Chapter 1079: Duoni Is Dead (Please Subscribe)

The memorial of resignation was finished!

And it had been written in full public view. Now all the great figures in the city of Hetu Ala knew that Duoni had handed over his power!

Power is a strange thing. Its acquisition and loss have no single standard, nor does it necessarily follow one's formal title. Some men resign and step down yet still hold great power in their hands; others sit high in office yet remain puppets.

This thing, in many cases, is simply a matter of what everyone thinks. If everyone believes a man has power and influence, fears him and respects him, then he holds great power. If everyone believes that a man who once held great power is now finished, no longer so fearsome, then his position begins to totter. Duoni was now just such a tottering ruler. Had it been a ruler with rich experience in struggle like Dorgon or Dodo, the more such a moment came, the more he would have shown toughness, without the slightest retreat — otherwise the hearts of those below would scatter.

Once hearts scatter, the ranks become hard to lead.

And once the ranks are hard to lead, never mind staying beyond the passes to keep up the struggle — even fleeing abroad would be difficult!

Yet Duoni had not only retreated now, he had retreated all the way to the bottom, directly writing a memorial of resignation, and even wanting to take money and leave for a foreign country to live as a rich old gentleman. In the eyes of Duoni's followers, this was abandoning everyone to take the money and enjoy himself!

Could such a lord still be wanted?

Taking the memorial from Duoni's hands, Ajige opened it and glanced at it, then said with a smile: "Duoni, it is getting late. Why don't you go back first and pack up?"

Duoni was stunned at these words.

Already calling him by name outright?

"Brother Duoni," Yue Le also spoke up, "the Twelfth Lord is right. It is getting late. You had better go back and pack your things. We can then discuss how to send your whole family on their way!"

What? "Brother Duoni" — so now it was "brother"? Duoni's heart went cold at once. Not only cold, but afraid! "Send the whole family on their way" — why did that sound so chilling?

He hurriedly turned to look at his younger brother Chani.

Chani smiled: "Second Brother, just go at ease!"

"Go at ease" still sounded like death!

"I, I—" Duoni wanted to say something more, but everyone turned their faces away and would not look at him.

Truly, the man had not yet left, and the tea was already ice-cold!

Duoni had no recourse, because he already knew that he had lost power. So he could only leave dejectedly, to go and weep in his wife's and children's arms!

Since ancient times, with power one flourishes; without power one perishes!

Duoni had now lost power, and his death was only a matter of time.

"There is an edict!"

The moment Duoni left, Ajige produced the imperial edict!

The roomful of Manchu dignitaries dared not show the slightest negligence. In a rush they all formed ranks and knelt, preparing to hear the edict.

The edict was written in plain vernacular.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Let Consort Li, Aisin Gioro Ajige, provisionally hold the office of Military Governor of Jianzhou. All Jianzhou officials and personnel shall obey her commands without error. Thus decreed!"

Zhu Cilang had really thought of everything — he had actually made Ajige the Military Governor of Jianzhou!

"We subjects receive the edict. Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The men below kowtowed together to receive the edict, shouting "Long live" like a mountain roar!

However absurd Zhu Cilang's edict might be, no one dared disobey. Because power in Jianzhou already belonged to Zhu Cilang — everyone knew Ajige was merely a tool for bearing sons. The son who could fill the post of Military Governor of Jianzhou had not yet been born, so she provisionally held it in his stead. As for the one truly wielding power, it was Zhu Cilang himself.

Whoever dared disobey — the black-gun troops, the foreign-horse troops, the youth troops would come and send everyone to the next world.

Smiling, Ajige produced a stack of silver notes. "Here is 200,000 taels, a small token of the Military Governor's regard for everyone!"

"We thank the Military Governor for her reward!"

"Your subordinate thanks you for the reward!"

"Your subordinate thanks the Military Governor!"

With silver notes to take, of course everyone was delighted! But they all understood in their hearts that this silver was not given for nothing. So after taking the silver, everyone looked at Ajige.

Ajige nodded, then produced a very large envelope. On its cover were five large characters: "Military Governor's Order."

