Chapter 05: Banquet

This little fellow ... ... is indeed quite reckless

I was suddenly enlightened; it turns out they were talking about childbirth. I have no experience in this matter, so I have no right to speak. However, why is there no mention of Hong Taiji? This confusion pierces my heart like a sharp thorn.

In the midst of feeling flustered and anxious, a sudden burst of hearty laughter erupted from the hall. Turning to look, I saw Chu Ying suddenly stand up, her face flushed bright red. Upon noticing this, Dong Guo Ge Ge set down her wine cup and exchanged a glance. A young man, around thirty years old and with a fair complexion, who was sitting beside her immediately stood up, handed over his wine bowl, and smiled subtly, saying: "Big Brother truly gives me face, come! I toast to you..."

If this is truly the case, then will Yehenala Buxiya Mala still meet her destined demise at the age of thirty-four? Can I still return to my original time and space?

Only I, Dong Guo Ge Ge, and a group of young masters remain

By the way! Hong Taiji!

I was taken aback; that Dong Guo Ge Ge is Nurhaci's eldest daughter, and Chu Ying is the eldest son, followed by the second son, Dai Shan. It is said that these three were born of the same mother. Unfortunately, their biological mother, Tong Jia Ha Na Zha Qing, passed away several years ago. Currently, Nurhaci's primary consort is Sa Ji Fu Cha Gun Dai, who is also the biological mother of Mang Gu Er Tai.

Dong Guogge seemed very angry, instructing the servants to help the heavily intoxicated Chu Ying back to his room. When he thought of calling someone to escort Dai Shan, he instead waved his small pale face, indicating that it was unnecessary

Dai Shan's eyes suddenly sparkled with a wondrous light, and his bright, glistening pupils appeared exceptionally beautiful and charming at this moment—this boy, if he grows up a bit more, will surely become a handsome man. I thought vaguely in my heart, but unexpectedly, he suddenly pulled me hard and leaped onto his lap. He tightly embraced the stunned me and murmured: "Having you say this is enough! Dong Ge... I am so happy. Trust me, one day, I will sit together with you for a meal... I promise!"

Owing to my professional habits, I have a particular fondness for discreetly observing people, noting the changes in their expressions, and speculating on their inner thoughts, which has become a rather guilty pleasure of mine

Proposal for marriage

Then why does he particularly like your sister? Is it just because she is the eldest daughter?

"Good!" Nurhaci, who had remained silent all along, suddenly laughed heartily, patted Daisan on the shoulder, and said with considerable approval: "Indeed, you are my good son!"

Cough. The noble lady opposite lightly cleared her throat, and I quietly raised my eyes, only to see her face darkened, the corners of her mouth slightly drooping, appearing to smile yet not truly smiling, almost as if she were more dissatisfied than if she were crying.

What happened

I silently reached out my hand and gently held Sister Menggu's cold left hand. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and after a long while, I saw her lower her head and smile at me. This time, her smile was much warmer.

Hmm. Just a simple word, nothing more.

Sister Menggu noticed my embarrassment and gently patted my knee under the table, softly asking, "Is the Hong Taiji you are looking for one of my subordinates? If you have something urgent, I can send someone to find him after the banquet, how does that sound?"

In a single day, I was unexpectedly flirted with twice by two underage boys, and I doubt anyone would believe it if I told them— it seems that not only ancient old men have pedophilic tendencies, but young boys also have serious issues.

After the banquet concluded, Nurhaci led his trusted subordinates to escort a group of people back to the Huifa tribe to pay their respects. Naturally, all his various wives returned to their respective quarters to rest.

What is here? In the context of the Ming Dynasty, whether it is the Jianzhou Jurchen tribes or the Haixi Hulun Jurchen tribes, they were merely considered barbaric minority tribes. At this time, Nurhaci was only thirty-three years old and still held the hereditary title of Jianzhou Governor conferred by the Ming Dynasty.

Dai Shan raised an eyebrow and gave me a questioning look. I leaned in and asked softly, "Why can she sit with you? Can I join you for a meal next time?" Eating with her group of concubines was truly too dull.

"Ahem." Gun Dai lightly coughed, and the young girl beside her quickly brought over a plate of lamb.

His eyes were as black as an unfathomable sea, and I could not discern what he was thinking at all; there was only a faint, chilling sense that he was about to be schemed against. I quickly averted my gaze, sat up straight, and dared not to glance around carelessly again.

Since then, Chu Ying was poured quite a bit of wine by Bai Yinda Li. Although Dai Shan silently shielded him from a lot, both of them were still too young. Once the effects of the alcohol set in, Chu Ying was the first to get drunk and collapsed.

