How Old Am I This Year?

Hong Taiji rode away with Da Yuer. Dorgon pushed away the guards trying to assist him and limped toward his beloved horse. Gently stroking its neck, he murmured, "Good boy."

"My lord, please return to the camp soon and let the doctor treat your injury," his attendant urged, worried about his twisted ankle.

"It's nothing," Dorgon replied as he mounted the horse. "I still need to catch rabbits for Dong'e."

He couldn't go back now. Both he and Hong Taiji needed time to calm down. Hong Taiji was naturally suspicious and would undoubtedly be analysing everything that had just transpired.

Of course, at the heart of it, it was Dorgon's own guilty conscience. If the one he had saved earlier had been Hairanju instead of Da Yuer, he wouldn't be overthinking things so much.

He glanced back once more at the retreating figures of the two, then cracked his whip and galloped away.

On the other side, Da Yuer nestled in Hong Taiji's arms, carefully answering his questions. Moments ago, she had been tallying the game with her attendants, almost completely still, when her horse suddenly went wild.

"I didn't do anything," Da Yuer said pitifully. "I wasn't riding recklessly."

That Da Yuer was unharmed was the best outcome, but Hong Taiji understood very well that if Dorgon hadn't appeared in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

When Hong Taiji spurred his horse toward Yuer, Dorgon had also rushed over without hesitation, charging straight ahead to rescue her.

In other words, even Dorgon realized something that Hong Taiji himself had to face—he could no longer ride as fast as before, much less leap to save someone.

Perhaps it wasn't just Dorgon; everyone could see it. Their Great Khan was growing old.

"Don't be angry," Da Yuer said, noticing the serious expression on Hong Taiji's face. "It's my fault. I promise I won't ride tomorrow. Please don't be mad at me."

"Are you hurt?" Hong Taiji asked, not showing any anger.

"My butt hurts—it feels like it's going to split open," Da Yuer admitted bluntly, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Shall I massage it for you when we get back?" Hong Taiji shot her a sidelong glance. "Serves you right."

Da Yuer laughed at his reaction. "So, you're not mad anymore, are you?"

Hong Taiji's expression remained serious. "Yuer, if it hadn't been for Dorgon just now, I might not have been able to save you. I can't run that fast anymore."

Da Yuer's heart skipped a beat as she suddenly became aware of the heavy burden in her husband's heart.

Hong Taiji continued, "Yuer, don't let yourself get hurt."

"Yes…" she replied softly.

Ahead, Hairanju rode over, dismounted, and ran to Hong Taiji's horse. "Yuer, are you all right?" she asked with concern.

Yuer glanced around. Most of the people had scattered to other areas, and the camp was much farther away. It seemed that not many had witnessed the terrifying incident. She shifted her body slightly to dismount, and Hong Taiji let her go.

"Great Khan, please continue hunting. I'll go back with my sister," Da Yuer said. "I'm fine, really."

Hong Taiji furrowed his brows slightly. Seeing that everyone else was still chasing their prey, he decided there was no need to spoil the mood and said, "Be careful on your way back. Once you're there, check again to see if you're hurt."

He left his personal guards to escort the two consorts back to the camp, then spurred his horse into the hunting grounds.

Originally, he had only intended to stretch his muscles a bit without competing with the other bannermen for game, but at that moment, something within him snapped.

His arrows flew with precision, felling fleeing prey one after another. He quickly ran out of arrows, and the guards brought more. Hong Taiji continued his relentless hunt, chasing and competing with his brothers and nephews, the dust rising as the thrill of the hunt consumed him.

Meanwhile, Da Yuer and Hairanju skirted past Jeje's resting tent and returned to the camp. Hairanju insisted on examining Da Yuer's condition, but Da Yuer covered her backside and refused. Frustrated, Hairanju said, "Should I call Aunt over to check for you instead?"

"Sister, be gentle…" Da Yuer yelped as Hairanju prodded her. After a thorough examination, Hairanju confirmed that there were no broken bones, but a large, dark bruise had formed on Da Yuer's pale, soft backside. The sight was both amusing and pitiful. She gave Da Yuer a light pat and scolded, "Why can't you ever stay out of trouble?"

Da Yuer winced in pain and curled up under the blankets, leaving only her head exposed. "Sister, do you think I'm amazing for always turning misfortune into fortune?"

Hairanju sat nearby, folding the clothes Da Yuer had taken off, and laughed. "You truly are a heavenly blessing, Bumubutai."

In Mongolian, "Bumubutai" means "heaven-sent blessing," while "Hairanju" means "beautiful treasure." Both sisters had been given names carrying the elders' deepest wishes for them.

Da Yuer looked at Hairanju's profile. How could there be such a beautiful woman in this world? If she were a man, she would undoubtedly fall for her.

Hong Taiji had once confessed that it was Hairanju's beauty that initially caught his attention. He kept looking and looking, and before he knew it, she had stolen his heart.

