My People are Good

Da Yuer claimed she had come to terms with her feelings, but Sumala didn't see it that way. To her, the lady had simply matured and become more composed. In the past, she might have stormed off to Hetu Ala in a fit of anger, but now she could control her emotions without needing to flee so far.

In Sumala's eyes, perhaps the Emperor was too busy, or perhaps the Empress was too content with the peace of the realm to notice. Even the older princess, with her simple and carefree nature, didn't seem to sense anything amiss. Day after day, no one noticed anything unusual about Da Yuer—except Sumala, who knew how difficult it was for her lady to swallow even a bite of food.

When summer truly arrived in Shengjing, Da Yuer found that her summer clothes from the previous year no longer fit. They needed to be taken in by several inches everywhere. The maids, overwhelmed with work, had lazily made new clothes based on last year's measurements, but none of them fit.

Sumala, knowing that her lady didn't want to make a fuss, secretly altered the clothes herself. Every day, Da Yuer appeared radiant and elegant in front of others. When the Emperor occasionally came to Yongfu Palace to rest, she would still laugh and chat with him.

One day, Qiqige entered the palace to bring some freshly harvested fruits for Jeje. She brought along little Dong'e, who was now steady on her feet and babbling, trying to imitate adult speech.

Watching children grow up truly felt like the blink of an eye. Da Yuer held Dong'e in her arms and said, "Yatu is already eight years old, but I still remember when she was this small."

The young girls came to pay their respects to Qiqige, who had the maids distribute the fresh fruits to them. They then took Dong'e outside to play in the shade.

With so many children playing together, it was inevitable that there would be some pushing and shoving. Azhe fell down the steps and cried bitterly. Da Yuer came out to comfort her daughter, carrying her and walking around the inner courtyard.

Qiqige glanced out the window and, seeing that Dong'e was fine, felt relieved. But when she noticed Da Yuer holding Azhe, she couldn't tell whether Azhe had grown or if Da Yuer had become noticeably thinner. She turned to Jeje and said, "Aunt, has Yuer lost weight?"

Jeje replied, "Has she? I see her every day and haven't noticed. I haven't heard of her being unwell either."

Qiqige quickly added, "It must be that Azhe has grown. She used to be so small in Yuer's arms, but now she's bigger, so it makes Yuer look thinner."

Jeje dismissed the concern, "Yes, the children grow up so quickly. Look at little Dong'e—she's already walking. Dorgon must be delighted, isn't he?"

Qiqige sighed, "It's a pity that none of the women in our family can have children. Auntie, do you think I should arrange for Dorgon to take a few concubines?"

Jeje replied, "That's a decision you'll have to make yourself. If you want my help, just say the word, but if you're not willing, I won't force you."

Qiqige said dejectedly, "I just can't bring myself to accept it."

Jeje handed her a plate of fruit that Adai had prepared, "Then wait a little longer. You're still young. In our clan, there have been cases like this—women who struggled at first but then had child after child."

Qiqige rested her chin on her hand, "Let me think about it a bit more."

Outside, the sound of children's laughter drifted in. Qiqige asked, "Why isn't sister Hairanju here?"

Jeje replied, "She's taking her midday nap. I'll call her over to join us in a bit."

Over at Guanju Palace, the laughter of the children woke Hairanju from her light nap. Baoqing came in and asked, "Should I ask the young ladies to play somewhere else?"

Hairanju smiled, "I'm not that delicate. I'm just being lazy."

She got up, slipped on her soft shoes, and walked to the window. Under the bright sunlight, the children played together, their laughter filling the air. The palace was becoming more lively with more and more children, and Hong Taiji had even adopted a few young princesses from the clan. To Hairanju, their cheerful chatter was like the sweetest music.

"The Fourteen's Consort is at Qingning Palace," Baoqing said. "Will you go over to join them? I'll help you get dressed."

Hairanju noticed Baoqing's distracted and eager expression and asked, "Do you have something urgent to do?"

Baoqing chuckled, "Today is the day we receive our monthly allowances. Sumala and the others have already gone."

Hairanju waved her off, "Go ahead, go ahead. My head still feels a bit heavy. I'll wake up a bit more before heading over. You can come back and help me then."

At the Department of Internal Affairs, the palace maids had gathered to collect their monthly allowances. Adai's share had already been delivered to her early, and below the Empress, Guanju Palace was now the most prestigious.