Hehe, I just want to ask, over there... which one is Huang Taiji

Proposal for marriage

What are you thinking so intently about? " Daisan's cool fingers gently brushed across my bangs

What exactly happened

Thus, everyone returned to their previous state, continuing to eat, drink, and joke in a lively yet moderate manner. I was somewhat concerned about Daisan, so while eating, I occasionally glanced at him. Perhaps my expressions and actions were too obvious, as Nurhaci, who had been chatting and laughing with Bayinda Li, suddenly turned his head and gave me a deep glance.

"Elder brother." A fair hand quietly blocked Chu Ying's hand from the side, swiftly taking the wine bowl from Bai Yinda's grasp. His intention to seize the wine was so apparent, yet his movements were remarkably graceful, exuding an air of calmness. Such a composed demeanor alone was enough to make one take a fresh look at him

I was taken aback; having a full bowl of wine for a mere twelve-year-old child to drink in one go, isn't that tantamount to getting someone completely drunk

Returning to Daisan's residence, I arranged for him to lie down on the kang at an angle. This child maintained a faint smile throughout, yet did not utter a single word. Noticing that he did not seem sleepy, I sat at the head of his bed and engaged in casual conversation with him, finding topics to discuss intermittently.

My heart skipped a beat: "No... no, it's not. He..." I turned my head again to look at those brothers, and coincidentally, Chu Ying and Dai Shan were also looking this way. With a hurried glance, Dai Shan had already turned his head away as if nothing had happened, but Chu Ying smiled broadly at me, looking quite pleased with himself

I glanced up at her, and she returned a comforting and encouraging smile. However, in my eyes, that smile appeared so helpless and strained.

Sigh, another sigh

Indeed, this is a farewell banquet for Ba Yin Da Li. After the meal, he should pack his bags and leave. To be honest, I do not like this person; his gaze upon me is always gloomy, and I cannot discern what intentions he harbors in his heart, which makes me feel quite uncomfortable

"What? She is already married?" I was so surprised that I almost bit my tongue, "How old is she? I can't believe she is already married?"

Lazily leaning on the soft cushion, the beautiful woman beside me occasionally reveals a kind and affectionate smile.

There should still be a month left... Sister Menggu forced herself to sit up straight, her face faintly radiating a sweet and blissful smile

My eyes rolled over to the woman sitting across from me. She was not particularly beautiful, but she exuded a calm and reserved demeanor, embodying a woman of considerable grace. Typically, she spoke little, and even at this banquet where she was the guest of honor at the table, she remained taciturn, rarely smiling, allowing the maid standing beside her to serve the dishes.

I endured the tingling itch, helplessly allowing his cool lips to wander behind my ear, unable to resist rolling my eyes skyward.

What strikes me as strange at this moment is Dong Guo Ge Ge, who surprisingly did not dine at the ladies' table, but rather boldly sat beside Nurhaci. Could it be that her status as the eldest daughter is special? Or is it that Nurhaci has a particular fondness for her

Although there is a group of servants to attend to me, requiring not a bit of my concern, upon hearing these words, Dai Shan could not hide his joy and revealed a gentle smile

Although I am aware that in ancient times, most women married at a young age, did the books not state that generally, one must wait until the age of fifteen and the coming-of-age ceremony before discussing marriage? At eleven years old, even when calculated by the actual age, the virtual age is only about twelve or thirteen, which is still two or three years away from the coming-of-age and adulthood.

Dai Shan brought the wine bowl close to his mouth, sipping it slowly and steadily, gulping it down without haste. Compared to Chu Ying's previous vigorous and forceful drinking, Dai Shan's demeanor felt much more languid.

Sister Meng Gu has not yet responded, but that head of the family, Gun Dai, spoke up first: "It should be about time, right?"

Sister Menggu looked at me with a strange expression and said, "Dong Ge, what are you talking about?" My first instinct was that I had said something wrong again. Seeing the puzzled expressions of Nurhaci's concubines one by one, I truly wanted to crawl under the table

He shook his head; although his complexion was pale, his eyes were surprisingly clear and bright.

So, what will it be like in twenty years? I pondered, when I leave this body and return to the modern era, how much will Nurhaci's power have grown? Alas, he is known as the emperor on horseback, but he is not a true emperor. It seems that he never declared himself emperor throughout his life, did he? Who was the one who declared himself emperor? His son—Hong Taiji?

Um... Sister Menggu beside me suddenly let out a muffled groan, her voice tinged with a hint of pain. I glanced at her and saw her clutching her stomach, her brows furrowed as she breathed slightly heavily

A drop of cold sweat slid down my forehead, and I felt so awkward that I could not sit still.

