Hong Taiji rushed into Guanju Palace like the wind. The midwives and palace maids immediately knelt down in unison. Da Yuer was still helpin
Hong Taiji rushed into Guanju Palace like the wind. The midwives and palace maids immediately knelt down in unison. Da Yuer was still helping to clean and wrap the new-born baby, but she saw the emperor go straight to her sister's side and gently wake the unconscious woman.
Silently, she turned back and continued to tend to the baby.
The Khorchin tribe had waited for over twenty years, and they had finally waited for their women to give birth to a son for Hong Taiji. Her sister was indeed blessed. Da Yuer and her aunt had given birth to six daughters in one go. Even they themselves found it unbelievable, let along others.
Of course, Yuer loved her children, every single one of them.
At this moment, Wukeshan must be full of regret. If he hadn't given her sister the harmful medicine that damaged her body and caused her miscarriage, perhaps the Sixth and Seventh Princes would have been born from her sister. Now, he must be hoping that Hairanju could give birth to the Ninth and Tenth Princes for them.
The sound of people expressing gratitude echoed from behind. Da Yuer walked over with the swaddled baby in her arms. The midwives were responding to the emperor, and Hong Taiji, overjoyed, wanted to reward them. With a bright smile, she stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to hold the little prince?"
"Yuer, you've worked hard." Hong Taiji was overjoyed, but he didn't know where to put his hands. Of course—he had so many children, yet he had rarely held a new-born baby himself.
"Better let sister hold him," Da Yuer said with a smile.
Hong Taiji helped Hairanju up. Her hands trembled slightly as she took the baby, but as soon as he was in her arms, she became calm.
She gently pulled back the swaddling cloth, revealing a tiny, wrinkled face. This was her son. She had another child. Seeing the little one's eyes tightly shut and his lips slightly puckered, Hairanju's tears fell as she choked up and asked Hong Taiji, "Your Majesty, may I feed him?"
Hong Taiji knew the palace rules. Princes and princesses were always fed by wet nurses to ensure that the concubines recovered well enough to serve him. But now, how could he bear to let Hairanju go through that? As long as she was happy, anything was fine.
"Feed him, go ahead and feed him…" Hong Taiji replied softly.
Da Yuer wrung out a warm cloth and handed it to her sister. After wiping her sister's breast, she watched as her sister skilfully guided it into the eager little one's mouth. Quietly, she slipped away, taking the palace maids with her.
Jeje was still waiting outside. Da Yuer congratulated her, "Aunt, aren't you going in to take a look?"
"There's no place for me in there now," Jeje said with a bitter smile. She used the cloth in her hand to gently wipe the sweat off Da Yuer's forehead. On such a cold day, how tense and busy must she have been to be sweating so much? "Go back and wash up quickly, don't catch a chill. Yuer, you've worked hard."
It was only then that Da Yuer realized her inner clothes were soaked through. The cold wind outside made her shiver. She wouldn't dare risk her health, so she quickly returned with Sumala to clean up and change clothes.
Sumala noticed that Da Yuer was quiet—neither happy nor sad. Wanting to cheer her up, she said with a smile, "Very soon, Princess will have her own little prince too."
Da Yuer glanced at her and smiled, but deep down, she knew it was impossible.
She would never have another child. She had eaten so many things and drunk so much wine at Qiqige's house.
More importantly, her relationship with Hong Taiji… it felt like they had returned to when she was seventeen or eighteen, but she could feel it—she wouldn't "move" anymore. She could clearly sense that Hong Taiji's desire and passion for her had become more and more indifferent.
"Princess, I didn't get a good look at the little prince. Who do you think he looks like?" Sumala asked.
"He's all wrinkled up, not fully grown yet. It's hard to tell," Da Yuer came back to her senses and smiled. "We'll know after the three-day cleansing ceremony."
Sumala sighed, "The Emperor must be over the moon. He's probably smiling in his dreams—winning a great victory and now gaining a son, and to top it off, it's the older princess who gave birth to him."
Yes, indeed. Everyone was happy, and all were satisfied. Now, it was time to simply live well and enjoy life.
Little Aje stirred from her sleep on the kang bed, calling out softly, "Mommy…" in her baby voice. Da Yuer sat beside her daughter, pulling the sweet-smelling, soft little girl into her arms. She wrapped her in a cotton quilt and kissed her warm little face. "Awake now?"
"Mm… mm…" The little one murmured softly, nestling into her mother's embrace and quickly falling back asleep.
Da Yuer used her thumb and index finger to measure her daughter's length—sure enough, Aje had grown taller. It felt like just yesterday when she was a tiny baby in swaddling clothes, and now, in the blink of an eye, she had grown so big.
Her sister's child would surely grow up healthy as well. He was the hope of the Khorchin tribe and the hope of the emperor. To have the child born from his favourite woman inherit his empire—Hong Taiji's life was truly complete.
