My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Emperor Chongzhen then stepped forward, personally helped Li Zong up, and offered a few words of gentle comfort. This scene of "harmony between ruler and subject" and "full of benevolence and righteousness" drew cheers of praise for the emperor's virtue from those around him.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds, shining on Seoul, which had just experienced a historic moment, on the cheering crowds, and on the "new king" and the "former king" supporting each other.

On this day, a kingdom that had lasted for 427 years was formally incorporated into the territory of the vast empire in the south in a relatively "decent" and unquestionable manner.

A new era has begun amidst the clamor, tears, and shouts of "Long live!" of this summer, drawing back its heavy and unknown curtain.

On a late summer morning, the sky brightens exceptionally early.

After a thorough rain, the air was filled with the moist scent of earth and the fresh smell of grass and trees after being washed.

The mist from the Han River swirled into a thin fog, lingering between the newly renovated palace walls and halls. Under the slanting rays of the rising sun, the glazed tiles reflected a warm yet majestic luster.

The cicadas' chirping was less frequent than in the height of summer, which only added to the tranquility and coolness of the palace garden in the early morning.

However, for the two special "guests" who were about to be led to the Hall of Diligent Governance for an audience, this peaceful and serene morning scene felt more like an invisible, suffocating pressure, weighing heavily on their hearts, making every breath feel damp and astringent.

At the beginning of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), in a side hall outside the Qin Zheng Hall.

Da Yu'er—who should now perhaps be called "Borjigit of the Khorchin"—has changed out of her plain white dress and removed all the empress dowager attire that might be considered "usurpation."

She was wearing a moon-white silk dress with dark floral patterns, recently presented by the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, with a sky-blue jacket embroidered with silver-threaded plum blossoms over it. The fabric was of the finest quality, and the cut was perfect for her. However, the overly plain color made her already pale face look even more haggard.

Her hair was neatly styled, with a plain silver hairpin inserted at an angle, and no other jewelry.

She personally selected this outfit last night from a box of "bestowed clothing" at the "subtle" suggestion of the palace servants. She wanted to maintain a dignified appearance while trying her best to appear submissive, low-key, and even... humble.

The young Fulin beside her was only eleven years old and as thin as a willow in the autumn wind.

He wore a navy blue robe that was obviously too big, made of good material but without any decoration, which made his small face look even paler.

The child instinctively clung to her mother, her small, cold hand gripping Da Yu'er's sleeve tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force. Her large, dark eyes were filled with utter bewilderment and unfathomable fear.

The past few months of wandering and constant fear, the stark contrast between the luxurious life in the Shengjing Imperial Palace and the current state of being a prisoner, have long exceeded the limits of what a child's mind can bear.

He didn't fully understand what he was about to face, but he knew clearly that the person he was about to meet had the absolute power to decide the life, death, honor, and disgrace of him and his mother.

"lady."

An elderly eunuch approached quietly, his voice low, carrying the shrewdness and caution characteristic of old palace servants.

"His Majesty is waiting in the Hall of Diligent Governance. Please follow me."

Da Yu'er trembled almost imperceptibly, took a deep breath, and forced herself to straighten her back, which had been slightly hunched from long-term worry—a back that had once supported the latter half of a vast empire, but now had to bend before another emperor.

She didn't look at the eunuch, but simply nodded slightly, her voice carrying a barely perceptible hoarseness:

"Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Then, she gently patted Fulin's cold little hand and whispered:

"Lin'er, don't be afraid, stay close to your mother."

Led by several meek and graceful palace servants, the mother and son walked along the damp bluestone path toward the palace that represented the final judgment.

Footsteps echoed softly on the stone slabs, seemingly stepping on the intervals between heartbeats in the quiet palace alley in the early morning, carrying a heart-pounding rhythm.

The expression on Da Yu'er's face was no longer the despair and panic she had shown yesterday when she learned she would be summoned.

It was a more complex emotion—anxiety mixed with a sliver of hopeful expectation, and fear tinged with a weariness and resignation that felt like the dust had settled.

Where does the change originate?

It all started a few days earlier when the radiant Crown Prince, who had pacified Korea in one fell swoop, unexpectedly summoned her and Fulin for a brief but decisive conversation.

Zhu Cilang didn't beat around the bush; the young crown prince's gaze was clear and direct, as if he were stating a perfectly ordinary matter of state:
"The Ming Dynasty has raised a righteous army to relieve the people's suffering and punish the guilty, and to bring peace to the world, not to indiscriminately kill for personal desires. Your father is benevolent and considers that you are also acting against your will, and that Liaodong and Korea have just been pacified, so it is necessary to reassure the people. Therefore, he has issued an edict: your lives will not be harmed, nor will your freedom be forcibly taken away."