Chu Ying stared at the bowl of wine in a daze. Since he had just accepted the wine from He and Li, it was unreasonable for him to go against the face of the leader of the Hui Fa tribe at this moment. Seeing him hesitate, I reached out to take the bowl of wine, feeling anxious for him in silence

Dai Shan nodded lightly. After a deep glance at me standing aside, Dong Guo Gege finally hurriedly led a group of attendants to carry Zhu Ying away.

As Gun did not speak, the others felt it inappropriate to say much, resulting in a rather cold and quiet atmosphere at this banquet, devoid of any enjoyment. In contrast, the men's table nearby was lively and animated, featuring the spirited and cheerful Nurhaci, the willful and arrogant Chu Ying, the gentle and reserved Daisan, along with the somber and introverted Bai Yindali

I will take you back! After taking two steps, what occupied my mind was the meaningful glance that Dong Guoge cast when she was leaving

I suddenly woke up, my face feeling uncomfortably hot. If I follow this line of reasoning, will I also be randomly married off to someone in the near future?

That ... ... aunt.

What happened

As the wine was finished and the bowl was empty, Dai Shan gently set the bowl down. His fair and gentle face showed no signs of change, yet I could detect a hint of intoxication in his usually clear eyes.

I am not particularly interested in Baoyin Daliri, so let's leave that topic here. Then, with a quick turn of my eyes, I continued to ask other gossip: "Does your father really like your sister?"

What does this mean

"What is it, Dong Ge?" The long-silent banquet was finally broken by my words. Seeing everyone at the table turn their gaze towards me in unison, I couldn't help but feel a wave of guilt.

I said with a bitter smile: "I don't want to get married so early... I definitely don't want to marry those men who are old enough to be my father"

Well

"Hong Taiji ... ..." My bitter smile is perplexed; how could there be no Hong Taiji? Could it be that history is mistaken?

In fact, my physical body also bears the surname Yehenara. The Yehenara family is renowned for producing beautiful women, which explains why Empress Dowager Cixi was able to maintain her position in the imperial harem and even govern from behind the curtain. Alas, even if I were to possess the body of Cixi, it would be a hundred times better than the current situation

With Nurhaci saying this, it was rather inappropriate for Ba Yin Da Li to say anything further. His dark complexion twitched slightly, and he smiled, saying: "Second Master has quite a capacity for alcohol"

His gaze swept over those men, and aside from Nurhaci's brother, Shurhaci, there were also some of his subordinates, all of whom were too old. I automatically excluded them, so among the remaining young boys at the table, which one could be Hong Taiji

I sighed and asked Dai Shan, "Are you still awake? Do you feel like vomiting? Or are you tired and sleepy?"

Is it possible that... because of my intervention, history has begun to change

For a moment, the outside was filled with songs and dances to liven up the atmosphere. After satisfying their appetites, the men began to exchange jovial banter and flattery. I dared not look back, yet I could see that Gun Dai's expression grew increasingly dark, while the other noble ladies beside her wore faces of discomfort and stiffness. I did not know the reason, but I noticed that my sister Meng Gu suddenly trembled slightly, her face pale and devoid of color

He was momentarily taken aback, and then a faint blush unexpectedly appeared on his pale face: "Ahem. My elder sister... she is sitting with her husband, so..."

Chu Ying was momentarily taken aback, then shot a fierce glare at Bai Yinda Li. He extended his hand to receive the wine bowl from He and Li, tilting his head back to drink it all in one go. After downing the bowl of wine, his face first turned pale, and in an instant, a flush of crimson spread across his cheeks.

Yehenara Menggu, this is the name of the "aunt" beside me. Heaven knows, my familiarity with the Yehenara clan is limited to Empress Dowager Cixi! I never imagined that one day I would have the opportunity to have lunch with the ancestor of Cixi.

Boom! My vision darkened, and I nearly fell off the kang. What kind of world is this? Eleven years old! I fear that girl hasn't even matured yet; how can she marry so early? Are all the men of this era pedophiles?

What did the Baoyin Dalibeile come to Jianzhou for

Bai Yinda stood up holding a bowl of wine, laughing heartily: "Eldest brother, you are magnanimous. At such a young age, you already possess the demeanor of your father. Indeed, a tiger father begets no dog son! Come! I, Bai Yinda, toast to you!"

Dai Shan looked at me with a smile, her body shifting slightly: "My sister is already fourteen this year; she married He Helin when she was eleven."

Dong Guogge glanced at him, sighed, and advised, "Then you should go back and rest well. I will have someone send you a hangover soup later." Compared to the second brother, who was half-drunk and staggering but at least still somewhat clear-headed, she was evidently more concerned about the eldest brother, who was completely out of his mind, shouting and yelling with the help of the servants.

Indeed, Ba Yin Da Li's expression changed slightly