Chongzhen Story

It was the 19th day of the third month of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign.

In the Forbidden City, at the Cining Palace, the Forbidden

City was no longer what it used to be. Palace servants were running, some weeping in huddle, their cries rising and falling intermittently amidst the oppressive roar of distant siege cannons.

The once bustling and orderly scene of the Forbidden City was now a scene of national ruin and family destruction. The misty Forbidden City was a chaotic mess; the birds that used to linger and frolic in the palaces were silent.

Those who wished to remain had been summoned to the Qianqing Palace to await orders. Now, the gates to the concubines' palaces were tightly shut, and even the eunuchs who used to wait outside were nowhere to be seen.

From each palace came the heart-wrenching cries of the maids who had served their mistresses after their suicides. The cries from one palace had barely subsided when another, equally mournful, erupted from a different one.

Empress Yi'an stood by the gate of Cining Palace, watching a seventeen-year-old maid in red run towards her, breathless.

Seeing the maid's condition, Empress Yi'an knew the Emperor would not come to see her one last time. Her expression flickered with anguish for a moment before she regained her composure.

Empress Yi'an asked, "Where is the Emperor?"

The maid in red replied, "Your Majesty, I saw the Emperor arriving just outside the palace gates, but then another maid came to tell me that he had turned back to the Qianqing Palace."

Empress Yi'an asked, "Your Majesty, did the Emperor issue any decrees?"

The maid in red said, "That maid later ran to the gates of the Cining Palace and saw me serving at the gate, and she told me..."

Seeing the maid in red's flustered appearance, Empress Yi'an had already guessed most of the situation, but she still hoped to hear the contents of the decree from the maid's own lips.

The maid in red said, "The decree requests Empress Yi'an to hang herself, and I will soon see her!" Upon hearing the contents of the decree, Empress Yi'an's mind went blank, and the tears that had just stopped welled up again, wetting her beautiful face. Her tall figure, dressed in a solemn phoenix robe and high-heeled pointed shoes, retreated step by step. Her face was already streaked with tears, and she was deeply saddened.

Her body, staggering backward, lurched precariously from the weight of her phoenix robe and the delicate high heels of her pointed shoes, a precarious predicament.

Empress Yi'an cried out, "No, no, His Majesty said he wanted to see me one last time, His Majesty..." Seeing Empress Yi'an's state, the red-clad maid also began to weep, for she was only a seventeen-year-old girl. But seeing Empress Yi'an about to fall, the maid rushed forward and supported her noble form.

The red-clad maid cried, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Hearing the maid repeatedly call her "Your Majesty," Empress Yi'an snapped out of her daze. Looking at the charming and lovely red-clad maid, her usual smile was gone. Empress Yi'an forced herself to remain composed, returning a grateful look. After all, she was the Empress, second only to the Emperor, and regained her composure.

Empress Yi'an asked, "Did I say anything else?"

The maid in red replied, "I said, I said, that all the palace servants still alive should go to the Qianqing Palace to await my decree."

Empress Yi'an said, "There's no time to lose, go quickly."

The maid in red said, "No... Your Majesty..."

Seeing the maid in red's reluctant and concerned expression, Empress Yi'an smiled faintly. The maid in red often saw this smile in the past, but now it felt different. Empress Yi'an's beautiful lips and teeth, her straight and delicate nose, and her phoenix eyes like stars—she feared she would never see them again.

Empress Yi'an said, "Your Majesty is our heaven, the heaven of the Ming Dynasty. Go to the Qianqing Palace quickly." The maid in red said, "Your Majesty, please accept my bow."

The maid in red straightened her red dress, knelt down before Empress Yi'an with a solemn expression, and kowtowed.

Empress Yi'an said, "See you in the next life, Xiang'er."

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ In times of crisis and chaos, talent is never lacking, but it is often not fully utilized. Even when it is used, it may be hindered and driven to its death. Such is the result of human actions, but ultimately, it is also the will of Heaven.

By the time of Huang Taiji, the Qing army, assessing the situation, knew that a decisive battle for survival with the Ming Dynasty was inevitable. Therefore, Huang Taiji actively reformed domestic affairs, centralized power, sent troops east to defeat Korea, forcing it to submit, and sent troops west to conquer Mongolia, then formed a marriage alliance to jointly seize the Central Plains. Thus, the Ming Dynasty was isolated in the far north.

After the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols never forgot the Central Plains, constantly thinking of once again marching their elite cavalry south to conquer the Central Plains and enjoy its rich food and beautiful women.

After Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the remnants of the Mongol army at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and established the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty adhered to a policy of not ceding territory or paying reparations, with the emperor guarding the country's borders. Zhu Yuanzhang knew that the Southern Song Dynasty was a prime example, so he actively guarded against the steppe cavalry of the far north.

The steppe peoples of the far north were relatively homogeneous in ethnic composition. Throughout China's millennia-long history, they were able to repeatedly raid and attack the Central Plains from the south, largely because these peoples had no geographical worries about their rear. Behind them lay endless icy wilderness, with no enemies. Thus, as long as their horses were strong and their men were healthy, they possessed all the necessary resources for war. This nomadic lifestyle, characterized by not farming or building houses and constant movement, allowed these steppe peoples to master a tactic of rapid cavalry warfare. In the ethnically diverse Central Plains, internal strife often coincided with the southward advance of the steppe cavalry.

During the First Battle of Ningyuan, the loyal and patriotic Grand Commander Yuan Chonghuan mobilized over 3,000 naval troops from Guangdong and over 6,000 Guangxi soldiers, along with a small number of Liaodong and Mongol troops (at that time, the Qing army had not yet conquered Mongolia), totaling over 10,000 men, who ten thousand men held Ningyuan and saved the Ming Dynasty from its first major calamity. Their direct enemy was the rapidly rising Manchu Eight Banners army of 130,000 iron cavalry.

