Pull back the palace's red walls and glimpse the love, hatred, and political scheming of the imperial family!
Grounded in historical facts and folk legends, this book links together the private lives of emperors and empresses throughout the dynasties through fictionalized tales. From the sovereign who rules the realm to the mistress of the imperial harem, their love stories are entwined with the blade of power.
- Love and enmity between emperors and empresses: Some tales recount the sorrow of an emperor and his first wife, childhood sweethearts who turn against each other through suspicion. A founding emperor and empress may rule the realm together, only for her to die because the emperor's suspicions grow with his power. Others tell of a forbidden romance between a young emperor and the daughter of a condemned minister, struggling to stay together amid rumors and political strife.
- Secret battles in the harem: The concubines use their children as blades and the emperor's favor as armor, advancing cautiously at every turn. A bowl of medicine to protect a pregnancy may conceal arsenic; a stunning dance may hide an assassination plot. Even the gentlest smile could be steeped in poison and scheming.
- Turmoil at court: The struggle for favor in the harem never stays among the rouge and powder. There is interference by powerful relatives, contests over the heir, and enemy spies. The empress's phoenix seal is both an honor and a counterweight balancing the inner palace and the court; one wrong move can bring utter ruin.
The stories are sometimes heartrending and sometimes thrilling, bringing the many faces of life within the palace to vivid life in an accessible style. When love is shrouded in the dust of imperial robes and phoenix crowns, does it become a sacrifice to power, or can something unexpected bloom amid the schemes? Turn the pages and see how the emperors and empresses write their own legends and regrets amid the whirlpool of love and desire, power and intrigue. Your support keeps me writing, and I'll do my best to tell every story well!
What a great book. This should be a complete collection of the private lives of emperors and queens throughout the ages. I look forward to better things.