Chapter 576: How About You Become the Imperial Ama!

Looking at his younger brother Dodo's eager expression, Dorgon could only force a bitter smile.

Did he not long to take that further step and become Emperor of the Great Qing? But the problem was that among the Eight Banners — no, among the sons of the Ten Banners — those who opposed him becoming Emperor still held the majority!

What discouraged Dorgon even more was that his full brother, the banner lord of the Bordered White Banner, the Prince Regent of State and Prince Ying, Ajige, had to this day never expressed support for Dorgon becoming Emperor, whether in public or in private.

Of course, Ajige was not against Dorgon continuing as Prince Regent and holding power — he was against Dorgon taking that further step and becoming Emperor.

As Ajige had said in private: Old Fourteen has rendered great service, and it would be fitting for him to remain Prince Regent his whole life; even if Old Fourteen wished to pass the position of Prince Regent down after a hundred years, there would be nothing wrong with that. But taking that further step and becoming Emperor would be improper!

This was not Ajige's view alone. The banner lords of the old Eight Banners and the Plain Green Banner, and the princes and dukes of the eight ranks, mostly held this view.

Among the banner lords who supported Dorgon becoming Emperor, apart from Dorgon himself, there was only Dodo. And the princes and dukes of the eight ranks who supported Dorgon becoming Emperor were all of the Plain White Banner and Plain Blue Banner systems — that is, Dorgon and Dodo's closest subordinates.

The reason for this situation was not hard to understand — although Dorgon the Prince Regent controlled the government of the Great Qing, in the final analysis he was still a banner lord prince.

The Eight Banners system of the early Qing was different from what it later became. It was not an imperial centralization of power, but a feudal system with the niru as the unit of enfeoffment. All banner lords and princes and dukes of the eight ranks were feudal lords.

The Emperor of the Great Qing was merely the greatest feudal lord directly holding the two Yellow Banners, and the leader of the feudal lord group of the Eight Banners (including all banner lords and princes and dukes of the eight ranks).

Therefore the Emperor's authority was limited, and was also checked by the other banner lords and princes and dukes of the eight ranks. He was not one of those later all-powerful centralized emperors whose every word carried weight.

And Dorgon, holding the government in his capacity as a banner lord prince while sidelining the young Shunzhi Emperor, naturally weakened imperial authority and strengthened the power of the banner lords and the princes and dukes of the eight ranks.

As long as Dorgon was not Emperor, he could not strengthen imperial authority — if imperial authority grew strong, where would that leave him as Prince Regent?

Therefore Dorgon's regency was in the interests of most banner lords and princes and dukes of the eight ranks.

But if he wanted to take that further step and become Emperor — heh — apart from Dodo and himself, every banner lord and prince and duke of the eight ranks (including those of the Plain White and Plain Blue Banners) was in fact unwilling at heart. Because once Dorgon successfully usurped the throne, the two Yellow Banners would naturally and legitimately fall to him.

Add together the two Yellow, Plain White, and Plain Blue Banners, and that would be more than half of the Eight Banners! If Emperor Dorgon had such strength, would he still allow the other banner lords and princes and dukes of the eight ranks to hold real power? Would he not have to kill them off one by one, or turn them into rich and idle men!

So even Ajige opposed Dorgon's advancement to become Emperor of the Great Qing!

Watching Dorgon's bitter smile, Dodo's face fell too. "Twelfth Brother is one of us after all, and the three princes of the Plain Green Banner were promoted by our own hands — they surely would not dare oppose us. And that red-haired devil Bruce has gotten us three more red-barbarian small cannon niru, all assigned to the Plain White, Bordered White, and Plain Blue Banners."

Dorgon glared at his younger brother. "Old Fifteen, what are you thinking?"

"Brother—"

Dorgon snorted. "Is now the time for internal strife? Zhu Cilang has already pacified Huguang, the roving bandits have burrowed into Sichuan, and now he has ascended the throne as Emperor. Next he will most likely march north to take the Central Plains!"

"Will he?" Dodo was taken aback. "Didn't he send Zu Kefa again to discuss the marriage?"

"That is to lull us!" Dorgon was utterly certain. "He is definitely preparing a northern expedition right now!"

Dodo also felt things were getting serious. Datong Prefecture had still not been taken, the Third Prince up in the Lüliang Mountains of Shanxi was still stirring up trouble, and Wu Sangui of the Great Qing's Plain Green Banner was being ambiguous. If the Southern Ming launched a full-scale northern expedition on top of all that, could the Great Qing last long?

