Chapter 79

On March 23, 1633, in Shenyang,

Since the city was seized by Nurhaci from the Ming Dynasty, the founder of the Qing Dynasty hastily moved his family and all his possessions from the remote town of Hetuala to here, and began large-scale construction, showing every intention of settling down for the long term.

In a palace in Shenyang, a fat man of medium height, dressed in bright yellow, was walking briskly toward a pavilion, surrounded by a group of eunuchs.

"Hey... Master, please walk slower, the path is slippery," a eunuch dressed in blue with silver patterns kept reminding him from behind.

"An Delu, why are you so nagging? Do I need you to remind me how to walk?" The fat man turned back and scolded him impatiently.

"Master, how could I dare? I'm just afraid you might slip and fall if you're in a hurry," the eunuch behind him said with a smile, apologizing while secretly observing his expression, inwardly lamenting. This master had been in a bad mood lately, making life difficult for them servants. A few days ago, a eunuch had somehow angered him and was beaten with thirty strokes, still lying in bed.

The group walked around a flower bed and arrived at the pavilion, where they saw a woman in Jurchen attire reading a book. A cup of steaming tea was placed on the stone table beside her, and four palace maids were serving her.

"Oh, my beloved, why are you reading here? It's still a bit cold in early spring, be careful not to catch a cold," the fat man's voice reached her before he did.

The woman in the pavilion turned her head, revealing a plump and beautiful face. She was a young woman of about twenty-two, very beautiful. She was Daeje, the secondary consort, and the fat man who spoke was none other than Hong Taiji, the Great Khan of the Later Jin.

Seeing Hong Taiji's hurried steps, Daeje smiled and asked softly, "Great Khan, why are you here so early today? Is the morning court over?"

"Over!" Hong Taiji walked to Daeje's side, sat down on the stone bench next to her, and drank the tea in one gulp.

"Oh, Great Khan, you're too careless. This cup of tea has been used by me. If you want tea, I can pour you a new cup," Daeje scolded him with a coquettish tone.

"What's the problem with that?" Hong Taiji waved his hand indifferently, "Back in the days when I followed my father in battles, during tense times, we often shared a pot of soup with hundreds of people. Now, sharing a cup of tea with my beloved, what's the issue?"

Daeje scolded, "But that was then, now you're not young anymore, how can you compare?"

"I'm only forty-one, how can I be old? You're underestimating me, my beloved!" Hong Taiji waved his hand carelessly.

Seeing that Hong Taiji wouldn't admit it, Daeje didn't continue to persuade him. A smart woman knows when to stop, otherwise, it might become annoying.

She quickly changed the topic and asked, "Great Khan, why have you been so gloomy lately? Has something happened?"

Hong Taiji sighed lightly, "It's all because of Daisan. Last time, Daisan returned from科尔沁 (Khorchin) without any success, and in a fit of anger, I fined him half a year's salary and scolded him. I didn't expect my second brother to throw a tantrum and want to resign from his positions as the leader of the Plain Red Banner and the Bordered Red Banner. I immediately rejected his request, but unexpectedly, the Fourteenth Prince, Doron, heard about it and suggested in court today that the Fifteenth Prince (Dorod) take over the Bordered Red Banner. What a mess, isn't it?"

Daeje's eyebrows slowly furrowed. After a while, she said, "Great Khan, the Fourteenth Prince and the Fifteenth Prince have grown up. As they get older, various thoughts come to mind. The Fifteenth Prince always wants to lead troops south, and the Fourteenth Prince, being his brother, naturally supports him. There's nothing strange about that. You don't need to worry too much, but if the Great Prince (Daisan) really resigns from his position, won't the court be in chaos again?"

"Hmph... Do you believe what the second brother (Daisan) says?" Hong Taiji sneered, "Ever since he returned from Khorchin, he has been urging me to punish your father, Zaisan, and the Khorchin tribe. I refused, and he has been throwing tantrums. This isn't the first time."

Hearing that it involved her father and the tribe, Daeje couldn't help but feel nervous. She looked at Hong Taiji and said cautiously, "Great Khan, although my father didn't agree to marry my sister to you, it's not enough to punish him, is it? The Great Prince is being too harsh, isn't he?"

Hong Taiji said with a hint of frustration, "Sigh... I don't know what's going on. I've been in a bad mood lately. If your sister had married me, wouldn't your sisters be reunited in the palace? Plus, with your aunt Jijie, the family would be even closer. But your father married her to a small merchant from the Ming Dynasty. I really can't understand it. Is that merchant better than me?"

Daeje didn't say anything. She knew that Hong Taiji had fallen in love with her sister, Hailanju, when he visited her family a year ago. He was determined to marry her, thinking that her father wouldn't refuse given the relationship between the Later Jin and Khorchin. However, Zaisan refused, which almost made Hong Taiji lose his breath.

As Hong Taiji's confidante, Daeje understood her husband's thoughts very well. The talk of strengthening family ties and maintaining peace was all superficial; his desire for her sister's beauty was the real reason. Daeje knew her sister's beauty very well. Although she herself was also beautiful, she couldn't compare to her sister. Her husband's infatuation was expected. However, to be honest, Daeje didn't really want her sister to marry Hong Taiji, and the reason was only known to her.

Thinking of this, a wave of inexplicable joy surged in Daeje's heart. She smiled and comforted her husband, "Great Khan, I know my sister's character best. She is very proud. If she agreed to the marriage arranged by my father, it means there is something she likes about the merchant. She won't change her mind easily. Unless you use extreme measures, but I don't support you doing that."

Daeje's words seemed vague and headless, but in fact, she was advising Hong Taiji not to take this matter too seriously. Since the deed was done, unless Hong Taiji was willing to break ties with the Khorchin tribe and force Zaisan to annul the marriage and remarry Hailanju to him, there was no hope of changing the situation.

"Sigh..."

Hong Taiji sighed deeply. He understood Daeje's meaning and had to admit she was right. He couldn't use the power of a nation to force his staunch ally to marry his daughter to him. That would make anyone feel cold. After all, he was in the wrong. They had already married their sister and a daughter to him, and he couldn't even let them keep their last daughter. No one would stand for that. Oh... So the women in their family can only marry you and no one else? You're too domineering.

"Alright!" Hong Taiji nodded reluctantly, "Since your father has already married Hailanju to the merchant, I won't say anything more. I heard that the merchant will marry Hailanju in a few days. I'll send some gifts as a token of my goodwill."

Hearing this, Daeje's eyes lit up. She held Hong Taiji's hand and pleaded, "Great Khan, I haven't visited Khorchin for a long time. Now that my sister is getting married, I want to go home to see my father and sister, and take your gifts back. What do you think?"

"This..."

Hong Taiji was slightly surprised. Looking at Daeje, he remembered that she hadn't returned to her family in nearly ten years since she married him. Thinking of this, his heart softened, and he nodded, "Alright, you've been married to me for so many years and haven't gone back. This time, you can go, but I'm not comfortable with you going alone. How about I send the Fourteenth Prince to accompany you?"

"Doron? Alright, thank you, Great Khan, for your kindness!" The pavilion echoed with Daeje's silver laughter...