From Diva to Queen

During the Kaibao period of Emperor Taizu of the Song Dynasty, Liu E, the daughter of an officer from Shu, was born in a strange omen with the bright moon entering her belly. However, she lost her father three days later and was raised by her grandmother. In poverty, she made a living by performing on the streets. She was repeatedly bullied but persevered. When she was thirteen, she received a copy of "The Analects of Confucius" from a white-haired old man. She discovered that there was a secret behind her father's death in the war, which laid the foundation for exploring the truth. In order to make a living, she married Gong, a silversmith, and the couple traveled east along the Yangtze River to Changlu, Nanjing, to do business. Liu E distinguished herself with her beauty and singing voice. 2. Guidance from noble people and opportunities in Beijing In Changlu, Master Fadeng of Chongfu Zen Temple saw Liu E's extraordinary appearance and gave her money to persuade her to go to Beijing, predicting that she "will serve to rule the world." Gong was skeptical at first, but finally believed it after seeing the silver, and the two of them moved to Kaifeng. Liu E became famous as a street performer and attracted many powerful people. Among them, the third prince Zhao Heng fell in love with her at first sight and insisted on accepting her into the palace regardless of her humble background and second-marriage status. 3. Royal resistance and dormant dormancy Taizong Zhao Guangyi angrily accused Zhao Heng of dating a "despicable singer" and ordered them to break up. Zhao Heng threatened to die and secretly hid Liu E in a suburban house, beginning a decade-long "hiding of beauty in a golden house." During this period, Liu E did not complain about her difficulties. Instead, she read a lot of books and studied the ways of governing the country. She transformed from a singer to a partner with both knowledge and wisdom. Her relationship with Zhao Heng sublimated from a fascination with appearance to spiritual resonance, laying the foundation for her future rise.