Since ancient times, those divinely appointed emperors and wise rulers found their success not only in their own noble character but also depended heavily on the help of their relatives. The Xia Dynasty rose thanks to the Tu Shan clan; the downfall of Xia Jie was due to Mo Xi. The Shang Dynasty's rise was attributed to the Shang clan and the You Ren clan; the downfall of King Zhou of Shang was a result of his infatuation with Daji. The Zhou Dynasty's rise was due to Jiang Yuan, Tai Ren, and Tai Si; while the downfall of King You of Zhou stemmed from his obsession with Bao Si. Therefore, the "Book of Changes" emphasizes the "Heaven and Earth" hexagram, the "Book of Songs" opens with the "Guanyu" poem, the "Book of Documents" praises the mother of Hou Ji, and the "Spring and Autumn Annals" criticizes the improper behavior of marrying without following proper procedures. A strong marriage is the bedrock of society! Only in marriage are rituals observed so carefully. Music's harmony reflects the balance of the universe—how could we not cherish it? We can strive to align with Heaven's will, but ultimately, fate decides. A loving marriage is so crucial! A monarch cannot obtain the loyalty of his subjects, a father cannot gain the filial piety of his sons, not to mention those of low status! Even a loving couple might not have children, or even if they do, might not grow old together—that's just fate, isn't it? Confucius rarely talked about fate, probably because it is difficult to explain. Without understanding the mysteries of fate, how can we grasp the interplay of destiny and human nature?
After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, it inherited the titles of the Qin Dynasty. The emperor's mother was called Empress Dowager, grandmother was called Grand Empress Dowager, the empress was called Empress, and other concubines were all referred to as Madam. In addition, there were titles such as Beauty, Gentlewoman, Eighth Rank, Seventh Rank, Lady-in-waiting, and Attendant. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, positions such as Imperial Consort and Court Lady were established, each with a rank of nobility; Emperor Yuan of Han added the title of Consort of the Highest Rank, totaling fourteen ranks. The rank of Consort of the Highest Rank held an equivalent status to Prime Minister, with a title equivalent to King of States; Lady-in-waiting held a rank equivalent to Senior Minister, with a title equivalent to Marquis; Court Lady held a rank equivalent to a Middle-ranking official, with a title equivalent to Marquis Within the Passes; Attendant held a rank equivalent to a True Middle-ranking official, with a title equivalent to Grand Master of Ceremonies; Beauty held a rank equivalent to a 2,000-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Minor Master of Ceremonies; Eighth Rank held a rank equivalent to a 1,000-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Middle Supervisor; Attendant held a rank equivalent to a 1,000-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Left Supervisor; Seventh Rank held a rank equivalent to an 800-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Right Assistant Chief; Gentlewoman held a rank equivalent to an 800-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Left Assistant Chief; Lady-in-waiting held a rank equivalent to a 600-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Five Major Officials; Attendant held a rank equivalent to a 400-bushel official, with a title equivalent to Public Conveyance; Five Officials held a rank equivalent to a 300-bushel official; Shunchang held a rank equivalent to a 200-bushel official; Wujian, Gonghe, Yuling, Baolin, Liangshi, and Yezhe all held a rank equivalent to a 100-bushel official; Shangjiarenzi and Zhongjiarenzi had corresponding salaries. Concubines below the rank of Five Officials were buried outside the Sima Gate (a historical burial site) after their death. Empress Lü, wife of the Han Emperor Gaozu, had a husband named Liu Bang, whose father-in-law, Lü Gong, was from Danfu County and was particularly skilled in physiognomy. Before Liu Bang made a name for himself, Lü Gong saw his extraordinary future at a glance and married his daughter to him. Empress Lü bore Emperor Hui and Princess Lu Yuan.
Later on, Liu Bang became the King of Han. In the first year, he made Lv Gong the Marquis of Linsi, and in the second year, he named their son Liu Ying as the Crown Prince. However, Liu Bang met Lady Qi in Dingtao and became infatuated with her. Lady Qi gave birth to a son for Liu Bang, named Liu Ruyi. Crown Prince Liu Ying, however, was kind but weak-willed, and Liu Bang felt he was not like himself. He kept trying to depose him in favor of Liu Ruyi, saying, "Ruyi is just like me!" Lady Qi constantly followed Liu Bang to Guandong, perpetually weeping and scheming to get her son made Crown Prince. Empress Lü was older and often stayed in Chang'an, rarely seeing Liu Bang, so their relationship cooled considerably. Liu Ruyi was about to be appointed as the King of Zhao and remained in Chang'an. He several times came close to replacing the Crown Prince. Only the strong opposition of court officials, Sun Shuao's remonstrances, and Zhang Liang's clever maneuvering saved the Crown Prince.
Empress Lü was a formidable woman who'd fought alongside Liu Bang, contributing greatly to his success. Her two brothers were also high-ranking generals who had followed Liu Bang in his conquests. Her eldest brother, Lv Ze, was appointed as Marquis of Zhoulv, and her second brother, Lv Shizhi, was appointed as Marquis of Jiancheng. All three Lüs were made Marquises. In the fourth year of Han Gaozu's reign, Lv Gong passed away.
After Han Gaozu died, Emperor Hui took the throne, and Empress Lü became Empress Dowager. She threw Lady Qi into Yongxiang, shaved her head, shackled her, dressed her in rags, and forced her to pound rice. While pounding rice, Lady Qi sang, "You're emperor, I'm a prisoner, pounding rice till I drop, sharing my days with the dead! Three thousand miles separate us – who's gonna tell you my story?"
Empress Lü was very angry when she heard this and said, "Does she think she can still rely on women?" So she sent people to summon King Zhao, Liu Ruyi, to Chang'an to kill him. The messenger went three times, but the Prime Minister of Zhao, Zhou Chang, refused to release him. Lü had no choice but to personally summon the Prime Minister of Zhao to Chang'an. Then she sent people to summon King Zhao, who finally came. Emperor Hui was a kind person, and knowing that Lü was angry, he personally went to meet King Zhao at Ba Shang and brought him back to the palace, where they shared meals and lodgings. After a few months, Emperor Hui went hunting in the morning, but King Zhao woke up late. Lü took advantage of Emperor Hui's absence and had someone poison King Zhao's wine. When Emperor Hui returned, King Zhao was already dead.
Lü then ordered that Lady Qi be subjected to horrific torture and thrown into a pigsty, where she was given the name "the beast." After a few months, Lü called Emperor Hui to go see "the beast." When Emperor Hui saw her, he recognized Lady Qi and cried in horror, falling ill and unable to get out of bed for several years. He sent someone to beg Lü, saying, "This is not something a human would do! I am your son; I really can't govern the world anymore!" From then on, Emperor Hui indulged in wine and women all day, neglecting state affairs, and died seven years later.
When the Empress Dowager died, she didn't shed a single tear while mourning. Zhang Biqiang, the son of Marquis Liu, who was only fifteen at the time, said to Prime Minister Chen Ping, "The Empress Dowager's only concern was the Emperor. Now she can't cry out loud. Do you know why?" Chen Ping asked, "Why?" Zhang Biqiang said, "The Emperor has no adult son, and the Empress Dowager is afraid of you ministers. Why not appoint Lü Tai and Lü Chan as generals, put the Lü clan in charge of the army, and secure the dynasty's future? This way, the Empress Dowager will feel at ease, and you will be spared from harm!"
