MLMD -Chapter 414 Dayu’er Seeks Help

Seeing her beloved sitting there with furrowed brows, deep in thought, the three women exchanged glances, unsure what to say. After all, Yue Yang’s status was no longer what it once was. To say that a single stomp of his foot could make the entire Great Ming tremble would not be an exaggeration. Moreover, Yue Yang was now a marquis. Those eager to establish ties with him were as numerous as carp crossing a river. Not only his old subordinates, but even the high ministers at court—many of whom cursed him fiercely on ordinary days—would surely laugh themselves awake at night if Yue Yang were to announce his intention to form marriage ties with their families.

Dong Xiaowan tentatively spoke in a gentle voice, “Since you haven’t figured it out yet, why don’t you stop thinking about it for now? There’s no need to rush. We can decide after some time.”

Yue Yang lowered his head with a bitter smile. “After some time? I’m afraid if we wait a bit longer, Grandmother will come storming into Jinan herself. Last year she already told me to keep an eye out and help Ying’er find a good match, but once I got busy, I completely forgot. They say the eldest brother is like a father—I really have failed as a brother.”

“Dear husband!” Li Xiangjun and Dong Xiaowan immediately moved to his sides, each gently wrapping an arm around him. They pressed their soft cheeks against Yue Yang’s prickly beard, comforting him with their actions. Wang Yue, not to be outdone, hugged him tightly from behind, her ample bosom pressed firmly against his back.

While Yue Yang was worrying over his younger sister’s marriage, on an official road somewhere in Shanxi, two carriages were moving leisurely along the smooth road, one after the other. Surrounding them were dozens of horsemen dressed like Mongols, closely guarding the carriages.

Inside the first carriage sat a beautiful young married woman facing a middle-aged woman. In the younger woman’s arms lay a swaddled infant, sleeping soundly. These two women were Dayu’er and her aunt Zhezhe, who had traveled thousands of miles from near the Horqin grasslands.

Today, Dayu’er was not wearing Manchu attire, but a traditional Mongolian red robe—wide, straight, reaching down to her heels, slit at both sides, with pink floral edging at the collar and cuffs. On her head she wore a brimmed, pointed hat. She looked dignified and lovely.

The carriage rolled smoothly along the broad cement road. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, casting a lazy warmth that made one feel pleasantly drowsy. Though the weather was comfortable, neither woman wore a hint of joy on her face. Instead, faint worry clouded their expressions.

After a long while, Zhezhe sighed softly. “Bumbutai, do you think Hai Lanzhu will help us?”

Dayu’er hesitated before replying, “I don’t know either. But I think my elder sister wouldn’t stand by and watch us die. As for how much she’ll help—that’s not something we can know.”

“Sigh…” Zhezhe let out a mournful sigh. “We’ve already fled to the Horqin grasslands to hide, yet Dorgon still won’t let us go. As for your suggestion that he return the khanship to Fulin after his death—it was only empty talk to begin with. How can he be so ruthless, determined to wipe us out completely?”

Perhaps her voice was too loud, for it woke the baby in Dayu’er’s arms. The infant opened his round eyes, looked around, then opened his mouth, and soon the carriage was filled with crying.

Unhurried, Dayu’er gently rocked the baby, softly patting his back. Then she loosened her clothing and guided her full breast into the baby’s mouth. “Oh… Fulin, don’t cry. Mother is here. You must be hungry. Come…”

The baby quickly latched on and suckled greedily, soon quieting down. Only then did Dayu’er lift her head and sneer. “Aunt, you’re being too naive. Back then, Dorgon made his promise in front of all the high officials of the Qing—that if the child I bore was a boy, he would return the khanship to the line of the former khan after his death. Now that Fulin has been born, do you think he can still sit calmly?”

“But he can’t be this vicious,” Zhezhe said, her eyes reddening. “These days, there have already been many conflicts between our Horqin grasslands and them. If this continues, we’ll be forced into outright war.”

“Heh… he won’t,” Dayu’er said through clenched teeth, resolve shining on her fair face. “As long as my sister and brother-in-law are willing to support us, the Horqin tribe will be safe.”

“Sigh… let’s hope so.” Zhezhe, though Dayu’er’s aunt, was soft-hearted and usually let Dayu’er decide major matters.

At that moment, a voice came from outside the carriage. “Your Highnesses, we’ve arrived at Hunyuan Prefecture!”