"Sister Baoqing, why did you trouble yourself to come in person? It's so hot outside," the staff at the Department of Internal Affairs said politely, handing her the wrapped allowance. A young maid nearby chimed in, "Now that Baoqing has received hers, can we finally get ours?"

Sumala smiled at her, "If you hadn't come, they would have held onto ours."

Baoqing unconsciously straightened her back. She had now become a figure of some importance in the palace.

After fawning over Baoqing, the staff quickly turned to Sumala to hand her the monthly allowance. Lixin, who had been waiting impatiently, sneered, "What's going on? If we're following the hierarchy of the consorts, shouldn't I be next after Baoqing?"

Baoqing and Sumala had been in the palace for over a decade, while Lixin had only arrived recently. How much respect could Nam Jung truly command? Everyone knew that although Consort Yu had been given the lowest rank among the five palaces, the harem was still dominated by the Khorchin faction. They didn't even spare a thought for Nam Jung, let alone Lixin.

"Wait for your turn, you'll be next soon," the staff at the Department of Internal Affairs said impatiently, then turned back to politely hand Sumala her allowance.

"Why should I wait for what's rightfully mine?" Lixin rushed forward, shoved Sumala aside, and snatched the silver. She spat, "Everyone here has learned the palace rules, right? If you don't show me respect, you're disrespecting the Gui Fei. Shall we go to the Empress and settle this?"

Sumala got up from the ground, her wrist bleeding where her jade bracelet had shattered and cut her skin.

Though furious, she didn't want to cause a scene, knowing it would only bring trouble to her lady. But Lixin's next words were too much to bear: "Serves you right. You should know your place and whose side you're on. From now on, keep your head down when you see me."

This provocation ignited Sumala's anger. She had long been heartbroken over her lady's suffering, and now Lixin dared to openly mock her. Sumala couldn't swallow this insult. She stepped forward and slapped Lixin twice, the sharp sound startling everyone.

In the next moment, the two were tangled in a fight. Lixin wasn't one to back down, and the Department of Internal Affairs descended into chaos. It wasn't until several senior maids intervened, scolding and separating the two, that the commotion subsided.

When news of the incident reached the inner palace, Nam Jung was furious—not because Sumala had dared to strike Lixin, but because her foolish maid had stirred up trouble again. Seeing an opportunity, Nam Jung took the initiative to go to Qingning Palace and apologize, claiming she had failed to discipline her servant and asking the Empress to punish her severely.

Qiqige, watching from the side, thought to herself how cunning Nam Jung was. If she resorted to underhanded tactics, it would be hard to guard against.

Originally, both Sumala and Lixin were respected maids in the palace, and Jeje could have dealt with them leniently, simply having them reflect on their actions. But with the new harem system recently established and new rules being implemented everywhere, showing mercy now might make it difficult to enforce discipline in the future.

Jeje hardened her heart and said, "Adai, you handle this."

At noon, when the sun was at its fiercest, even in Shengjing, the heat was intense. Sumala and Lixin were each made to hold a basin of water and kneel in the centre of the inner courtyard.

All the palace maids were gathered to watch. They had to kneel for a full four hours, and if any water spilled from the basins, the time would start over.

Da Yuer didn't want her daughters to witness such a scene, so she sent them back to their quarters. Qiqige accompanied her as they walked back to the inner palace. There, they saw the maids standing in neat rows, and Sumala trembling as she held the basin of water, her wrist stained with blood. Da Yu'er didn't yet know how Sumala had been injured.

Seeing Da Yuer clench her fists, Qiqige whispered, "You must endure this. Aunt is enforcing the rules for everyone to see. It's just unfortunate that Sumala was careless."

But before Qiqige could finish, Da Yuer stepped forward and slapped the basin off Sumala's head. The sudden movement startled Lixin, causing her to spill the entire basin of water onto Da Yuer.

Everyone was shocked. Da Yuer coldly pointed to the matron nearby and asked, "Did you see that?"

"Yes, yes..." the matron stammered.

"What is the punishment for a servant who disrespects their master?" Da Yuer demanded.

"Your Highness, it was you who startled me first..." Lixin cried out in fear.

