Chang’an: The Tale of Shuyao

In the thirteenth year of Zhenyuan under the Tang dynasty, spring was deepening in Chang’an. Beneath a crabapple tree, Cui Shuyao, the Cui family’s fourth-born daughter by a concubine, grew to fourteen. Her father doted on her, and her mother protected her in secret. Unaware of the world’s dangers, she loved only sweet pastries and the latest novelties from the East Market. She was the most cherished young daughter in a military household, yet also a concubine-born girl of awkward status and uncertain prospects.

An unexpected marriage proposal sent her to the Zhao family, another military household. She thought she had found a good match and a secure life, only to step into a world of scheming and coldness. Her husband was weak and addicted to gambling, her mother-in-law coveted her dowry, and her husband’s family chipped away at her holdings at every turn. Little by little, they drained away her youth and her dowry.

From an innocent girl to a mother, Cui Shuyao finally woke up to the truth amid the cold stares of the inner household: men could not be relied on, and neither could family status. The only things she could count on were herself and the resources in her own hands. She hid her strengths and bided her time, quietly making plans. Drawing on the business acumen her mother had taught her, she managed her enterprises, saved money, and cultivated loyal allies, preparing an escape for herself and her son in the face of desperation.

In the end, she returned to her family with her son after securing a divorce. She established herself in Chang’an, built a fortune through business, took charge of her family’s affairs, and raised her son to succeed. From a concubine-born daughter and discarded wife at everyone’s mercy, she became a poised, independent woman who stood firmly on her own.

This is the story of a concubine-born daughter in Tang-era Chang’an who refuses to cling to others, compromise, or depend on a man. Relying only on herself, she turns the tables against all odds and builds a peaceful life. It tells of the warmth and chill of family life, women’s awakening, and clear-eyed living, while capturing the bustle of Chang’an and the strength of its women.