Yuer, Can You Endure it For Me?

Forty-three.

Jeje, kneeling on the carpet, looked at her husband's feet, thick with calluses and now marred by fresh blisters, and steadied her heart. "Great Khan, I am thirty-seven this year."

Hong Taiji sat up, smiled faintly, and pulled Jeje closer. Holding her hands, he gently rubbed them, as if finding it hard to believe. "You're already thirty-seven?"

"Old and ugly now, aren't I?" Jeje said softly with a smile. "But if, in your eyes, I still hold a trace of youth, then you must also believe that in my eyes, you are just as majestic and commanding as you always were. You haven't changed at all."

"Flattery? You've learned how to do that too?" Hong Taiji chuckled, pulling her into an embrace. "Time spares no one. I've spent my life in war; countless injuries scar my body. At this age, they all come back to haunt me. But running with them today, though tiring, made me realize I'm still capable. I guess staying home for a year just shook my confidence."

"Of course," Jeje agreed. "If they stayed idle at home for a year, they'd feel the same. Why else do armies drill day and night even in times of peace? You understand this better than anyone, don't you?"

Hong Taiji nodded thoughtfully. "I'm planning to launch another campaign against the Ming after Dorgon and Dodo take Joseon. The defeat during the Jisi Incident has been a thorn in my heart. Before I turn fifty, I must conquer the Ming. I want to stand proudly in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City, the true master of all under heaven."

"Yuer dreams of going to the Forbidden City every day," Jeje said with a smile. "She acts like it's already her home."

Hong Taiji laughed, clearly pleased. "She's always so mischievous."

But then the tent fell silent. A heavy atmosphere settled over them. Hong Taiji stopped talking, his face clouded with thought. Jeje, sensing his mood, refrained from speaking further.

After a long pause, Hong Taiji finally said, "Jeje, keep an eye on Dorgon. Don't let him get near Yuer again."

Jeje's heart tightened, but she masked her reaction, unwilling to let Hong Taiji know she had already sensed something. She instead asked, "What does the Great Khan mean by this?"

Hong Taiji's expression revealed a mix of emotions—frustration, irritation, and unease. "I don't like seeing him getting close to Yuer, touching her time and again. It annoys me every time I see it."

He rose abruptly, his foot pressing down on the blister, sending a sharp pain through him and further stoking his anger. Frustrated, he yanked off his coat.

Jeje quickly stepped forward to help, urging him to sit down. She heated a silver needle over the fire and carefully lanced the blister. Above her, Hong Taiji's voice hung heavily: "Jeje, keep an eye on him."

Though Hong Taiji's words clearly referred to Dorgon, Jeje couldn't be certain. Nor did she dare ask whether "him" might also mean "her." (in Chinese, the sounds of the characters "him" and "her" are the same)

She simply nodded in agreement, then cautiously ventured, "Yuer's thoughts are straightforward; the Great Khan knows this. I'm not sure what Dorgon's intentions are, but please, don't frighten Yuer. She doesn't understand such things."

Hong Taiji nodded. "Of course, I wouldn't scare her. How could I bear to?"

Jeje exhaled quietly, relieved. Moments earlier, she had been calculating whether she could one day use Dorgon to her advantage. But Hong Taiji's command snuffed out that idea.

It was for the best—if such matters could be avoided entirely, there was no need for her scheming.

As night fell, the bonfires lit up the hunting grounds. The main dishes for the evening banquet were the day's game. Even before Hong Taiji arrived, the aroma of roasting meat wafted through the air.

Jeje had added a thick, soft insole to his boots, easing his steps. With rest, his strength had returned, and his mood lightened.

Seeing Hairanju supporting Yuer as they walked over, the girl who had hurt her backside earlier now looked thrilled at the thought of eating roasted meat. Hong Taiji's brow relaxed, and he asked with a smile, "Do you want to try roasting it yourself?"

"Great Khan, that wouldn't be proper," Jeje interjected, trying to dissuade him.

"Let her have some fun," Hong Taiji said indulgently. "She's been well-behaved for the past six months."

Yuer's eyes sparkled as she asked, "Will you eat what I roast?"

Jeje shot her a stern look. "Who are you speaking to? Mind your manners!"

Hairanju, smiling, chimed in, "I'll join her. It's been years since I last roasted meat myself. Once it's done, I'll bring some for the Great Khan and aunt to taste."

The two left excitedly, leaving Hong Taiji to sit down with Jeje. As they settled in, Niman approached with a jug and cups.

Without showing any emotion on his face, he quietly leaned toward Hong Taiji and murmured, "Great Khan, Consort Yu's horse collapsed from exhaustion. It seems the animal was poisoned."

Hong Taiji's thick brows furrowed, but he remained calm, raising his cup as though nothing were amiss. "Investigate," he ordered curtly.

Although a cold, murderous air had gathered within him, the evening feast was lively and filled with the satisfaction and joy of sharing the hunt.

Hong Taiji, while seated at the head of the table, occasionally conversed with several of the Beiles and officials. His gaze, however, did not find Dorgon. It wasn't until after a few rounds of wine that Qiqige arrived, looking poised and composed as she approached Hong Taiji to apologize. "Dorgon's foot is injured. I've told him to rest, and he won't be joining the Great Khan tonight," Qiqige said respectfully.

Hong Taiji inquired, "Is it serious? Has a doctor seen it?"