Nam Jung, hearing the commotion, emerged from Linzhi Palace. A maid quickly approached to inform her of what had happened.

"I startled you, so you thought it was acceptable to douse me with water?" Da Yuer asked. "Since when do servants in this palace argue with their masters?"

Lixin dared not retort. She knew she was doomed. Catching sight of Nam Jung, she clutched at her as a lifeline, pleading, "Your Highness, Your Highness... please, help me!"

Nam Jung suppressed her anger and slowly approached. Da Yuer, however, greeted her with a respectful curtsy and said amiably, "I apologize for disturbing you, Your Highness."

"Not at all, it's my servant who lacks manners," Nam Jung replied with a forced smile, though her grip on her maid's arm was so tight it made the girl wince in pain.

"Take her out and whip her!" Da Yuer turned and coldly ordered the matron. "Her Highness is too kind to discipline her servants, so I'll do it for her today. Drag Lixin out and give her twenty lashes."

Nam Jung's eyes burned with fury, her teeth clenched in anger. She watched as several matrons hastily dragged Lixin away. Lixin screamed desperately for her mistress, but her mouth was soon gagged, and she was hauled off like a sack of grain.

Da Yuer helped Sumala to her feet, then turned to Nam Jung with a faint smile. Softly, she said, "Your Highness, it would be best if you properly discipline your servants. Don't let them act foolishly. My people are good, and I won't tolerate anyone bullying them. If this happens again, I'll make sure that wretched servant loses her head. Of course, I only target the servants—I wouldn't dare disrespect you."

Nam Jung chuckled dryly, "Yes... your people are all good. But no matter how good they are, they can't compare to those in Guanju Palace. I truly feel sorry for you, sister."

Nam Jung's words were sharp, but Da Yuer couldn't care less about what came out of her mouth. She wouldn't be provoked.

Nam Jung, trying to save face, added, "I'm concerned that you're openly defying the Empress's orders. Aren't you afraid she'll blame you? Should I go and explain on your behalf?"

Da Yuer found this laughable. She shot Nam Jung a cold glance, then turned and left with Sumala.

Qiqige, who had been watching nearby, gave Nam Jung a polite curtsy before following Da Yuer back to Yongfu Palace.

In Qingning Palace, Jeje stood by the window and witnessed everything. At this moment, Hairanju was already on her way to Yongfu Palace. Adai, standing beside Jeje, whispered, "Your Majesty, as I said, Her Highness seems to be holding in a lot of frustration."

Jeje frowned, "But the Emperor told me that Yuer willingly accepted the lowest rank. Is she having second thoughts now?"

Adai brought over a cup of cool tea to help her mistress calm down. Jeje instructed her, "Let this matter rest. There's no need to pursue Sumala's punishment further. It's good for everyone to understand that even though Yuer holds the lowest rank, no one is allowed to bully her."

"How will the Emperor view this?" Adai asked. "Will he think Her Highness is being unreasonable?"

"That would be too unfair to her. Is the Emperor going to favour Linzhi Palace instead? Sumala has served the Emperor for many years alongside Yuer. Doesn't that count for some affection and respect?" Jeje dismissed the concern. "The Emperor won't care. It's just a trivial matter, not worth making a fuss over."

At that moment, a maid from Yongfu Palace rushed in: "Your Majesty, Her Highness Chen Fei has fallen!"

Jeje's heart tightened, "Why the panic? What's happened now?"

But this was no small matter. When Hairanju arrived at Yongfu Palace and saw Sumala's injured hand, she asked Baoqing to help treat the wound. Knowing where the medicine box was kept, Hairanju went to fetch it herself. However, as she leaned against the cabinet, she suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground.

When Da Yuer rushed over to help her sister, she saw that Hairanju's face was pale, as if she had suffered from heatstroke. Hairanju, fearing she would disturb the Emperor and Empress, repeatedly insisted she was fine, but Da Yuer didn't dare take any chances.

Jeje, relieved to hear it wasn't another quarrel or scuffle, summoned the imperial physician, assuming Hairanju had simply fainted from the heat. However, after taking her pulse, the physician's expression changed, and he requested the Empress's permission to call in several other physicians for a joint consultation.

When the news reached Chongzheng Hall, Hong Taiji, upon hearing that Hairanju had fallen ill, immediately set aside his work and hurried over under the scorching sun.