Da Yuer couldn't help but smile, gently patting little Aje in her arms to soothe her back to sleep. Her heart grew calmer—at least for now, Hong Taiji was happy. Her sister was happy, her aunt was happy, and everyone else was happy too. How wonderful.
The news that Her Highness Chen Fei of Guanju Palace had given birth to the Eighth Prince spread quickly throughout Shengjing. By noon the next day, the slow-moving army received the joyous report from the capital. Yet, despite the seemingly good news, everyone's feelings about it was not necessarily joyful.
Hooge was the most furious and anxious of all. He had left full of ambition, hoping that Yoto would wear down the women in the palace. But who would've thought that before Yoto could even make a move, he had already been subdued.
During the campaign against Joseon, Hooge had fought with ferocity, but all his anger and resentment were channelled into the blood and corpses on the battlefield. Now that he was finally back, he knew there were accounts to be settled that he couldn't escape. Would Yoto expose him?
Hong Taiji did not forget his soldiers. He personally went to the outskirts of Shengjing to welcome the army back. Along with rewarding the soldiers, he also shared with them the joy of having a new son. During the three-day cleansing ceremony for the Eighth Prince, Hong Taiji announced a general amnesty for the entire nation.
Even when he ascended the throne last year, there had been no such amnesty. In the more than ten years since Hong Taiji inherited the khanate and proclaimed himself emperor, this was the first time he had granted a general amnesty. Everyone within the Eight Banners and the imperial clan understood that it was just short of directly declaring the Eighth Prince as the crown prince.
Han emperors had their crown princes to stabilize the nation and ensure the continuity of the royal lineage. For Hong Taiji, establishing an heir was only a matter of time.
The Khorchin people arrived in Shengjing without delay. Although Hong Taiji and Jeje treated them with courtesy, Wukeshan and his women were never allowed to enter the inner palace. They couldn't even catch a glimpse of the new-born child—Khorchin's future hope.
Da Yuer, however, ran into her brother outside Fenghuang Tower. Wukeshan was in high spirits, but Da Yuer's expression was ice-cold as she said, "Brother, you'd best keep your thoughts to yourself. Wipe that smile off your face and tuck your tail between your legs. Be honest and behave yourself."
Wukeshan's face changed drastically. Before he could retort, Da Yuer scolded him sharply, "What are you so pleased about? The emperor is happy because he and my sister have a child. But you? Are you eagerly waiting for that child to inherit the throne? Are you wishing for the emperor's death?"
"Bumbutai, what are you saying…"
"I am the emperor's Zhuang Fei. Who are you calling by name?" Da Yuer glared at him fiercely. "Wukeshan, you'd better know your place."
Wukeshan was furious and couldn't resist a sarcastic jab, "Maybe it's because you're incapable yourself, feeling bitter inside, and now you're taking it out on me?"
Da Yuer gave a cold, faint smile and took a few steps closer, her gaze dark and full of warning as she spoke to her brother. "If I hear the Khorchin people speak ill of you, I'll make sure they change their master. Wukeshan, you'd better think carefully—what my aunt, my sister, and I are protecting is the grasslands, our people, our subjects, and even our cattle and sheep. But we are not protecting you!"
After she finished speaking, she left Wukeshan standing there, dumbfounded. Without looking back, she strode toward the study.
"My Lord… you… you…" Sumala was at a loss for words, unsure of what to do. She quickly followed after Da Yuer.
"Sumala!" Wukeshan called out to her, his voice stiff as he asked, "What's wrong with Yuer? Why does she seem like a completely different person?"
Sumala shook her head, not daring to answer, and ran after Da Yuer.
The scene between the siblings did not go unnoticed—after all, the entire palace was filled with Hong Taiji's spies. Naturally, the incident was reported to the emperor before long.
"Those siblings have never been on good terms," Hong Taiji said to Niman. "Hairanju despises Wukeshan the most. I've only stayed out of Khorchin's affairs for Jeje's sake. But if Wukeshan doesn't behave himself, what's stopping me from killing him?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Niman responded. But after a moment of hesitation, he added awkwardly, "Your Majesty, Li Qinwang is requesting an audience again."
Hong Taiji sneered coldly, "I won't see him. Send him back."
Niman looked troubled. "But… this is the fifth day, Your Majesty. Li Qinwang…"
Hong Taiji was silent for a moment, his expression darkening as he asked, "Has Daisan met Jeje?"
Niman replied carefully, "Li Qinwang hasn't met with the Empress, but… he seems to have met Her Highness Zhuang Fei. For the details… I'm afraid only Lord Sonin would know."
After days of being preoccupied with other matters, Hong Taiji finally remembered Sonin. "Summon Sonin to see me," he commanded.
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