Retracting her gaze, Da Yuer lay on her pillow, feeling discontent.

Footsteps approached from outside, and sure enough, Jeje had heard the news and arrived with Qiqige in tow. Jeje anxiously asked if Yuer was injured, only feeling relieved after seeing her condition with her own eyes. She was both worried and angry.

Qiqige climbed onto the bed and said, "Aunt, let me teach her a lesson for you."

With that, she smacked Da Yuer's bruised backside, making her cry out in pain. Da Yuer flailed and lunged at Qiqige to retaliate.

"Still making a fuss?" Jeje chided. "With so many people outside, aren't you embarrassed enough already?"

Da Yuer immediately settled down, which made Hairanju laugh, followed by Qiqige and even Jeje, who couldn't help but chuckle. Jeje poked Yuer's forehead with her finger, her tone both affectionate and reproachful. "The day you finally behave, the sun will rise in the west. Not being able to play for the next few days is just what you deserve."

Soon, Jeje left, leaving Qiqige and Hairanju to stay with Yuer. It was then that Qiqige learned it was Dorgon who had saved Da Yuer and that he had seemingly injured his ankle in the process. Unable to sit still after hearing this, Qiqige rushed out to find him.

Watching Qiqige's retreating figure, Da Yuer tugged on Hairanju's sleeve, drawing her sister closer. In a hushed voice, she said, "Sister, Dorgon has saved me several times now. Do you think Qiqige will overthink it?"

Hairanju paused, her expression shifting as realization dawned. "Will she? What should we do if she does?"

"I don't know either…" Da Yuer murmured, her lips trembling. There were words she had been keeping buried inside, determined never to speak aloud. Yet, the more she held them in, the tighter the knot in her heart grew.

"Sister, do you know?" Da Yuer's heart pounded as she finally voiced her secret. "Dorgon… he called my name."

Hairanju frowned. "What does that mean?"

Da Yuer said, "How could he call me by name? I'm his sister-in-law."

Hairanju quickly covered her sister's mouth, walked to the door to check for eavesdroppers, then returned and whispered, "Don't ever say this to anyone else, no matter what happens in the future. Yuer, promise me you'll listen to your sister, okay?"

Da Yuer nodded repeatedly. "I think so too, but then today happened again. To be honest, I wish it hadn't been him who saved me. I'd rather it had been any random guard. That would have been so much better."

Hairanju consoled her, "Don't overthink it. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. Besides, I remember Aunt once said that how we treat Dorgon reflects how the Khan treats him. So, we should remain polite and distant, just as we've always been."

Meanwhile, Jeje returned to join the other women. From a distance, she saw Dorgon riding back, with Qiqige rushing out to meet him. Dorgon walked with a slight limp, clearly favouring an injured foot. Jeje, already aware that it was Dorgon who had saved Da Yuer, felt her unease grow.

Such coincidences happening again and again made it impossible for her to dismiss her worries.

If Dorgon truly harboured feelings for Da Yuer and Hong Taiji became aware, it would spell disaster for Da Yuer. On the other hand, if Hong Taiji remained oblivious or chose to turn a blind eye, Dorgon would realize that Da Yuer was Hong Taiji's Achilles' heel.

Heroes often faltered before beautiful women; Jeje had seen it far too many times in her life.

She quietly suppressed her unease, reminding herself that every situation has two sides and there was no need to overthink it.

When everyone returned and tallied their prey, it turned out, as expected, that Hong Taiji had hunted the most. One reason was that he had been fiercely determined, and another was that the others, seeing the Great Khan personally join the hunt, naturally refrained from competing with him.

Hong Taiji distributed the prey among the group, gifting Jeje a snow-white fox pelt. That evening, there would be a grand bonfire feast, and the following day, a horse race.

He announced loudly, "Tomorrow, whoever wins first place in the horse race will receive an additional 30% in military pay for their troops. Whether your soldiers can earn the reward depends on your skills!"

The men roared with excitement, their voices shaking the air. Seeing this, Hong Taiji finally smiled. Jeje approached him, suggesting that he rest for a while to prepare for the evening feast.

Hong Taiji dropped his whip and walked away with his hands behind his back. On the way, he asked, "Is Yuer all right?"

"She's fine," Jeje replied. "Just some minor injuries, but her spirits are high. She's blessed with great fortune—heaven itself seems to favour her."

Hong Taiji scoffed, "I knew she couldn't stay out of trouble. Still, it's better this way. At least we can all breathe a little easier now."

Jeje chuckled. "Just don't let her hear you say that, or she'll get even more smug."

The couple chatted and laughed as they returned to the main tent. For once, Jeje personally attended to her husband, helping him undress and freshen up. As she removed his boots and socks, her heart tightened—Hong Taiji's foot had developed a blood blister.

"Great Khan…"

"Just pop it," Hong Taiji said, lying on his back nonchalantly. "I've been staying home all year, so this is already pretty good. Jeje, how old am I this year?"