When the palace announced that I was being elevated to Noble Consort, everyone in my family looked grim.
Everyone understood the principle that great merit can threaten the throne.
My father’s achievements were already so great that there was nothing left to reward him with.
This rank of Noble Consort was a naked warning.
If I wanted to keep my whole family safe, I had to hand the emperor a weakness of mine-something he could hold over me and use to put his mind at ease.
Father, Mother, your daughter is off to be arrogant by imperial command!
Starting today, I’m going to be the most outrageously overbearing little menace in the harem!