The chancellor adopted Zhang Biqiang's plan and proposed it to the Empress Dowager. Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was overcome with grief. The power of the Lü family began to grow from then on. So, Empress Lü installed Emperor Xiaohui's younger brother as emperor and ruled the country. She also killed several sons of the founding emperor: King You of Zhao Liu You, King Gong Liu Hui, and King Qing of Yan Liu Jian. She then made Lu Tai, son of Marquis Zhou Lü, King of Lu; his brother, Lü Chan, King of Liang; Lü Lu, son of Jiancheng Marquis Shi, King of Zhao; and Lu Tong, Lu Tai's son, King of Yan. She also created five more Lü family members marquises. Additionally, she posthumously honored her father as King Xuan Lü and her brother, Marquis Zhou Lü, as King Daowu.
Empress Lü reigned for eight years. Later, she fell ill and eventually passed away. This is recorded in the *Wu Xing Zhi*. Before her death, she was seriously ill and appointed King Lü Lu of Zhao as General of the Northern Army and King Lü Chan of Liang as Prime Minister, stationed in the Southern Army. She warned Lü Chan and Lü Lu: "Emperor Gaozu and the ministers agreed that if the descendants of the Liu clan did not become emperors, the whole country would rise up against him. Now that the Lü family is in power, the ministers are dissatisfied. After I die, they may rebel. You must keep your troops guarding the palace; don't let anyone seize control." After the Empress Dowager's death, Grand Commandant Zhou Bo, Prime Minister Chen Ping, Marquis Liu Zhang of Zhu Xu, and others killed Lü Chan and Lü Lu, arresting all the men, women, and children of the Lü family; all were executed. Then, they supported Prince Dai Liu Heng as emperor, who became Emperor Wen of Han.
Empress Zhang of Emperor Xiaohui was the wife of Emperor Xiaohui. Marquis Ao of Xuanping married Princess Lu Yuan, the emperor's sister, and they had a daughter. After Emperor Hui ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Lü wanted to strengthen her family's position and sought to marry the princess's daughter to the emperor as empress. She was obsessed with the empress bearing a son, but the empress remained childless. So, Empress Dowager Lü pretended that the empress was pregnant, found a palace maid who had given birth, passed the child off as the empress's son, then killed the palace maid and declared the child as the crown prince.
Emperor Hui died, and the crown prince succeeded to the throne. Four years later, he found out that he was not the empress's biological son and said, "How could the Empress Dowager kill my real mum and then make *me* emperor?! When I grow up, I will surely seek revenge!" The Empress Dowager, upon hearing this, panicked, fearing he would rebel, so she kept the emperor under guard in a secluded residence, claiming to the public that the emperor was seriously ill and not to be seen. Then the Empress Dowager issued an order to depose him, as recorded in "Records of the Grand Historian." Ultimately, the emperor was imprisoned and died. The Empress Dowager then installed Prince Hong of Hengshan, Liu Hong, as emperor and made Lu's daughter empress. She used every trick in the book to consolidate the Lu family's rule, but in the end, it was futile. After the death of Empress Dowager Lü, the ministers began to clean up the court and eventually eradicated the Lu family. The young emperor Liu Hong, Prince Huainan, and Prince Jichuan were all killed because they were not Emperor Xiaohui's biological sons. Only Empress Zhang was deposed, confined in the Northern Palace, and died in the first year of Emperor Xiaowen, buried in Anling with a pretty modest grave.
Consort Bo Ji, the consort of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, was the mother of Emperor Wen. Her father was from Wuxian and had a relationship with a noblewoman from the Wei royal family during the Qin Dynasty, which resulted in the birth of Bo Ji. Bo Ji's father died in Shanyin and was buried there. When the lords rebelled against the Qin, Wei Bao was made the King of Wei, and Wei Ao sent her daughter Bo Ji to the Wei palace. A fortune teller named Xu Fu predicted that she would give birth to a future emperor. At that time, Xiang Yu and King Liu Bang were locked in battle at Xingyang, and the situation in the world had not yet stabilized. Initially fighting alongside the Han army against the Chu army, Wei Bao was delighted to hear about Xu Fu's prophecy and switched sides, maintaining neutrality and forming an alliance with the Chu state. The Han Dynasty sent Cao Can and others to attack King Wei Bao, making Wei a Han commandery, and Bo Ji was put to work in the weaving room. After the death of Wei Bao, King Liu Bang entered the weaving room, saw Bo Ji, and ordered her to be brought to the harem, but he did not favor her for over a year. When Bo Ji was young, she had a close relationship with Lady Guan and Zhao Zier, and the three of them made a pact: they vowed to always look out for each other. Later, Lady Guan and Zhao Zier became King Liu Bang's favorites.
In the fourth year of Liu Bang, he was sitting at Lingtai in Chenggao, Henan. Lady Guan and Zhao Zier were giggling with him about a pact they'd made with Lady Bo. Liu Bang asked them what happened, and they both told him the whole story. Liu Bang felt bad for Bo Ji and that night sent for her. Bo Ji said, "Last night I dreamed of a dragon pressing on my chest." Liu Bang replied, "Wow, that's a great omen! Let's make it happen!" So he favored Bo Ji, and she got pregnant. A year later, she gave birth to Emperor Wen, who became the Prince of Dai at age eight. After the baby came, Liu Bang hardly ever saw Bo Ji. After Liu Bang died, Empress Lu locked up all his favorite concubines, including Lady Qi, and wouldn't let them out. But since Liu Bang never bothered with her, she got to leave the palace and join her son in Dai, becoming the Queen Mother there. Her brother, Bo Zhao, went with her.
King Dai reigned for seventeen years, but Empress Dowager Gao died. The ministers hashed out who'd be the next emperor, and everyone agreed the Lv family was way too powerful. They figured the Bo family were good eggs, so they backed King Dai for emperor, made Lady Bo Empress Dowager, and made Bo Zhao, Lady Bo's brother, Marquis of Zhi. Lady Bo's mother was already dead, buried north of Liyang. They later gave her father the posthumous title of Marquis Lingwen and granted him 300 households in Kuaiji County. Low-ranking officials were sent to guard Lady Bo's parents' tombs and temples, and sacrifices were done by the book. They also built Lady Lingwen a tomb in Liyang, with the same specifications as Marquis Lingwen's tomb. Lady Bo lost her dad young, and her Wei family (her mom's side) had really helped her out. So Lady Bo called her Wei family back and gave them gifts, depending on how close they were. Only one Bo got a marquisate.
The Empress Dowager died two years after Emperor Wen took the throne, and two years before Emperor Jing. Since she and Emperor Wen didn't get along, they built her a separate tomb, pretty close to Emperor Wen's.
Empress Dou, wife of Emperor Xiaowen, is the mother of Emperor Jing. When Empress Lü was in power, Empress Dou was still a humble woman from a common family and was selected to enter the palace. At that time, the empress dowager rewarded palace maids to various princes, with five palace maids for each prince. Dou Ji was among those given to the princes. Dou Ji's family was in Qinghe, and she hoped to be assigned to Zhao State because it was close to her home. So she requested the eunuch in charge, "Please put me down for Zhao!" However, the eunuch forgot and mistakenly registered her on the list of Dai State. After the list was submitted, the emperor approved it. When she was to leave, Dou Ji cried and complained, refusing to go to Dai, but was eventually persuaded. In Dai State, the king of Dai favored Dou Ji, and she gave birth to a daughter named Piao. In the seventh year of Emperor Xiaohui, Dou Ji gave birth to Emperor Jing.
