Ashes

On the eve of Huang Taiji's personal expedition, Dorgon, who had been busy all day, just wanted to go to bed early, when Dundari knocked on the door of the house.

Holding a newly made fur coat in his hand, he respectfully said: "My lord, the mink fur coat you ordered last time has been sewn, are you satisfied with it?"

This is a leather jacket made of high-quality mink fur, which Dorgon obtained from hunting before. He unfolded the leather jacket and looked back and forth: "The workmanship is good."

"Does the prince want to wear it these days? Or take it down and put it away?"

Dorgon hesitated for a moment: "You take me into the palace."

"The prince wants to give it to the emperor?"

"Yeah, it should be colder in Mobei, he needs it more."

"The prince really cares about the emperor, the emperor will be very happy to receive it."

"He doesn't need my leather jacket."

"It's one thing whether it's lacking or not, but it's another thing if you want it."

"Stop complimenting me." Dorgon said with a smile, "He always gives me things, so it's rare that I should give something in return, right? Let's go."

Although it was late at night, Huang Taiji was still awake, and the light in the study was still on.

Dorgon stood blankly at the door for a while, instead of knocking, he pushed the door open a little.He looked in quietly, and could see half of Huang Taiji's body, as if he was buried in writing something, with a serious and serious expression.

He closed the door and knocked a few times.

"Come in." Huang Taiji's voice sounded.

Dorgon opened the door and walked in, only to see Huang Taiji covertly packing up his writings.

"I knew you weren't asleep yet." Dorgon walked to him.

The arrival of Dorgon put Huang Taiji in a good mood: "If I fall asleep, won't I miss you? Sit down."

"What were you writing?"

"It's nothing." Huang Taiji looked embarrassed.

"Why are you so shy, show me." Dorgon became even more curious, and wanted to snatch it away.

"It's really nothing." Huang Taiji said awkwardly, "I just wrote a few words of mourning."

It turned out that he was writing a condolence to the eighth elder brother, no wonder he had a sullen face when he first entered the room.Dorgon wanted to laugh, but it was obvious that he had a sincere face, and his whole body was shrouded in the pain of losing his son, so he couldn't laugh at all.

Unexpectedly, he was still very sad. If he hadn't come to see him at night, he probably wouldn't have seen this scene.

But what use is emotion to a king?I once watched him go crazy for Concubine Chen, and felt deeply disdainful.

But why at this moment when I think about it, I feel a little uncomfortable in my heart?

It's sore and painful, full of displeasure, as if everything is against me?

Would he be sad if he died before him?Will you go crazy for yourself?

As soon as this thought came to his mind, Dorgon strangled him to death immediately.

What is there to think about such an impossible thing?There are still a lot of things waiting for him to do. He has not ascended the throne, and has not yet led the Eight Banners Army to enter the customs. He must live longer than Huang Taiji and do things that he has no time to do.

"If you continue to be sad, you will hurt your health." Dorgon persuaded, "You are going to go to war tomorrow, so don't delay your business. I'll ask someone to bring you some snacks. Go to bed early after eating."

"You didn't come here on purpose just to tell me this, did you?"

"I made a new leather jacket. It's well done. I specially brought it for you. You just need it."

Huang Taiji smiled immediately: "It's rare to be so kind to me, I can't get used to it."

"What are you talking about? It seems that I have been treating you badly. I bring you medicine every day. Is it fake?"

"You have a heart for me, and I will remember it."

Dorgon muttered in a low voice: "What's the use of remembering, and I don't see what you can do for me."

"What? Are you speaking ill of me?"

Dorgon shook his hand: "I'm leaving, it won't prevent you from resting."

"Don't rush to leave when you're here, talk to me."

Dorgon sat down again, not knowing if it was because of Huang Taiji's bad mood, the two sat silently for a moment.

Glancing at the condolences that he hid again, but showing a corner, Dorgon pointed and said, "Are you very sad?"

Huang Taiji originally wanted to say: Can you not be sad when your son died, but then he thought that Dorgon had no son yet, so he could only nod and said: "Yes, I always feel that something is missing."

Dorgon stared at Huang Taiji without any expression.

"You don't say anything to comfort me?" Huang Taiji smiled wryly.

"You have listened to "Sorrow and Success" hundreds of times these days, and you haven't gotten tired of it yet?"

"You really are heartless."

"This is fate, and no one can resist it. More importantly, you have to keep your spirits up. You will lead troops to fight tomorrow, and you will have to work hard. If you are still frowning and melancholy accumulates in your heart, you will have a headache again." No. How about this, after you return from the expedition, I will accompany you to hunt and relax."

"Don't wait for me to come back, just stay with me tonight."

