Noble Consort – the consort position closest to that of Empress.

The Great Ming’s two Noble Consorts, Noble Consort Hu and Noble Consort Chengmu Sun, both met unfortunate ends. Lady Hu served as Noble Consort for over ten years before her entire clan was exterminated. Noble Consort Chengmu Sun held the position for just over a year. Though deeply loved by the Emperor and Empress, she was unlucky – she died after enjoying wealth and honor for only a few days, making the Noble Consort position seem like a death warrant.

Despite these cautionary examples, the enormous temptation of the Noble Consort position couldn’t be resisted. The consorts of the Eastern and Western Six Palaces, especially those holding the rank of consort, regardless of their outward appearance, were inwardly sharpening their knives and charging toward the Noble Consort position.

Except for the recently escaped “remarried” wooden beauty Consort Dading, who became ill with fright upon hearing that Empress Ma would select a Noble Consort. She sought medical treatment daily, remained behind closed doors, and resolutely avoided getting involved.

The Ming dynasty’s rear palace had nine consort positions in total. Among the nine consorts, Noble Consort was most prestigious, Virtuous Consort second, and Gentle Consort third.

Therefore, the first seed candidate was naturally Virtuous Consort Li, who had given birth to a little prince. Virtuous Consort Li had once been virtuous and lovable, beyond reproach. She had a good temper, good reputation, and high status. Having no children herself, Empress Ma had entrusted the baby princess to her care.

But Virtuous Consort Li tasted the benefits of raising the little princess, which sparked her latent ambitions. She used the child as a tool for competing for favor. After becoming pregnant, she became less devoted to caring for the little princess. Empress Ma wasn’t someone who would use innocent children to trap and hinder consorts, so she transferred the little princess to the care of Sun, whom she trusted most and who was then still a Gentle Consort.

Virtuous Consort Li was blessed with a dragon son who was already one year old. Emperor Hongwu was very fond of his chubby little son and often visited the mother and child. Virtuous Consort Li was in her prime in the palace. She lived in Changchun Palace in the Western Six Palaces. Without Noble Consort Chengmu Sun, Virtuous Consort Li was the highest-ranking consort in the Western Palace, commonly called the Western Palace Lady.

The second seed candidate was Gentle Consort Li, who was currently raising the little princess. She lived in Yonghe Palace in the Eastern Six Palaces and was currently the Eastern Palace Lady, enjoying “guarded quarters” treatment when summoned for imperial favor.

Gentle Consort Li vaguely possessed some of Noble Consort Chengmu Sun’s character – not competing or fighting, obeying Empress Ma’s every command.

When Empress Ma asked her to take over raising the little princess, she treated the princess as if she had given birth to her herself. She sought child-rearing advice everywhere. The little princess now spoke and recognized people, calling her “Mother Consort” repeatedly, making Gentle Consort Li beam with joy as if having a daughter fulfilled everything.

Gentle Consort Li didn’t use the little princess as a tool for competing for favor. When Emperor Hongwu came to see the little princess, she would simply carry the princess over, then step aside, letting Emperor Hongwu play with the babbling princess while she quietly watched their family happiness from the side, never actively approaching or seeking favor.

The result of Gentle Consort Li’s behavior was that Emperor Hongwu’s impression of her grew better and he respected her more, but he rarely slept with her… Gentle Consort Li’s belly remained unchanged.

In contrast, Virtuous Consort Li at Changchun Palace often used reasons like the little prince crying, having a fever, or missing his father emperor to “steal” Emperor Hongwu to Changchun Palace. She deliberately dieted to restore her graceful figure, and Emperor Hongwu often stayed overnight at Changchun Palace.

So the number one seed Western Palace Lady Virtuous Consort Li showed considerable momentum for pursuing a “second child.” Using her childbearing achievements, the west wind overwhelmed the east wind, clearly suppressing the number two seed Eastern Palace Lady Gentle Consort Li.

However, Empress Ma clearly favored Gentle Consort Li’s style, which resembled Noble Consort Chengmu’s approach. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have elevated Gentle Consort Li by entrusting her with raising the little princess. If Gentle Consort Li could mature, help Empress Ma with her worries, and prove capable of support, she still had a good chance of winning the Noble Consort position.

However, Emperor Hongwu’s rear palace was turbulent with talented people emerging. The grand drama of competing for the Noble Consort position wasn’t just a duet between Eastern Palace Lady Virtuous Consort Li and Western Palace Lady Gentle Consort Li.

Please welcome the third seed candidate, Consort Guo Hui.

Consort Guo Hui had impressive connections – Empress Ma’s adoptive father Guo Zixing was Consort Guo Hui’s biological father.

When Guo Zixing was merely a wandering knight among the common people, Empress Ma’s landlord father was very righteous, often providing financial support. The two were sworn brothers.