Dai's queen gave birth to four sons, but before the king of Dai became emperor, the queen passed away. A few months into his reign, the ministers advised establishing a crown prince. Her eldest son was thus made crown prince. Dou Ji later became the empress, and her daughter was named Princess Chang of Guantao. The next year, he made his youngest son the King of Dai, later transferring him to Liang, where he became known as King Xiao of Liang.
Empress Dou died young and was buried at Guanjin. Empress Dowager Bo posthumously ennobled Dou Ji's father as the Marquis of Ancheng and her mother as Lady Ancheng. She was given a large estate in Qinghe, complete with a two-hundred-household complex guarded by officials, mirroring Lingwen Garden.
Empress Dou's older brother is called Dou Zhangjun, and her younger brother, Dou Guangguo, is nicknamed Shaojun. When Shaojun was four or five years old, the family was very poor, and he was kidnapped; his family did not know where he had gone. He drifted from one family to the next, eventually landing in over a dozen homes, and finally arrived in Yiyang, where he worked for his master, burning charcoal in the mountains. One night, more than a hundred people slept by the riverbank, and the riverbank gave way, burying everyone sleeping there, leaving only Shaojun unharmed. He somehow knew he'd be a marquis soon. So he went to Chang'an to find his family, heard that the Empress had just been established, and that her family was in Guanjun, with the surname Dou. Although Shaojun was young, he remembered his county and family name, and he recalled when he and his sister picked mulberries together, how his sister fell into the river. Using this as proof, he wrote a letter to his family. The Empress told the Emperor about this, and the Emperor summoned him. Shaojun detailed the whole story. It was him! The Emperor asked him what he remembered, and Shaojun said, "When my sister left me at the waystation, she washed my hair and fed me before she went." When Empress Dou heard this, she hugged Shaojun and cried, and the surrounding guards also cried. The Emperor showered him with gifts and allowed him to settle in Chang'an. Marquis Jiang and General Guan said, "Look at us, still alive! These two kids, their lives are intertwined with ours! We gotta get these kids good tutors. It's a big deal for the Lü family!" So they selected some respected individuals to teach them. From then on, Dou Zhangjun and Shaojun were humble and polite, never letting their good fortune go to their heads.
Empress Dowager Dou fell ill and lost her eyesight. Emperor Wen favored Lady Shen and Lady Yin in Handan, but they did not bear any children. After Emperor Wen's death, Emperor Jing ascended to the throne, and Empress Dowager Dou made Dou Guangguo the Marquis of Zhangwu. Dou Changjun had passed away earlier, and his son Pengzu was titled Marquis of Nanpi. During the rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu, the Empress Dowager relied on her nephew Dou Ying, who was good at making friends with talented people. He was appointed as Grand General, putting down the rebellion and later being titled Marquis of Weiqi. The Dou family had three marquises in total.
Empress Dowager Dou was a big fan of the ideas of the Yellow Emperor and Laozi, leading Emperor Jing and the Dou family members to read "Laozi" and respect his teachings. She was Empress Dowager for 51 years before she died in the sixth year of Yuanguang, being buried alongside Emperor Jing in Baling. Before she died, she left orders to give all the treasures of the Eastern Palace to Princess Piao. Under Emperor Wu, Marquis of Weiqi Dou Ying became the Prime Minister but was later executed.
Empress Bo, Jingdi's wife, was the niece of Xiaowendi's Empress Dowager Bo. When Emperor Jing was still the Crown Prince, Empress Dowager Bo chose her as the Crown Princess. Upon Emperor Jing's ascension, Bo became Empress, but she didn't have any kids and Jingdi wasn't interested in her. After Empress Dowager Bo died, Empress Bo was deposed. She died four years later and was buried south of Pingwang Pavilion in Chang'an.
Empress Wang, the empress of Emperor Jing, was the mother of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Her father was named Wang Zhong, from Huaili. Her mother, Zang Er, was the granddaughter of Prince Zang Tu of Yan, and after marrying Wang Zhong, she gave birth to Wang Xin and two daughters. After Wang Zhong's death, Zang Er remarried to the Tian family of Changling and had two sons, named Tian Fei and Tian Sheng. Zang Er's eldest daughter married Jin Wangsun and had a daughter. At that time, Zang Er predicted that her two daughters would both be very noble, and she wanted to rely on them to suppress the Jin family. The Jin family was very angry and refused to compromise, so Zang Er sent her daughters to the Prince's Palace. The prince loved Empress Wang very much, and they had three daughters and a son. While pregnant, Empress Wang dreamed the sun fell into her arms. She told the prince, who declared it a sign of a noble son! Before the child was born, Emperor Wen passed away, Emperor Jing ascended the throne, and Empress Wang gave birth to this son. At that time, Empress Bo had no children. After a few years, Emperor Jing made the son of Lady Li Ji of Qi the crown prince, and Empress Wang's son was appointed as the King of Jiaodong.
Princess Piao had a daughter and wanted her to become the crown prince's consort. Lady Li Ji was very jealous because all of Emperor Jing's other concubines gained his favor through Princess Piao's influence. Li Ji resented this every day and refused the princess's request. Princess Piao wanted to betroth her daughter to Empress Wang, and Empress Wang agreed. Coincidentally, Empress Bo was deposed, and Princess Piao spoke ill of Lady Li Ji to Emperor Jing every day. Emperor Jing once told his concubines, "When I'm gone, you must take good care of my sons." Lady Li Ji was angry and refused to agree, even saying disrespectful words. Emperor Jing held it against her but did nothing.
The Princess always praised the son of Lady Wang for being handsome, and the Emperor himself also thought this child was a fine one. Moreover, the dream that the Emperor had before seemed to have some connection with this child, but it had not been confirmed yet. Lady Wang secretly urged the ministers to quickly appoint the son of Lady Li as the Crown Prince. A minister submitted a memorial, saying: "A son's nobility comes from his mother, and a mother's nobility comes from her son. Now the mother and status of the Crown Prince should be established as Empress." The Emperor was furious upon hearing this and said, "What in the hell are you saying?!" He immediately executed the minister, deposed the Crown Prince, and made him the Prince of Linjiang. Lady Li was so angry that she couldn't see the Emperor, and eventually died of depression. Finally, the Emperor appointed Lady Wang as Empress, and her son became the Crown Prince. Lady Wang's brother, Wang Xin, was also appointed as Marquis Gai.
When the Empress first entered the Crown Prince's residence, her younger sister gave birth to four sons. The younger sister died young, and the four sons were later made kings. The Empress's eldest daughter was Princess Pingyang, the second daughter was Princess Nangong, and the third daughter was Princess Longlv. After nine years as Empress, Emperor Jing passed away. Emperor Wu ascended the throne, and Lady Wang became the Empress Dowager. She ennobled her mother Lady Zang as Lady Pingyuan, her brother Tian Fei as Marquis Wuan, and her brother Tian Sheng as Marquis Zhouyang. The Wang family and Tian family were ennobled as three marquises in total. Marquis Gai loved drinking, and Tian Fei and Tian Sheng were greedy and smooth-talking. Tian Fei later became the Prime Minister, and his father Wang Zhong was posthumously ennobled as Marquis Gong. He built him a huge estate in Huai Li, complete with 200 households and its own staff. After Lady Pingyuan died, she was buried in Changling according to the standards of Marquis Gong, and a similar one was built for her.
