My Fair Princess: Fighting for Favor

Mother, your daughter has been unfilial. I was lost in the lies of love and failed to observe mourning, letting you down. Though I was of royal blood, I was treated as inferior to the daughter of a condemned criminal, yet I forgave her past, all because I was intoxicated by that man's sweet words. After he raised her to the status of a banner-bearing consort and she bore him a son, I lost track of him and neglected my own child. I went all the way to Burma to find her. When I brought her back, there were tearful eyes and soft words, followed by one act of disobedience after another. Above all, the label of jealousy had already wearied the emperor and cost me his favor. I once mistook pearls for fish eyes and swore, "Until the mountains lose their peaks and heaven and earth unite, I will never part from you." We did not part, but the three concubines who came later were the clearest answer. Once the Fifteenth Prince was born and the next heir to the throne was decided, a once-favored illegitimate daughter was of no further use. I died of illness alone at a Fu family estate, and no one even bothered to claim my remains.

I resent Consort Ling for taking Xiao Yanzi in to win favor. I resent Xiao Yanzi for coveting wealth and fearing death, and for stealing my identity. I resent the Fifth Prince, no, my Fifth Brother, for saving Xiao Yanzi without regard for his own sister's life, and for living in a servant's home. I resent the Fu family most of all for their scheming and their single-minded pursuit of wealth and glory. But I resent myself most: for being naive about the world, unable to read people's hearts, always placing my hopes in others, and never knowing how to compete for favor!

Tears are a woman's finest weapon, but if there are too many, they lose their worth. I, Xia Ziwei, have the blood of the Aisin Gioro family flowing through my veins. Now that I've been given another life, I absolutely will not let myself die alone again. I will compete for favor!