However, Grand Commander Yuan ultimately fell victim to a counter-espionage plot and was executed by slow slicing, his flesh being cut off piece by piece for the unsuspecting populace to devour. Emperor Chongzhen later realized his mistake, but it was too late for regrets, and he continued down the wrong path.

The Qing army's rapid rise was due to two main reasons: first, the Ming Dynasty's support for Korea against Japanese aggression resulted in significant losses of strength; second, Li Chengliang, the Liaodong general, had cultivated Nurhaci to counter the Mongols, allowing the Qing Eight Banners to rapidly grow stronger while the Ming Dynasty was preoccupied with its own problems.

At this moment, the Qing army was not only united from top to bottom, but also had no worries about their rear, enabling them to mobilize 90% of their forces for the decisive battle against the Ming Dynasty.

However, in the Qing army's eyes, the target had now become Li Zicheng, a foregone conclusion.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Forbidden City, Cining Palace.

A jade hand, clad in gold armor, trembled as she held a hairpin, slowly raising it to her hair and gently inserting it into her dark hair.

The hairpin was made of white jade, slender and curved, covered in gold and inlaid with gemstones. It was never worn except on grand occasions; now, if she didn't wear it, she would never have the chance again.

The oval mirror on the dressing table reflected Empress Yi'an's image; she was still as beautiful as ever, but tears still lingered in her eyes.

Her meticulously applied makeup, the elaborately styled "Flying Fairy Bun" adorned with two thin silver hairpins on the left and a white jade and gold hairpin on the right, the three hairpins, two small and one large, complementing each other beautifully. Golden phoenixes dangling from their ends danced in the air with the occasional sway of her head.

Long, jet-black hair flowed smoothly down either side of her oval face, highlighting her delicate, arched eyebrows, slanted phoenix eyes, straight, elegant nose, alluring red lips, and a pointed, rounded chin. Combined, she possessed a captivating beauty.

Her slender neck, with its natural curves, exuded unparalleled nobility, and below it lay the Empress's phoenix robe.

Wearing a purple-gold robe with wide sleeves, embroidered with phoenix wings soaring in the sky in Suzhou style, and a shawl adorned with eight gold-woven dragons amidst clouds in Suzhou embroidery, she symbolized the emperor's favor and his exclusive possession. The overall look was dignified, noble, and exceptionally elegant, transforming her into the most revered empress in the land.

The late emperor had chosen her from among five thousand beauties gathered from all over the country, but sadly, he passed away only a few years later. The Ming Dynasty's situation was rapidly deteriorating, besieged by the Qing army and peasant armies from both sides.

Empress Yi'an gazed quietly at herself in the mirror. She was still as beautiful as ever, but now she had reached the point of national ruin and family destruction. What use was her beauty now?

Empress Yi'an said, "I shouldn't have supported some ministers in opposing the relocation of the capital. It was all my fault that the country is now in such dire straits."

Tears welled up and streamed down her upturned phoenix eyes. The candlelight flickered between her and the mirror in the breeze, making Empress Yi'an appear as if she were bathed in golden light in the oval dressing mirror.

Empress Yi'an said, "I have failed the Emperor's grace and misled the Ming Dynasty. I deserve to die." Empress Yi'an knew that Emperor Chongzhen must be blaming her, because when the relocation of the capital was discussed, she had openly and secretly opposed it, saying that it would damage the Emperor's dignity and the face of the Ming Dynasty, and that Li Zicheng was just a bandit who would be quickly suppressed. As a result, the current situation had already occurred.

And the Emperor's ascension to the throne was also the result of her strong support. The Emperor could not ignore her face and stance. The Emperor, himself a man extremely concerned with his reputation, and lacking the funds for a dignified relocation of the capital, delayed the process, leading to a grave mistake.

Empress Yi'an thought that if the capital were moved to Jiangnan, even if the Ming Dynasty lost the north, Jiangnan would still retain half the country, allowing for future strategic moves. She, the Emperor, and many officials, all for the sake of their reputations, were unwilling to move the capital. What should have been an easy matter had now become

a matter of life and death for the Ming Dynasty. Empress Yi'an knew that regret was now futile.

After a moment of silence, she sighed deeply, looked at herself in the mirror, slowly rose from the round stool, and turned heavily towards the phoenix bed, picking up a small jade bottle prepared on the dressing table.

The oval dressing mirror reflected Empress Yi'an's back as she slowly walked towards the phoenix bed, her steps so heavy, as if each step diminished her life. Her former elegance and grace were gone, and the occasional sounds of siege cannons filled Empress Yi'an with dread.

The reflection in the mirror showed her back; the phoenix embroidery on her robe, adorned with a Suzhou-style phoenix wing and soaring pattern, differed from the front. The phoenix stood amidst clouds, its broad, symmetrical wings spread wide, poised for flight, each feather lifelike. With each step Empress Yi'an took, the Suzhou-style phoenix wing and soaring pattern extending down her back and hips seemed to come alive. It was as if the person wearing the phoenix robe was the embodiment of the phoenix, the most noble woman in the world, and the Emperor's sole possession.

No palace servants remained in Cining Palace; they had all gone to Qianqing Palace to await orders. Only two eunuchs were sent to guard the palace gates, to confirm that Empress Yi'an had returned to Qianqing Palace to report to Emperor Chongzhen after her suicide. Each of the other concubines' palaces had one or two eunuchs from Qianqing Palace standing guard.

