Hong Yao’s greatest regret in life is that she can never take the imperial examinations.
Born into the prestigious Chi family, she watched her family fall into decline after her father was dismissed from office. Now she lives with her family of five in a dilapidated old house in Jin’an, the capital of Chi Province. She rises at dawn every day to substitute at a private school in the eastern market and take embroidery work from a workshop in the western market, barely managing to keep her family fed. She can write brilliant essays on policy for her students and recite the entire Essentials of Government in the Zhenguan Era from memory, yet she is not even permitted to enter the examination hall. The civil service examinations in the Eight Provinces are open to men alone.
Then a messenger sent by the prime minister knocks at her door, asking her to enter the palace as a noble consort and assist the so-called “foolish emperor.” Rumor has it that the new ruler, Zichen, is lost in the harem and neglects state affairs, while the officials have turned against him. But when Hong Yao meets His Highness for the first time, she realizes he is no fool. The powerful ministers have stripped him of all authority, leaving him unable to act. Even when approving a memorial with the words “Noted,” he has to watch the prime minister’s face. In the imperial study, she sorts memorials for Zichen and analyzes the political situation. She becomes his imperial consort, then his tutor, and finally his ally in reform. Zichen asks her, “Do you want to take the civil service examinations?” She says, “I do.” He replies, “Then we’ll change the rules.”
From then on, the Eight Provinces see their first woman palace graduate, their first female minister, and their first female prime minister. And that is only the beginning. With imperial authority in decline and powerful ministers ruling the court, Zichen places an abdication decree before her. “I entrust this realm to you. Do you dare accept it?” Hong Yao looks into his eyes and gives one answer: “I do.”
From embroiderer to imperial consort, from palace graduate to empress, she has always kept her word.
