand, gently stroking the bruised fingers. "Does it still hurt?" he asked.

Hairanju smiled. "It hasn't hurt for a long time. It's been so long already."

Hong Taiji glanced at her. "Don't let yourself get hurt again. When I lead troops to war, how am I supposed to be at ease leaving you here?"

Hairanju chuckled. "With Aunt and Yuer around, no one will bully me."

Hong Taiji couldn't remember the last time her sister Yuer had been mentioned in this palace. He never brought her up, and Hairanju never asked about her sister. She never concerned herself with the outside world; here, it was just the two of them.

Suddenly, a piercing scream rang out. "Ah! Great Khan!" It was Zarut.

Startled, Hairanju flinched, but Hong Taiji quickly pulled her into his arms.

"Great Khan, the Eastern Palace Side Consort's child cannot be saved," Niman's steady voice came from outside the door. "The physician says she must undergo an induced labour. The Great Consort has already gone to her."

"I see," Hong Taiji replied, still unmoved. Yet, when he looked down, he saw tears glistening in the corners of Hairanju's eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, gently cupping her face. His thoughts drifted to her past as his brow furrowed in anger. "Did Wukeshan do the same to you?"

For Hairanju, it was a recurring nightmare. The pain and torment of her past miscarriage and forced labour were still fresh in her memory. Every scream from Zarut now echoed her own desperate pleas to her brother and the physician. She hadn't been able to protect her late husband's bloodline, nor her own child.

"I told you," Hong Taiji said softly, "you are not to think about your deceased husband anymore. Any pain from the past—don't let it resurface."

Hairanju nodded timidly, her tears slipping through his fingers. He asked, "Are you nodding because you fear me, or because you truly mean it?"

Her dazed expression tugged at his heart. Gently wiping her tears, he said with a mock scold, "Alright, alright, I won't scold you anymore. When others say a thousand things, you don't care. But one word from me, and you can't handle it?"

"Mm," Hairanju replied softly and decisively this time, snuggling into his arms. In Hong Taiji's embrace, she felt truly secure.

"Don't be afraid. No one will ever hurt you again," he murmured, kissing her hair. "From now on, as long as I'm here, you'll be safe."

Zarut's cries lasted for almost an hour. After her final wail, the palace returned to silence.

In her side palace, Da Yuer had already been awakened by the commotion. Holding Yatu and Atu close, she used cotton to cover their ears. Fortunately, the children were unbothered, with little Azhe still sleeping soundly.

Perhaps children, not understanding the weight of human suffering, were unfazed by such sounds. But the adults understood—it was the sound of life being torn away.

Sumala came to inform her of what had happened. Da Yuer, hesitant, asked, "Was it because of that fall that day?"

"But… she fell herself. You didn't touch her," Sumala replied, trying to console her. "The physician even said there was nothing wrong at the time. Who knows what she's done these past two days."

"If I hadn't argued with her that day…" Da Yuer trailed off as a cold wind swept through the room. Both women turned toward the door, where Hong Taiji appeared, wrapped in his cloak. Sumala quickly stepped forward to serve him, while Da Yuer stood frozen, staring blankly at him.

She was fully aware he had been in her sister's quarters tonight.

"Did they wake?" Hong Taiji walked to the kang and looked at the sleeping Yatu and Atu. Bending down, he kissed his daughter's soft cheek with affection. "Sleeping so soundly. Such good girls," he murmured indulgently.

"Great Khan," Da Yuer asked timidly, "her child… is it gone?"

"It's gone," Hong Taiji replied. "What a pity."

Hong Taiji glanced at the person beside him. Despite the dim candlelight, he could see clearly—she was terrified.

"Now you're scared?" he asked.

Da Yuer lowered her head, her fingers tightly twisting together. "I didn't push her. It wasn't me. I just… just argued with her for a few moments. She backed away on her own and then…"

Hong Taiji reached out and lightly tapped her forehead. "Troublemaker! Why did you even bother with her? You shouldn't have wasted a single word on her."

Da Yuer lifted her head, indignation flashing in her eyes. "If you hadn't taken her in, there wouldn't have been any trouble in the first place."

Hong Taiji, both annoyed and amused, gently pinched her lips. "Your knack for backtalk is truly first-rate."