Ajige drew out a sheet of letter paper, unfolded it before everyone's eyes, and said in a heavy tone: "The Military Governor commands: put Duoni's entire household to death!"

The moment Ajige's words fell, someone cried out involuntarily: "What? Kill Duoni's whole household? I, I... sob sob—"

Everyone turned to look. The one weeping was Duoni's younger brother Chani.

Such deep brotherly feeling!

Ajige sighed and said: "Chani, don't grieve. Your second brother brought this calamity on himself. If we don't kill him, how can the Son of Heaven trust us?"

Chani asked through tears: "Then what about me? Will I be killed too?"

"No one said to kill you." Ajige understood. "Oh, so you still count yourself and Duoni as one household! Ah, you misunderstood. It's not you we're killing — just Duoni and his family! Gentlemen, what do you think of this matter? Chani, you speak first!"

Chani let out a great breath of relief. "Duoni indeed deserves death. For his own selfish gain he caused the deaths of so many. He is utterly hateful. Without killing him, the people's grievances cannot be appeased, nor Heaven's wrath!"

What a fine brother of the Great Qing!

"Chani is right. Duoni must be killed!"

"Duoni's crimes are monstrous!"

"Duoni deserves death ten thousand times over!"

"Even death cannot atone for Duoni's crimes!"

Everyone quickly reached agreement: Duoni must die! If he did not die, the entire Manchu people could not accept it.

Ajige asked again: "Then... who will take the trouble to send Duoni and his family on their way?"

As he asked, his eyes were fixed hard on Chani, staring until Chani's hairs stood on end.

"I, I'll go!" Chani gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "I'll take troops and do the killing!"

Ajige said: "The heads must be cut off!"

"Fine! I'll cut them off!"

Ajige added: "And find a rather nice box to put Duoni's in. After all, he was once Prince Regent. Even if his head travels a thousand li, it should have a decent box."

Chani nodded: "Understood, understood. We can't lose face, after all."

"One more thing!" Ajige's tone deepened. "The silver notes I gave Duoni just now — remember to bring them back. That was the Military Governor's reward for all of us!"

By the time Duoni returned to his inner quarters, he already knew something was wrong. But there was nothing he could do. His power was gone. He was meat on the chopping block, waiting for others to bring down the knife.

But his consort, a Borjigin from the Khorchin tribe, was still unwilling to give up and was still there trying to persuade him.

"My lord, the people's hearts have changed. This place is no longer safe to linger in. Come north with me to the Khorchin grasslands at once! Once we reach the grasslands, my lord can still rally his old followers and fight a running war against the Ming. Even if that fails, we can still flee far away to Russia!"

Duoni shook his head. "It can't be that bad. We already gave them the silver notes."

"Silver notes?" The consort shook her head. "You — how can you trust people so easily? If we die, all our wealth goes to them!"

Just as she finished speaking, a clamor rose outside the room. Her face changed at once, and she grew tense. Then an old servant came flying into the room.

"My lord, my lady, the Fourth Master has arrived."

"It's Chani," Duoni let out a breath. "A good brother — he must have come to protect us and help us flee."

The consort sighed. "Let us hope so!"

Chani did indeed look as though he had come to protect someone. He arrived with a band of warriors, and he himself was carrying a large case. Seeing Duoni, he asked, "Second Brother, what do you think of this box? Is it pleasing?"

Duoni looked it over and found it was a lacquerware box, exquisitely crafted, likely imported from Japan, and originally meant for holding jewels.

"Fourth Brother, what have you brought a box here for?" Duoni asked.

Chani smiled. "Isn't it prepared for you? I searched for ages before I found it. Do you like it?"

Duoni was baffled. "For me? What would I want that box for?"

Chani smiled and signaled with his eyes to his left and right. Two white-armored soldiers had already lunged forward and pinned Duoni down in an instant.

Chani laughed. "This box is for holding your head. My lady, hold the box for a moment while I cut off his head. One stroke and it's done — I guarantee it will be quick!"

(End of Chapter)