Hong Taiji Once Thought He Had Gone Mad

That night, Hong Taiji stayed in Yanqing Palace. It was unclear what he was doing, but throughout the night, there were people coming and going, making quite a bit of noise.

While Da Yuer was washing up, she glanced across to the opposite side, but didn't think much of it. The next morning, she didn't go to Qingning Palace for breakfast as usual. She woke up and, noting the time, headed straight to the study.

Inside Qingning Palace, Hong Taiji silently ate, but after drinking a bowl of plain porridge for quite a while, he hadn't touched any of the side dishes. Slowly, Hairanju came in. Only then did he look up, spoke a few words to her and Jeje, and hurried off to the morning court.

Now, the court meetings were held in Chongzheng Hall. Every day, he would pass by the study behind Chongzheng Hall, walking past Da Yuer's window. He saw her sitting cross-legged at a small tea table, sipping milk tea while occasionally putting pieces of shredded milk bun into her mouth, glancing now and then at the scrolls stacked beside her.

Da Yuer's calm and peace made Hong Taiji feel unfamiliar, and it inexplicably irritated him. But the way she was now, he had no right to criticize or find fault.

Niman, who followed the emperor every day and understood everything, took a few steps away and then proactively said, "Your Majesty, Her Highness Zhuang Fei has been like this every day now. Aside from the study, she's either accompanying the young princesses or talking with the Empress and Her Highness Chen Fei."

"And then?"

"Then she returns to Yongfu Palace to stay." Niman said, "Now, Her Highness can spend an entire day by herself in peace and quiet."

Hong Taiji shook his head. Even Niman said "Her Highness can now." This was not the way his Da Yuer should be, but this situation had lasted for a long time.

That day, Jeje came to Chongzheng Hall to ask him, and Hong Taiji had made himself clear. He said Da Yuer would come around, but now autumn had come, and had she really thought things through?

Hong Taiji thought she wouldn't be able to endure it for long, or even pretend to be obedient for long. But as the days passed, it seemed to have no end.

This restlessness of the emperor was felt by the ministers, women in the harem, and even Da Yuer. However, she never expected it to be because of her. She had already moved herself out of Hong Taiji's eyes and heart. She knew there was no place for her there anymore.

In Guanju Palace, Hairanju looked at the emperor and, after enduring for two days, spoke directly, "Your Majesty, is it because of Yuer?"

Hong Taiji immediately became restless, looking at Hairanju with a deep gaze, not hiding his emotions: "What does she want to do? What does your sister want to do?"

Hairanju quickly asked, "What's wrong with Yuer?"

She tried to think, but over the past few days, Da Yuer had been so obedient, not causing trouble, yet when she thought about it again, of course something was wrong. Her younger sister was no longer the same as the first time she came to Shengjing. That sunny, radiant beauty who shone wherever she went.

"Your Majesty, how do you want Yuer to be like?" Hairanju asked, calming herself.

"I don't know." Hong Taiji answered immediately.

"But what if Yuer is happy?" Hairanju asked.

"Happy?" Hong Taiji was incredulous. "She's like this now, and you think she's happy? I've told her before, to live according to her own heart, but now she seems like a completely different person. Is this living according to her heart?"

Hairanju held Hong Taiji's hand and comforted him: "Otherwise? Even if Yuer is living according to your wishes, or for the sake of aunt, or even for me, it's still her own heart's desire. Your Majesty, you and I have hurt her so deeply, why do we keep asking so much from her? If you can't give Yuer what she wants, why force her? Isn't it better to quietly protect her? You see, even aunt has let go. She no longer forces Yuer."

Hong Taiji withdrew his hand and gently cupped Hairanju's cheek with affection. "But I don't want you to feel guilty. I don't want you to feel guilty for anyone..."

Hairanju knew, she understood, and with tears in her eyes, she said, "Then wouldn't that make me feel more guilty toward Yuer? Why is it always for my sake? Your Majesty, if it's for your own heart, then speak to Yuer properly. But if it's for me, I don't want it. She's my sister, I will cherish her myself."

Hong Taiji held her and gently stroked Hairanju's back. "Alright, I will listen to you. I won't demand anything from her for your sake unless I want to myself. If she's quiet and at peace, it means I have less to worry about, and you have less to worry about too. But you promise me, don't feel guilty toward anyone. Even if we never meet in this life, the woman I love most will always be you. You never took Yuer's place; it never was, and never will be."

