Palace Eaves

In the following days, it was Da Yuer who personally took care of her elder sister with Sumala's help. Hong Taiji visited a few times, but since Hairanju spent most of her time asleep, he only reminded Da Yuer not to overexert herself and said little else. His silence, paradoxically, put Da Yuer at ease.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival arrived. In previous years, when Hong Taiji was not in the palace, a few lanterns were lit just to amuse the children. But this year, with the Great Khan in the palace and newly established ceremonial practices for various holidays, Jeje had ordered grand preparations as early as the previous year, many of which were initially overseen by Hairanju herself.

Now that Hairanju was bedridden and unable to manage the palace affairs, Da Yuer, despite her capabilities, was left undisturbed by Jeje, who preferred to let the two sisters focus on recovery. Jeje took on all the responsibilities herself.

That evening, the sound of firecrackers could be heard outside the Fenghuang Tower. Lanterns hung from the palace eaves, creating a dazzling and lively atmosphere.

Seeing Hairanju curiously glancing out the window, Da Yuer helped her elder sister out of bed, and they leaned on each other as they stepped outside.

The palace gardens were transformed into a dreamlike realm, adorned with colourful paper lanterns, red lanterns, and iridescent glass lamps.

"So beautiful," Hairanju remarked. "The Lantern Festival in Shengjing is truly lively."

"There are many Han people here in Liaodong, and the customs of the Manchu and Han people have blended together," Da Yuer replied with a smile. "I can hardly tell which traditions are Manchu and which are Han anymore. The Great Khan says that's a good thing—when we cross into China proper in the future, it'll keep the Han people from looking down on us as uncultured."

Hairanju chuckled. "In terms of understanding the customs and cultures of the Manchu and Han, Qiqige probably knows best."

Da Yuer nodded repeatedly. "Qiqige is like an encyclopaedia. That person knows everything!"

As they chatted, children poured out of the Ningqing Palace, each holding a beautifully crafted lantern. They dashed toward the Fenghuang Tower to watch the fireworks, with nannies and maids hurriedly following to keep an eye on their young charges.

Hairanju and Da Yuer watched the children with warm smiles. Eventually, they saw Yatu holding little Atu's hand, as the two sisters emerged from Ningqing Palace with their own lanterns.

Excited, Atu spotted the older children running ahead and let go of Yatu's hand to join them. However, Yatu stayed under the eaves, staring dazedly at his mother and aunt standing together.

Hairanju felt immense guilt when she saw Yatu. It was because of her that Yatu had done something wrong. She shouldn't have worn those shoes as cold as ice, and she should have sternly corrected Yatu the first time she slipped her foot into them. But she didn't.

Yatu stood there, staring blankly at them. When her wet nurse took her hand, she obediently followed but timidly glanced back at them a few more times. Only when Atu called out loudly for her sister from up ahead did Yatu run toward her.

The joy and excitement on Hairanju's face faded away. Unexpectedly, Da Yuer, standing beside her, asked softly, "Sister, will you forgive Yatu?"

"Yuer? I…" Hairanju was stunned. Could her younger sister have found out?

When they returned to the room, Hairanju leaned against the cushions, a small table set in front of her. Da Yuer sat cross-legged opposite her, blowing on the yuanxiao Baoqing had brought and then offering one to her sister.

Hairanju obediently ate one, letting the sweet sesame filling melt in her mouth. Da Yuer smiled and said, "It's too greasy; you can only have one. Once you're better, we'll have them make more for you."

With that, she ate the rest of the yuanxiao herself. Then, she peeled a pear and fed its tender white flesh to her sister.

After Hairanju had eaten most of the pear, Da Yuer finally spoke solemnly: "It was Adai who told me. She saw Yatu holding a pair of cotton shoes, crouched on the ground, stuffing them with snow. She witnessed it once herself, and her people have seen it too. That time, Adai even saw you wearing those shoes when you went to Ningqing Palace. Later, when you fell ill, she suspected it was because Yatu had been playing such pranks on you, causing you to catch a chill."

"Then Aunt knows too?" Hairanju asked worriedly.

"Aunt doesn't know," Da Yuer replied. "Adai said this could either be a big matter or small. She thought long and hard before deciding it was best to tell me, since I'm Yatu's mother and the one who should discipline her." Lowering her gaze, she asked, "Sister, it's true, isn't it? Yatu bullied you?"

"Yuer, I've wronged you. I've wronged Yatu," Hairanju said painfully. "I shouldn't have let Yatu do such things. I should've harshly scolded her. It wasn't Yatu bullying me—it was me hurting her."

But Hairanju felt that no explanation could adequately convey her feelings. How could she tell her sister that it was because she had reached her breaking point, even to the extent of losing her will to live? Yet, even if she wanted to die, she should never have dragged her innocent niece into her despair.