"Save your energy."

Huang Taiji smiled and stepped forward to hug him: "Actually, as long as you are by my side, I feel at ease when I see you."

His eyes fell on the candlestick on the table, which was about to burn out, emitting the last light.

"I'll stay with you until the candle burns out, and then you go to rest."

"Yes. Come! A new candle!"

"You're too much!"

Sending away Huang Taiji's army, Daishan and Dorgon stayed in Shengjing, Daishan is no longer in charge, and the affairs of the two red flags have long been handed over to his descendants, so Dorgon is in charge of everything in the country , Daishan only asks occasionally.

Dorgon is like a fish in water, and he has not been in power for many years. Now that he picks it up again, he is a little familiar and a little fresh, but it is more joyful.

He was passionate about these things, like riding a horse to fight, it was the love of his life.

He was born to do this.

He doesn't need anything from others, and he doesn't need others to agree with him. He has the ability to get everything he wants.

After finishing his official duties, Dorgon went to Duo Duo's place. Duo Duo sent someone to invite him earlier, probably related to Fulin's matter.

As soon as Dorgon entered the door, Dodo pulled him to sit down vigilantly, with a nervous expression: "Brother, I found someone, you must meet him."

"Is it related to that?"

"Correct."

The two talked in cryptic language with great tacit understanding.

"Don't be in a hurry, tell me who it is first." Dorgon said cautiously.

"This person is also from the Horqin Department, and he is acquainted with Brother Jiu's nanny. I thought about it carefully. Concubine Zhuang is very shrewd and careful. She is surrounded by her own people. She also brought the nanny from Horqin. I think To encourage the people around her, I'm afraid I can't do it in a short time, and the emperor will come back after a long time, so we can only borrow some external strength."

"Well, that's a good point. But is the person you're looking for reliable?"

"As long as people want something, they will have the opportunity to take advantage of it."

"Bring me that man."

After a while, Doduo brought a person, a woman of some age who was not good-looking.

Dorgon looked at her carefully, and asked in a deep voice, "You know Brother Nine's nanny?"

The woman didn't dare to raise her head, and said timidly: "Returning to Prince Rui, the servant grew up with her since childhood, and if he gets close to her, he will do something while she is not paying attention, there is absolutely no problem."

"Growing up together, is that a good relationship?"

"That's not the case!" The woman panicked, "Actually, it's not very good...as long as...as long as you can pay off your gambling debts and hold him alive, you can do anything..."

Dorgon glanced at Duo Duo and understood some of the reasons for this, so he didn't ask further, and followed her words: "Prince Yu has already told you what you need to do. If you can do it well, These requirements of yours are not a problem, but you also have to know that if you fail, you will not be alone, and your whole family will be in your hands."

His words carried a strong sense of threat, and the woman just kowtowed, unable to say anything.

"Okay, you go out."

After waiting for the person to leave, Doduo proudly said: "How is it, brother? I picked a good person, right?"

"How did you find her?"

"I started with those who served Brother Nine. Her man got into a lot of gambling debts. If he didn't repay the debt, he would be dead. If he was exposed, he would be dead. So I came to her."

"How can you tell this matter easily? If she doesn't want to, what will you do?"

"Then silence it." Dodo wrote lightly.

Dorgon nodded slightly: "You still did it a little recklessly, but fortunately she is willing, and she will do things according to my orders in the future."

"Brother, you don't even thank me, teach me as much as you can. Let this woman do it, and there is another advantage. She was accompanied by Concubine Chen when she married the emperor. If something goes wrong, it is easy to find someone to take the blame. Chen Concubine Concubine Zhuang Concubine gave birth to another son just after the death of her son, so she would be jealous and murder the prince, which is totally understandable."

Dorgon patted him on the shoulder: "What are you going to do next?"

"I want her to find a chance to get close to the nanny, and then poison her when she is not paying attention."

Dorgon thought for a moment and shook his head and said: "No, brother Jiu can't be allowed to die while the emperor is away from Shengjing. It's easy to arouse suspicion. .”

"so what should I do now?"

"Put the poison on the nanny, it's not obvious, and it won't happen for a while. When the emperor returns from the expedition, Brother Jiu will be almost done."

"Okay, that's a good idea."

"Don't keep this person after the matter is done, so as not to cause future troubles."

"I know that, brother, don't worry."

After arranging all this, Dorgon didn't relax in the slightest, but felt heavy in his heart, like pressing a huge boulder.

In this era of frequent infant deaths, and in the bitter cold outside the customs, the death of a newborn is really very common, and any slight ailment may kill him.

It is the only rule of survival to strike first, so as not to be passive in the future. Dorgon will not show kindness to those who block his way.