by Poon, Alice;
After the victorious Battles of Songshan and Jinzhou, all other smaller fortress towns outside the Great Wall of China fell under Manchu control and this paved the way for their penetration into China proper through the Shanhai Pass. The Pass was defended by a gallant Ming general named Wu Sangui who had survived the Battle of Songshan but had not retreated into the fortress with Hong Chengchou. Instead, he had fled back to Beijing. He would later become an enabling pawn in the Manchus’ successful incursion through Shanhai Pass.
At Mukden, all the surrendering Ming generals were treated to a grand feast held in their honor and were granted gifts of silver and gold bars. Though unable to attend the feast, the Emperor Hong Taiji sent a special envoy to represent him. The envoy courteously explained to the Chinese generals that the Emperor was still in mourning over the death of his late Consort, and the generals were all touched by the warm and sincere treatment afforded them. All, that is, except for Hong Chengchou who disdainfully declined to attend the feast and rejected all gifts. He impudently declared with that he would welcome immediate execution.
Hearing this, the Emperor ordered that he be accommodated in a luxuriously decorated mansion and waited on by a team of servants and maids. The proud general was adamant in his refusal of food and clothing, preferring to appear unkempt and woeful in the presence of visiting Manchu officials. No one was able to persuade him to change his stance.
Then the Emperor sent Scholar Fan to meet with him. Before the meeting, Scholar Fan promised to only talk to him about Chinese history and nothing else. In response, Hong cleaned himself up a bit and had his hair combed out of respect for the Scholar. During the meeting, specks of dust from the beams landed on Hong’s sleeve and he reflexively flicked them off. At the end of the meeting, though, Hong’s determination did not appear to have wavered in the least.
Scholar Fan reported on the meeting to the Emperor at the daily morning session of Chinese history and literature lessons, which had resumed at Bumbutai’s request a little while ago, after a pause of some years at Harjol’s insistence. When Bumbutai heard about how General Hong had flicked off specks of dust, she told the Emperor not to be concerned.
“Your Imperial Highness, you don’t have to worry about Hong Chengchou. He will soon come round to doing your bidding. He cares too much about trifles to want to give up life so easily. I am certain Your Imperial Highness was having the same thought.”
“You have a sharp mind as always, Bumbutai. I happen to think you’re right. What would you suggest that I do now?”Bumbutai’s comment had given a healthy jolt to the Emperor’s lethargic mind, but was also understated enough to preserve his pride.
“It may be worthwhile for Your Imperial Highness to pay General Hong a personal visit. That would make him feel special and respected. If it suits Your Imperial Highness, showing him a little kindness can help,” she added with confidence.
With that suggestion, the Emperor went to Hong’s abode. He was careful to leave his Imperial Guards behind, allowing only his chief eunuch to accompany him.
General Hong greeted the Emperor with courtesy, feeling important and honored. After tea was served, they sat down to chat like two old friends, with the Emperor seeking Hong’s views on subjects like interracial marriages and tax exemption for the Chinese farmers.
It was springtime in Mukden. The previous day had been unseasonably warm but a cold breeze was now blowing outside, whirling fallen plum blossom petals like a snowstorm in the garden. The Emperor saw that Hong was dressed only in a flimsy robe made of cotton cloth and was shivering from the cold.
“It seems you are not yet used to the fickle Mukden weather,” he said and, without a thought, he took off his fur cape and put it over Hong’s shoulders. Hong gazed at the Emperor’s face in amazement for a long time, incongruous images of the brutal execution of General Yuan Chonghuan suddenly scurrying across his mind.
“Kindness makes for a ruler! Long live my Emperor!” he tearfully exclaimed. Rising from his seat and falling to his knees, he made obeisance to the Emperor for the very first time.
The next day, the Emperor invited General Hong to the Banquet Hall for a feast held in his honor. Later he granted him and his family a huge mansion in Mukden and appointed him to head the Han Border Blue Banner of the newly-created Han Eight Banners. He would go on to become one of the most valued military advisers for the Manchus’ Qing Empire during the succeeding reign.
