The Noble Consort Rises to the Top

Coming soon: The Empress Has the Emperor’s Favor in Abundance; Falling into Ruin with Me In the seventh year of the Tianqi era, the emperor ordered a grand selection of consorts. Bo Yushi was in the prime of her youth, the most gifted legitimate daughter of her generation in the Bo family. The Bo family had once been at the height of its power, but by her generation it was gradually falling into decline. Determined to revive her family and fulfill her own ambitions, Bo Yushi resolved to enter the palace and compete for a place among the consorts. But on the very day she entered the palace, she witnessed the body of the emperor’s new favorite being carried away along the main street. Wrapped in a straw mat, the corpse looked especially forlorn. Yet no one on the street dared raise their head. Everyone held their breath and quietly urged her to hurry along. She had often heard that the emperor could be both passionate and heartless, granting favor one day and taking a life the next. On her very first day, Bo Yushi learned how dangerous the palace was, and from then on she became even more cautious at every turn, as if treading on thin ice. In the blink of an eye, twelve new women entered the palace. After exhausting every scheme, Bo Yushi finally caught the emperor’s attention, and in less than three months she became the most favored woman in the palace. The emperor said of her, “Her beauty captivates both the senses and the soul; she is as lovely as a painting or a poem.” She possessed the rare beauty of a timeless maiden, impossible to forget. Little did anyone know how hard-won her favor was, or how much harder it was to leave a lasting impression on the emperor’s heart. Three palaces, six courtyards, and seventy-two consorts: palace rivalries arose one after another, and since ancient times, beautiful women have often met tragic ends. Bo Yushi knew the emperor was fickle, but she had never wanted a life of peace by his side. What she wanted was wealth and glory, power and favor firmly in her grasp. Though her life would rise and fall through countless twists and turns, the one who would have the last laugh and claim the throne of the imperial harem was her, Bo Yushi. The others could only bow before her. Palace intrigue novel coming soon: The Empress Has the Emperor’s Favor in Abundance In the summer of the second year of the Qi’an era, Zhang Miaozhen, the beloved youngest legitimate daughter of the Zhang family, celebrated her hairpin ceremony in grand style in the capital. That day, dazzling light filled the distant sky and every lotus in the pond bloomed at once. Word spread throughout the capital that Zhang Miaozhen was a goddess reborn. There was a reason: Zhang Miaozhen possessed the ethereal, otherworldly beauty of a bodhisattva, a rare beauty indeed. She was also kind and compassionate, often giving out porridge to help disaster victims, perfectly embodying the merciful, serene spirit of “wondrous truth and innate nature” described in Buddhist teachings. The Great Qi dynasty flourished through Buddhism, and believers could be found everywhere. After her hairpin ceremony, so many people in the capital sought her hand in marriage that they crowded her doorstep. Zhang Miaozhen simply smiled calmly at it all. No one knew that all of this had been Zhang Miaozhen’s idea. Men were not the only ones who could cultivate a reputation for personal gain. Women could do it, too. She had been ambitious from birth and had never been content to settle down with a man of suitable status. The Zhang family was not among the capital’s powerful noble houses, but with this reputation, she could use the opportunity to climb the social ladder. Then one ordinary afternoon, an imperial edict arrived at the Zhang residence. It was an order from the Empress Dowager to ceremonially invite Zhang Miaozhen into the palace as a consort. The palace was a dangerous place, and everyone felt sorry for Zhang Miaozhen. Only Zhang Miaozhen herself let the faintest smile curl her lips. She had never been content with an ordinary life. If she could become the most favored woman in the imperial harem and hold power and favor in her hands for the rest of her life, that would be better still. - The current emperor, Pei Shucheng, was appointed crown prince at eighteen and assisted the late emperor in handling state affairs. He ascended the throne at twenty-three and secured supreme power by twenty-five, becoming the youngest and most capable ruler in the history of the Great Qi dynasty. He devoted himself to governing and never indulged in women. Strict with himself and fair in all his dealings, he made only one exception for his grandmother, the current Empress Dowager, whom he treated with utmost filial respect and indulged in every way. When he learned that the Empress Dowager wanted to choose a consort for him because of a dream, Pei Shucheng merely furrowed his brow, unconcerned. He thought it was only a woman. His imperial grandmother was getting old and muddleheaded. As long as it made her happy, adding any number of consorts to the palace was no great matter. After all, to him, the women of the imperial harem served no purpose beyond bearing heirs and providing a little relief. Until the day he first saw Zhang Miaozhen, and could no longer take his eyes off her. “At first, I only wanted to give it a try. I never imagined that one try would last a lifetime.” The fictional rank system in this novel: First Rank, Upper: Imperial Noble Consort First Rank, Lower: Noble Consort, Worthy Consort, Virtuous Consort, Pure Consort [Noble Consort ranks highest and may have an honorific title] Second Rank, Upper: Consort Second Rank, Lower: Bright Deportment, Bright Countenance, Bright Beauty, Cultivated Deportment, Cultivated Countenance, Cultivated Beauty, Abundant Deportment, Abundant Countenance, Abundant Beauty [Bright Deportment ranks highest] Third Rank, Upper: Noble Concubine Third Rank, Lower: Lady of Handsome Fairness Fourth Rank, Upper: Lady of Graceful Bearing Fourth Rank, Lower: Concubine Fifth Rank, Upper: Noble Deportment Fifth Rank, Lower: Graceful Deportment, Pure Deportment, Prudent Deportment [equal in rank] Sixth Rank, Upper: Noble Lady Sixth Rank, Lower: Beauty Seventh Rank, Upper: Talented Lady Seventh Rank, Lower: Attendant Eighth Rank, Upper: Precious Grove Eighth Rank, Lower: Imperial Woman Ninth Rank, Upper: Gathered Beauty Ninth Rank, Lower: Selected Attendant [the initial rank granted to palace maids] The entire story takes place in a fictional world, with many invented details. Theme: A bright future must be created through your own efforts