When the Empress Dowager was young, her sister, the daughter of Princess Jin, lived a humble life among the common folk, and this was kept a secret. When Emperor Wu had just ascended the throne, Han Yan informed him of this matter. Emperor Wu said, "What took you so long to tell me?" and personally led people to welcome her. Her family lived in a small market in Changling, and Emperor Wu's carriage drove directly to her door, allowing the guards to go in and find her. Her family was absolutely terrified, and her sister quickly hid. The guards escorted her out to meet the Emperor, and Emperor Wu stood by the carriage and said, "Big Sister, why are you hiding so deeply?" Then he brought her to the Changle Palace to visit the Empress Dowager together. The Empress Dowager cried, and her sister also cried. Emperor Wu toasted to her sister's longevity, rewarded her with an enormous sum of money, three hundred slaves, one hundred mu of public land, and a mansion. The Empress Dowager said, "This is too extravagant." So Emperor Wu rewarded her with Tangmu County and titled her as the Lord Xiucheng. He also gave her a son and a daughter; her daughter was married to a nobleman, and her son was named Xiucheng Zizhong, who ran rampant in the capital due to his relationship with the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager reigned for twenty-five years, Emperor Jing ruled for fifteen years, and died in the third year of Yuanshuo, being buried together with Emperor Jing in Yangling.
Empress Chen was the daughter of Princess Chang. Her great-grandfather Chen Ying fought alongside Xiang Yu, later switched sides to the Han Dynasty, and was titled as the Marquis of Tangyi. In the generation of her father Chen Wu, Chen Wu married Princess Chang and gave birth to Empress Chen.
It is said that when Emperor Wu of Han was made crown prince, Princess Chang pulled some strings, so Emperor Wu married Princess Chang's daughter as his concubine. After Emperor Wu ascended the throne, he made her the empress, and she was incredibly spoiled and powerful. However, they did not have any children for over ten years. It was said that Wei Zifu, who was favored by the emperor, made the empress so furious she nearly died of a heart attack several times. Emperor Wu also became increasingly angry. Later, the empress was caught up in some witchcraft shenanigans. In the fifth year of Yuanguang, Emperor Wu ordered a thorough investigation into this matter. The women around the empress, including Chu Fu, were found to have committed treason by performing witchcraft to curse the emperor. Over three hundred people were dragged down and killed, with Chu Fu being beheaded in public. The emperor ordered, "That woman's a disgrace! She's into witchcraft, and she's clearly not fit to be empress. Take away her seal and get her out of here, to the Changmen Palace!" The following year, Princess Chang's father, Marquis Chen Wu, passed away, and Princess Chang needed a son to inherit his title. During her widowhood, Princess Chang was sleeping with Dong Yan. Over a decade later, Princess Chang also passed away. Because of the affair with Princess Chang, Marquis Chen Wu's son fought with his brothers over the family property, committed a capital crime, and killed himself. The Marquisate of Tangyi was also abolished. Years later, Empress Chen died and was buried east of the Langguan Pavilion in Balin.
Empress Wei Zifu wasn't born into a fancy family. Her family name was Wei, and they lived on the lands of the Pingyang Marquis. Wei Zifu initially sang for Princess Pingyang, and after Emperor Wu took the throne, he didn't have any children for several years. The princess picked a bunch of pretty girls, dolled them up, and sent them off to the palace. When Emperor Wu got back from the Ba Shang sacrifices, he visited Princess Pingyang's residence. The princess introduced all the carefully dressed beauties to Emperor Wu, but he wasn't into any of them. During the banquet, Wei Zifu sang, and Emperor Wu took a shine to her. He went to change, and Wei Zifu helped him out. That's how he favored her. When Emperor Wu returned, he was very happy and threw a thousand catties of gold at Princess Pingyang. The princess slipped Wei Zifu into the palace. When Wei Zifu got on the carriage, the princess patted her back and said, "Go! Eat well, go get 'em! If you become successful, don't forget me!" Wei Zifu was in the palace for over a year, but the Emperor lost interest. Later, when Emperor Wu wanted to clear out some unfavored palace maids, Wei Zifu saw an opportunity and burst into tears, begging to leave. Emperor Wu sympathized with her and favored her again. Wei Zifu became pregnant and received favor since then. Her older brother, Wei Changjun, and younger brother, Wei Qing, were both given positions in the palace. Wei Zifu gave birth to three daughters and a son, Liu Ju, who was later made emperor. Once Wei Changjun was gone, Wei Qing was appointed as a general, won battles against the Xiongnu, and was titled Marquis of Changping. His three baby boys were made marquises while still in infancy. Later, the son of Empress Wei's sister, Huo Qubing, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Chuan Champion and rose to the position of Grand Marshal and General of Chariots and Cavalry due to his military achievements. Wei Qing himself also rose to the rank of Grand Marshal and General. Five members of the Wei family ended up being marquises. After Wei Qing returned, he also married Princess Pingyang.
She was empress for seven years before her son became crown prince. Later, as the empress grew old and her appearance faded, Prince Zhao's wife and Lady Li of Zhongshan became the emperor's favorites, both of whom died young. After that, Lady Yin and Lady Gouyi received the emperor's favor. Empress Wei was empress for thirty-eight years, but encountered the witchcraft incident. Jiang Chong stirred things up; the terrified crown prince, knowing he couldn't prove his innocence, joined the empress in killing Jiang Chong and led a rebellion, but they were defeated, and the crown prince escaped. The emperor ordered Grand Preceptor Liu Changle and Chief Commandant Liu Gan to deliver the imperial decree. They confiscated the empress's seal and ribbon and forced her to kill herself. Yellow Gate officials Su Wen and Yao Ding used an empty prison cart, hastily constructing a small coffin to bury her beneath a tongbai tree south of the city. The entire Wei clan was annihilated. Later, Emperor Xuan ascended the throne, reburied Empress Wei, posthumously honored as Sihou, and arranged for her to have a village composed of three hundred households, placing Chief Minister Zhou Wei in charge as guardian.
Emperor Xiaowu's Empress Li was originally a singer. At first, Empress Li's brother, Li Yannian, was really into music and could sing and dance. Emperor Xiaowu liked him very much. Every time Li Yannian performed new songs and dances for the emperor, everyone who listened was moved. Once, while Li Yannian was dancing for the emperor, he sang: "There's a stunning beauty up north, utterly unique and poised. One look, and the city's captivated; another, and the whole country's smitten! Don't you know, captivating a city or a country, such a beauty's hard to find again!" The emperor exclaimed, "Wow! How can there be someone like this in the world?" Princess Pingyang told the emperor that Li Yannian had a sister, so the emperor summoned her. She was indeed beautiful and could dance. As a result, Empress Li caught the emperor's eye and gave birth to a son, who later became the Prince of Changyi. Empress Li died at a young age, breaking the emperor's heart. He even painted her portrait in Ganquan Palace. Four years after Empress Wei was deposed, Emperor Xiaowu died. General Huo, considering the emperor's love for Empress Li during his lifetime, decided to have her buried with the emperor and posthumously honored her as Empress Xiaowu.
Initially, Empress Li was very ill, and the emperor personally went to visit her. Empress Li, covering herself with a blanket, refused, saying, "I have been sick for a long time, my appearance is ruined, I cannot see the emperor. I just want to entrust my younger brother and brothers to you." The emperor said, "With your illness so severe, it may not be possible. Seeing me once and entrusting your brothers to me, wouldn't that be better?" Empress Li said, "A woman can't meet her king or father looking like this. I dare not see the emperor in this haggard state." The emperor said, "If your brother sees me once, I will reward him with a thousand gold and speak well of your brothers." Empress Li said, "Whether my brothers can obtain good positions depends on you, the emperor, not on me seeing you once." The emperor insisted on seeing her, but Empress Li turned away, weeping, and said no more. The emperor stormed off.
