Beauties of the Imperial Palace

[Palace Intrigue] [My new palace-intrigue novel, The Noble Consort Rises to the Top, is now underway. Author's Weibo: Jinjiang Xiaorongtu] In the first year of the Tianyuan era, the emperor ordered a selection of consorts. Su Jiaojiao was the youngest among the chosen women. As the other women selected alongside her gradually won the emperor's favor, she remained in the most remote palace, overlooked by everyone for three years. Three years passed, and the once-innocent girl blossomed into a graceful young woman. In the late spring of that year, she passed beneath a sea of pear blossoms, smiling and laughing. Just one glance. The young emperor was struck by her beauty, and from then on, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Hair black as ink, skin white as snow. A delicate nose, rosebud lips, and limpid eyes. A willowy figure and a waist so slender it could be clasped in one hand. After keeping a low profile for three years, Su Jiaojiao used her beauty to climb from obscurity as a selected attendant to become the most favored consort in the imperial harem. She knew exactly what she wanted. - The day the empress went into a difficult labor, thunder crashed and lightning flashed. Shen Huai had risen to leave, but then she lifted her limpid eyes and tugged lightly at his sleeve, her voice as soft as a kitten's. "Your Majesty, I'm scared." He didn't see the ruthlessness hidden beneath her lowered eyes. In an instant, he was disarmed, utterly defeated. "All right. I won't leave." - In his twenty years, Shen Huai had seen beauties of every kind. When it came to love, he had always done as he pleased, never bowing to anyone. Yet he'd never met a woman like her. She was innocent yet bewitching, ruthless yet vulnerable, gentle yet resilient. Her beauty was utterly unique and breathtaking. *At first, he thought only that she was beautiful. Later, he willingly bowed before her.* Upcoming palace-intrigue novel: A Record of a Lady Attendant's Rise at Court In the third year of the Zhaocheng era, the emperor held a consort selection, announcing throughout the realm that eligible young women would be chosen to fill the imperial harem. The three-month selection produced eight new women, all eager to win the emperor's favor and secure their place in the palace. The newcomers were constantly embroiled in rivalries for his attention. Then a rumor spread: rather than make wild guesses, they should try their luck by approaching the imperial attendants. If they could get guidance from one of the emperor's trusted attendants, they would surely get ahead far more easily and rise to prominence. And the lady attendant most trusted by the emperor was Sang Qingyun. At fourteen, Sang Qingyun lost her family and fell into hardship. She entered the palace at sixteen, and at nineteen began serving the emperor. Everyone in the palace respectfully called her Aunt Qingyun. When the new consorts invited her to their quarters, those only fifteen or sixteen years old felt inferior beside her beauty. Yet despite her stunning looks, she kept to her duties, spending years in the palace as no more than a lady attendant. Surely, they thought, her position as the emperor's most trusted servant was thanks to her extraordinary wit. But Sang Qingyun knew the emperor's feelings for her had never been pure. She pretended not to hear or understand, waiting to endure just three more years before leaving the palace with a handsome sum of money to enjoy a peaceful, comfortable life. But someone refused to let her live in peace. To avenge herself, she willingly climbed into the emperor's bed. - Xie Yanheng knew that Sang Qingyun had no desire to become his concubine. But he didn't care. As the supreme ruler of the realm, master of the nine provinces and possessor of ten thousand miles of land, he would not bow to a mere woman. He wanted her, and he wanted her to offer herself to him willingly. Everyone in the palace thought the emperor had taken Sang Qingyun as a concubine in a drunken haze. They condemned and insulted her for rising from the ranks of the lady attendants, humiliating her at every turn. They all waited for her to fall from the clouds and be shattered to pieces. But somehow, she rose from humble beginnings to the seat of Noble Consort, wielding immense power. The others could only look up at her. ---------Reader's Guide----------- Consort Ranks: First Rank: Imperial Noble Consort Junior First Rank: Noble Consort Second Rank: The Four Consorts of Virtue, Goodness, Purity, and Grace Junior Second Rank: Consort Third Rank: The Nine Concubines: Zhaoyi, Zhaorong, Zhaoyuan, Xiuyi, Xiurong, Xiuyuan, Chongyi, Chongrong, and Chongyuan, with Zhaoyi holding the highest rank Junior Third Rank: Noble Concubine Fourth Rank: Lady of Beauty Junior Fourth Rank: Concubine Fifth Rank: Lady of Noble Bearing Junior Fifth Rank: Noble Lady Sixth Rank: Beauty Junior Sixth Rank: Talented Lady Seventh Rank: Lady of Treasure Junior Seventh Rank: Lady of Good Service Eighth Rank: Junior Lady of Service Junior Eighth Rank: Lady of Service Ninth Rank: Imperial Lady Junior Ninth Rank: Selected Lady Unranked: Selected Attendant, still an officially recognized court lady Content warnings: 1. Traditional palace intrigue. The male lead is not a virgin, and the heroine becomes his only favorite later in the story. 2. The heroine is a scheming beauty, not a saintly white lotus. This is a novel for entertainment, so please don't take it too seriously! The characters' values do not represent the author's. Please don't judge a palace-intrigue novel by modern standards. 3. Fictional palace intrigue with a mixed-up system of ranks. Readers sensitive to many potential triggers, purity-focused readers, and readers who insist on historical accuracy should proceed with caution. 4. The emperor will fall in love with the heroine, but she will not love him. Theme: When trapped in adversity, stay strong and keep hope alive