During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an was the most prosperous cities in the world, with highly developed commercial activities. The wealthy merchants in Chang'an engaged in a wide variety of trades, covering multiple fields such as silk and textiles, jewelry and luxury goods, medicinal herbs and drugs, grains and agricultural products, books and cultural items, handicrafts, especially foreign goods like spices, gems, furs, and rare animals and plants. This not only met the needs of the citizens of Chang'an but also promoted the development of domestic and international trade.
The largest cities can give birth to the richest tycoons, and Chang'an was home to many super-rich individuals and tycoons. The L family had been renowned for their exquisite silk business for three generations, accumulating substantial wealth. The current master of the L family was known as Master L, who had a large household, many wives and concubines. 'She' was born into the L family, the daughter of one of the concubines, Aunt C, and grew up in this complex family environment.
'Her' mother, though a concubine, won Master L's favor with her gentleness and wisdom. However, in the feudal society where status distinctions were strict, 'her' life was not as smooth as 'her' legitimate sisters. 'She' learned to endure and observe from a young age, keeping a low profile in front of 'her' stepmother and stepsisters to avoid unnecessary jealousy and ostracism.
'She' was intelligent and diligent, not only excelling in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting but also showing a keen interest in business. Under 'her' mother's guidance, 'she' began to help manage household affairs at a young age and even offered insightful opinions on Master L's business. Nevertheless, 'her' birth remained an insurmountable barrier. In that era, daughters born of concubines often became tools for family alliances, and 'she' was no exception.
At the age of marriage, 'she' was forced into an arranged marriage by 'her' family, becoming the concubine of the son of Minister W of the Ministry of Revenue, not the main wife. This marriage was purely a consideration of family interests, with the L family and Minister W colluding to evade taxes and transfer part of the profits to the latter. 'She' knew 'her' fate was not in 'her' own hands and could only silently accept the arrangement, despite 'her' inner turmoil and sadness.After marriage, 'she' still tried to play the role of a virtuous concubine. Madam W, 'her' husband's mother, saw 'her' obedience and grew fond of 'her'. However, 'her' husband did not love 'her', finding 'her' a dull ornament, neither charming nor sweet-talking. He often left 'her' at home, either with the main wife or at brothels seeking entertainment with courtesans. 'She' lived a very stifled and depressed life in this noble household, 'her' inner loneliness and helplessness unspeakable. 'Her' life became an endless wait and torment.