When news of Hong’s defection spread, some of the noblemen in the Manchu Eight Banners began to grumble about the Emperor’s apparent favoritism shown towards this Chinese general. To them, the Emperor posed this question:
“Why do you think Nurhaci led us into battle after battle?”
“To ultimately conquer China,” they answered unequivocally.
“So what is more valuable than having a good guide to show us the way into unknown territory?”
To that last question, no answer came forth.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth year of his reign, Emperor Hong Taiji let Dorgon lead his forces to stir unrest in some of the Chinese border towns inside the Great Wall, taking the opportunity to demonstrate the military strength of the Manchu Army. The Ming Dynasty of China, meanwhile, was by now threatened by mob uprisings led by the notorious rebel leader Li Zicheng. The Manchus were counting the days to a final showdown with Ming China. Meanwhile, Hong Taiji established the policy of not only welcoming defections of Ming officials, generals and scholars from conquered towns, but actually rewarding such defectors by placing them in official posts and granting them gifts. In explaining such policy to his clansmen, he said:
“Material possessions only have limited value, but talent is priceless. The Qing Empire is growing and is in great need of talent. The exchange could not be more beneficial to us. Besides, only benevolent gestures can win hearts. Remember this: we have not truly conquered a nation until we’ve conquered its people’s hearts. I urge you all to follow this policy for the benefit of our Empire.”
In the sixteenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor, Li Zicheng captured the cities of Luoyang, Kaifeng and Xiangyang and in the historic capital of so many dynasties, Xi’an, declared himself as “Emperor of the Shun Dynasty”.
Li had lowly beginnings as a shepherd, and at the age of twenty had learned horse riding and archery. During his youth, his hometown in the Shaanxi region of north China had suffered a famine and the peasants had harbored chronic grudges against the Ming government. He joined a rebel group to ambush and murder Ming officials and subsequently became leader of a rebel army of 20,000, a force that eventually grew to a million-strong. The rebel army’s slogan was “equal land distribution and no grain tax”. They had the fervent support of most peasants. Wherever Li’s army went, they seized land from the rich landlords and distributed it among the tenant farmers. At the same time, another rebel leader Zhang Xianzhong was stirring up unrest in other parts of China. After losing to Li’s army in the battles for Luoyang and Kaifeng, the Ming government showed itself totally powerless in the face of peasant rebellions, especially as it was so busy fighting the Manchus in the north.
Following the death of Harjol, Bumbutai and Dorgon no longer dared to meet in the Yongfu Palace, Bumbutai’s residence, as there was always a chance of the Emperor calling on her or summoning her to his Residence. Dorgon grew restless and one day sent Bumbutai a letter, which said:
My Love,
I have lived life yearning daily for your scent, your sweet lips, your fragrant hair, your soft skin. I cannot go on like this any more. The more I pine for you, the more I hate Hong Taiji. He is the reason for our endless suffering. I cannot but rejoice that he has lost the love of his life and is made to suffer. But his suffering is nowhere close to the hell that I have been through. I can never forgive him for killing my mother and purloining all that should have belonged to me. I swear I will make him pay.
I have to do some
thing to end this waiting.
Yours forever,
Dorgon
After reading the letter, Bumbutai became very agitated and nervous, distressed by what might be festering in Dorgon’s mind. At the same time, what her father had said to her during her parents’ visit to see Fulin came back to haunt her: “My dear daughter, you are a Borjigit princess and you must never forget that. You owe it to the Khorchin Mongols to make Fulin the Crown Prince. The future glory of our homeland and our tribe now depends on Fulin, You must take over Harjol’s role and win Hong Taiji’s heart.”
Her father’s words spun around in Bumbutai’s head and weighed her down like a lump of lead.