When her father died during wartime chaos and clan members seized property, leaving the orphaned daughter and widowed mother with no way to survive, they sought refuge with Guo Zixing. By then, Guo Zixing had become the leader of a peasant rebel group. He took in Empress Ma as his adopted daughter and protected the mother and daughter.

Guo Zixing had one wife and one concubine. His wife bore three sons before dying. His concubine Lady Zhang bore one daughter. So Guo Zixing nominally had two daughters – adopted daughter Lady Ma and biological daughter Lady Guo. Lady Ma and Lady Guo were companions in their boudoir, close friends.

Historical records state that Guo Zixing treated Lady Ma as his own daughter, but no one knew Lady Ma’s actual living conditions in the Guo household.

Guo Zixing arranged for Lady Ma to marry his subordinate Zhu Yuanzhang. Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly called Guo Zixing “father-in-law,” establishing a son-in-law relationship.

Later, as Zhu Yuanzhang repeatedly achieved extraordinary feats, Guo Zixing became suspicious and stripped him of military authority. He transferred away Zhu Yuanzhang’s fellow Fengyang natives and trusted generals like Xu Da and Chang Yuchun, imprisoned him, and prepared for execution.

Empress Ma hid cooked flatbread in her clothes to visit her husband. When she took out the food, the skin on her chest was blistered from the burning bread.

Historical records state: “Secretly cooked bread, carried in bosom, flesh was burned.”

Additionally, Empress Ma offered all their family wealth to Guo Zixing’s concubine Madam Zhang, taking out her finest clothes and jewelry to give to Madam Zhang’s daughter Lady Guo, begging this mother and daughter to help plead with Guo Zixing to spare her husband Zhu Yuanzhang.

Through actions and words, Empress Ma and Zhu Yuanzhang demonstrated their couple’s unwavering loyalty to the Guo family, willing to dedicate their property and lives to the Guo family, with absolutely no intention of betraying them, willing to serve the Guo family like oxen and horses for life.

Only then did Guo Zixing believe in his adopted daughter and her husband’s sincerity, releasing Zhu Yuanzhang and restoring his position.

After his release, Zhu Yuanzhang’s power grew increasingly strong. When Guo Zixing died of illness, his son Guo Tianxu inherited the Guo family’s territory and military force. But Guo Tianxu was betrayed by his subordinates and died miserably. Zhu Yuanzhang swore to avenge Guo Tianxu, killed the traitors, and recaptured the city.

Although Guo Zixing still had another son, Guo Tianjue, Zhu Yuanzhang enjoyed popular support and became the leader, inheriting the Guo family’s territory and army.

Subsequently, Zhu Yuanzhang took Guo Zixing’s only daughter Lady Guo as a concubine, and she became sisters with Empress Ma again in the form of wife and concubine. This time, positions were reversed – Empress Ma went from being a dependent adopted daughter to the legitimate wife, while Lady Guo went from being the master’s precious daughter to a concubine ranking below Empress Ma.

The following year, Guo Zixing’s only surviving son Guo Tianjue raised troops to overthrow Zhu Yuanzhang and reclaim the Guo family property.

This time, Zhu Yuanzhang didn’t give Guo Tianjue a second chance, quickly suppressed the rebellion, and killed Guo Tianjue.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang completely exterminated the Guo family, he still treated his father-in-law Guo Zixing well. In the third year of Hongwu, he posthumously enfeoffed Guo Zixing as Prince Xuyang.

Only dead opponents are good opponents. Zhu Yuanzhang confidently enfeoffed his father-in-law Guo Zixing as a prince with a different surname because he was already dead.

No one knew how Lady Guo felt learning that her family had been destroyed by her husband’s hand. Empress Ma treated Lady Guo well and forbade anyone from showing her disrespect, but Empress Ma didn’t trust Lady Guo – she only confided in Noble Consort Sun, who shared her experience as an adopted daughter.

Perhaps to avoid being cursed by posterity for ingratitude toward Guo Zixing, Emperor Hongwu continuously showed “grace and favor” to Lady Guo, enfeoffing her as Consort Hui.

The evidence was that Consort Guo Hui was the most prolific child-bearer among the Eastern and Western Six Palaces’ consorts. She bore three princes: Prince Shu Zhu Chun, Prince Dai Zhu Gui, and Prince Gu Zhu Quan, plus two princesses, Princess Yongjia and Princess Ruyang – five children total.

Consort Guo Hui had an impressively connected father who was a prince with a different surname and Emperor Hongwu’s benefactor, plus the “outstanding achievement” of bearing five children for the imperial family. Moreover, during her fifteen years in the rear palace, Consort Guo Hui averaged one child every three years, working “diligently and conscientiously,” quietly causing no trouble. Having remained at the consort rank for so long without any promotion seemed almost unreasonable.