Lady Li's sisters advised her, "Being an imperial concubine, can't you at least see the Emperor one last time and put your brothers in his good graces? Why all the bitterness toward the Emperor?" Lady Li replied, "I'm avoiding the Emperor so I can better look after my brothers. It is because of my beauty that I gained the Emperor's favor from a humble position. Women who rely on their looks to get ahead, once their beauty fades, find that favor diminishes, and when the favor diminishes, grace is lost. The Emperor still remembers me because he recalls my past beauty. Now that my appearance is ruined and completely different from before, he will surely detest and abandon me; will he still remember and take care of my brothers?" After Lady Li's passing, the Emperor buried her according to the rites of Empress. Later, the Emperor appointed Lady Li's brother, Li Guangli, as the Second Division General and Marquis of Haixi, and her other brother, Li Yannian, as the Associate Judge of Xielv. The Emperor constantly missed Lady Li. A Qi diviner named Shaoweng claimed he could summon Lady Li's soul. The Emperor lit candles, hung curtains, and set out a feast. From another tent, he watched a beautiful woman, her likeness to Lady Li striking. The Emperor wanted to approach her but dared not, his longing and sorrow growing stronger. He then composed a poem: "Is it her? Or is it not? I watch her, but why does she linger?" and had the musicians play. The Emperor even wrote a eulogy for Lady Li, which went like this:
(The original poem is transcribed as follows)
Aw, Meilianjuan, so beautiful but taken too soon, never truly enjoyed happiness. All dolled up and ready to start her new job, she never made it back home, feeling heartbroken. The place was desolate, and she was all alone, full of sorrow. She spent the long, dark night alone on the mountaintop.
The bleak autumn wind and rain made her weep; even the osmanthus had withered, mirroring her despair. All alone, she missed home terribly; her soul felt lost and adrift. Buried in that cold, damp ground, she regretted never seeing her child again.
She wrapped fragrant herbs in lotus leaves, waiting for a breeze. She was graceful and elegant, even in death. She watched the swallows flitting under the eaves, her heart heavy with sorrow. Her heart was broken, and her beauty faded.
She enjoyed fleeting moments of joy, only to be left tossing and turning at night, plagued by unsettling dreams. Then, she was gone, her soul adrift. Her restless soul was filled with sorrow and regret. Her career was over before it began. She vanished to the west, leaving only emptiness and the crushing weight of her sorrow.
Luan said, "Alas, brave Han Guang is gone, Zhu Rong has fallen, envy and strife abound—where is peace to be found? Though times are prosperous, life is fleeting; grief weighs heavily on the disciples, leaving them adrift. Facing the inevitable, it's been said, sighing for the innocent children, trembling in silence, clinging to hope. The kind don't need oaths; how can family bonds be broken? From light to shadow, from high office to humble grave, never to return. Alas, how lamentable, the soul is lost!"
Later, they say Emperor Wu's concubine, Zhao Jieyu—the mother of Emperor Zhao—was from Hejian. Once, while touring Hejian, Emperor Wu heard from fortune tellers that there was a remarkable woman here! He immediately sent someone to bring her into the palace. When she arrived, her hands were clenched into fists, and Emperor Wu personally opened them for her. And so she won the Emperor's heart, earning the nickname "Fist Lady." Years ago, her father committed a crime, received punishment in the palace, became a eunuch, and later died in Chang'an, his final resting place Yongmen.
Lady Gouyi later became an imperial concubine and lived in Gouyi Palace. She was greatly favored and gave birth to a son after a fourteen-month pregnancy in the third year of Taishi, who later became Gouyi Zi (meaning "son of Gouyi"). Emperor Wu remarked, "They say Emperor Yao was born after fourteen months, just like this boy!" So, he named the gate where the child was born "Yao Mu Gate." Later, Prince Wei's rebellion was crushed, and Prince Yan Dan and Prince Xuy of Guangling made many mistakes. The sons of Emperor Wu's favorite concubine Lady Wang and Lady Li both died early. When Gouyi Zi was five or six years old, he grew strong and intelligent. Emperor Wu often said he was "like me." He felt that his birth was unusual and especially liked him, thinking about making him the crown prince. However, considering his young age and his young mother, he was afraid that she would run the country into the ground, so he never made up his mind.
Once, Lady Gouyi accompanied Emperor Wu to Ganquan Palace. After falling out of favor, she was punished and died of grief, buried in Yunyang. Later, when Emperor Wu fell seriously ill, he finally made Gouyi Zi the crown prince and appointed Huo Guang as Commander-in-Chief to assist the young prince. The next day, Emperor Wu passed away. After Emperor Zhao ascended the throne, he honored Lady Gouyi as Empress Dowager, had twenty thousand people build her tomb at Yunling, and granted her three thousand households. He also posthumously honored her father Zhao as Shuncheng Marquis, granting him two hundred households in the Youfufeng area and sending officials to guard them according to regulations. Shuncheng Marquis had a sister named Junxu, whom Emperor Wu rewarded with two million coins, as well as servants and a house. Other siblings were also rewarded based on their relationship with Lady Gouyi. Only her father received a posthumous title.
The grandfather of Empress Shangguan, named Shangguan Jie, was from Longxi, with his hometown in Guixian. When he was young, he served as a low-ranking officer in the palace guard, known as Qimen Lang. Once, when he accompanied Emperor Wu of Han to Ganquan Palace, a strong wind blew, causing the carriages to be unable to move, and the Emperor's carriage roof was lifted by the wind. Shangguan Jie quickly secured the carriage roof, and despite the strong wind, it remained stable. Later, when it rained, Shangguan Jie hurriedly covered the carriage. Emperor Wu thought this young man was strong and reliable, so he promoted him to be in charge of the imperial stables.
Once, when Emperor Wu of Han fell ill, after recovering, he went to see the horses, only to find that they had become thin. He was furious and shouted, "Is it because I was not here that no one took good care of these horses?!" He was ready to have the stable manager punished. Shangguan Jie quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I know you are unwell; we your loyal subjects were worried sick about you. How could we have the heart to take care of the horses?" As he spoke, tears flowed down his face. Emperor Wu, seeing his attitude, thought this young man was loyal, so he reinstated him, first as a court official, and later promoted him step by step to be the Superintendent of the Imperial Stables.
Later, when Emperor Wu of Han fell ill, he appointed Huo Guang as Grand General and Shangguan Jie as Left General, both receiving deathbed instructions to assist the young emperor. Shangguan Jie was rewarded with the title of Marquis of Anyang for his contributions in suppressing the rebellion led by Mang Tong.
At first, the son of Shangguan Jie, Shangguan An, married the daughter of Huo Guang, and it was a match made in heaven. Every time Huo Guang came home on leave, Shangguan Jie helped him with government affairs. When Emperor Zhao of Han ascended the throne at the age of eight, his sister, Princess Eyi of Gaixiang, lived in the palace and took care of him. This princess was secretly involved with a Ding family member from Hejian. Emperor Zhao and Huo Guang knew about this, but they didn't say anything and even ordered him to continue serving the princess. The princess was looking for a concubine for the young Emperor and set her eyes on the daughter of Zhou Yangshi. At this time, Shangguan An wanted to get his daughter into the imperial palace.