A year had passed since Hooge won the Battle of Songshan and he kept as low a profile as possible and took every care not to indulge in his old habit of boasting. But he couldn’t let his glory go unsung. Daisan was still the most respected Aisin Gioro clansman and could help in pressing his case, he thought. Now that the greatest obstacle – the “royal heir” – was out of the way, he was determined to grasp the opportunity and quietly push forward his own campaign for the status of Crown Prince. He knew full well that his great competitors would be the Fulin mother-son team, backed by the Borjigits, Dorgon and his full brothers. He had to think of a way of getting his hands on the old man’s Plain and Border Yellow Banners. After all, he had earned his right to them. If he was refused, he would have no alternative but to …
With that last thought, Hooge entered the lounge of Daisan’s mansion one late summer day. When Daisan came out to greet him, he told his uncle straight away that it was going to be a very private conversation. Daisan immediately dismissed his servants and guards.
“Uncle, I desperately need your advice and help regarding my future. No doubt you can see that the Emperor is growing weaker by the day. Yet he doesn’t seem to realize the absolute necessity of picking his heir before his health further deteriorates. I think we must do something before it is too late.”
“Nephew, of course I see the urgency of the issue here. The thought has lately been troubling me a lot too. There are still big battles to be won and strife in our Court is the last thing I wish to see.”
Daisan spoke earnestly, not betraying the least shred of his own scheme – that he had already given his support to Dorgon’s plan to usurp the throne in concert with Jirgalang.
His support for Hong Taiji had from the start always been superficial. He would not have endorsed Hong Taiji’s ascent to the throne had he not feared his underhanded tricks. He now saw a way to play one camp against the other and stir up more rivalry. Should the Hooge camp and the Dorgon camp face off with each other, then his own sons might benefit from the confrontation and choose the winning camp to side with or even to master.
“You know about our long siege of Songshan and Jinzhou and our final victory, in which I played a pivotal role,” Hooge continued. “I know that His Imperial Highness does not approve of my audacity and so I have not formally claimed any credit. I was hoping that you might try to put in a good word for me to the Emperor …”
“Of course I will do that for you, Nephew! I will even suggest to the Emperor that you could take over the command of both the Plain and Border Yellow Banners. The way I see it, it’s time for him to pass on the Banners to you.”
“That is very kind of you, Uncle. You have my gratitude and I won’t forget it.”
“But I have a feeling that the Emperor will be giving Dorgon the Plain Blue Banner, to reward him for his many victories in the battles in Inner Mongolia, the war against Korea as well as the various conquests of Chinese border towns,” Daisan added, trying to kindle some jealousy in Hooge.
“That is bad news,” Hooge said, surprised. “If that really comes to pass and the three brothers team up with Jirgalang’s Border Blue, they will form an ironclad alliance. That’s what brings me to my next request, Uncle. Assuming I have command of the Plain and Border Yellow and there is an all-out confrontation with the Dorgon-Jirgalang team, would you support my claim to the throne with your two Red Banners?”
“I assure you that my two Banners will be at your service. You are the eldest son of Hong Taiji …. you have a legitimate claim…. I will certainly support you, Nephew,” Daisan faltered and his eyes looked down unconsciously. But Hooge was too full of his dreams to notice.
Two days after that meeting, Hooge received an Imperial edict from the Emperor making him Chief of the two Yellow Banners. He wasn’t aware, though, that the idea came voluntarily from the Emperor himself without any persuasion on Daisan’s part.
Twelve
After having convinced Hong Chengchou to defect, the Emperor again relapsed into inertia and depression. His health deteriorated. Bumbutai knew there was little she could do to mend his heart, but she still tried to nurse him and fed him precious herbal supplements. In order to lift his spirits, she arranged for Siu Mui, Siu Fa and other beautiful Chinese dancers to perform all kinds of exotic dances for him, sometimes even taking part in them herself. She was pleased when the Emperor summoned Siu Fa, who was the prettier of the two sisters, to his bed chamber for three nights in a row. Under the Manchu code, emperors were only to bed Manchu or Mongolian women, but obviously exceptions were sometimes made for the prettiest of young Chinese maidens
One early autumn evening in the eighth lunar month, the Emperor summoned Bumbutai to his Residential Palace.