“Oh… we’ve finally arrived?” Dayu’er and Zhezhe brightened and pulled open the curtains. A tall city wall soon came into view. By the wide city gate stood more than ten soldiers and several clerks, while patrols of soldiers carrying firelocks marched along the top of the wall.

“Hurry,” Zhezhe urged. “Have them speed up so we can enter the city quickly.”

When the convoy reached the city gate, it was stopped. Soon, a gate officer approached with two soldiers.

“Who are you? Where are you coming from, where are you going, and what are you here for? What are you carrying in the carriages? What goods do you have? Register everything here, and open the curtains for inspection!”

The officer spoke rapidly, clearly repeating words he had uttered countless times.

After much explanation, the group was finally allowed into the city. Following several more inspections, the convoy eventually arrived at the heavily guarded Loyal and Brave Marquis’s residence in the northern part of the city.

Once Dayu’er declared her identity, a side gate of the residence opened before long. Hai Lanzhu, dressed in splendid attire, came out to greet them with more than a dozen servants and maids.

Seeing the dust-worn Dayu’er and Zhezhe, there was naturally great joy, but Hai Lanzhu soon asked in surprise, “Aunt, Bumbutai, why have you come? Why didn’t you send word ahead? I could have sent people to welcome you.”

After more than half a month on the road, finally seeing Hai Lanzhu, the soft-hearted Zhezhe could no longer hold back. She stepped forward, embraced her niece, and burst into tears.

“Waaah… Hai Lanzhu, your aunt and Bumbutai have come to ask for your help this time. You must help us!”

“Aunt, don’t cry yet. Let’s go inside and talk, all right?” Hai Lanzhu comforted her while instructing servants to take the Horqin guards who had escorted them to the guest quarters to rest.

Hai Lanzhu personally led Zhezhe, Dayu’er, and several maids to a sitting room in the rear courtyard. She raised her hand to stop Zhezhe from speaking and smiled. “Aunt, Bumbutai, you must have much to say after coming such a long way. But since you’re here, there’s nothing to worry about. First, go bathe and change. I’ll have wine and dishes prepared. Tonight we’ll dine together and talk slowly.”

“That’s fine. We’ll talk later then,” Dayu’er agreed before Zhezhe could speak.

“Good. We’ll meet again this evening.” Hai Lanzhu smiled warmly and gave them a reassuring look before leaving.

After washing and dressing, the sun gradually set. Dayu’er handed the child to her personal maid and then, together with Zhezhe, followed a waiting maid to Hai Lanzhu’s courtyard. A lavish banquet had already been laid out, and Hai Lanzhu stood to one side, smiling as she waited.

The three sat down. Hai Lanzhu did not rush to the main topic, letting Dayu’er and Zhezhe finish their meal first. After tea was served, she finally smiled and said, “Aunt, Bumbutai, I can roughly guess your purpose in coming, but I can’t be sure. I hope you’ll tell me yourselves.”

“Hai Lanzhu…” Before Zhezhe could finish, her eyes reddened again, tears threatening to fall. Hai Lanzhu quickly stopped her, smiling wryly. “Aunt, let Bumbutai speak. I’m afraid if you do, you’ll still be talking by dawn.”

“All right!” Zhezhe nodded and gestured to Dayu’er.

Dayu’er took a deep breath, then looked solemnly at Hai Lanzhu. “Elder Sister, I’ve come this time to ask for your help. You must help Father and the Horqin tribe, or our tribe will be finished!”

“Oh? Is it really that serious?” Hai Lanzhu was surprised. Recently, as the situation beyond the passes stabilized, the focus of the Sichuan Bureau under her control had shifted toward Korea and the Southern Seas, leaving her less informed about Horqin affairs. Hearing Dayu’er speak so gravely, her expression grew serious.

Compared to Zhezhe, Dayu’er’s eloquence and composure were far superior. She quickly explained everything.

Earlier this year, the child in Dayu’er’s womb was finally born. Seeing it was a boy, both Zaisang and Dayu’er were overjoyed. Dayu’er personally named him Fulin, meaning “the arrival of good fortune.” With this child, she might one day rise in status through her son, and when he grew up, they could reclaim Shengjing.

But Dayu’er underestimated Dorgon’s cruelty. News of her bearing a son could not be hidden. Soon, Dorgon dispatched Dudu, Banner Lord of the Plain Blue Banner, to the Horqin grasslands. He proposed that Dorgon marry Dayu’er as a consort, bring her and Fulin back to Shengjing, and promised to pass the throne to Fulin after his death.

