Locking Away the Twilight Clouds

In the Voidless Continent of the Empty World, there is a kingdom called Xia. Women there can take the imperial examinations. They just have to be prepared to be condemned by thousands and not take their own lives. Women there can hold official posts. But before putting on an official's hat, they must have their faces tattooed, and can forget about ever getting married. Even so, many women leave their secluded inner quarters to brave the tides of officialdom, rising all the way to the highest halls of government. They are known as the Ladies of the Inner Court. And this story begins before one of these Ladies, a treacherous minister, has made her mark... ...In ancient times, there were female historians, chosen from among respectable families for their learning. They were responsible for the Queen's ceremonial duties and assisted in managing the inner court, instructing the Queen in its governance. During the Jingjia era, the women's examination was first established, but few took it, and the positions were limited to keeping the seals of the Six Courts. During Emperor Renzong's reign, those who passed were assigned to the Orchid Terrace, where they specialized in documents and literary works, no longer serving in the palace's inner quarters or managing its private chambers. Thus, the custom of educating women began to flourish. When the young Emperor Xiaozong ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager Cisheng ruled as regent. The affairs of state were far-reaching, and she could not hold private deliberations or issue edicts beyond the palace walls. The officials inside and outside the court could not meet with her directly, yet history's lessons made clear the danger of eunuchs. Thus, the only people close to her were the Ladies of the Inner Court. Their responsibilities gradually expanded. They rose to the ranks of ministers, took part in private deliberations, and controlled vital affairs. Later, Zhao Hanqing earned merit by putting an end to war, and Chen Zifu proposed a strategy to reorganize the court. They rose to the ranks of high officials, and after death were granted territories. Yet their conduct was upright, and their sovereign's favor was genuine, so all within and beyond the court obeyed them, holding their breath in their presence. From the reign of Emperor Xianzong through the Yanxu era, the Ladies of the Inner Court enjoyed exceptional favor. As the Emperor's close attendants, they bore the fate of the nation, held the power of the throne, and spoke with the authority of imperial law. They alone devised plans within the palace. Their every move could shift mountains and seas, and their every breath could turn frost to dew. Many edicts came from them, leaving the Secretariat little more than an empty post... -----Preface to "Biography of the Ladies of the Inner Court," from The Lost Documents of Great Xia, by an anonymous author of the Eastern Sea No transmigration, no rebirth, no harem infighting, no System