“I appreciate all that you’ve done for me,” he told her. “You have such intelligent maids. Siu Fa is good company. Did you teach them Chinese history?”
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness. I’m glad that Siu Fa served you well. I did teach my maids a bit of Chinese literature, but the Han sisters basically learned their history from their own parents in childhood.”
“How is Fulin doing with his lessons?”
“Very well, Your Imperial Highness. Scholar Fan is doing a great job teaching him Chinese history and literature. Sumalagu is teaching him Jurchen history. I myself will see to it that he learns Mongolian history as well. He has a good memory and is a fast learner. He seems to have a special interest in Han Chinese culture.”
“That is good. Don’t forget to make him practice horse riding and archery and tell him stories from the journal about Genghis Khan.”
“I won’t forget, Your Imperial Highness.”
“I just wish he’d grow up fast. I’m afraid that my end is not far away, Bumbutai.”
He signaled for her to come closer to him and he held both her hands in his clasp and sighed a sorrowful sigh.
“I beg Your Imperial Highness not to say such things,” she exclaimed in anguish. “You can’t leave me. You still have a long life ahead.” She burst into tears.
“Bumbutai, listen very carefully to what I have to say. I know I’m not going to recover and I must tell you what is on my mind before it’s too late.”
His brows wrinkled into a deep frown, and he continued.
“I want Fulin to inherit my throne, but since he is only a child, he has need of Regents to assist him. In order that there is an appropriate power balance, I will give Dorgon the Plain Blue Banner. Hooge already has my Plain and Border Yellow. Daisan and his sons will continue to control the two Red Banners. Ajige, Dodo and Jirgalang will still respectively command the Plain White, Border White and Border Blue. The Empire will be safer if there is a balance of power among the clansmen.”
“Your Imperial Highness,” she said solemnly. “I will do whatever that you want me to do and I will protect Fulin with all my power for the sake of the Empire.”
“Fulin has Mongolian and Manchu blood in him. I’m sure he has your wisdom and my determination. If you give him the right education, he will grow up to be a good emperor and will bring glory to the Empire. The important task of mentoring him will fall on you.”
Hearing those words, Bumbutai’s eyes turned red again. Fulin would be
her protector once Hong Taiji was gone. But Fulin was only a five-year old child. She could already envision her future path strewn with deadly traps.
“I believe Dorgon will not intentionally harm you,” Hong Taiji continued. “Daisan is basically a coward who will go with whichever side is on the ascendant while Jirgalang will be loyal. The only real danger is likely to come from Hooge. He is rash and witless and thinks he’s entitled to the throne. But I am sure that he would be a poor emperor. So, if you can get Dorgon, Jirgalang and Daisan all on side, then you will be quite safe as Empress Dowager. I will require that you and Fulin complete the grand scheme of conquering China, and to do so you will need their help. But I am sure that you will find a way to get their cooperation, Bumbutai. If all the Banner Chiefs agree, Dorgon and Jirgalang can be elected as Regents.”
“I am taking your words to heart and will do my best, Your Imperial Highness. Please do not worry.”
She was silently asking herself if she really had a choice.
Having completed what he needed to say, Hong Taiji appeared to shrink on his seat.
“I am feeling very tired,” he said. “I must lie down to rest now.”
She gently helped her ailing husband to the bed and sat by the bedside until he fell asleep.
Then she returned to the Yongfu Palace and wrote a long letter to Dorgon:
“My Beloved Dorgon,
I have received your letter and read it with alarm. I hope reason will restrain you from doing anything you will regret. If we lose patience and take one false step, all will be lost. Please do nothing without first consulting me. I love you, Dorgon, and want only the best for you. You have to trust me.
Hong Taiji has just spoken to me. He wants balance of power among the clansmen, to which I agree. It is for the good of all and for stability. He also intends for Fulin to be his heir, to be assisted by Regents.
