Chapter 577: The Great Qing's Imperial Ama

What does it mean to be the Imperial Ama?

Dorgon looked at Daishan with a heavy gaze, and everyone else looked at him the same way, waiting for this "eldest brother" and old fox to explain further.

Daishan laughed. "Fourteen, you're already the Imperial Uncle Father Regent. Why not go one step further and become the Imperial Ama Regent!"

"Isn't that still just Regent?" Dodo's tone was dark, and he looked ready to go up and punch Daishan a few times.

Daishan shook his head repeatedly. "It's different. Can Imperial Uncle Father and Imperial Ama be the same? We brothers are all Imperial Uncle Fathers — not worth much. But Imperial Ama is different. Since the founding of the Great Qing, the only ones who could be called Imperial Ama were the Taizu Emperor and the Taizong Emperor!"

That did seem a little different.

Dorgon frowned, seemingly mulling it over carefully.

In truth, he had already entertained the idea of becoming "Imperial Father Regent." The "Imperial Father" in that title was in Han characters, meaning the emperor's father. But "Imperial Ama" translated into Han characters was Father Emperor. Father Emperor and Imperial Father — they really were not the same thing at all!

Seeing that Dorgon still had not reacted, Daishan gritted his teeth and kept sweetening the offer.

"How about this," Daishan said. "Old Fourteen, don't be Regent and Prince Rui anymore — just be the Imperial Ama!"

"What? Just be the Imperial Ama?"

"Right!" Daishan nodded. "From now on, when we brothers see you, we'll all call you Imperial Ama!" He turned to his old sidekick Abai. "Third Brother, what do you think?"

"Great! Fourteen, from now on you're the Imperial Ama!" Abai, two years younger than Daishan, a Garrison General of the State with no particular ability because he was born of a concubine, had no shame left either, and flatteringly called Dorgon Imperial Ama right away.

"Ah..."

Dorgon looked at those two shameless old fellows, Daishan and Abai, and did not know what to say.

Especially that Daishan — you are supposed to be the "father-like eldest brother," and you're calling me Imperial Ama... how awkward is that!

Ajige joined in the clamor too. "Good! That settles it! Fourteen, from now on I'll call you Imperial Ama too!"

"Right, I, Babutai, will call you Imperial Ama from now on too!" Babutai, Nurhaci's ninth son and Duke of the State, immediately acknowledged his "new Ama."

Nurhaci's eleventh son, Babuhai, another Garrison General of the State with no prospects, also said, "Fourteen, from now on you're the Imperial Ama for all of us!"

Dorgon turned his gaze to Dodo, whose face was a picture of helpless amusement.

What kind of business was this? Dorgon was suddenly going to be his own Imperial Ama? Wait, no — if Dorgon gave up Regent and Prince Rui, wouldn't Imperial Ama just become a title? Then when Dorgon died, wouldn't the Imperial Ama title pass to Duo'erbo? And from then on, would he have to call Duo'erbo Imperial Ama too?

Th-this... this would not do!

Having Dodo call Dorgon Imperial Ama was one thing — after all, Dorgon was his elder brother and had treated Dodo very well. But Duo'erbo was Dodo's own son!

Dodo was the Ama! How could this be turned upside down?

Dodo shook his head. "Fourteenth Brother, how about you just be Imperial Ama Regent!"

Having to call Duo'erbo "Imperial Ama" in the future would be far too awkward — better to stick with Regent!

Dorgon let out a breath. Nothing for it. Dodo had changed his mind, so it seemed he could only be the Imperial Ama! But this matter could not be settled on the spot — he still had to discuss it with Bumbutai.

"Empress Dowager, what do you think we should do about this? Would it be better for me to be the Imperial Ama, or to be the Emperor?"

That very night, after Dorgon finished dinner and washed up, he lay down on the kang and began discussing the matter with the old lady Bumbutai.

"Child's uncle, what are you saying?" Bumbutai immediately glared with her small eyes at Dorgon lying beside her. "If you become Emperor, what happens to Fulin?"

"True..." Dorgon thought to himself: if not for Bumbutai, he would have done away with that brat Fulin! But right now it really was hard to make a move — if he killed Fulin, wouldn't Bumbutai hate him to death?

The best outcome would be for Fulin to die of illness on his own... but the boy was sickly and frail, yet simply would not die!