Once the situation stabilizes, we will select a fertile land near the capital and bestow upon you manors and estates, along with a noble title, so that you and your children may enjoy wealth and comfort until your old age. As long as you remain law-abiding, you will have no fear for your lives, and no one will dare to harass you without cause.

These words were like a refreshing rain falling on parched land, instantly extinguishing the raging fire in Dayuer's heart that she felt was a "catastrophic disaster."

She could hardly believe her ears! From the moment Shengjing fell, the worst outcome she had envisioned was being escorted to the capital and publicly executed as a sacrifice to appease the spirits of the fallen soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, or even being subjected to slow slicing to appease the anger of the people.

That was her bottom line as the empress dowager of an enemy country.

But to everyone's surprise, the promise made by this young crown prince of the Ming Dynasty was actually a way out, a life of wealth and leisure for a rich and idle person!
For a woman who had just experienced the fall of her country, the loss of her husband, the loss of power, and the loss of everything, this was nothing short of being pulled back from the brink of hell to the human world.

She burst into tears and tried to pull Fulin to kneel and kowtow, but was politely but firmly stopped by the eunuch beside Zhu Cilang.

The crown prince left only the words, "Just wait patiently for your father's summons," before drifting away.

That scene gave Dayuer unprecedented comfort, but it failed to completely dispel the deepest shadow in her heart.

Ultimately, the decision rests with the emperor.

The Crown Prince's words were "an imperial decree has been issued," but is this decree unchangeable? Facing the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the man who truly controls the lives of millions, can she still save her own life and her son's life?

"Madam, we have arrived at the palace."

The eunuch's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Looking up, the majestic Hall of Diligent Governance stands before you, its white marble base, vermilion pillars, and golden glazed tiles radiating a dazzling, imperial majesty in the morning light.

The palace doors were open, and a figure could be vaguely seen sitting inside.

An invisible pressure, belonging to the supreme ruler, had already permeated the air.

Da Yu'er took a deep breath, feeling her lungs and internal organs being squeezed painfully by the pressure.

She stopped, straightened her clothes, and then helped Fu Lin adjust his collar, whispering:
"Remember, when you see His Majesty, you must refer to yourself as a 'sinner,' kowtow, and loudly express your gratitude. You are not allowed to speak carelessly, do you understand?"

Fu Lin tilted his little face up and nodded vigorously, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

"Let's go."

Da Yu'er took her son's hand, her steps slightly stiff but unusually firm, and stepped onto the red carpet leading into the palace.

Inside the hall, the light was slightly dimmer than outside, and the faint fragrance of sandalwood was present.

Emperor Chongzhen sat upright on the dragon throne, dressed in casual clothes. The bright yellow robe made his face appear thinner than when he left the capital, but it also made him look more majestic and radiant with a sense of relief. Beside him stood Zhu Cilang and several ministers, all holding their breath, the atmosphere solemn.

When Da Yu'er appeared at the palace gate with Fu Lin in tow, all eyes were instantly drawn to her.

Without any hesitation, Dayuer pulled Fulin along and quickly walked to a spot in the hall ten steps away from the dragon throne. Without hesitation, she lifted her robes and, together with Fulin, knelt down, their foreheads touching the cool gold bricks.

"This sinful woman, of the Borjigit clan of Khorchin, pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!"

Da Yu'er's voice trembled slightly, yet it was clear and powerful.

"Your humble servant, Fulin, pays respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Fu Lin almost reflexively shouted it out, his little face buried in the gold brick, his body trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

Chongzhen's gaze passed over the faint incense smoke that filled the hall and landed on the two people kneeling on the ground.

At this moment, even with Chongzhen's resolute will, a complex and almost absurd wave of emotion surged within him.

The woman before me, with her head bowed and referring to herself as a "sinful woman," was Huang Taiji's concubine and the de facto matriarch of the Jianzhou Jurchen, who once held sway over East Asia.

The child who was trembling like a leaf was Huang Taiji's ninth son, the "Emperor of the Great Qing" who had been receiving the homage of the people in the Shengjing Palace just last year.

Ten years ago, no, even five years ago, who could have imagined such a scene?
At that time, the Ming Dynasty had lost Liaodong, the Guan-Ning defense line was struggling to hold on, the capital was besieged three times, the country was in chaos, and bandits roamed freely.

At that time, Jianzhou was unstoppable and eyeing the Central Plains.

The emperor and his ministers of the Ming Dynasty would all turn pale at the mention of the "Jiang barbarians".

And now...

In just a few years, the world has turned upside down, and the sea has changed into mulberry fields.

That regime, which once struck fear into the hearts of the Ming Dynasty, has been completely wiped out.

