The Book of Yan Shi

In the second year of the Zhenghe era, Crown Prince Wei Ju’s forces were defeated. His retainers and concubines were implicated in large numbers, while his grandson Bingyi was imprisoned in the commandery residence. Emperor Wu repented and, out of love for his son, took Bingyi into the Night Court to raise him. When Bingyi came of age, a commoner woman named Xu married him. Emperor Wu’s youngest son, Fuling, succeeded to the throne. In the fourth year of the Shiyuan era, the young daughter of the empress, Shangguan, was welcomed into the imperial palace. In the first year of the Yuanfeng era, Shangguan joined forces with Prince Yan, Liu Dan, in a rebellion. The regent Sang Hongyang was caught up in the affair, and the entire Sang family was wiped out. The orphaned daughter of the Sang family was taken into the palace. The histories record that the Shangguan girl grew up deep within the palace and, despite the power of her maternal relatives, never won the emperor’s favor. Later, in her prime, she was honored as empress dowager and grand empress dowager and lived in Changle Palace. After that, no more rumors about her circulated among the people.