Palace Eaves

Adai left to carry out her orders, and Jeje's gaze drifted slowly over the Ten Kings Pavilion. She remembered clearly the day she first arrived here.

Her father had held her hand and said, "Your husband will one day inherit the throne. Hong Taiji will accomplish great things, and you must ensure that a child from Khorchin will one day inherit the Jin Empire."

With a gentle sigh, she turned, leaving with her attendants before entering the Fenghuang Tower alone, walking slowly through each familiar yet distant room.

Standing by a window overlooking the palace gardens, she noticed Consort Doutumen coming out of Zarut's quarters, glancing stealthily toward the Qingning Palace. The greed and pettiness lurking beneath her cautious façade was loathsome.

If she were honest, Jeje felt a quiet satisfaction over the loss of Zarut's child.

Were it not necessary to give Hong Taiji an explanation, and to ensure similar incidents wouldn't happen to Hairanju or Da Yuer in the future, she would have no interest in investigating. Such a woman was unworthy of bearing Hong Taiji's child.

For similar reasons, she hadn't cared for Sose after Yehe Nara's passing—he simply didn't deserve it.

"Jeje," Hong Taiji's voice came as he arrived.

"So quickly?" Jeje asked. "What did Adai say to you? I told her to have you come only if you were free."

"It's nearly the new year, so there's little pressing business," he replied. "Besides, I don't wish to strain them too hard. Sit down. What's on your mind?"

"It's about the Zarut's child," Jeje said.

Hong Taiji raised an eyebrow but remained indifferent. "What about it?"

"She lost the child due to consuming something contaminated. The doctor informed me, so I had it investigated. There's a conclusion now, so I wanted to let you know."

Hong Taiji looked at her impassively, as if disinterested in the outcome or already certain of it. He gestured for her to sit and peeled an orange, listening as she spoke.

"She ate a lot of the pastries Qiqige sent during her two days of bed rest after her fall," Jeje explained. "The same pastries were also delivered to my quarters."

Hong Taiji ate his orange calmly, peeling away the white pith from each segment. Suddenly, he seemed to recall someone saying it was best to eat the pith for its benefits, and he tossed it into his mouth, noting its faint bitterness.

"And the pastries…?" Jeje began.

"Whose quarters did they reach?" Hong Taiji interrupted. "Did Hairanju or Yuer get any?"

Jeje shook her head. "Not yet. Qiqige only sent a single batch to Zarut's quarters. The ones meant for me were with Adai, intended to be shared later. There were so many gifts that day; we hadn't yet sorted them all."

"Dispose of them, then," Hong Taiji said. "And from now on, deal with anything from Dorgon's household as you see fit."

"Yatu and Atu's recent bout of vomiting and diarrhoea…you know why, don't you?" Jeje asked, her heartbeat accelerating.

Hong Taiji nodded. "As soon as I heard they ate the dates Qiqige sent, I knew."

Jeje felt a pang in her heart, a sense of dreadful realization. She had long suspected something but hadn't anticipated Hong Taiji to be so ruthless.

"Yuer often visits Dorgon's estate, and the children have even stayed there overnight. Great Khan," Jeje's voice trembled, "why didn't you warn me sooner? I could have kept an eye on Yuer."

"It's nothing to worry about," Hong Taiji dismissed her concern. "They know to be cautious. They're not being poisoned every day; these two incidents were likely coincidences. Just be wary of anything Qiqige sends in the future."

Jeje hesitated, then asked openly, "Is it true that Dorgon hasn't had children all these years because you won't allow it?"

Hong Taiji's gaze turned cold. "What does he need children for? Let him devote himself to the Jin Empire until the end of his days—that's enough."

Jeje sighed. "In that case, every time I urged him to have children…how ridiculous I must have sounded."

"Nothing ridiculous about it," Hong Taiji said calmly. "What you do, I do. Let's pretend none of this happened. Act as if you know nothing. Keep everything just as it was before."

"I understand." Jeje managed a bitter smile.

"Zarut has been a mother before; she's not a fool. Keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't stir up more trouble." Hong Taiji rose, preparing to leave. His parting words were chilling: "If that woman causes any issues, do away with her. You have my permission."

Jeje rose and watched Hong Taiji leave, then stood for a long while before turning back to the window. She saw Yatu and Atu tugging Hairanju toward Yuer's door, only for Sumala to come out and exchange a few words. With that, Hairanju took the two children elsewhere.

"Great Consort," Adai approached, seeing her mistress lingering, "shall we go?"

