Has Consort Wu Hui Become Empress Today?

The New Book of Tang notes: The Wu clan’s rise in place of the Tang was truly Heaven’s will. In the twelfth year of the Kaiyuan era, Wu Ying’er, the grandniece of the Empress Wu, became Consort Hui, a consort whose rank was second only to the empress. Beneath her illustrious reputation, however, an ambitious heart continued to grow. This Consort Hui, who had grown up by the side of her great-aunt, the female emperor, wanted more than anyone to become the second empress to rule the Tang. That desire only grew stronger after she accidentally glimpsed the cruel pages of history in a dream. Before becoming Consort Hui, Wu Ying’er’s goal was to become empress and bring honor to her family. After becoming Consort Hui, her goal was to outlive the emperor and ascend the throne herself. Later, whenever people spoke of the two women who rose to power in the dynasty, they could not help but remark: “Fate has a way of repeating itself.” Who could have imagined that, many years after the Wu empress abdicated, another woman from the Wu family would overthrow Empress Wang, usurp the Tang throne, and become empress? 1. Consort Hui’s name is up to the author. 2. Consort Hui only uses Emperor Ming, and has no sincere feelings for him. 3. Warning: Emperor Ming dies twenty years early. Theme: The wise look to themselves for everything; fools look to others.