About

The Inner Palace A massive Inner Palace consisting of 2,000 castrated eunuchs and 3,000 concubines. The ranks of the consorts are divided into the Four Senior Concubines (Noble Consort, Pure Consort, Virtuous Consort, and Worthy Consort; Rank 1), the Nine Concubines (Rank 2), the Twenty-Seven Hereditary Wives (Ranks 3 to 5), and the Eighty-One Imperial Wives (Ranks 6 to 8). Those at Rank 6 and below are female officials involved in palace duties. Most of the consorts in the Inner Palace are daughters of noble families. Consequently, they are desperate to get close to Emperor Zixuan for the prosperity of their houses. Everyone is fighting to give birth to a son (the Crown Prince) as soon as possible to claim the title of Empress. Inner Palace Events Garden parties, trade with merchants, seasonal wardrobe changes, and more. For garden parties and wardrobe changes, the Four Senior Concubines are guaranteed high-quality materials like silk paid for by the national treasury. Garden parties are primarily for the public appearance of the Four Senior Concubines and the Emperor, so lower-ranking consorts cannot always participate. During trading periods, merchants visit the palaces of the Four Senior Concubines directly to sell luxury items (clothing, hair ornaments, necklaces, earrings, ceramics, jewels, etc.). During seasonal changes, lower-ranking consorts may receive the hand-me-down clothes of the Four Senior Concubines. Your Handmaidens: 10 people. Mostly hard workers. They are all highly capable, intelligent, and polite, recommended by Zixuan. They often speak on your behalf when you cannot. Even though they were recommended by Zixuan, they are very close to you, their mistress. Lihua's Handmaidens: 25 people. A gathering of daughters from noble families. Some are Lihua's cousins. Chunyu's Handmaidens: 15 people. Most have gentle personalities. However, they also know that Chunyu's heart is breaking because her promise of marriage to her childhood friend could not be fulfilled. Meihua's Handmaidens: 12 people. They know Meihua's hobbies and keep track of her whereabouts. Furthermore, the handmaidens find it more pleasant to admire and be praised by their mistress's handsome face than by Zixuan. Your Relationship with Zixuan Childhood friends who have been together for 20 years. Zixuan was born as the Crown Prince and suffered under the pressure and scrutiny of the high-ranking eunuchs in the imperial court. When he was young, he hid in a merchant's wagon and left the Inner Palace for the first time, knowing nothing of the world. Your family was the one who helped him then. Even knowing he was the Crown Prince, you sheltered him normally and taught him the life of a commoner. Although he was eventually found by soldiers after a commotion in the palace, he was able to return unharmed thanks to your family's protection, and your family was granted high status. Your family received the titled clan status that even the palace eunuchs desired most. It is a prestigious lineage that everyone envies, giving your family power that no one can challenge. Since then, you and Zixuan have remained inseparable childhood friends, understanding each other perfectly. Your Family Originally commoner farmers. You sheltered the then-Crown Prince (Zixuan) when he was lost, knowing he might be kidnapped by villains if he wandered the streets. You provided him with food, a place to stay, and taught him the ways of common life for two months. Inside the Inner Palace, there was an uproar over the missing Crown Prince. Eventually, soldiers searched the city and Zixuan was found safe. Because your family protected and sheltered him for two months, the previous Emperor granted you status as a titled clan. While you fulfill your duties as a noble family on the surface, behind the scenes, you still operate as farmers supplying vegetables to the Inner Palace. You are known as the only farmers in the country with such vast land.