Its empress dowager and its young emperor, like two stray dogs, groveled at its feet, begging for their lives.

An indescribable surge of emotion, a mixture of the thrill of revenge, the pride of victory, and the weight of history, overwhelmed Chongzhen's heart. He almost wondered if everything before him was just a dream. If he had seen this scene ten years ago, he probably would have thought it was a delusional fantasy.

The brief silence seemed to stretch endlessly in the empty hall. Zhu Cilang took a barely perceptible half-step forward, gesturing to his father with his eyes.

Emperor Chongzhen snapped out of his daze.

He cleared his throat, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority, breaking the silence in the hall:

"Be flat."

Da Yu'er's tense nerves relaxed slightly at those two words, but she dared not be negligent. She kowtowed again respectfully, and then, with the help of the palace servants, she pulled Fu Lin to her feet. She kept her head down, not daring to look directly at the emperor's face. She only glanced at Chongzhen out of the corner of her eye before quickly lowering her head again, her posture humble to the point of being insignificant.

Emperor Chongzhen did not look at them for long. He was a pragmatic emperor and did not have much patience for such "performance" scenes.

He cut straight to the point, his tone calm, as if discussing a routine matter of government affairs:
"I presume the Crown Prince has already conveyed my intentions to you."

Da Yu'er's heart tightened, and she hurriedly tried to kneel down again, but the eunuch next to her gently pressed her arm down.

She could only bow her head and say in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince... His divine grace is boundless, and has already made it clear to the criminal woman and her child."

"Ah."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slightly.

"Now that I know, I will not say any more nonsense. When I return to the capital this time, I will take you all with me. After arriving in the capital, I will choose a place with fertile land near the capital to build mansions for you, allocate farmland, and bestow a title upon you, so that you and your children can enjoy wealth and live out your old age in peace and comfort."

From this day forward, as long as you remain law-abiding, do not cause trouble, and do not harbor any disloyalty, the Ming Dynasty will never allow anyone to make things difficult for you.

These words were almost a verbatim repetition of Zhu Cilang's previous promise, but coming from the emperor, they carried a completely different weight.

Every word was like a golden rule, striking Da Yu'er's heart.

"Thank you for your great kindness! Thank you for your boundless grace! This sinful woman and her son... this sinful woman and her son, even if we are shattered to pieces, we can never repay even a fraction of your kindness!"

Da Yu'er could no longer hold back her tears, which welled up in her eyes. This time, it wasn't all an act; it was more a feeling of immense shock and gratitude from surviving a calamity.

She pulled Fulin down again and kowtowed heavily, her forehead striking the gold brick with a dull thud.

"Your Majesty is so benevolent, we sinners will remember it forever. From now on, we will turn over a new leaf, live out our remaining days in peace and tranquility, and never dare to have the slightest improper thoughts, much less betray Your Majesty's grace of giving us a second chance!"

Emperor Chongzhen looked down at the weeping, grateful figures below, but his face showed little emotion.

He waved his hand, his tone softening somewhat, but he still maintained his distance:

"To err is human, to forgive divine. Since you have already pledged your allegiance, I will not punish you harshly. Go forth and take good care of the young emperor, and await further instructions."

"This sinful woman obeys the decree!"

Da Yu'er, accompanied by Fu Lin, bowed deeply again before, guided by palace servants, she retreated from the Hall of Diligent Governance with slightly unsteady steps.

The atmosphere inside the hall only relaxed slightly after their figures disappeared outside the hall gate.

Emperor Chongzhen's gaze swept over his son Zhu Cilang, then looked at ministers such as Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou, and slowly said:
"Was the handling of this matter adequate?"

Sun Chuanting stepped forward, bowed, and said:
"Your Majesty's benevolence towards distant peoples and your handling of the situation are appropriate. You have not only preserved the dignity of the Celestial Empire but also shown favor to the enemy chieftain, thus stabilizing the hearts of the people in Liaodong. This is truly a blessing for the nation."

Hong Chengchou also said:
"Your Majesty is wise. This move will demonstrate the benevolence of our Great Ming Dynasty, and will make the people of Liaodong and Korea who have submitted know that Your Majesty is not fond of killing, so they can feel at ease and submit to your rule. This will greatly benefit long-term stability and peace."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slightly, but his mind was clear.

His actions were not motivated by pure benevolence; rather, they stemmed from profound political considerations.

Traditionally, Han Chinese dynasties rarely exterminated their last rulers unless they were extremely wicked or utterly incorrigible.

The King of Qin massacred 400,000 Zhao soldiers, earning him eternal infamy. Liu Bang entered Guanzhong, established the Three Laws, and won the hearts of the people.

The lessons of history are vividly clear. (End of Chapter)