"Fourteenth Brother," Dodo asked, "what do we do?"

Dorgon snorted. "Tomorrow, invite all the Deliberative Princes and Ministers in the capital to my Prince Regent's residence. We will all meet Zu Kefa together!"

"That—"

"The matter of Donggo's betrothal," Dorgon said, stroking his beard, "shouldn't everyone have a say? And while we're at it, we can sound everyone out!"

The thing Dorgon wanted to sound out was, of course, related to his active desire for advancement!

Although Dorgon did not currently hold the title of Emperor, in Beijing his word was law. If he said "invite," who among those named would dare not come?

So the next day, even the court session was cancelled, and almost every person of consequence in Beijing went to Dorgon's Prince Regent's residence to drink tea.

"Our imperial master always has the princess in his heart, and very much wishes to make her Empress. It is only that the princess's status is, after all, somewhat lacking — she is not a true princess of the Great Qing, and as mother of the Great Ming realm she could not win universal acceptance. Moreover, the Great Qing and the Great Ming could not thereby become states joined as father-in-law and son-in-law..."

The one solemnly speaking such nonsense was none other than Zu Kefa. This "unconventional" diplomat was becoming more and more like a Warring States political strategist with every passing day — now he was openly sowing discord between the Great Qing ruler and his subjects!

"What nonsense!" The one who spoke up in rebuke was Dorgon himself. "If Donggo's status is somewhat lacking, then so be it. She won't be the mother of your Ming realm. Your emperor can arrange it however he likes!"

The banner lord princes and princes and dukes of the eight ranks present all furrowed their brows. No matter how one heard it, Dorgon's words sounded like words spoken in anger!

Princess Donggo was, after all, the daughter of a Prince, and she held the title of Heshuo Princess. Even if she were not made Empress when she went to Zhu Cilang, she ought at least to be an Imperial Noble Consort — how could she possibly be arranged "however he likes"?

"The Prince Regent means to agree to this marriage?" Zu Kefa, however, had a look of delighted surprise.

He had served as marriage envoy for two or three years now. The negotiations had begun when Princess Donggo was seven, and now the princess was ten, and still no result had been reached.

Of course, there was still time. Although the ancients married early, they did not marry off little girls of nine or ten. Fifteen or sixteen was the prime age, seventeen or eighteen was not considered old, twenty and above made one an old maid, and above thirty — those who married early were already grandmothers by then!

"Agreed!" Dorgon said, stroking his beard and smiling. "He has already ascended the throne — how could he not be worthy of my daughter?"

His gaze swept both sides, and he smiled. "What do you all think?"

Dodo said, "There is no problem with Donggo marrying over, but she must be made Empress!"

Zu Kefa smiled. "In fact, our emperor has the same intention. But Princess Donggo must be a true princess before she can directly become Empress!"

Dodo said, "How can Donggo not be a true princess?"

The moment his words came out, the room fell deathly silent!

Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Ajige.

Ajige, however, had his eyes narrowed, looking half asleep!

His son had not been adopted by Dorgon, after all...

Dodo was instantly somewhat angered, his face livid. Just as he was about to erupt, he suddenly heard someone clear his throat. He followed the sound and saw it was his second brother, "Grand Beile" Daishan.

This old fellow normally hardly attended court, always claiming illness and staying home. Yet today he had come to the Prince Regent's residence full of vigor.

"Second Brother, do you have something to say?" Dodo had not a trace of good feeling toward this second brother — his, Dorgon's, and Ajige's mother, Abahai, had once had an affair with Daishan!

Daishan, who was supposed to be "the elder brother serving as father" (Nurhaci's eldest brother Cuyen had died early), had not stepped forward to support them at the critical moment. Daishan had the two Red Banners, and the three Dodo brothers had the two Yellow Banners (the colors had not yet been swapped at that time) — combined, their strength would have been enough to crush Hong Taiji.

If Daishan had supported Dodo, Dodo would be Emperor right now!

Daishan sighed and said to Dorgon, "Old Fourteen, actually there is nothing wrong with making Donggo a true princess..."

Ah!

What?

A sudden attack of conscience!

Dorgon and Dodo were both stunned, and the other princes present were likewise astonished. Dorgon was about to become Emperor!?

Daishan smiled. "Fourteen, how about you become the Imperial Ama!"

(End of Chapter)