Empress Yi'an lifted her phoenix skirt and slowly lay back on the phoenix couch, her gaze slowly moving to her reflection in the mirror on the dressing table. The dressing table faced her legs, and through the partial concealment of the phoenix skirt, she revealed high-heeled, pointed three-inch bound feet shoes, encasing her naturally delicate toes, which twitched restlessly within the shoes. Empress

Yi'an said, "I will end my life here, to die for my country!" She picked up a small jade bottle, her hand, protected by nail guards, trembling as she unscrewed the stopper. Her face, clouded with sorrow, furrowed slightly, her lips parting and closing repeatedly.

Several times, she reached for the small jade bottle, but dared not swallow its contents. Finally, her hand, still protected by nail guards, supported herself on the brocade quilt of the phoenix couch, and she sat up, leaning against the headboard.

Looking in the mirror again, she saw a resentful expression on her face. Though beautiful beyond compare, her beauty was like a pear blossom in the rain, but her radiance was about to fade.

Empress Yi'an wanted to see more of the world. Her jade-like hands gripped the small jade bottle tightly. She raised her head, gazing at the exquisite cloud and dragon design on the beams of the warm pavilion, lost in thought for a long time.

She was about to leave this world; the Ming Dynasty was gone, and as Empress, she should die for her country. Finally, Empress Yi'an's brow relaxed. She opened her slightly pale red lips, parting her pearly white teeth, her slender tongue wriggling restlessly inside.

Finally, Empress Yi'an hardened her heart and drank the liquid from the small jade bottle. Immediately, she felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing her heart, and she couldn't help but writhe on her phoenix bed.

Empress Yi'an cried out, "Ah...ah...ah..."

Her high, firm breasts, beneath her phoenix robe, heaved violently. Her breathing became increasingly difficult, each breath causing excruciating pain. The three-inch golden lotus had kicked off one of its high-heeled pointed shoes, revealing the true form of the lotus. The naturally small lotus was not bound, and the toenails, painted with deep red nail polish, writhed in agony.

Empress Yi'an clutched her stomach, blood trickling from between her teeth and the corners of her mouth, her lips turning from red to white.

Unwilling to show her death to others, as her body grew heavier and the pain intensified, Empress Yi'an slowly turned her body towards the inside of the bed. This way, those entering the warm chamber wouldn't see her dying face from the start.

Empress Yi'an's consciousness grew increasingly blurred, her body twitching weaker and weaker on the phoenix bed. Her once tear-drenched, slanted phoenix eyes were now lifeless, and her breasts, which had risen and fallen intermittently, finally ceased to rise.

Before dying, Empress Yi'an tried to maintain a peaceful sleeping posture, lying on her side with her hands on her stomach, and with great difficulty breathed her last, feeling one last piercing pain. Her breasts, beneath her phoenix robe, sank one last time, never to rise again.

Empress Yi'an, on her deathbed, uttered, "Your Majesty..."

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Shenyang (Shengjing), outside the city.

The Qing army was conducting its final large-scale drill before heading south to contend with Li Zicheng for control of the empire.

Dorgon and Hong Chengchou, mounted on their warhorses, stood atop a high hill, watching the tens of thousands of Eight Banner soldiers drill below, their emotions churning like waves on a vast ocean.

Dorgon's complex feelings stemmed from the fact that the southward march was unavoidable; if they didn't, Li Zicheng would capture Beijing and immediately annihilate the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, it could be said that Li Zicheng forced the Qing to march south.

Hong Chengchou's complex feelings were that he had once been a subject of the Ming Dynasty, but now, forced to switch masters, he was also helping his new master and old enemies attack his former lord. His former lord was on the verge of collapse, and it was uncertain whether he could survive this calamity.

Hong Chengchou thought back to the past. If Emperor Chongzhen hadn't constantly hindered him during his decisive battle with the Qing army, the situation might be very different now. Back then, his 100,000 Qin soldiers, trained by Sun Chuanting, could be returning to reinforce the capital. Hong Chengchou lamented that he had been loyal his entire life, but now at fifty, he was a notorious traitor, his reputation utterly ruined. He had been invincible against the peasant army, achieving victory after victory, and should have pressed his advantage to annihilate them. However, the Qing army made a move again, and crucially, Emperor Chongzhen halted the suppression of the peasant army and redeployed a large number of elite troops to Liaodong to fight the Qing.

This gave Li Zicheng a chance to rise again. Once his army arrived in Liaodong, Emperor Chongzhen constantly hampered him, leaving him with no room to maneuver and forcing him to constantly be mindful of the whims of his supervising officials. Now, Hong Chengchou knew that dwelling on the past was useless. If he wanted to achieve anything, he had to wholeheartedly assist Dorgon.

Dorgon asked, "General, what's your opinion on this southward campaign to seize the Central Plains?" Hong Chengchou replied, "This humble subject believes that we must absolutely not allow the Shun army to take Beijing first; the consequences would be unimaginable." Dorgon asked, "General, could you elaborate?"

Hong Chengchou glanced at Dorgon on horseback before him, then lowered his head slightly, adopting a subservient posture. Dorgon observed Hong Chengchou's behavior, looked up at the sky, and smiled.

Hong Chengchou said, "It wasn't that the Ming Dynasty couldn't defeat the Qing Dynasty before, but rather that Li Zicheng was hindering the Ming Dynasty from behind. The Ming Dynasty was caught between two troublesome matters, which gradually dragged down its massive structure." Dorgon looked at Hong Chengchou on horseback, remaining silent, wanting to hear what this Khan's minister had to say.

Hong Chengchou then slightly raised his head to look at Dorgon's expression. Seeing that Dorgon remained silent and showed no anger, he knew he could continue.

Hong Chengchou said, "Now, if the Shun army takes Beijing, it will shake the world and surely destroy our Great Qing, eliminating future troubles. Meanwhile, the Shun army is still on the offensive against the Ming in the Jiangnan region; the Ming army there can barely defend itself, let alone launch a counterattack." Dorgon asked, "Grand Commander, so what?"

