Long Live the Empress Dowager

In the twenty-sixth year of Yongsheng, the former emperor died, throwing the court and imperial harem into chaos. The months-long struggle over the succession ended, and the new emperor ascended the throne, changing the reign title to Xiping.

After the mourning period, the court grew lively again. The civil officials submitted memorials one after another, urging the new emperor to hold a selection and expand the imperial harem.

The palace maidens entered the palace to pay their respects to the new emperor and the Empress Dowager. The emperor seated at the head of the hall had a refined, fair face and wore a resplendent yellow dragon robe. His garments were imposing, but his smile was warm and affable.

The Empress Dowager beside him was smiling just as brightly. Even her dignified ceremonial robes could not conceal her pretty, delicate features.

A loving mother and devoted son, close in age, sat atop the Hall of Heavenly Worship. If everyone did not know the truth, who could have guessed that these two supreme rulers had taken their seats atop the corpses of imperial consorts and feudal princes?

-

When the selection of palace maidens ended, the civil officials discovered that although the new emperor had obeyed them and conferred titles on a large number of consorts, he rarely summoned any of them.

The Chief Eunuch could no longer bear the officials' nagging, so he ventured to advise, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is hosting a flower-viewing banquet in the imperial garden today. The ladies are all there. They look even more colorful than the flowers. Why not go have a look?"

"What's the use of dressing up like flowers?" The emperor turned the ring on his finger and lazily replied with his eyes closed. "They're not as appealing as Wen Xi, who is always pretending to be old and stern."

Wen Xi was the Empress Dowager's private name. No one in the palace dared call her that. In public, the emperor respectfully addressed her as Empress Dowager, but in private, he called her by her given name.

The late emperor had grown senile in his final years, indulging in women. The current Empress Dowager was the same age as the emperor, who refused to accept it and had the Imperial Guards watch her every day. Recently, he had even demanded to know exactly what clothes she wore and what jewelry she put on each day. It was truly an overreach.

But as long as he kept up appearances and didn't let those sharp-tongued officials catch him at it, he could call her whatever he liked.

The Chief Eunuch didn't dare say a word, but that was what he thought.

By the time he realized just how serious things had become between the emperor and the Empress Dowager, it was already too late.

[Short Scene]

One day, in the Empress Dowager's chambers.

The emperor, wearing a bright yellow sleeping robe, quietly slipped onto the bed.

The refined, benevolent ruler he was by day had vanished. His eyes were sinister and terrifying.

Pinned into a corner of the bed, Wen Xi could no longer put on the Empress Dowager's dignified airs. Her voice trembled in panic. "If there's a female official in the palace you fancy, Your Majesty, you need only ask for her. I won't stop you."

The emperor chuckled softly. "Empress Dowager, I want you."

-

Content warning:

This is set in an alternate-history Ming Dynasty. All names and events are made up. The male lead is not one of the sixteen Ming emperors. Please don't nitpick historical accuracy or read it as real history. Just treat it as an alternate-world story.

This is self-indulgent, homegrown fiction. I love the stepmother-and-stepson trope. I've written a modern version already, so now I'm doing an ancient one for a change. That's just how kinky I am. If it's not your thing, don't read it.

Everyone is free to have their own kinks. Please allow them to exist. (kneels)

Theme: A beautiful, forbidden love beneath a feudal system