If Emperor Hongwu and Empress Ma were concerned about reputation, they might appease Consort Guo Hui with the Noble Consort position. Therefore, Consort Guo Hui was also a formidable competitor for the Noble Consort position.

The fourth seed candidate was Consort Guo Ning. Both surnamed Guo, Consort Guo Ning’s background was completely different from Consort Guo Hui’s awkward and difficult circumstances – it could be called “perfectly legitimate,” extraordinarily good!

When Emperor Hongwu’s army passed Consort Guo Ning’s home, her father Guo Shanfu showed keen insight in recognizing the hero. He not only offered fine wine and food but also pushed his daughter Lady Guo into Emperor Hongwu’s tent for the night. Additionally, he commanded his sons Guo Xing and Guo Ying to join Emperor Hongwu’s army and charge into battle.

Lady Guo’s two brothers Guo Xing and Guo Ying were both brave fighters who repeatedly achieved great feats. After the Great Ming’s founding, Emperor Hongwu enfeoffed Guo Xing as Marquis Gongchang and Guo Ying as Marquis Wuding, while making Lady Guo Consort Ning.

Consort Guo Ning bore the tenth prince, Prince Lu Zhu Tan. With her excellent background and family connections, plus having borne a prince, Consort Guo Ning was naturally a strong competitor for the Noble Consort position.

Both surnamed Guo and living in the Eastern Six Palaces, Consort Guo Hui lived in Jingyang Palace while Consort Guo Ning lived in Zhongcui Palace – they were neighbors.

First seed Virtuous Consort Li, second seed Gentle Consort Li, third seed Consort Guo Hui, fourth seed Consort Guo Ning. Thus, the Noble Consort position became a contest between “two Lis and two Guos” – the four consorts given the most hope by the rear palace.

Hu Shanwei summarized the current “battle report.” She felt the mastermind was likely hidden among the “two Lis and two Guos,” as each had reason to threaten Empress Ma:

“Virtuous and gentle” Virtuous Consort Li – the consort closest to the Noble Consort position. The little prince had fueled her ambitions. Without Empress Ma, Virtuous Consort Li would have the highest rank in the palace.

“Tranquil and inactive” Gentle Consort Li – Hu Shanwei couldn’t see through her. She seemed incapable of competing for favor or power. Was she truly planning to coast through palace life without desires, or was she deeply scheming, deliberately imitating the late Noble Consort Chengmu Sun to gain imperial favor? If the latter, once Gentle Consort Li was enfeoffed as Noble Consort and Empress Ma died, she would likely become the next empress – Gentle Consort Li was still young, and if she bore a legitimate heir as empress then…

“Deep hatred and resentment” Consort Guo Hui – the Guo clan was exterminated, and their power became Zhu Yuanzhang’s first pot of gold. Consort Guo Hui bore five children for her “clan-destroying enemy” Emperor Hongwu. What tremendously strong and enduring inner strength she must have! With her status completely reversed from Empress Ma’s, didn’t she hate? Didn’t she resent?

“Perfectly legitimate” Consort Guo Ning – she had two biological brothers controlling military power and a son. Especially Marquis Wuding Guo Ying, who also commanded the Imperial Guards! If Consort Guo Ning became empress, the tenth prince Prince Lu would become a legitimate heir. Note that even the Crown Prince was born of a concubine. According to Hu Shanwei’s conspiracy theory, this was simply the perfect configuration for rebellion and usurpation!

Especially since Consort Guo Ning’s maternal relatives were powerful enough to investigate the silkworm mother’s true identity and make promises to cooperate with her. Hu Shanwei circled Consort Guo Ning’s name in red ink and summoned Ji Gang, asking him to use the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s informants to watch Marquis Wuding Guo Ying and Marquis Gongchang Guo Xing.

However, the next day, Hu Shanwei began doubting her judgment. A minor censor in court petitioned Emperor Hongwu to erect a monument for Prince Xuyang Guo Zixing and place his spirit tablet in the Imperial Ancestral Temple alongside the Great Ming’s founding officials, to receive incense offerings from imperial descendants forever.

Many officials seconded the motion, requesting Emperor Hongwu’s approval.

Upon hearing this news, Hu Shanwei’s head grew huge: “What’s happening?”

Empress Ma calmly said, “Someone couldn’t contain themselves and made the first move.”

Hu Shanwei: “Consort Guo Hui has been quietly bearing and raising children in the palace. Does she have such great influence outside that people respond to her call? Erecting a monument for her father and sending him to the Imperial Ancestral Temple?”

Empress Ma laughed: “You’re still too young. This isn’t Consort Guo Hui’s doing. Someone is targeting Consort Guo Hui, trying to bind her hands and feet, roast her over the fire, and make her voluntarily give up competing for the Noble Consort position.”