The Cold Emperor’s Cherished Consort

He was the most patient and ruthless emperor of the Chu Yi Kingdom. His legs were crippled at nine, he was named crown prince at ten, and he ascended the throne at twelve, after enduring countless hardships. She was the daughter of a favored minister, cherished by everyone. Innocent and rebellious, she had been betrothed from childhood to the Chu Yi Kingdom's most celebrated young general. They had grown up together, devoted to each other, but he abducted her into his harem. Rumor had it: She refused to take second place, so he deposed the empress and made her empress instead. There was also this tale: She was jealous by nature. One day, Emperor Yao got drunk and spent the night with Consort Rou in Zuiyin Pavilion. The empress, consumed by jealousy, stormed into the pavilion in the middle of the night and slapped Consort Rou in front of everyone. From then on, Emperor Yao disregarded court law and protocol, dismissing every woman in his harem for her sake. Later, people said: She was clingy. When Emperor Yao was holding court, she sat on his lap and pouted in front of all the officials. That time, he stayed away from court for half a month for her. On another occasion, he had every tree and flower in the imperial palace cleared away and planted with her beloved pear blossoms, just to make her smile. One winter, she was afraid of the cold, so he had more than a hundred rare foxes and wild animals hunted for their pelts to make her a carpet. Later, she colluded with the rebels and let the enemy army into the city… From The Unofficial History of Chu Yi: “In the thirty-sixth year, the subordinate minister Qin Yundi led the rebels in an attack on the capital. Emperor Yao fled in panic. When the rebels caught up with him, he hanged himself on Mount Nanhua.” Before he died, he carved a line into the ground: “Love is the hardest thing to understand. No one knows where it begins, yet it can run so deep. One can pledge life and death, and share life and death. Ask why, and it is like the wind coming and going: only you know whether it is warm or cold, and yet it remains impossible to find.” The whole world believed he loved her, but she didn't. By the time she did, it was already too late…