Jeje took one last look around the room, steadied herself, and said, "Let's go."

In the palace courtyard, the sound of children's laughter gradually faded. Yuer leaned against her window, watching for a while. Qiqige tapped her on the head with a book, scolding her, "Don't get distracted; you haven't finished memorizing this passage. One mistake, and I'll give you a tap on the palm!"

She called to Sumala, "Do you have a ruler here?"

Sumala grinned mischievously, "We still have the one the Great Khan used last time to discipline the princess. Will that do?"

"The princess? The older one or the younger one?" Qiqige glanced pointedly at Yuer, and when Sumala nodded, she exaggeratedly asked, "The Great Khan actually hit you? Where? Your hands or…your behind?"

Yuer shot them both a glare, then rolled up her book and swatted at Sumala, who laughed and dodged away. Blushing, Yuer turned to Qiqige, insisting, "He's never laid a finger on me! That one time, he just tried to scare me for angering Aunt."

Qiqige raised her eyebrows, suppressing a smile as she thumbed through her book. Yuer, both embarrassed and indignant, muttered, "Are you laughing at me, being scolded by my own husband like a child?"

"Isn't that a kind of…sexy?" Qiqige's use of the word left Yuer mortified. Seeing Yuer's embarrassed reaction, she playfully rapped on the table, saying, "Alright, alright, back to studying. If you don't take this seriously, I won't come back to teach you."

But Yuer was bright. She quickly learned anything Qiqige taught her, mastering the new texts by the end of the day. The structure of Chinese characters fascinated her; she could deduce many words after learning just one.

The more characters she learned, the more books she read. Qiqige, mindful of Yuer's nature, dared not bring her romantic tales. But one day, a copy of The Peony Pavilion ended up among the historical texts by accident, and Yuer became completely absorbed.

"'Love arises without reason and grows deep and steadfast; the living may die, the dead may live. Only those who live not for death and die not for life know not the truest depth of love,'" Yuer would mutter repeatedly, asking Qiqige what it meant. Qiqige explained that everyone would interpret it differently, and after a while, Yuer fell silent, lost in thought.

Qiqige understood: Yuer's heart was entirely devoted to Hong Taiji. From then on, she dared not show Yuer any more tales of romance, fearing that Yuer might become utterly lost in them before she'd even finished learning her characters or completing her studies.

"Was Wu Zetian a woman?" Out of nowhere, Yuer asked Qiqige. "Can a woman actually be emperor?"

Qiqige replied, "I know she was a woman, but as for the details, I'll have to ask Fan Wencheng next time."

Yuer huffed, "You always make me wait. Why don't you just bring this Fan Wencheng here, so I can hear it myself?"

Qiqige shook her head and scolded, "What nonsense! Palace rules are stricter now; how could I just bring a man in here?"

"True…" Yuer murmured, then suddenly brightened up. "But didn't Aunt just mention you should find a teacher to teach the children Chinese characters?"

"Yes, yes, I'll handle it," Qiqige chuckled, seeing Yuer's quick wit and eagerness to learn. "Just don't get ahead of me, or else I'll have nothing to boast about in front of you, alright?"

Yuer's gaze softened, her expression dimming a little. "But I do feel more fulfilled these days."

Qiqige smiled, "Before Hairanju came, there were long stretches when the Great Khan was away. You never seemed bored back then."

"That was different," Yuer murmured, flipping through her book. "It's just…different."

A few days later, in the training field at his residence, Dorgon was practicing archery when his attendants led a refined, scholarly man to him. The man bowed low with respect. "Fan Wencheng greets the Fourteenth Beile."

Dorgon released an arrow, hitting the target dead centre. He gestured for Fan Wencheng to rise as he drew another arrow and said, "The Great Consort has chosen you to go to the palace and teach the princesses to read Chinese?"

"I am honoured, though also humbled," replied Fan Wencheng.

"The Consorts in the palace are curious about the outside world," Dorgon advised coolly. "Bring them interesting stories. And if they ask questions—answer whatever you can."

"I understand," Fan Wencheng said respectfully.

Dorgon then aimed his arrow toward Fan Wencheng, his gaze steely. "Remember, you are of my Plain White Banner."

Fan Wencheng remained composed, unflinching under the threat. "I am My Lord's man, through and through."

Dorgon turned back to the target, releasing his arrow to strike the bullseye once again. He waved his hand dismissively. "Go now. Be discreet in the palace—I trust you understand."