The Secret History of Empress Xiaozhuang

Highly recommended! "The Secret History of Empress Xiaozhuang" is unique in that it reconstructs the spiritual history of a female politician with "historian's bones + poet's brushstrokes". Unlike most palace dramas that are full of power and intrigue, the author roots every plot in rigorous research, such as the "three-day contrast" between the death of the eighth son of the emperor and the birth of Fulin, the "de-sexing" treatment of Hong Chengchou's persuasion to surrender, and even Zhezhe's address to Concubine Zhuang strictly differentiates between occasions. However, within the framework of historical facts, the triple images of "grass seeds", "Haidongqing" and "Northern Star" are used throughout the book, giving Bumubutai's transformation from a grassland girl to a queen mother a poetic life scale. This book also writes about the "temperature" and "folds" of history - the emperor's helplessness hidden in Huang Taiji's deep love for Hailanzhu, "I am here" when Aunt Sumala accompanied him for seventy years, and the trembling when Xiaozhuang turned her back when Shunzhi became a monk. These details allow historical figures to lose their facial makeup and become palpable "people". This is a work that allows men to understand politics and women to understand destiny.

The horse taming scene at the beginning is heart-warming. Eleven-year-old Bumbutai faced the fierce horse that no one dared to approach. He walked over step by step without dodge. At that moment I was thinking, this girl is so brave. Later I learned that in her life, she had not only tamed horses, but also fate, people's hearts, and the entire world. From the grassland to the palace, she has been taming things stronger than herself.

The characters in this book are detailed and vivid.