"I know..." Hairanju replied. "Your Majesty, heaven has even granted us a child. How could I still have doubts? Even if I can't avoid feeling guilty toward Yuer as you said, I've never regretted it. Never..."

Hong Taiji's restless emotions gradually faded. He loved Hairanju with the intensity that would make him offer his life in exchange.

Although he could never say such words out loud, especially not to anyone, after forty years of life, he never imagined there would be anyone or anything that could match the empire he had fought for. Until Hairanju came into his life.

He couldn't let anyone know about these thoughts, even Hairanju herself, for as an emperor, it would bring endless burdens and suffering to her.

In the past, he had scoffed at the stories of beauties who were loved alongside the throne. While he indeed cared deeply for Jeje and Da Yuer, Hairanju was different. He had fallen madly in love with this woman—not out of a desperate need or from a fear of losing her, but because she was quietly by his side, and that was enough for him to love her with everything he had.

Hong Taiji once thought he was going mad. He could even watch Hairanju sleep soundly through the night until morning, and still feel a sense of satisfaction. He truly was mad.

"Don't cry. When you cry, I get even more anxious." Hong Taiji wiped away the tears from Hairanju's eyes. "I'll listen to you. I won't force Yuer to change anything. As long as she's happy, it doesn't matter how she chooses to live."

Hairanju let out a sigh of relief and gently stroked the emperor's cheek. "Your Majesty, the child inside me is moving. She must want to meet her father."

Hong Taiji gently leaned down to her belly, listening to the movement inside. His mood finally brightened, and he smiled: "Don't be in a hurry to come out. Stay quietly in your mother's belly and grow up. In the future, your father will teach you to ride and shoot, and you will follow your father to conquer the world."

Hairanju wanted to speak but hesitated. She felt that the baby inside her was a girl, but the emperor seemed to be eagerly expecting a son. She decided to hold her thoughts and speak about it later.

In September, news spread that Lady Sayin Noyan was also expecting. From Nara, to Irgen Gioro, to Hairanju, and now to this young concubine who had been in the palace for less than a year, news of pregnancies kept coming one after another. It even became tiresome for the royal relatives.

This year, the cost of congratulatory gifts sent to the palace was substantial, and though the silver wasn't much, the changing winds inside the palace were becoming harder and harder to read. What was clear, however, was that Hong Taiji was completely obsessed with wanting a son.

One day, Da Yuer was returning from the study with Yatu and Atu when they encountered Nam Jung, the heavily pregnant Irgen Gioro, and the young and beautiful Sayin Noyan taking a stroll.

Da Yuer instructed Yatu and Atu to greet them. Atu obediently called out "Your Highness Gui Fei," but Yatu turned her face away, disregarding Nam Jung.

The older child should have been more sensible, but it was precisely because Yatu had grown up that she understood what had happened in the palace—what had happened to her father, and what had happened to her mother. Others might be fine, but as for Nam Jung, she, a proud princess spoiled by her father, would never show her respect.

"Yatu?" Da Yuer gently reminded, "Mother has taught you to be polite."

Yatu stubbornly glared at her mother, then turned away and walked ahead.

However, Sayin Noyan, who was barely seventeen, thought that the emperor favoured her, and now with her pregnancy, she had begun to become a bit arrogant.

When she saw Yatu's haughty attitude, she mischievously extended her foot as Yatu passed by, deliberately tripping the young girl, causing her to fall hard to the ground.

Yatu cried out loudly, and Sumala and the wet nurse quickly rushed forward to pick her up. After all, she was still just an eight-year-old child, and she was deeply hurt by the injustice.

Nam Jung, unaware that the young concubine had caused the incident, put on a false air of friendliness and asked, "Be careful when walking, Yatu, did you hurt yourself?"

But Da Yuer walked straight to Sayin Noyan, her expression fierce and angry. Without hesitation, she slapped the young concubine twice, leaving her stunned.

"Someone!" Da Yuer coldly ordered.

Nam Jung was taken aback for a moment, then raised her stature as Gui Fei: "Sister, what are you doing?"

Da Yuer gave her a cold glance and replied, "Teaching her a lesson. Does Your Highness wish to join in?"