At that thought, he sighed. "If I become Emperor, Fulin won't get to be one. Then I'd better be the Imperial Ama! Being the Imperial Ama is quite good too — it sounds a generation senior to Zhu Cilang!"

The matter was settled with a single word from him. The banner lords and princes of the eight ranks below could not have wished for more! The moment he nodded, memorials urging him to take the title would fly in like snowflakes.

Of course, becoming the Imperial Ama did not mean he would have no further chance to become Emperor. After all, Fulin was only ten and could not yet produce a son!

He turned his head to look at Bumbutai. "Empress Dowager, how about you marry me? Then I'll be Fulin's Ama from now on. That way Dongguo can become a true Princess too, and won't be bullied when she goes to Zhu Cilang's side."

On the Ming side, such a thing would be absolutely impossible. But here in the Great Qing... it was nothing much. Levirate marriage was, after all, a Manchu custom (in truth, the Han had it too, only it violated the Great Ming Code and could be punished by beheading or strangulation), and it was still very common in this era.

Bumbutai, who was of Mongol origin, did not care about such matters either. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly. "Fine, I'll marry you. We'll make a proper occasion of it later!"

The Imperial Ama marrying the Empress Dowager — they really were quite well matched! And the princes and Beile below were all quite pleased to see this marriage happen — they too had all grown up beyond the Pass, so why would they care about ethics and propriety? As long as everyone was happy!

Of course, there was someone who was not happy: the little Shunzhi Emperor. He was ten years old this year — not fully grown in understanding, but already vaguely aware of things.

So as he sat in the Hall of Martial Valor, listening to the officials below chattering one after another about making Dorgon his Imperial Ama, he truly felt an urge to draw a blade and cut someone down.

But seeing that every one of them was some Number-N Manchu warrior, all so-called Baturu, Fulin did not dare make a move. In his heart, he somehow found himself thinking of Zhu Cilang, who would soon take Dongguo as a consort.

Both were emperors, yet how much better off the other one was — his original Imperial Ama was still alive and well, his own birth mother would not remarry, and most importantly, all his subordinates were loyal ministers. Those who had studied the sage's books really were different. Not like here, where every last one was a traitorous scoundrel — all busy finding a wild father for their emperor. Could such ministers even be kept?

No. Once he took personal rule, he would definitely reform the rules!

But how was he to take back power?

"Your Majesty, do you think this matter can be done?" Dorgon's smiling voice sounded by Fulin's ear, cutting off the ten-year-old emperor's thoughts.

Seeing Dorgon's smiling face, Fulin's heart was convulsing!

From now on, this man would be his Imperial Ama!

"Good, good. Everything is at Imperial Uncle Father's discretion," Fulin said in a small voice.

"Ai, why still call me Imperial Uncle Father?" Dorgon said gently. "From now on, you must call me Imperial Ama!"

"Everything is at Imperial Ama's discretion!" Fulin was on the verge of tears.

Only then was Dorgon satisfied. He sighed and said, "Imperial Son, do not cry. From now on, with Ama here, you may set your mind at ease in all things."

Set his mind at ease? Fulin thought to himself: at ease to go die?

"With Imperial Uncle... Imperial Ama... We..." He looked pitifully at Dorgon. Could he still refer to himself as "We" in front of Dorgon from now on?

Dorgon nodded.

Only then did Fulin say, "We shall be able to devote Ourself peacefully to poetry, books, and learning."

These words had been drilled into him repeatedly by Bumbutai. As emperor, he must now hide his light and bide his time, study diligently, and pay no attention to court politics — leave everything to Imperial Ama Dorgon.

Dorgon was reassured and said with a smile, "Good, good. It is rare that you take an interest in Confucian learning. I'll have someone find you a few great Confucian scholars as teachers!"

He paused. "Imperial Son, from this moment on, we truly are one family. You have gained an elder sister and also a younger brother. The elder sister is that girl Dongguo — you know her. Last year she was made a Heshuo Princess, and in a few years she will be married far away to Nanjing! The younger brother is Duo'erbo, still small, only four, knows nothing at all. You must look after him well."

Fulin would not dare say no. He hurriedly assured Dorgon, "From now on, Dongguo shall be Our own elder sister, and Duo'erbo shall be Our own younger brother. If anyone dares bully them, We will certainly stand up for them."

(End of Chapter)