Hong Chengchou knew that Dorgon addressing him as Grand Commander was a sign of respect, but in reality, he held no military power and was all alone. Within the Qing, most officials like him were disliked.

Hong Chengchou continued, "If Li Zicheng takes Beijing and the Chongzhen Emperor dies, the Ming will be leaderless, and garrisons everywhere will surrender to the Shun army. At that time, the Shun army will have no worries about their rear when attacking our Great Qing!" Dorgon suddenly understood. These officials had far more insight than the generals within the Qing. Relying solely on the Manchu and Mongol cavalry without employing the officials would not be enough to conquer the world.

Dorgon was confident in the Qing cavalry, but also wanted to know Hong Chengchou's opinion, so he calmly asked Hong Chengchou.

Dorgon said, "Commander-in-Chief, do you think our Qing can defeat Li Zicheng? Speak freely." Hong Chengchou glanced cautiously at Dorgon on horseback in front of him, pondered for a moment, and felt that telling the truth was the best way to protect himself.

Hong Chengchou said, "The Shun army currently has a million soldiers. About 500,000 are confronting the Ming army in Jiangnan, and another 500,000 are stationed in various parts of the north. Their eastern expedition to Beijing will likely involve around 300,000 troops. Furthermore, they have recruited and accepted the surrender of a large number of Ming border troops along the way. Our Qing, even if we were to mobilize our entire army, including the Mongol and Han Eight Banners, would only have 80,000 to 90,000 troops. Moreover, we must leave troops to guard Shengjing and defend against unforeseen events from Korea and Mongolia. Therefore, we can only send a maximum of 80,000 troops. The Shun army can mobilize several times our strength." Dorgon said, "The Grand Marshal is right. If Li Zicheng captures Beijing, his morale and prestige will be incomparably fierce, no less than that of our Qing's iron cavalry. At that time, the Qing will not only be able to conquer the Central Plains..." "Even holding Liaodong will be difficult." Hong Chengchou said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. Therefore, we cannot let Li Zicheng take Beijing. Even if he takes Beijing ahead of time, the Qing must launch a strong attack on Beijing while the Shun army is still unstable. It's all or nothing." Dorgon said, "The Commander-in-Chief and I share the same idea. At this critical moment for the survival of the nation, only by fighting can we have a glimmer of hope. But what about Wu Sangui at Shanhaiguan? I have repeatedly tried to persuade him to surrender, but he has been vague and evasive. He is especially hateful."

Hong Chengchou knew that Wu Sangui was a thorn in Dorgon's side. If it weren't for Shanhaiguan, the Qing army would have already entered the Central Plains. Nurhaci and Huang Taiji failed to take Shanhaiguan. Shanhaiguan is not so easy to take.

Hong Chengchou said, "Wu Sangui is a very cunning man, both loyal and treacherous. However, the Ming army at Shanhaiguan is caught between the Qing and Shun armies. If Beijing falls, Shanhaiguan will run out of supplies. In fact, Shanhaiguan hasn't received its military pay for over a year."

Dorgon said, "Wu Sangui wants to sit back and watch the two sides fight. First, he hopes Chongzhen can hold Beijing, and he hopes Zuo Liangyu will lead his army north to rescue Chongzhen, so that Wu Sangui can continue to be a loyal minister. Second, Wu Sangui knows that if he leaves Shanhaiguan, he will surely die." "The reason is that the east is the sea, the north is the Qing Dynasty, and the west and south are under the control of the Shun Dynasty. Therefore, he wanted to remain in Shanhaiguan as a fence-sitter, letting the Qing and Shun fight first. He knew that if the Qing attacked him, the Shun would take the opportunity to attack the Qing's Liaodong, and if the Shun attacked him, the Qing could launch a surprise attack on Beijing or seize Shanhaiguan."

Hong Chengchou was shocked by Dorgon's words and looked at him with new respect, knowing that Dorgon was a shrewd and ambitious leader, whose abilities surpassed those of Nurhaci and Huang Taiji.

Hong Chengchou said, "Your Highness, there is another possibility, but I'm not sure if I should mention it?" Dorgon replied, "Alas, Commander-in-Chief, please speak freely!"

Hong Chengchou said, "Based on my understanding of Wu Sangui, he may want to declare himself king and hopes that the Shun dynasty will capture Beijing so he can seize the opportunity to attack Shengjing to establish his own territory, or even fight his way back to Beijing. At that time, Wu Sangui will rally the Ming army in Beijing to march north to avenge Chongzhen, and the Qing dynasty's southward campaign will never end." Dorgon was startled and quickly dismounted, taking Hong Chengchou's hand as he did so.

Hong Chengchou knew that only by demonstrating his value could he secure a place for himself in the Qing dynasty. He also knew that within the Qing dynasty, Hauge, as Huang Taiji's eldest son, was vying with Dorgon for the throne, and they had always been at odds. In the end, neither of them would yield, which ultimately led to the succession of Consort Zhuang's son, Shunzhi. Consort Zhuang was aligned with Dorgon, thus Dorgon temporarily suppressed Haoge's faction, leaving Haoge frustrated and unable to vent his anger.

Dorgon said, "If Wu Sangui harbors such ambitions, and our Great Qing cannot attack him lest it give the Shun Dynasty an opportunity, and Wu Sangui refuses to surrender, what should we do?"

Hong Chengchou said, "Your Highness, please calm down. The chances of Wu Sangui launching a proactive attack are extremely low, because he has no provisions as a backup. Unless something unexpected happens, Wu Sangui will not dare to leave Shanhaiguan."