Shangguan An wanted Huo Guang to help send his daughter into the palace, but Huo Guang thought she was too young and disagreed. Since Shangguan An had a good relationship with the Ding family member from Hejian, he found him and said, "I heard that Princess Eyi wants to choose a concubine for the emperor. My daughter is beautiful. If she can become the empress, our Shangguan family will have a higher status in the court, all thanks to your help! Think of the rewards! Marrying into the royal family means a title, you know!" The Ding family member was delighted to hear this and quickly told the princess. The princess thought it was a good idea and ordered Shangguan An's daughter to be brought into the palace and become a concubine of the Emperor. Shangguan An was also promoted and became a Cavalry Commandant. In less than a month, Shangguan An's daughter was made the empress, at the tender age of six.
Huo Yu, Marquis of Anping, inherited his father Huo Guang's title, with a fief of 1,500 households, and was later promoted to general. However, he became increasingly arrogant and indulgent, without a care in the world. Once, the emperor rewarded him with a banquet in the palace, and he shouted in front of the guests, "Come, let's have some fun with my son-in-law!" After seeing the guests' attire, he sent them back and wanted to burn everything himself. Huo Yu would run around naked in his house when drunk, sleeping around with his stepmother, his father's concubines, and maids. When his son died, he even screamed at the heavens. Huo Yu repeatedly pleaded with Grand General Huo Guang for favors for unrelated outsiders, even trying to secretly grant them official positions and salaries. Huo Guang played it straight and firmly refused. Another time, Huo Yu's father-in-law, Chongguo, committed a crime and was imprisoned, facing the death penalty as winter drew near. Huo Yu's wife, Gai Zhu, paid twenty horses to get him out, saving him from death. After this incident, Huo Yu and his son resented Huo Guang even more but owed their wife big time. They knew that Prince Yan, Liu Dan, was the emperor's brother who failed to inherit the throne and held a grudge. So Huo Yu and his son ratted Huo Guang out to Prince Yan, prompting him to write a letter denouncing Huo Guang while they kept trying to get favors for their friends.
King Yan was thrilled. He wrote to the emperor, saying: "Confucius criticized Zilu for keeping his mourning clothes on after his sister died. Zilu said, 'I unfortunately have few siblings, so I cannot bear to remove the mourning clothes.' That's the idea behind 'observe mistakes to know benevolence.' Now, only Your Majesty and I have one elder princess as siblings, but Your Majesty lets irrelevant outsiders serve her. He deserves a title, right?" After the memorial was presented, the emperor asked Huo Guang, who flatly refused. Later, someone accused Huo Guang of wrongdoing, and the emperor began to suspect him, becoming even closer to Huo Guang and distancing himself from Huo Yu and his son. Huo Yu and his son became increasingly angry, so they secretly plotted with King Yan to kill Huo Guang, then did it. They then deposed the emperor and enthroned Huo Yu. Someone asked, "What about the Empress Dowager?" Huo Yu said, "Would hunting dogs bother with the rabbits on the moon? Give me a break! Besides, even if the empress were to enjoy a noble position now, if the emperor changes his mind one day, it would be impossible for her to live as a commoner. It's now or never!" When the truth was revealed, King Yan and Gai Zhu both committed suicide. This account is recorded in "The Biography of Huo Guang."
The Huo Yus were wiped out, but the empress, being young and not involved in their conspiracy, and also being the granddaughter of Huo Guang, was not deposed. The empress's mother had passed away earlier and was buried on the east side of Maoling, posthumously honored as Lady Jingfu, and given a village of two hundred households to be guarded by a chief officer as stipulated. The Empress sent maids to tend Huo Yu and Huo Guang's graves.
Now, Emperor Guangwu's favorite Empress had a baby. At the time, the emperor was in poor health, and those around him, including the court physicians, flattered him, saying that the empress should stay in the palace to rest. The palace was broke. Servants barely had enough to eat, let alone anyone daring to offer anything to the Empress.
She became Empress at just ten years old, and when Emperor Guangwu died, she was around fourteen or fifteen. Later, Liu He took the throne and made her Empress Dowager. Together, they ousted Liu He and put Liu Xun on the throne, who became Emperor Xiaoxuan. Emperor Xiaoxuan was exceptionally filial and honored her as Grand Empress Dowager. She remained Grand Empress Dowager for forty-seven years and passed away at the age of fifty-two, buried together with Emperor Guangwu in Pingling.
Emperor Xiaoxuan's grandmother was Shi, the concubine of Prince Wei Liu Ju. (Empresses, concubines, and their sons were ranked in a hierarchy.) Shi's family originally hailed from the State of Lu; her mother was Lady Zhen, and her father was Shi Gong. In the fourth year of Yuanding, Shi became the concubine of Prince Wei and gave birth to a son, who was known as Shi's grandson.
During the later years of Emperor Wu, the witchcraft incident occurred, and Prince Wei, his concubine, and Shi's grandson all suffered. At that time, Shi's grandson also had a son, the baby. The baby was only a few months old when they jailed his father, and he didn't get out for five years. The official in charge, Bing Ji, saw the poor little thing and took him to Shi Gong. Shi Gong's elderly mother, Lady Zhen, was heartbroken when she saw her lonely grandson and raised him herself.
Later, this imperial great-grandson was sent to be raised in the imperial nursery and eventually became the emperor himself, known as Emperor Xiaoxuan. By then, his grandmother Zhenjun and his father Shi Gong had already passed away. Shi Gong's three sons were all given titles of marquises due to previous services. The eldest son, Shi Gao, was made Marquis of Leling, the second son, Shi Zeng, was made Marquis of Jiangling, and the third son, Shi Xuan, was made Marquis of Pingtai. Later, Shi Gao's son, Shi Dan, was also made Marquis of Wuyang for his achievements, making a total of four marquises from the Shi family. Shi Gao held the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard, while Shi Dan held the position of Left General. Their later deeds are recorded in historical texts.
It is said that the mother of Emperor Xuan of Han, Weng Xu, who was later titled Lady Wang, had already gained favor when Emperor Yuan of Han was still a grandson. At that time, the wives and concubines of the grandson did not have formal titles, and everyone referred to them as "household women." In the second year of Emperor Cheng of Han's reign, Emperor Xuan was born. Shortly after his birth, Crown Prince Wei and Emperor Yuan of Han (who was still a grandson at the time) were implicated in a purge, and the women in their households, including those referred to as "household women," were all executed and left to rot. Only Emperor Xuan fortunately survived.
Later, when Emperor Xuan became emperor, he posthumously honored his mother, Lady Wang, as Empress Diao, his grandmother, Shi Liangdi, as Empress Li, and had them reburied in a tomb, which was guarded by keepers. These events are recorded in the "Biography of Li Taizi."
In the third year of the reign of Emperor Xuan, he found his maternal grandmother, Lady Wang Yao. Her son and brother, for reasons unknown, had both accompanied the envoy to the palace. Lady Wang Yao was seated in a yellow ox cart, so the common people referred to her as "Yellow Ox Matron" (a nickname derived from her mode of transport).