In his eyes, there wasn't a trace of anger. Da Yuer could see it clearly—he wasn't here to hold her accountable. If he had come to reprimand her, his imposing presence the moment he stepped through the door would have been enough to leave her trembling. Then why was he here, in the middle of the night, coming all the way from her sister's quarter?

"Sleep. Enough fussing for one night," Hong Taiji said, kicking off his boots and lying down. He pulled at the quilt covering Da Yuer, and she hurriedly grabbed another to wrap herself before lying down beside him.

"You're not angry with me?" she asked nervously. "I really didn't push her. I—"

"Sleep," he interrupted, pulling her from her cocoon of blankets into his arms. Sharing one quilt, they nestled together, warmth enveloping them both.

"Did you come over just to comfort me?" Da Yuer asked softly.

Hong Taiji didn't respond, as if he were truly exhausted. He patted her gently, as one might soothe a restless child, his eyes remaining closed.

Da Yuer would never ask if her sister had sent him. She still had her pride. She knew that Hong Taiji cared for her, and that was enough.

It was a night of unrest for many. In Jeje's chambers, she had only managed a few hours of sleep before waking, weary and parched. Reaching for water, she heard her maid, Adai, whisper cautiously, "Last night, the Great Khan left Consort Lan's palace and went to Consort Yu's palace."

Jeje was surprised. "Are you sure?"

Adai nodded. "Just now, his ceremonial robes were delivered to Consort Yu's palace. The Great Khan also instructed that he wouldn't be joining you for breakfast this morning and that you should take your time resting. As for Zarut, the physicians are tending to her. He said not to worry yourself too much."

Jeje sighed deeply. "He truly doesn't care about that child. And as for me, I don't have the energy to pity that woman either. I'll do what's necessary for appearances. Yet, thinking about it, Zarut is rather pitiful, isn't she?"

Adai said: "Although her mouth is vicious and her methods to seduce the Great Khan are disgraceful, at least under your watch, she hasn't dared to do anything too wrong. My Lady, please don't blame me for speaking out, but I fear that after this incident, if the Great Khan doesn't intervene and neither do you, the people in the palace will start to ignore her. If she harbours resentment, who knows what she might do next."

Jeje coldly responded: "She doesn't have the ability to cause trouble."

Adai continued: "But she keeps saying it was Consort Yu who pushed her. If that gets out, it would be troublesome."

Jeje furrowed her brows and asked: "Did Yuer actually do it?"

Unfortunately, due to the preparations for the banquet and hosting the guests that day, the palace maids were all too busy to notice the quarrels between the two side consorts. By the time anyone reacted, Zarut had already fallen in the snow.

Zarut firmly insisted that it was Da Yuer who pushed her, while Qiqige testified that Yuer hadn't done anything. Each person told their side of the story. If it had been anyone else, they would have to take responsibility, since she was carrying the Great Khan's child.

But the conflict involved Consort Yu, and on that day, nothing happened to her. Moreover, last night, the Great Khan had even gone to her side palace, clearly showing everyone that no one should make trouble for Da Yuer.

At this time, Sumala returned to her room to change clothes, yawning, and discussed with young palace maids about who would attend the Mistress in the morning so that she could rest for a while. Baoqing also came back, looking exhausted, and said with a wry smile: "That woman screamed all night, I nearly lost my mind. Did the little ones get woken up?"

"They slept well." Sumala said. She turned her gaze and quietly asked Baoqing, "Why did the Great Khan come over last night? Did older Princess ask him to?"

Bao Qing shook her head: "No, the Great Khan went on his own. I happened to overhear him telling the consort: 'I'm going to see Yuer.'"

Sumala was stunned: "Really? Will older Princess be unhappy about that?"

Baoqing shook her head again: "Of course not, Sumala. The consort truly cares about her sister, but no one believes it, not even you."

Sumala couldn't say anything, so she quickly continued to wash up. As she was washing her face, a young palace maid came running in to say that the Great Consort had summoned everyone. They didn't dare to be lazy and immediately dropped what they were doing to run over.

The Great Consort was strict, and no one dared to disobey. Da Yuer and Hairanju were there, along with other consorts and palace maids, all standing from the Qingning Palace to the door, waiting for a full hour before Jeje finished speaking.

When everyone finally left, Adai quietly returned from outside and, after the consorts had left the room, softly said to Jeje: "Consort, Zarut's child wasn't lost from the fall. She took abortion medicine."


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