As the intensity of her emotions rose, her face flushed red. Alarmed, Da Yuer quickly said, "Don't let it get worse, Sister. If your fever comes back, you truly might die. If not for yourself, then for Yatu's sake, you must take care of yourself."

"But I have no face to see you, Yuer…" Hairanju cried in anguish. "I thought I could hold on, but I can't. Whenever I think of you crying in sorrow, I…"

Da Yuer said, "At this point, whether you live or die, stay here or return to Khorchin, I won't feel at peace. I'll still be stuck in this, unable to figure it out. Because no matter what happens, the fact that Hong Taiji loves you won't change. I've come to accept that reality, but I still can't fully make sense of it or let it go—because I still care about him, and I still care about you."

Hairanju gazed at her younger sister. How could she ever repay such a debt in this lifetime?

"But not being able to make sense of it is one thing," Da Yuer continued, sniffling. "Setting it aside and looking at everything from a new perspective is another. Yatu's actions made me realize how selfish I've been. I've always focused on how I feel, believing that both of you owed me something. I forgot that my life doesn't revolve solely around Hong Taiji. Things can't be a mess forever, can they? I can't let my children grow up thinking their mother is pitiful. That much, I've come to understand."

Hairanju asked bitterly, "Yuer, you won't forgive me, will you?"

Through her tears, Da Yuer smiled. "Sister, even if I said I forgive you, would that really bring you peace? It wouldn't. In the days and nights to come, you'd still occasionally think about how I've been sad and heartbroken. Maybe after ten or twenty years, we'll all become numb to it. But the events of today will remain forever. I don't want to forgive you, nor will I forgive him. I feel like if I forgive you both, I'll lose everything I have left."

Hairanju choked out, "Yuer, I'm sorry..."

Da Yuer reached out to wipe her sister's tears. "Sister, you mustn't cry. Crying will make your head ache again. Just think—at least get better, and you can help me take care of the children. That's something you can do for me, isn't it? Don't blame me; I've been leaving the kids with you these days on purpose. I thought, at the very least, you owe me that much, so you can pay me back by helping with the children."

Hairanju chuckled, though she shook her head. "You just feel sorry for me, afraid I'll miss my own child."

Da Yuer replied, "I'll talk to Yatu about what she did. Tomorrow or the day after, I'll bring her to you to kowtow and apologize. She needs to own up to her mistakes. If she deserves punishment, she should be punished. Don't protect her. Since she's capable of such thoughts, she'll understand what I say. Don't worry, Sister, Yatu will be fine."

In the end, it was still her younger sister comforting her. In the end, it was still Da Yuer making everything right for her.

Hairanju thought of what Hong Taiji had said to her in the grand hall of the imperial mausoleum: "Yuer is waiting for you outside."

Her sister had once been her source of hope, but she had…

"That night, I came to see you because of Yatu," Da Yuer admitted. "I was furious at first and wanted to demand why you indulged Yatu, why you would harm my daughter. But when I saw you burning with fever, unconscious, all my anger disappeared. I just didn't want you to be sick or in danger. As long as I have my sister, I will always be the younger one. Our mother abandoned us, but Sister, you can't leave me too."

Hairanju reached out her hand, and Da Yuer extended hers as well. Gently, Hairanju stroked the scars that had already scabbed over. The grief in her eyes gradually gave way to calmness. "Yuer, I'll be fine," she said softly.

"Let's both be fine, in our own ways," Da Yuer replied. "That day, I said from now on, you're you, and I'm me. It wasn't just out of anger. Even now, I still think the same way." Her tone was calm, a reflection of how much she had already thought things through. "Sister, in the days ahead, if there comes a time when I suddenly don't feel like talking to you, just bear with it and don't overthink it. Because after some time, I'm sure I'll start missing you again."

Hairanju laughed through her tears. "I understand. I won't overthink."

Da Yuer pouted, as if feeling wronged. "What else can I do? I'm the younger sister, after all. You just have to let me have my way."

"Yuer, I'm sorry…"

"The one who should be sorry is him."

Outside, the sound of firecrackers echoed again, and fireworks lit up the sky. Palace maids gathered under the eaves, marvelling at the spectacle.

Da Yuer walked to the window to look out. Her sister's room, being close to Ningqing Palace but far from the Fenghuang Tower, offered only a distant view. If she were in her own quarters, she would've seen things more clearly. Of course, if she walked to the area outside the Fenghuang Tower to stand beside Hong Taiji, she could see everything perfectly.

But those moments belonged to the past. Even if she could stand by his side again in the future, everything would feel different.

"Yuer, did they catch the people who abducted you that day?" Hairanju asked.

"I had almost forgotten about that," Da Yuer said with a flash of anger. "I want to stab holes in him with a knife to vent my rage. He actually dared to tear at my clothes!"