Introduction to the novel
From the Great Qi to the reign of Emperor Jingning (the third emperor), the middle palace had been empty for two years. Empress Xiaohui Shen Qingci was famous for her virtues. During her lifetime, she assisted the emperor in stabilizing his foundation and educating the prince and three princesses. However, she died of hard work a few years ago, leaving behind a pair of children and the memory of the palace.
When the court was unstable and the harem was without an owner, the civil and military officials jointly recommended her and the Queen Mother of Wei (the biological mother of Emperor Jingning) personally selected her. Wen Yuheng, the daughter of Duke An Guo, stood out for her "dignified and prudent character and a well-known reputation". She was appointed by Emperor Jingning as his successor and took over the Kunning Palace.
She was born as a general but knew the etiquette. Before entering the palace, she admired Queen Xiaohui's legacy of "nurturing the people in the mulberry garden and caring for the people." Competing for excellence and not seeking personal gain - not only continued Shen Qingci's philanthropic deeds in the mulberry garden, but also personally supervised the palace staff to raise silkworms and reel silk to benefit the people. He also treated the prince and the three princesses as if they were his own children. He read scriptures and sewed clothes with his own hands every day, gradually melting the barriers in the hearts of the royal children with his gentleness.
However, the foundation of Jingning's dynasty was initially established, and the rumors of "relatives of generals" never ceased in the court. There were also concubines in the harem who used "old filial piety" to make secret comparisons. After she gave birth to the prince, the undercurrent of the struggle for the throne quietly surged. Wen Yuheng always remembered the Empress Dowager's instructions at the ceremony: "The palace is not the glory of the phoenix crown. It is to stabilize the inner palace for the emperor and maintain peace for the people."
She does not need to be Queen Xiaohui's substitute, but in her own way, she is deep in the red wall of Jingning Dynasty.