At first, after the emperor ascended the throne, he sent people several times to find his relatives. After searching for a long time, many people who were found only looked similar but were not actually related. Finally, they found Old Madam Wang. The emperor asked the Emperor's top advisor and the chief minister, along with various personnel, to go to Old Madam Wang's hometown to investigate the matter. Everyone said it was her. Old Madam Wang claimed her name was fake and that her hometown was Liwu Ping Township in Zhuojun. She married the son of Wang Geng from the same village when she was fourteen years old. After Wang Geng's son died, she married a man named Wang Shishi of Guangwang and gave birth to two sons, Wugu and Wu, and a daughter, Weng Xu. When Weng Xu was eight or nine years old, she stayed at the house of Liu Zhongqing, the Marquis of Guangwang. Liu Zhongqing said to Wang Shishi, "Give Weng Xu to me; I will raise her myself." Old Madam Wang also made a silk shirt for Weng Xu and sent it to Liu Zhongqing's house. Liu Zhongqing taught Weng Xu to sing and dance, and Weng Xu frequently traveled between the two homes, changing clothes with the seasons. After living there for four or five years, Weng Xu returned to tell Old Madam Wang, "There is a person named Jia Chang'er in Handan who wants to find performers, and Liu Zhongqing wants to give me to him." Old Madam Wang hurriedly took Weng Xu back to Pingxiang. Liu Zhongqing went to find Old Madam Wang with Wang Shishi, and Old Madam Wang was very afraid. She took Weng Xu back and said, "The child has been living in my house without taking a penny. How can I give her to someone else?" Liu Zhongqing pretended and said, "It's nothing." After a few days, Weng Xu sat in Jia Chang'er's carriage and passed by the house, shouting, "I'm really leaving; I'm going to Liusu." Old Madam Wang and Wang Shishi went to Liusu and saw Weng Xu. The two of them cried bitterly, and Old Madam Wang said, "I want to explain it to you in person." Weng Xu replied, "It doesn't matter where I live. Explaining won't change anything." Old Madam Wang and Wang Shishi went back to find money. They followed Weng Xu all the way to Zhongshan Luniu, where they saw Weng Xu living with five other entertainers. Old Madam Wang and Weng Xu spent the night together. The next day, Wang Shishi stayed to take care of Weng Xu, and Old Madam Wang went back to find money, wanting to follow Weng Xu to Handan. When Old Madam Wang returned home, before she could sell things to buy travel expenses, Wang Shishi came back and said, "Weng Xu has already left, and I have no money to follow." They lost contact and never heard from her again.
Later, Jia Chang'er's wife Zhen and his attendant Shi Sui both testified, saying: "About twenty years ago, an attendant to the Prince named Hou Ming came from Chang'an to find entertainers here and took away Weng Xu and four others. Jia Chang'er's attendant Shi Sui escorted them to Chang'an, where they entered the Prince's service." Three respected elders from Guangwang, Liu Zhongqing's wife, and forty-five others also testified, and their accounts checked out. Ren Xuan reported in detail to the Emperor about Wang Yao's situation and her mourning the Empress Dowager. The Emperor summoned them all, ennobled Wugu and Wuxiong as Marquises, and within a month, rewarded them with a vast fortune in gold and silver. Soon after, the Emperor issued a decree giving the title of "Lady Boping" to the grandmother and granted her the revenue from 11,000 households in Boping and Liwu counties. Uncle Wugu was made Marquis of Pingchang, and Wu was made Marquis of Lechang, each given a fiefdom of 6,000 households.
At first, Si Shi died of illness in the fourth year of the Hanben era. Three years later, his family's fortunes suddenly changed, and the court posthumously ennobled him as Marquis of Sicheng. The Emperor also ordered the construction of a tomb and house for him in Zhuo County, set up a settlement for 400 families, and appointed officials to guard it according to regulations.
After more than a year, Lady Boping died and was posthumously named Lady Sicheng. The Emperor then ordered the relocation of Marquis Sicheng's tomb to the south of Fengming Gucheng Temple to be buried alongside Lady Boping and established a village and officials there, while also revoking the original Marquis Sicheng Village in Zhuo County. The Wang family produced two marquises—not your average family! Even more impressive, Si Shi's son Jie rose to the rank of General of the Chariot Cavalry; and his grandson Shang actually became Prime Minister. Their family's rise is a matter of historical record.
Empress Xu, mother of Emperor Xuan, had a father named Xu Guanghan, a native of Changyi. When he was young, he served the King of Changyi. Once, while accompanying Emperor Wu of Han to Ganquan Palace, he accidentally took someone else's saddle for his own horse. When the truth came to light, the officials wanted to punish him for theft, which was a capital offense. However, the Emperor pardoned him and sent him to work in the imperial palace's silkworm rooms. Later, he rose to the position of a eunuch.
During the rebellion of Shangguan Jie, a search was conducted at Xu Guanghan's residence, where they found thousands of lengths of rope, several feet long each, neatly tied in a box. Others could not find these ropes, but Xu Guanghan himself could not. Because of this, Xu Guanghan was sentenced to "ghost salary" (a brutal punishment) and was sent to Yeting, where he later became the keeper. At that time, Emperor Xuan of Han was growing up in Yeting and was known as the emperor's great-grandson, living in the same courtyard as Xu Guanghan.
Yeting Commander Zhang He was a former official of the Prince of Wei's residence, and after the Prince of Wei was deposed, Zhang He was also punished. But due to their previous relationship, Zhang He took special care of the emperor's great-grandson. When the great-grandson grew up, Zhang He wanted to marry his granddaughter to him. At that time, Emperor Zhao of Han had just come of age and was very tall (approximately 2.5 meters). Zhang He's brother, Zhang Anshi, was the Right General and assisted in the court alongside Huo Guang. When Zhang Anshi heard about Zhang He's plan to marry his granddaughter to the emperor's great-grandson, he was furious and said, "The emperor's great-grandson is a descendant of the Prince of Wei. It's already good enough to let him live as a commoner in the palace. Don't mention marrying off your daughter to him again!" So Zhang He gave up on the idea.
At this time, Xu Guanghan had a daughter named Pingjun, who was fourteen or fifteen years old. She was originally supposed to marry the son of the intended groom's family. Just as the wedding was about to take place, the intended groom passed away. His family wanted to consult a fortune teller, who predicted that their daughter would become wealthy and noble in the future, which made them very happy. When Zhang He heard that Xu Guanghan had a daughter, he hosted a banquet and invited Xu Guanghan to drink. After three rounds of drinks, Zhang He said, "The Emperor's grandson is now in a prestigious position. Although he comes from a humble background, he is a nobleman now. How about marrying your daughter to him?" Xu Guanghan agreed. The next day, Xu Guanghan's wife heard about this and was very angry. However, Xu Guanghan still insisted on marrying his daughter to the Emperor's grandson. A year later, Emperor Yuan was born. Several months later, the Emperor's grandson was crowned emperor, and Xu Pingjun became a concubine.
At that time, Huo Guang had a young daughter who had a close relationship with the Empress Dowager. The court was debating the next Empress, and everyone leaned towards choosing Huo Guang's daughter, but no one dared to speak openly. The emperor then ordered the search for his childhood sword, and the officials got the hint and recommended appointing Xu Pingjun as Empress. After Xu Pingjun was made Empress, Huo Guang considered Xu Guanghan's past punishment and decided that he was not suitable for an important position in the court, so he was only made Changcheng Jun after more than a year.
Huo Guang's wife, also known as Lady Huo, was eager to elevate her young daughter, but she could not find a way to do so. The following year, Empress Xu became pregnant and fell ill. There was a female doctor named Chunyu Yan, whom Lady Huo liked very much and often visited the palace to care for the empress. Chunyu Yan's husband, Shang, was a guard in the imperial palace, and he asked Chunyu Yan to greet Lady Huo and help him secure a position in the Anchi Monitoring Bureau. Chunyu Yan did as her husband said and visited Lady Huo.
