Beloved Empress

Beloved Empress, by Shui Yun Xing, tells the story of a woman consumed by a foolish love for the emperor, her obsession leading to jealousy, madness, and her public humiliation over two years of marriage without his favor. This ultimately results in her tragic death via an affair. Reborn as a new person, she resolves to embody virtue, generosity, and correctness as the empress, eschewing her past jealousy. Her new approach to the harem life involves actively finding and introducing beautiful women to the emperor, even encouraging concubines on how to win his affection and offering the phoenix seal as a reward for those who can impress him. This unparalleled virtue, she believes, should please the emperor. However, he reacts negatively, reprimanding her and rejecting the women she sends. Adapting again, she then tries introducing handsome men, but they are also dismissed. Frustrated, the empress confronts the emperor, suspecting a hidden ailment and offering her assistance. The emperor, his interest piqued by her inquiry, demands she serve him that night, leading to a painful encounter for him and her concern for his well-being, further convincing her of his "unmentionable illness."