Chapter 765: Shunzhi Is About to Get a New Ama

Dorgon had a fever!

And he was getting dizzy in waves!

He had clearly already drunk plenty of sweat-inducing herbal decoctions, but somehow the sweat just would not come out! Why was the medicine not working? Yesterday it had been fine.

The medicine was not working, and Dorgon's brain was not working too well either — the fever had made him muddled, and it never even occurred to him that someone was sabotaging him.

The Bayara guards who tested his medicine could only test for poison, not for medicinal efficacy — every one of them was as strong as an ox, with dozens of catties of armor strapped on, still bustling about before and behind the saddle, and who among them was not drenched in stinking sweat? What difference did it make whether they drank the medicine or not? So the medicine Dorgon drank today was non-toxic, but also ineffective. Because the infection and inflammation in his body had not subsided, his temperature kept rising, and in the blink of an eye it was thirty-nine or forty degrees. Even Oboi, burned up like this, could not have ridden a horse, let alone Dorgon, whose body was built like a tofu rack. And last night, taking advantage of the fever breaking, he had even engaged in a bout of athletics with Bumbutai, and this morning when he got up he was seeing stars!

Although he knew he was about to collapse, Dorgon still had to force himself to hold on — the princes of India and Mongolia were still watching, and so many sons of the Nine Banners and Mongol princes were watching too. Could he let them see that the "Father of the Great Khan" was failing?

That would throw everything into chaos!

Right now Dodo was still at Nurgan City!

Thinking of this, the already swaying Dorgon glanced again at Prince Ying, Ajige, beside him. That fellow was still as strong as an ox, but unfortunately a little short on brains. If something happened to himself, would Ajige be willing to assist Dodo?

If he was willing, then the Great Qing could get through this crisis.

Otherwise, the trouble would be enormous!

It turned out Dorgon had long since thought about the problem of a successor to the "Imperial Ama." His adopted son Dorbo was born in the eighth year of Chongde, only nine years old this year, so of course he could not become Shunzhi's Ama.

So the only one who could take over this position was Dodo!

This was not only because Dodo could fight, but also because Dodo was the prince Nurhaci had valued most in his later years, the designated successor as lord of the Plain Yellow Banner.

At that time Nurhaci himself was lord of the Plain Yellow Banner, and this Plain Yellow Banner had as many as forty niru! It was the largest of the Eight Banners at the time, so Dodo also had a great many old followers.

And both Dorgon and Ajige were the "full brothers" (same father, same mother) whom Nurhaci had arranged to assist Dodo, so it was only natural and right for Dodo to succeed Dorgon.

Moreover, in Dorgon's system, because Dodo held the post of General of Shengjing, he controlled the Nine Banners' gūsa beyond the passes, and under his command were the four great Angbang Janggin: the Angbang Janggin of Heilongjiang, the Angbang Janggin of Haishenwai, the Angbang Janggin of Southern Liaoning, and the Angbang Janggin of Shanhai Pass. He was a true power player!

So if Dodo took over, and then Shunzhi and Bumbutai were moved to Shengjing, then the Great Qing would be absolutely secure.

But the problem was — would Ajige be willing to step aside?

Just as Dorgon was letting his thoughts run wild, Ajige's voice suddenly rang out: "Imperial Ama, look quickly — a little wild boar! Shoot the boar!"

"Zhu" and "pig" were homophones, so the little wild boar naturally symbolized the Southern Ming. That was why Dorgon had people capture many wild boars for hunting.

When Dorgon heard that a wild boar had come, he instinctively moved to spur his horse forward, but then he remembered he had a fever and was about to give up. Suddenly he heard Shunzhi shout: "Imperial Ama, be careful — don't fall and hurt yourself!"

Why did that voice sound a little like gloating? Dorgon snorted, ignored Shunzhi, and drove his horse straight forward. Suksaha immediately spurred his horse out and guarded Dorgon's side.

The dizzy Dorgon at this moment focused every bit of concentration he could muster entirely on a little wild boar fleeing for its life. While spurring his horse in pursuit, he took out a five-li bow and drew a feathered arrow. Just as he was about to draw the bow and nock the arrow, the warhorse beneath him was somehow suddenly startled and lost control. With a neigh, its front hooves flew high into the air and it reared up on its hind legs. In the past, when Dorgon's body was still healthy, he could have clamped his legs around the saddle and kept himself from falling, but now, long afflicted by illness, he had not ridden for many days, the muscles of both legs had atrophied, and he no longer had that much strength. So Dorgon slid straight off the horse's back and landed on the back of his head. It was a solid, heavy fall, and he passed out on the spot.