Dorgon said, "Then should our Great Qing take Shanhaiguan first or go straight to Beijing and compete with Li Zicheng for the empire?" Hong Chengchou said, "Compared to Li Zicheng, Wu Sangui is insignificant. If Li Zicheng breaks through Beijing, the harm will be far greater than that caused by Wu Sangui. Therefore, the Great Qing has no choice but to feign surrender to Wu Sangui." "Whether Li Zicheng captures Beijing or not, the Qing Dynasty will have no choice but to march south ahead of schedule," Dorgon said. "The Grand Commandant is right. I will have to trouble you to write to Wu Sangui again to stabilize his position. I will deploy my troops to create a diversion so that Wu Sangui will not dare to make any rash moves. Only then can the Qing Dynasty take Beijing with all its might." Hong Chengchou said, "Your Highness, you are wise. This servant will do anything for the Qing Dynasty, even die a thousand deaths." Dorgon looked at Hong Chengchou's obsequious manner. He was about twenty years older than him, and Dorgon was only thirty-two years old this year. This was no longer the Grand Commandant of the Ming Dynasty who had almost wiped out Li Zicheng a few years ago. Now he was just a useful dog slave.

Dorgon said, "Hahaha, the Grand Marshal has devised strategies for our Great Qing. After our Great Qing conquers the Central Plains, the Grand Marshal will be a founding hero of the Great Qing."

Upon hearing Dorgon's words, Hong Chengchou immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly, his face filled with loyalty to the Great Qing and admiration for Dorgon.

Hong Chengchou said, "Long live the Great Qing! Long live the Prince!"

Upon hearing Hong Chengchou say "long live the Prince," Dorgon laughed heartily, then turned his head to look around and, seeing no one nearby, laughed even louder.

Dorgon said, "The Eight Banners troops have finished their drills. My brother Dodo commanded well; he's a talented general. Let's retire."

Hong Chengchou said, "Your Highness is absolutely right. Oh, I saw a young general in the Bordered Yellow Banner army earlier, charging left and right with extraordinary bravery. I wonder who he was?"

Dorgon said, "Oh, the Bordered Yellow Banner? That was just a junior officer, not worth mentioning." Hong Chengchou said, "May I ask his name?"

Dorgon's gaze fell upon the Qing Bordered Yellow Banner army. He saw a young general in yellow cloth armor who was exceptionally brave; he remembered that person.

Dorgon said, "His name is Aobai."

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※ Shengjing Imperial Palace, Qingning Palace.

Qingning Palace is a five-bay, front and rear corridor, gable-roofed structure. It was the central palace where Emperor Taizong of Qing, Huang Taiji, and Empress Borjigit resided.

The door opens into the east side room, forming a cylindrical layout on the west side of the room, while the east end room is the emperor and empress's sleeping quarters. The large, simple-style hinged windows have intersecting latticework in a three-arrow pattern, and the palace gates do not use lattice doors. A sacrificial pole for offering sacrifices to Heaven stands directly opposite the palace gate, a style derived from Manchu folk traditions. The roof is covered with yellow glazed tiles with trimmed edges, and both the front and back have square eaves pillars with animal-face decorations on the pillar heads. The painted beams and rafters reflect architectural styles from both Han and Tibetan cultures.

Under the moonlight, the trees sway in the wind. This empress's sleeping quarters, equivalent in status to the Kunning Palace of the Ming Dynasty, are called Qingning Palace.

The weather on the nineteenth day of the third lunar month is no longer cold; the bright moon hangs high in the distant sky, its light illuminating the earth.

Now, Emperor Taizong has long since passed away, and only Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and the young Emperor Shunzhi reside in Qingning Palace, which is guarded by Eight Banner soldiers.

It was past midnight, and in Qingning Palace, where a great battle was imminent, the palace servants were long asleep, making the place eerily quiet.

A masked figure dressed in black nimbly scaled the high walls and entered Qingning Palace. This figure seemed to have infiltrated before; their movements were practiced, light, and silent, heading straight for Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's bedchamber.

The figure moved with comical cat-like steps, hiding under one tree after another, gradually creeping towards the Empress Dowager's bedchamber, glancing left and right furtively as if afraid of being discovered.

Soon, the figure reached the window of the Empress Dowager

's bedchamber, then made a few hooting sounds like an owl. Silence followed. The figure then pulled a stick-like object from their waist and gently inserted it into the crack of the window. With a click, the window opened.

The figure in black moved with practiced speed, lifting the window with one hand. He slipped into the bedchamber like a dog, the window closing gently as if it had never been opened.

Inside, in the dim moonlight, his eyes scanned the surroundings, and he stealthily made his way to the Empress Dowager's bed.

As he searched inside his robes, he bent down, inhaling deeply through his nose.

"Smells good…hehehe…"

He pulled a tinderbox from his robes, blew on it a few times, and lit it.

The tall, beautiful body of the Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, reclining on her side, was now revealed to the figure in black, his eyes brightening considerably.

There, sleeping on the bed, was a young child, undoubtedly the young Emperor Shunzhi, now fast asleep, facing inwards.

A man in black, holding a tinderbox, illuminated Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's tall, dignified figure from her legs to her head. The Empress Dowager wore a black silk robe, her long, flowing hair cascading like a waterfall, jet black, glossy, and soft, down her back and over her shoulders.

A thin blanket, seemingly made of bearskin, covered her lower body, revealing the contours of her long legs beneath, making them appear remarkably long and slender—almost nine heads tall.

The eight-head-tall proportion is frequently depicted in ancient Greek sculptures and is widely considered the most beautiful body proportion. In reality, except in parts of Europe, it's rare to find someone with an eight-head-tall figure; the average person is seven and a half heads tall, and many people in Asia are only seven heads tall.

For Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, a Mongol, to have a nine-head-tall figure was truly exceptional. Furthermore, her elder sister, Hailanzhu, who passed away at the age of thirty-two in 1641, also had a nine-head-tall figure, as did her aunt, Empress Xiaoduanwen Zhe Zhe. These three closely related women were all consorts of the late Emperor Huang Taiji.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang lay on her side, her phoenix eyes closed, sleeping peacefully. Her full breasts rose and fell evenly, and her long, black hair, clinging to her chest, swayed with the movement.