The moment they heard this, everyone broke out in a cold sweat. This was an utterly vicious move—a plan to cut off all hope. If Dayu’er remarried Dorgon, Fulin would become Dorgon’s son. Whether the throne would be passed on would then depend entirely on Dorgon. Moreover, after more than a year, Dorgon had already consolidated his control over Shengjing. If Dayu’er and Fulin truly returned, it wouldn’t be long before news spread of their “accidental” deaths.

Naturally, Dayu’er rejected the proposal outright. Dudu did not press the matter and soon returned to Shengjing. Before long, Zaisang’s eldest son, Wuxishan, was stripped of his post as deputy commander of the Han Banner and returned to the Horqin grasslands in disgrace.

That was only the beginning. Over the following months, several nearby tribes began clashing with Horqin over grazing lands, especially the Kharachin tribe, which fought several fierce battles with them. Warfare between tribes on the grasslands was no more merciful than wars between states; the losing side often vanished entirely. Horqin and Kharachin had already lost nearly a thousand cavalrymen, yet the conflict showed no sign of stopping.

In the past, the Qing, as the dominant power, would have intervened. But this time, Shengjing turned a blind eye. When Zaisang sent envoys to report the situation, they were brushed off with claims that this was an internal Mongol matter.

At this point, even fools could tell Dorgon was behind it, trying to force Dayu’er into submission. Though Horqin was a major tribe with over a hundred thousand people, if several tribes united against it, even Horqin would struggle. Continuous raids and conflicts brought heavy losses. On top of that, relations with Yue Yang had cooled in recent years, and fewer merchant caravans came to Horqin, worsening their plight. That was why Dayu’er and Zhezhe had come to Shanxi.

Finishing her account, Dayu’er looked at Hai Lanzhu with pleading eyes. “Elder Sister, I know Father once sent troops to aid the Qing when Brother-in-law fought them. But he had no choice—Horqin is too close to Shengjing to refuse Qing demands. Though you and Brother-in-law never said anything, we could tell from the reduced merchant caravans that you still resented us. But… Sister… you are also a daughter of Horqin. Please help Father, help the Horqin tribe!” Unable to hold back, Dayu’er grasped Hai Lanzhu’s hand and choked with tears.

“Sigh…” Hai Lanzhu sighed softly and smiled bitterly. “Silly sister, I’m your elder sister. Though we married different men, we were born of the same mother. How could I hate you? The reason we reduced caravans wasn’t resentment—it was because your brother-in-law was upset that you never even sent a letter of apology. He’s a proud man. He only wanted Father to write and explain. But more than a year passed without a word…”

Zhezhe stepped forward, holding Hai Lanzhu’s hand and sobbing. “Hai Lanzhu, don’t you know what your Father is like? He may seem carefree, but he’s proud to the core. How could he lower his head to his son-in-law? It was only because Bumbutai and I insisted on coming that he agreed. Otherwise, no matter how difficult things were, he wouldn’t have let us come. Hai Lanzhu, please save the Horqin tribe!”

As she spoke, Zhezhe tried to kneel. Hai Lanzhu hurriedly pulled her up. “Aunt, please don’t! You’ll shorten my life!”

Dayu’er also stepped in to help. “Aunt, don’t cry. You know what kind of person my sister is—she won’t stand by. Sister, isn’t that right?” She emphasized the last words.

“You… you two!” Hai Lanzhu couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. This aunt and niece worked together perfectly—no wonder they were once empress and consort of the Qing.

After a moment’s thought, Hai Lanzhu asked, “Aunt, how do you want me to help?”

Zhezhe brightened immediately. “Of course—send troops beyond the passes at once to help us deal with those ungrateful tribes!”

Hai Lanzhu could only smile wryly. She turned to Dayu’er. After thinking, Dayu’er said, “Sister, I know Brother-in-law isn’t in Shanxi right now, and you can’t decide such matters alone. Tell me first—what can you help us with?”

Hai Lanzhu looked at her sister in surprise and praised her. “Bumbutai, you really have grown up. You’re right. Though Shanxi has tens of thousands of elite troops, they won’t listen to a woman like me. Deploying troops requires your brother-in-law’s approval and military tokens. But all things have exceptions. Right now, what the Horqin tribe needs most probably isn’t soldiers, but something else.”

Hearing this, Dayu’er blushed slightly and said shyly, “It seems I can’t hide it from you. What we lack most are grain, tea, and armor and weapons. Sister, can you support us with a batch?”

“How could that be difficult?” Hai Lanzhu immediately smiled.