When this Imperial Ama of the Great Qing regained consciousness, he found himself lying inside the tent of the Empress Dowager Bumbutai, with a crowd of people gathered around the bedside, all there to observe.

Shunzhi, Ajige, Jirgalang, Mandahai, Bolo, Nikan, and the rest were all there! Bumbutai and Dorgon's own primary consort — that little princess of Joseon — were there too, mother and daughter both weeping!

Dorgon groaned: "What are you crying for? I'm not dead yet!"

Not dead yet, but he looked like he was about to die!

After Dorgon roared that one line, he felt a sharp pain in his right ribs, and the back of his head throbbed as well. It seemed the fall had been serious — his ribs might be broken!

And Dorgon also felt cold all over, breaking out in cold sweat, and a little short of breath. Could it be that he was about to pass away?

At the thought of dying, Dorgon's sorrowful tears fell. He had no son, only one daughter, and she was not even by his side. This Imperial Ama business was not worth it!

"Imperial Ama, you must not die!" Shunzhi suddenly wailed. "If you die, what am I supposed to do?"

"Your Majesty, do not panic!" Dorgon was somewhat annoyed, but still weakly gave Shunzhi advice. "Once We return to Heaven, there will be a new Ama to assist you!"

What? Shunzhi was stunned. There really would be a new Ama? Who was it?

Hearing Dorgon's words, Ajige was wild with joy! He was very fond of this child Shunzhi and had long wanted to be Shunzhi's Ama.

"Old Fourteen, rest assured — leave His Majesty to me, and nothing will go wrong."

Dorgon weakly glared at him: "Twelfth Brother, you won't do. It has to be Fifteen."

"Why won't I do?" Ajige was quite annoyed.

In fact, everyone in the upper ranks of the Great Qing knew Ajige would not do — except Ajige himself!

Not only because Ajige's strength was inferior to Dodo's, but also because Ajige was too rough, impulsive by nature, knew only fighting and killing, and had little brains, making him easy to deceive — in other words, he was just too stupid!

The Shunzhi Emperor was not exactly clever to begin with. If there were another dim-witted, impulsive, and rough Imperial Ama on top of that, could the Great Qing still prosper?

In addition, Ajige had another fatal flaw: he did not understand the importance of upholding the Manchu system of joint deliberation. At the slightest provocation he wanted to launch a great slaughter and exterminate all the Manchu nobles who took a different path.

When Hong Taiji passed away, this fellow had wanted to shut the gates of Shengjing and launch a great massacre. If that slaughter had happened, would the Great Qing still exist today?

Thinking of this, Dorgon spoke to Ajige in a lecturing tone: "Old Twelve, stop making trouble. I'm already like this — how many more days can I live? From now on, our Great Qing will depend on you and Old Fifteen, along with the other regent princes, to hold things together. As for who takes the lead, I say it should be Old Fifteen. Old Fifteen is the best fighter, and our Great Qing and the Southern Ming will have a war one day. That will be a battle for life and death! Can you handle it?"

Ajige snorted a few times, seemingly not fully convinced, but he did not argue further with Dorgon. Dorgon breathed a sigh of relief, then beckoned to Bumbutai. Weeping, Bumbutai stepped forward.

Dorgon said: "Empress Dowager, His Majesty is still young and is no match for Zhu Cilang of the Southern Court. Dodo must be made regent — whether as Prince Regent or as Imperial Ama, you decide."

"There is one more matter to mention. Beijing is ultimately not our own place. These past few years, Dodo and I have spent so much effort in our old homeland beyond the passes precisely to build a fallback. Shengjing was originally the capital. We must withdraw there and set up the court there — only then will we be absolutely secure!"

"Furthermore, our Manchu tradition has always been the joint-deliberation system of the Eight Banners and Nine Banners, from the time of the Mandate Khan onward, and it was the same under the late emperor. It must not be changed in the future, or there will be disaster and the ruin of the state!"

(End of Chapter)