"Hehehe...hehehe..."

The man in black slowly lifted the bearskin blanket covering Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's waist, revealing her slender waist. Her waist was as narrow and powerful as a snake's, swaying with the rise and fall of her chest and abdomen.

"Hehehe...hehehe..."

The man in black then reached out and lifted the black silk robe covering Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's chest, revealing one of her breasts. It was a pendulous breast, exceptionally full yet not excessively sagging, with a beautiful shape.

The man in black then reached out and gently grasped Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's exposed breast, squeezing it lightly with his large hand, instantly feeling the wonderful sensation of soft, warm jade on his hand.

"Hehehe...hehehe..."

The man in black saw Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's eyelids twitch, but instead of being afraid, he reached into his trousers and pulled out his penis right in front of her.

Instead of retreating, he moved forward, sitting sideways on the edge of the phoenix bed. His ordinary-sized penis pressed directly against Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's high, delicate nostrils. If it weren't for the narrowness of her nostrils, one might have suspected he was trying to insert it!

His penis rubbed back and forth between her nostrils and the bridge of her nose several times before he finally, fearlessly, inserted it into her slightly parted red lips. The

moment it entered her noble mouth, a warm, pleasurable sensation combined with the soft, slippery touch of her tongue created a powerful stimuli that bombarded his central nervous system, almost causing him to ejaculate.

The man in black then gently pressed down on Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's jaw, widening her mouth further, and his penis burrowed into her noble throat.

"Hehehe...hehehe...hiss..."

Suddenly, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang awoke, and with her jade hand adorned with long, pointed nail guards, she forcefully grasped the man in black's ordinary-sized, neither-soft-nor-hard penis, biting down hard at the base before spitting it out. She still held onto it tightly with one hand, her phoenix eyes gleaming with sharp light as she glared at the man in black.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "You audacious servant, I'm going to bite off your soft worm, hehe." In the light of the tinderbox in the man in black's hand, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, reclining on her phoenix couch, had phoenix eyes that were slightly angry, a mixture of anger and amusement, radiating brilliance.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Where did this dog of a servant come from... daring to sneak into Qingning Palace in the middle of the night... to molest me with your filthy body... you really have no regard for your life... huh?"

After speaking, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang actually used her other jade-like hand to pull the man in black onto the phoenix bed, setting aside her tall and noble figure, and pressing the man in black down where she had just slept.

The man in black trembled all over, not uttering a word, his face covered by a dark cloth, so his face could not be seen.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's long, beautiful legs, like scissors, clamped down on one of the man in black's thighs, and she used her alabaster-white arms, clad in black silk, to press down on the man in black's chest, rendering him unable to move.

The other hand, clad in armor, first nimbly stroked the black-clad man's erect penis a dozen times, then, under the scornful glint of her slanted phoenix eyes, she forcefully grasped the pair of small testicles beneath.

Like toying with two balls, she gently rotated them in her slender hand, the force perfectly balanced, giving the black-clad man both intense pleasure and a slight pain.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "You dog of a servant… these testicles… oh… so small… how much can you ejaculate? Hmm?"

The black-clad man lay on the spot where Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had just slept, feeling a warm sensation on his back, remaining silent, only his eyes visible, staring intently at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's lewd expression and noble body.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Tell me… who sent you… if you don't tell me… oh… I'll crush your testicles!"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang then nimbly turned and landed between the black-clad man's legs. It was truly surprising that someone with such a slender figure could be so agile; perhaps all women of the grasslands were like this.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's long, jet-black hair reached her hips, so much so that it almost completely enveloped the black-clad man's crotch. Some strands slid and rubbed against his neither-soft-nor-hard penis and testicles.

With her hand, clad in nail guards, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang unfastened the collar of her black silk robe, revealing her pair of extremely full, bell-shaped breasts, which pressed against the black-clad man's thighs, providing him with an intensely sensual sensation.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang glanced sideways at the black-clad man, her red lips parting beneath her high, delicate nose to reveal neat, white teeth. A slender red tongue darted out from behind her lips and teeth, occasionally licking the corner of her upper lip.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Quickly tell me... who sent you... what you're doing here... and then... hehe... I'll help you release... is that alright?" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's jade-like hand, clad in nail guards, grasped the not-too-soft, not-too-hard penis. Her head, draped in flowing hair, slowly lowered. Her slender, red tongue, sticking out from her lips, was sharp and gently touched the tip of the penis, beginning to rub and tease it.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's slanted phoenix eyes shot out a seductive, captivating gaze, carrying a constantly flashing glint of light, the source of which was unknown. Bright eyes, rarely seen on the street, were even more luminous in Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang

's slanted phoenix eyes. Her slender, red tongue, its sharp tip constantly probing the black-clad man's penis, managing to penetrate a small section. The man in black trembled with pleasure, making strange, incoherent noises, but he forced himself to keep quiet for fear of being overheard.

He turned his head to look at the young Emperor Shunzhi inside the bed; the emperor was still fast asleep, making no sound, breathing evenly, seemingly having a sweet dream.

The man in black said, "Stop...stop...I can't take it anymore..."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had already inserted a small section of her long, thin red tongue into the penis, constantly probing inside. Her jade hand, holding the not-too-soft, not-too-hard penis, felt it begin to throb, knowing the man in black was about to ejaculate. She thought it best to finish him off quickly.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Hmm...hmm...uh...ha...ha...ejaculate..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang began to slowly withdraw the small section of her long, thin red tongue from the penis, and quickly began to stroke the man in black's not-too-soft, not-too-hard penis with her jade hand, which was covered in a protective sheath, the speed increasing. The reason the red tongue was able to insert a small portion of its tip into the horse's eye was because the black-clad man's horse's eye was larger than that of an ordinary person.

