Zhou Ciyu was born into the family of a minor fifth-rank official, yet she was a well-known household mistress in the capital. Graceful and composed, she married into the Marquis of Chongwu, the Xie family, at seventeen. From an obscure official's daughter, she rose to become the wife of a second-rank noble.
After she entered the family, peace reigned in Xie Jinzhou's household and his career flourished. Everyone praised Zhou Ciyu as a prudent and virtuous mistress who knew how to run a household.
No one knew the bitterness in her heart.
Xie Jinzhou was busy with military affairs and came home only once every few months. Her mother-in-law claimed to be ill and kept to her rooms, while Zhou Ciyu had to arrange her younger brother-in-law's marriage all by herself. Her five-year-old son had recently taken a liking to rouge and powder, and when her little daughter was presented with objects to choose her future, she picked the tiny hoe farthest from her. People whispered that Zhou Ciyu's son was like a beautiful girl, while her daughter was like a farmer.
On the day of her mother-in-law's fiftieth birthday, guests filled the house. Amid the bustle, one of the young maids slipped away to meet her lover. Before Zhou Ciyu could sort out the mess, Xie Jinzhou told her he would return to the army the next morning.
She could hold it in no longer. After downing a pot of wine, she stormed onto the stage and sent the performers away.
Everyone knew Zhou Ciyu was eloquent, so they assumed she was about to tell another amusing story to entertain them.
Zhou Ciyu began:
"Whenever people mention a fox spirit, they always assume it's a woman. I refuse to stand for that! Xie Jinzhou stays at the army camp and comes home only once every three or five months. Surely there are fox spirits there too. I only hope he isn't the one with his tail up..."
"When my daughter was presented with objects to choose her future, she grabbed a hoe, and it scared her grandmother to tears. She was afraid the girl would marry a poor farmer one day. But I doubt it. Maybe she'll be the one working the fields herself."
"The day before yesterday, my mother called me home and told me to bring in a geomancer to inspect our family's feng shui. Why does my son like rouge and my daughter choose farm tools? Really, there's no need. I expect it's that fox spirit causing trouble. If my son takes after his father one day, Xie Jinzhou and I will probably have gained an eldest daughter."
The ladies shushed her, saying she shouldn't make a joke of her children.
Zhou Ciyu glared at them. "That's strange! I can't joke about my children in front of you ladies. But how come some people can use another person's daughter's death to accuse her of cruelty, claiming she poisoned her own daughter to secure the throne?"
She spoke earnestly. "It seems mothers everywhere don't necessarily love their children. It's the people outside the family who care more about someone else's child."
For her reckless words, Zhou Ciyu was detained by the Court of Judicial Review for a day. When she was released, she learned that Consort Jiang had saved her.
*
The youngest daughter of Consort Jiang Zhao had died before her first birthday.
Rumors spread through the palace:
One claimed Empress Jia was jealous of Jiang Zhao's favor and had secretly poisoned the child.
Another claimed Consort Jiang had killed her own daughter to seize the throne.
At a loss, Jiang Zhao heard from a palace attendant that the wife of the Marquis of Chongwu had spoken up for her and been imprisoned as a result.
Jiang Zhao wanted to become empress. So she needed a spokesperson who could win over the household mistresses.
Win the mistresses, and you win the officials. Win the officials, and you ascend the phoenix throne.
Decades later, Jiang Zhao finally ascended the throne. A group of women stood behind her.
Content warnings:
1. This is a story about Zhou Ciyu and Jiang Zhao finding resonance with each other. There's not much romance, and each has her own male love interests.
2. An alternate history with extensive fictional details. Speech is relatively free. It's about domestic life and the women inside and outside the palace. There are palace and household intrigues. Take it lightly and don't take it too seriously.
3. A short story with a realistic ending. I'll note in the announcements and author's comments which chapter can be taken as a happy ending. The final ending is rather dark.
Theme: Equality
