Empress Yū Miko, a Woman’s Ambition - Part 2: The Rise of an Empress

THIRTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO.

Before she became the Great Empress of Akishino, Yū Miko was the daughter of a commander named Fūma Norihori, and her family belonged to the Northern Plain Red Banner. They were considered a link to the imperial family, the clan claiming to be the direct descendants of the country very first ruler, the legendary Ashoki No Iju—a god incarnate emperor.

The Northern Plain Red Banner lost power in the later years of Emperor Changzou's Dynasty, and the political faction was by far the minority within the government.

The Wongarasu clan who is said to have ruled the land first before the conquest of Emperor Ashoki No Iju was a strong opposition to the Northern Plain Red Banner; being the majority in court, and the most dominant political faction occupying influential posts within the government.

Despite efforts to reconcile the hostile groups together, the conflict between the two political factions couldn't be controlled and intensified, threatening the unity of the imperial administration.

Over the years, any attempts of reconciliation were meaningless because of their fight for dominance, and a long standing argument over which one of the clan was the true ancestor of the imperial line.

However, an opportunity arose to change the dynamics of power within the government.

When Emperor Changzou, the young prince Akishino's uncle, was deposed and exiled; a power struggle arose between the two clans.

While Empress Dowager Sasara wanted to pass the throne to her grandson Akishino, she was met with opposition by the Wongarasu who supported prince Jangryol, Emperor Changzou's son.

Hence, Dōkan, father of the deposed Emperor's wife, seized power as a regent under the false pretences of keeping the government stable until the matter of the succession was resolved.

However, young General Yun Hishoku believing that Dōkan's true intentions were to seize the throne for himself, rose in rebellion.

The Northern Plain Red Banner saw an opportunity to increase their influence by supporting Prince Akishino, and commander Fūma Norihori joined General Yun Hishoku.

A number of violent clashes erupted, and the conflict came to head in a battle where the Wongarasu clan was defeated.

By making Prince Akishino emperor, the Northern Plain Red Banner ousted the Wongarasu and toppled the government supporting the Changzou Dynasty; causing them to finally regain the power they had lost for a generation. This led to the appearance of influential politicians, and they became the dominant political faction within the administration.

All Wongarasu supporters of the Changzou Dynasty were purged, either banished or executed, and the son of deposed Emperor Changzou was exiled.

To avert a possible future power struggle between the two clans, the administration required an alliance with the Imperial House. The prime minister, and the vice minister of civil service affairs—who had the power to appoint people as officials—and the vice minister of defense, were all selected from the Northern Plain Red Banner.

It meant that the clan was now in control of both appointment of new officials and military personnel, thus having the power to completely remove and prevent the Wongarasu from the administration. And in that effect, those from the Wongarasu clan who remained neutral during the conflict were sent to remote rural locations and given non important posts.

The outnumbered Wongarasu were powerless, and the feud finally ended with the creation of an entirely Northern Plain Red Banner government.

Yes, the Wongarasu were powerless but not eliminated—the little grain which is allow to germinate can slowly grow to a strong tree. And History taught us one thing: Empire that rise will one day fall, and every revolution carries within it the seeds of its own destruction. 

Next, Prince Akishino acceded to the throne as the new emperor at the age of twelve. Empress Dowager Sasara retained the imperial powers and coruled with the prime minister until the young emperor was of age to receive the authority to govern.

Furthermore, the clan succeeded in solidifying their authority with the ratification of an agreement requiring that only women within the Northern Plain Red Banner could be selected as wives for the imperial family.

Accordingly, Yū Miko, daughter of Commander Fūma Norihori, and descendant of the very first emperor, Emperor Ashoki No Iju, was selected to be an imperial consort for Emperor Akishino.

Yū Miko entered the palace at the age of fifteen. She was three years older than her future husband. She spend the following three years being trained, and was initiated into forms of acceptable behaviour befitting an empress. And she learned arts such as painting, embroidery, dancing and playing instruments. She also learned writing, reading, literature and history.

While she received her education, she also lived with and served the Empress Dowager Sasara and took care of her daily needs. Coming from a noble family, those menial tasks were insulting, like a slap in the face, and she grew resentful of her life in the palace.

Throughout her education, she was begrudging that her interest in politics was met with resistance and scornful words from her male tutors—"Why would you even try to learn the mechanisms of politics, for I am told, you can't even manage basic embroidery stitches? Putting aside the fact that the law forbid women to interfere with affairs of state and that you are challenging the established order; simply put, as a woman, you do not have the same brain capacity as a man to understand such intricate matters. This is not your fault, but nature's fault."

Indeed, she was not comfortable in accepting the role of doting wife she was being trained for.

The years passed, and at the age of twenty years old, following the accidental death of the Empress Dowager, Yū Miko was finally crown empress.

At twenty-three years old, she finally gave birth to a son, First Prince Taizong. He was a miracle after she had tragically lost three daughters at birth.

At the age of fifty-three, on the day of her son's coronation, the thoughts filling her mind were not about the loss of her husband Emperor Akishino, but were about the excitement in finally bringing to life all of her ambitions which were denied to her since she became the empress.

She was now running the show.

However, what happened twenty-six years ago was a seed who slowly germinated and grew into weeds of obsession in the Great Empress Dowager Yū Miko's heart. A growing obsession who started a journey leading to calamity and ruin; and also to this day of celebrations.

Twenty-six years ago... Her chilly expression seemed to have melted as she looked at her son, now the Emperor... She recalled how a beautiful little boy he was... Taizong was then nearly four years old when both his and her life changed direction twenty six years ago...

…A well-known painter received a commission to paint the young Emperor Akishino's portrait. And he came to the palace with his daughter Soyong who was good at playing the shamisen. And she was asked to play a song to help the Emperor relax while her father painted.

The song she played touched the heart of the Emperor who was listening from the next room.

And for the next sittings, her melodic phrases of ethereal beauty enchanted him and captured his whole heart.

On the last sitting, a sudden gust of the wind shifted the gauze curtain which separated them. They saw each other and the Emperor fell in love with Soyong at first sight.

She was nineteen to his twenty-four, and they loved each other bringing into the world Second Prince Shufeng.

And Empress Yū Miko's life started to spiral out of control.