Finally, the instant the small portion of the slender red tongue was pulled out of the horse's eye, the black-clad man's penis immediately spurted out a large amount of thick, foul-smelling semen, which continued to spray.

Several spurts of semen landed on Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's straight, delicate nose; one even entered her small nostril; two or three spurts also entered her slanted phoenix eyes, obscuring her vision. Her

slightly protruding cheekbones were also covered with the black-clad man's thick, foul-smelling semen, and a glob of thick semen hung from Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's rounded chin, lingering for a long time.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "You dog servant... how can you have so much semen... it's filled one of my eyes... it's blocked my nostrils... hehe..."

The man in black said, "Huff... huff... huff... you..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang withdrew her jade hand, which was covered in nail guards. Her slender fingers, including the nail guards, were completely covered in thick, foul-smelling semen. As soon as her jade hand left the man's penis, the penis slumped back into the man's crotch like a dead worm.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Hmm... your semen really stinks to death... how can there be such foul-smelling semen... were you born in a latrine... hmm... hehe..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang raised her nail guarded jade hand to her red lips, then her red lips parted, and her slender red tongue once again stretched out like a serpent, constantly licking the semen from her slender fingers.

The slender red tongue licked the semen so slowly, as if it would take an hour to clean it all.

The man in black was completely mesmerized by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's lewd behavior. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was exactly to his liking; otherwise, Dorgon wouldn't have helped her son ascend the throne. Although he had lost the throne to Haoge, Dorgon wouldn't have helped her son if Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang wasn't on his side.

After Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had licked all the semen off her face and body, she climbed between the man in black's legs, cupping her full, bell-shaped breasts in her jade-like hands and gently kneading his limp, lifeless penis.

The continuous warmth enveloped his penis, like feeling a brazier in winter, and the scent of her breasts wafted into his nostrils. His penis, regaining some firmness, began to harden again.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Oh... hard again... he's hard again... he ejaculated so much before... how come he's hard again now? Your Highness... where does he want to ejaculate this time? Hmm... hehe..." The man in black ripped off the black cloth covering his face, revealing Dorgon's true, ferocious face. His eyes shot out like an eagle's gaze, fixed on Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's slanted phoenix eyes, which shone with a lewd and wicked light, filled with an evil desire as if they wanted to suck him dry.

Dorgon thought to himself, every drop of fluid in his body would be sucked dry by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

Dorgon said, "This time, of course, I'll shoot into your demon cave... I'll fill it with my dragon seed... torment you for days and nights..."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, upon hearing this, didn't get angry but laughed, seemingly even more excited. She stretched out her slender red lips and licked her upper teeth, as if something she had long awaited was finally about to arrive.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Hehe... then what are you waiting for... hurry up and climb onto the body I've prepared for you... hehe... don't be like the last few times... unable to get up from my phoenix bed..." Suddenly, Dorgon flipped over and pinned Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang down like a tiger pouncing on a rabbit. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had already shamelessly spread her noble, slender legs, exposing the exquisite area between her legs that only the emperor could enjoy.

On that exquisite area between her legs grew a dense forest, numerous and neatly arranged, seemingly carefully trimmed. Was it meticulously prepared in preparation for the fleshy root that would be inserted there?

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "This servant... also wants the Prince... to lead this servant... to live in the Forbidden City in Beijing... This servant... also wants to live in the Kunning Palace..." Dorgon said, "The Kunning Palace is a place only the Empress can live in... You are the Empress Dowager... how can you live in the Empress's palace... wouldn't that be improper?" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Hmm... this servant will not agree... this servant has long been the Prince's woman... before Huang Taiji... after the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains... this servant wants the Prince to marry this servant... so that this servant can... serve the Prince wholeheartedly day and night..."

Dorgon said, "How can a Prince marry the Empress Dowager... wouldn't that be even more improper?" "Well... how will my subjects view me... especially those Khan's subjects who adhere to propriety?"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "What do I care about Khan's subjects... I won't stand for it... what about propriety... you Jurchens just... marry indiscriminately... that time... when you seized the opportunity, you took a whole bunch of women..." Dorgon said,

"Haha... haha... you're right... then Empress Dowager... please give me a few more sons... to continue the bloodline of my Great Qing..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Isn't Shunzhi your son... why do you want me to have more children... I don't want to have any more... I want to enjoy my glory for a few more years..."

Dorgon said, "Whether he is born or not is not up to you... Haha... I knew he was my son the moment I saw Shunzhi's face... Otherwise, how could he have become emperor..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's phoenix eyes gleamed with lewd light as she leered at Dorgon. She stretched out her hands, covered in armor, and wrapped them around Dorgon's neck. Then, she forcefully tore her black silk robes, and her long, slender legs, longer than those of an ordinary person, were clamped around Dorgon's waist and back, like scissors, as if afraid that Dorgon would have even the slightest chance to escape.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Hmm...hmm...hehe...let's not talk about that anymore...Your Highness...oh no...Your Majesty...hurry up and get inside the Empress Dowager's belly...to conquer the empire...the Empress Dowager...is very difficult to conquer..."

Dorgon said, "Hahaha...ah...hahaha...the Empress Dowager's body is the empire...I will conquer this mountain first...and another day I will lead the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty...to march south...and rule the Central Plains...hahaha..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Ah...it's in...it seems a bit harder than before...harder..." "Put it all in...put it into my... oh no...put it into the Empress Dowager's belly...so that the Empress Dowager can give birth to more... princesses for the Emperor..."

