The Inner Palace

With all my heart, I cast my thoughts aside, as if they were both real and unreal; old dreams rise and fall again in the deep palace.

With all my heart, I drink down the knots of life and death with the wine, never knowing that behind that smile lie traces of tears.

Round and round we go, through truth and lies. All the sorrow, joy, love, and hate were nothing but a ruse.

Fine rain falls on Chang'an, forever nourishing the green hills. Through all my life, I will never find peace.

"The Charming Empress" Ning Yu: Little girl, what's your name? You're so pretty, with such bright, lively eyes. How old are you?

"Female Emperor" Wu Xi: Do not worry that people do not know you; worry that you do not know people. For A Yu, I would betray your kindness, bear a notorious name, and stain my hands with blood. For revenge, I could kill my husband and son, assassinate the emperor, and seize the throne.

"Princess of a Golden Age" Wan Ping: Don't think that just because you're my empress mother, you can sleep with any woman I like.

"The Queen's Hound" Shangguan Yi: As you command.

Content warnings

1. This story is not historically researched.

2. This story features a female emperor.

3. The pairings in this story are complicated.

4. This story alludes to Wu Zhao, Princess Taiping, and Shangguan Wan'er, but their ages have been changed.

5. There may be a mother-daughter relationship (Empress Wu and Taiping).

To emphasize once again:

The main story is set from 662 (the second year of Emperor Gaozong's Longshuo era) to 705 (the first year of Wu Zhao's Shenlong era).

The story alludes to historical figures but does not aim for historical accuracy. Don't come here to nitpick the history.

Pairings in the first part: Ning Yu (Empress) and Wu Xi (Consort)

Pairings in the second part: Shangguan Yi, Princess Wan Ping, and Wu Xi (Emperor)

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