Shunzhi suddenly died, and Xuanye became emperor. The court was rife with factional strife, and the imperial harem was no more peaceful. People say Kangxi kept his concubines firmly under control, but beneath the surface, rivalries still churned like hidden waves. The Grand Empress Dowager held sway over everything, while powerful wives and favored concubines clashed. Even a palace maid who washed feet could suddenly find her fortunes transformed and become a phoenix. This led to one conflict after another: consort against consort, concubine against concubine, and prince against prince...