Dorgon was intensely stimulated by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's seductive charm. He grabbed her long, shapely legs with both hands and forcefully spread them apart. Looking down at the Empress Dowager's crotch, he saw a beautiful, dark forest with glossy black labia minora in the middle, and in the middle of those labia minora was tender, constantly writhing flesh.

In the middle of that flesh, there was a vulva, which was the urethra into which his not-too-soft-but-hard penis could be inserted. Below, there was another equally small vulva, the passage from which the Shunzhi Emperor was born. And this lower vulva, Dorgon vowed, would give birth to several princesses as beautiful as her mother, so that he could keep them for himself when they grew up.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was pinned down by Dorgon, being forcefully thrust into. She seemed unable to withstand the pressure, but her vaginal opening gripped Dorgon's erect penis tightly, writhing and squeezing desperately to draw out the thick, foul-smelling semen. Empress Dowager

Xiaozhuang cried out, "Ah...ah...oh dear...Your Majesty, you're too...too strong...I can't take it...quick...just let it all out...it's no use holding it in...just let it all out..."

Dorgon's large tongue plunged into Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's mouth, intertwining with her slender red tongue, desperately sucking the sweet saliva from her lips.

Dorgon had already hoisted Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's legs onto his shoulders. The length of her legs, supported by his shoulders, allowed them to rest against his waist when folded back. If erected, they resembled two long poles protruding from the phoenix bed.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's slender waist twisted skillfully beneath Dorgon, moving left and right, up and down, propelling his penis deeper into her body. A large amount of vaginal fluid was squeezed out from her vulva, wetting her round, upturned buttocks.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang also emitted seductive moans, enticing Dorgon to thrust and pound against her lower body desperately, eager for him to ejaculate. Between the Empress Dowager's legs lay the vulva of the most noble female body in the Qing Dynasty; this Mongolian woman's vulva was born to hunt Jurchen emperors.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Your Majesty... push harder... and you can penetrate my flower bud... hurry... my flower bud is so thirsty and itchy... it needs Your Majesty's essence... shoot it in... shoot it in... fill me up..."

Dorgon exerted all his strength and finally thrust his glans in one more forceful thrust, squeezing into Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's palace. The sweet and stimulating pleasure refused to forgive the Empress Dowager, causing her to let out high-pitched and joyful moans. Her voice was somewhat hoarse, yet deep and magnetic.

Normally, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang would not speak to people in such a voice. At this moment, all her lewd behavior during intercourse was to curry favor with Dorgon, because the resurgence of the Mongols required the Qing army's Eight Banners to charge into battle!

After Dorgon's glans had laboriously squeezed into the palace chamber, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang immediately tightened the flesh inside, binding his glans tightly and working in tandem with the wrinkled flesh of her vagina to desperately extract his semen.

Her breathtakingly beautiful face pressed against Dorgon's ear, and she opened her sensual red lips and pearly white teeth, extending her long, slender red tongue—far longer than an ordinary tongue, easily reaching his brow when pointing upwards and hooking his chin downwards.

With this long, jade-like tongue, like a serpent, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang began to probe Dorgon's ear canal, exhaling warm, fragrant breath. Combined with the intense stimulation of her vaginal opening, Dorgon was completely captivated by Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, losing all sense of self. At this moment, Dorgon only thought of ejaculating and occupying Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's palace, making her his own possession.

Finally, Dorgon could no longer restrain himself. Thick, foul-smelling semen gushed desperately onto the fleshy walls of the Empress Dowager's chamber, wave after wave, more than a normal man could ejaculate in several sessions. This method of intercourse with a woman was said to shorten a man's lifespan. However, under the Empress Dowager's lewd and intense stimulation in her chamber, even an iron rod could be ground into a needle.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "Shoot...shoot...shoot more for me...the more you shoot...the more comfortable it will be...so that I...can bear more children for the Emperor..." Dorgon lay on top of Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's noble body, his penis inserted into her belly, ejaculating wildly. His large mouth alternately sucked on the Empress Dowager's nipples, like a child desperately suckling milk. Dorgon eventually fainted from pleasure.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang cried out, "Ah...it hurts...you're about to bite it off...you dog slave...you lowly bastard...how dare you bite the nipple of the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty..."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang watched as Dorgon manipulated her, while he himself fainted from pleasure. Instead of showing concern, the Empress Dowager remained calm and composed. She wasn't worried about Dorgon's health; instead, she was more satisfied to have achieved her goal.

The Empress Dowager wrapped one arm around Dorgon's neck, inserting her slender tongue into his mouth, arousing his remaining desire. Her other hand reached down to Dorgon's crotch, grasping his testicles and squeezing them slightly, while her long, slender, white legs clamped and pushed them together forcefully.

Dorgon, who had fainted from pleasure, continued to ejaculate several more times, his penis being intensely drained in Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's palace. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, having received the semen, revealed a cunning, wicked smile on her beautiful face, as if she had obtained something she had longed for. The look of ultimate satisfaction on her face made her appear incredibly lewd. Indeed, if the Empress Dowager's family weren't lewd, why would Huang Taiji marry three women of similar generations from this family? It meant that the women of this family must have been exceptionally skilled at hunting men, and they wouldn't have looked down on ordinary men. Otherwise, why would three of them have married Huang Taiji at the same time? These women needed men like emperors and generals; only such men could satisfy their dark desires and have the means to satisfy their greed.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang said, "I still need you... to rule the Central Plains... Hehe... First, let you enjoy yourself in my... body... Later, you'll have to repay me... with the world... Hehe... Ah hehehe..."

The night passed like this. The young Emperor Shunzhi lay on his phoenix bed undisturbed, because before the men in black entered Qingning Palace, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang had already given him a drug that would keep him asleep until dawn. This

wasn't the first time such a thing had happened over the years. Every night, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang would prepare for and anticipate his arrival.

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