Surrogate Birth? The Twice-Married Imperial Consort Insists on Rising Higher

Yu Yihe is a widow living in poverty with her young daughter, Ningning, at Lingtai Temple. Three years prior, she was cast out by her husband's family, who blamed the infant's birth for their son's death. Her natal Yu family, now wealthy due to her father's rise to Vice Minister and her youngest sister's success as a favored Imperial Consort, has largely ignored her. Life is frugal, but Yu Yihe maintains her dignity through manual labor and quiet resilience. The narrative shifts when the Emperor arrives at the nearby Qiqing Garden for the summer. Her mother visits unexpectedly, claiming concern, but the true purpose is revealed to be a scheme by the Yu family. With Consort Zhaoyuan suffering from a miscarriage and facing infertility, the family decides to use Yu Yihe’s proven fertility to secure a political alliance. They plan to introduce Yu Yihe to the Emperor, hoping she can bear an heir to strengthen their standing in the palace.

Upon entering the royal garden, Yu Yihe is treated as an outsider, forced to wear hand-me-downs and endure the condescension of her relatives. Her eldest sister, the Madam of Nanning, appears affectionate but is complicit in the family's manipulations. During a walk in the garden, Yu Yihe encounters a mysterious nobleman who displays a fleeting coldness before departing. Later, she discovers this man is Emperor Jinghe. Their second encounter occurs when she picks lotuses in the rain; the Emperor, impressed by her natural elegance, personally retrieves a fallen flower for her. This interaction catches the Emperor's attention, creating a complication for the Yu family's calculated plans.

The family's intentions become clear when Yu Yihe overhears her mother and sister discussing the plan to send her into the harem. Shocked and betrayed, she realizes she is viewed merely as a vessel for producing an heir for her sister. Despite her internal turmoil, she resolves to navigate the situation strategically rather than submit passively. She understands that while she cannot easily refuse her family, she can control how the Emperor perceives her. Her goal shifts from seeking favor to ensuring her own survival and protecting her daughter from the treacherous palace environment.

At the Emperor's birthday banquet, the tension escalates. Consort Rong, a rival to Yu Zhaoyuan, attempts to undermine the Yu family's plan by offering Yu Yihe in marriage to an older, less desirable suitor. Yu Zhaoyuan swiftly rejects the offer, revealing her possessiveness over the potential imperial connection. During the banquet, Yu Yihe drinks wine and becomes visibly flushed, drawing the Emperor's gaze from his throne. He notes that pink suits her, indicating his growing interest. Yu Zhaoyuan, seizing the moment, causes an accident that spills wine on Yu Yihe's dress, forcing her to leave the hall to change. This incident places Yu Yihe in a precarious position, caught between her family's exploitation and the Emperor's unexpected curiosity, setting the stage for a complex struggle for power and identity within the imperial court.