With a smile, Qiqige reassured him, "It's nothing too serious, but I didn't want him to strain himself, so I told him to be cautious. He should be well enough to race tomorrow. Please, don't worry."

Hong Taiji gave the order, "Tell him not to worry about the race. He should rest properly."

"Understood," Qiqige replied, then turned to leave. At that moment, Da Yuer and Hairanju returned, bringing Sumala and Baoqing with them.

Sumala and the others were carrying the meat that the mistresses had personally roasted. Da Yuer handed a plate to Qiqige. "Take this back and enjoy it," Da Yuer said.

Qiqige smiled playfully, "You're too hasty, the Great Khan hasn't even eaten yet."

She turned and presented the roasted meat to Hong Taiji, asking him to try it first, before politely stepping back.

"We'll bring the rest later," Hairanju whispered to Yuer. "I'll go with you."

Da Yuer felt reassured, and the two of them approached Hong Taiji. "Great Khan, try this and let us know which one you like best," Da Yuer said eagerly.

Jeje smiled and asked, "Did you both roast them separately?"

Hong Taiji picked up his chopsticks without much thought and sampled the two different types of meat on the plate. As he tasted them, he could easily tell which one was Yuer's and which one was Hairanju's. He pointed to the piece Yuer had roasted and said, "This one's delicious."

Da Yuer's eyes widened in surprise, "Great Khan, really? You like this one?"

Hong Taiji nodded, "I prefer this one."

Da Yuer beamed triumphantly at Hairanju, who smiled warmly in return. "Yes, yes, you won," she said with gentle amusement.

Jeje chuckled, "Sit down, both of you. The children are starting to worry because they can't find you." She then called for Adai, "Take some roasted meat to the Fourteenth Beile. He's injured and shouldn't drink, so make sure they send him some meat soup."

Seeing her aunt's instructions, Hairanju gently said to Da Yuer, "Let's not go over there. If anything comes up, we'll talk about it when we return to the palace."

The lively atmosphere in the hunting grounds lasted until midnight, before finally dissipating. When Hong Taiji returned to his tent, Niman came to report that there had been new developments regarding the earlier matter.

Hong Taiji thought for a moment, threw on his outer robe, and walked out of his tent, heading toward Da Yuer's.

At that time, Sumala was applying medicine to Da Yuer, who was lying with her bare back exposed. Hong Taiji suddenly barged in, startling her so much that she quickly rolled herself up in the blanket. However, Hong Taiji had no time to comfort her. He ordered Sumala to help her get dressed, and soon after, Niman arrived with others.

According to the attendants Hong Taiji had dispatched to follow Da Yuer, when Da Yuer's horse went wild, the First Prince's men happened to pass by at a distance. There were no abnormalities, and no one could prove that the First Prince or his men had done anything to Da Yuer.

However, several silver needles were found in the horse's body, and the needles still contained poison. The poison had been injected into a smaller sheep, causing it to go into convulsions and die immediately.

Although the horse was large and didn't die right away, its frantic gallop made the poison spread quickly through the bloodstream. Had it not been for Dorgon's timely intervention, Da Yuer might have been thrown off the horse before it collapsed from exhaustion.

"Who wants to kill me?" Da Yuer asked, her mind racing as the others withdrew. She suddenly realized that her life was in danger not only on horsebacks.

Hong Taiji coldly replied, "There are many people who want us dead. The words I told you were not a joke. It's not just you—it's Jeje, Hairanju, and our children."

Da Yuer's spine chilled as she looked fearfully at her husband, but gradually, she composed herself. "I understand."

Hong Taiji continued, "Living in constant fear will wear you down. You don't have to force yourself too much, but you must be more vigilant. If there's anything you don't understand or can't do, look to Qiqige."

"Qiqige?" Da Yuer asked, puzzled.

Hong Taiji replied, "I wonder if Dorgon truly appreciates such an extraordinary woman as her. It's not that you're not good enough, Yuer. But you and Qiqige are different. Qiqige is fully capable of managing everything at home, while Dorgon relies on her for all his matters. What she sees, what she calculates in her heart, is likely something you might not even think of. So, in situations like this, if you want to protect yourself, just follow what Qiqige does."

"Yes, I understand," Da Yuer responded.

"Don't be too scared," Hong Taiji said, embracing her. "I'm afraid that telling you this all of a sudden may have frightened you, but Yuer, I don't want you to get hurt."

"No wonder Qiqige said she doesn't like to ride horses anymore and doesn't go hunting when she comes out to play," Da Yuer muttered. "She never puts herself in danger."

"Take your time to understand," Hong Taiji said. "Though it's cruel, in life, you'll lose more and more joys—that's the inevitable result. Look at the children. You work so hard to protect their happy childhoods, isn't it because you know they will one day lose it all?"

"I know..." Da Yuer felt her heart heavy yet warm. "Great Khan, who could it be this time?"

Hong Taiji's heart tightened: "It might be Hooge."

Da Yuer looked up in confusion: "The first prince? Why?"

Hong Taiji replied, "Yuer, I can't take any action against Hooge. His violent actions toward you were just a fleeting moment of cruelty, but for the Great Jin, he's an irreplaceable warrior. Yuer, can you endure this grievance for me, for the Great Jin?"

Da Yuer stood still, lost in thought for a long time. Finally, she said, "Great Khan, please, don't let him hurt my sister."