Lady Huo took the opportunity to speak privately to Chunyu Yan and said, "Your husband asked me to do something for him, and I also want to help you, alright?" Chunyu Yan said, "Lady, I'm all ears." Lady Huo said, "General (Huo Guang) has always liked my daughter Cheng Jun and wants her to get ahead. I want you to help." Chunyu Yan asked, "What do you want me to do?" Lady Huo said, "Giving birth is a risky business; most women don't make it. The Empress is about to give birth; you can take this opportunity to poison her, so that my daughter can become the Empress. If successful, we'll share the spoils." Chunyu Yan asked, "It's a complicated poison; should we test it first to make sure it works?" Lady Huo said, "You're in charge of this. With the General backing us, who's gonna say anything? Unless you're chicken!" Chunyu Yan hesitated for a long time, and finally said, "I'll give it a shot." Then she ground up Aconite (a highly toxic herb) and brought it into Changding Palace.
After the Empress gave birth, Chunyu Yan gave the ground Aconite and other pills to the Empress. After a while, the Empress said, "My head is spinning; is there poison in the medicine?" Chunyu Yan said, "No." The Empress then felt uncomfortable and died. After Chunyu Yan came out, she met Lady Huo, chatted briefly, and Lady Huo was too scared to thank Chunyu Yan properly. Later, someone reported to the authorities, saying that the doctors who treated the Empress were not responsible and were all arrested and accused of neglecting their duties. Lady Huo was very afraid and quickly told Huo Guang about the situation, saying, "It's done. Don't let them go after Chunyu Yan!" Huo Guang was speechless, terrified. Later, the court reported this case, and Huo Guang instructed that Chunyu Yan should not be held responsible.
Empress Xu died three years after ascending the throne. She was posthumously named Empress Gong'ai and buried south of Duling, thus the name Duling Nanyuan.
Five years later, the emperor appointed a crown prince and conferred the title of Ping'en Marquis (a high-ranking noble) with the official position of a special appointment to Chang Chengjun Guanghan, the crown prince's maternal grandfather. Four years later, the emperor also conferred titles on Guanghan's two younger brothers: one named Shun as Bowang Marquis and the other named Yanshou as Lecheng Marquis. That made three marquis in Empress Xu's family. After Guanghan passed away, he was posthumously named Daihou. He had no sons, so that branch of the family died out. He was buried next to the Southern Garden, and three hundred households were allocated as his fief, to be managed by the local official in charge according to regulations. During the reign of Emperor Xuan, Yanshou was promoted to Grand Marshal and Cavalry General, assisting in political affairs. Under Emperor Yuan, Yanshou's son Jia was appointed as Ping'en Marquis to care for Daihou's widow, and Yanshou also became Grand Marshal and Cavalry General.
Empress Huo, wife of Emperor Xiaoxuan, had a powerful dad: Grand Marshal and General Huo Guang. Her mother, Xian, was the brains behind the assassination of Empress Xu, ordering Chunyu Yan to do the deed. Xian, busy sending gifts and supplies to Chang Chengjun and getting things ready for the palace, convinced Huo Guang to push his daughter into the imperial family. And it worked – Huo became empress.
At first, Queen Xu came from a humble background and became empress shortly after. She dressed simply, visiting the Empress Dowager at Changle Palace every five days, personally serving her meals and being incredibly filial. Later, Queen Huo succeeded her and also followed Queen Xu's example. However, the Empress Dowager was Queen Huo's niece, so she always treated Queen Huo with great respect. Queen Huo traveled in extravagant style, showering officials with millions, a world of difference from Queen Xu's reign! The Emperor was totally smitten with her and they'd often sneak off together in the palace. After three years as empress, the Emperor kicked the bucket. A year later, he named Queen Xu's son crown prince, known as Prince Changcheng, later titled the Marquis of Ping'en. Huo Guang was very angry, not eating or drinking, vomiting blood, and cursing, saying, "He's just a commoner's kid! Why make *him* crown prince? If the queen has a son in the future, would he not become king?" He even goaded the queen into poisoning the crown prince. The queen summoned the crown prince for meals several times, but the nanny always tasted the food first, so the poison never worked. Later, when Huo Guang's plot to off Queen Xu was blown, he and his son-in-law and brothers cooked up a rebellion, but they were all discovered and executed. The court issued a decree to Queen Xu, stating, "The queen's gone off the rails, plotting against everyone, and she's failed as a mother. She doesn't deserve to wear those temple robes and can't carry the weight of Heaven. What a shame! She's out of the palace, and the seal and ribbon go to the authorities." Queen Huo reigned for five years, was kicked out, and sent to Zhaotai Palace. Twelve years later, she was moved to Yunlin Pavilion, and eventually killed herself, buried on the east side of Kunwu Pavilion.
Right off the bat, Huo Guang and his brother, the top general Huo Qubing, were made marquises for their war heroics – big shots, both of them. Thanks to Huo Guang, Emperor Xuan also gave marquis titles to Huo Qubing’s grandson, Huo Shan, and his brother, Huo Yun – making it four marquises total. The empress dowager's family had gotten a marquis title way back when, under the first emperor, and that title had passed down to her dad, Feng Guang. Feng Guang was a cockfighting fanatic when he was young, and the emperor – back when he was just a regular guy – used to bet on birds with him. That's how they met. Feng Guang had a teenage daughter who couldn't seem to get married; every fiancé would drop dead! So, when the emperor took the throne, he called her to the palace, and she worked her way up to concubine. The other empresses – the ones from Guantao, Huayang, and Chu – were all in the emperor's good graces too. The emperor dumped Empress Huo – felt bad for the little prince, who’d lost his mom and almost got bumped off by the Huo clan. So he picked a quiet concubine, no kids, and made her empress to raise the prince. As empress, she barely saw the emperor, no special treatment. But her dad got a marquis title. She was empress for sixteen years, until the emperor kicked the bucket. Then she became empress dowager when Emperor Yuan became emperor. And her brother Shun? Marquis of Anping, that's him. Two years later, her dad died. They gave him the title of ‘Gonghou’ after he was gone, buried him south of Changmen, and gave him 200 households with officials to keep things in order.
After Emperor Yuan passed away, Emperor Cheng ascended to the throne, and Grand Empress Dowager Wang became the Grand Empress Dowager. Her younger brother Jun was made Marquis of Guannei, with a fief of one thousand households. The Wang family produced two marquises in total, one Marquis of Guannei—pretty impressive! Her brother Shun's son Zhang and his cousin Xian both reached the high positions of Left and Right Generals. Interestingly, Emperor Cheng's mother also had the surname Wang, so everyone referred to the Grand Empress Dowager as "Grand Empress Dowager Qiongcheng."
Grand Empress Dowager Qiongcheng served as Empress and Grand Empress Dowager for a total of forty-nine years, living to over seventy years old. She died in the first year of the Yongshi era and was buried alongside Emperor Xuan in Duling, in a tomb called Dongyuan. Her grandson Xun committed a crime but was ultimately pardoned. During the Yuanshi era, Emperor Cheng's mother issued a decree saying, "I deeply cherish the bond between Empress Xiaoxuan, who was my aunt, and Grand Empress Dowager Qiongcheng. This bond has always been in my heart. Unfortunately, the title of Marquis of Qiongcheng has been abolished, which I regret. Therefore, let's make the great-grandson of Marquis Gong, Jian Gu, the Marquis of Qiongcheng!" The title remained until Wang Mang usurped the throne.
