Consort

Consort in the context of The Apothecary Diaries refers to persons attached to the Emperor as part of the Imperial harem system usually with the intent to help the Emperor produce heirs. They are expected to be literate and loyal to the Emperor, and are evaluated on multiple fronts including beauty, background and intelligence. For this reason, they are primarily the daughters of bureaucrats.

Consorts of the Imperial Harem are paid salaries and assisted by ladies-in-waiting, but are fully contained within the Inner Palace and prevented from leaving via high walls that serve as a barrier, unless they have received permission from the Emperor. Depending on how much influence her family has, or if she never attracts the Emperor’s interest by a certain age, a consort of the Imperial Harem can expect to be demoted or bestowed to a bureaucrat, or worse, a eunuch.

High-Ranking Consorts

Each of the Emperor’s four high-ranking consorts have their own Pavilion in the Inner Palace. These pavilions are notably large in size, amounting to the same size as a small town, being furnished with dining halls and gardens. These high-ranking consorts also each have unique titles, pavilion names, and colors which serve as identifiers and symbols of status. They are assisted by a larger group of ladies-in-waiting than lower-ranked consorts, as well as a poison food tester.

The hierarchy of the high-ranking consorts has no inherent order, but the perceived hierarchy of each consort can change depending on the frequency of the Emperor's "nightly visits." Additionally, the gender of the consort’s child, specifically, whether or not she produces a male heir, can impact these rankings.

Precious Consort

Consort Gyokuyou

• "Honored Consort" in Square Enix translation.
• Consort: None
  • (Former) Gyokuyou
    • For more information on her servants, see Gyokuyou’s ladies-in-waiting
• Residence: Jade Pavilion
  • Due to Gyokuyou's warm-hearted nature and the closeness of she and her attendants, the palace emanated a cozy and welcoming aura.
• Color: Red

Pure Consort

Consort Loulan

Consort Ah-Duo

• Consort: None
  • (Former) Ah-Duo, for the first five years of the Emperor’s reign
  • (Former) Loulan
• Residence: Garnet Pavilion
  • During Ah-Duo's tenure, the Garnet Pavilion had a simple and practical setup and was bare of needless decorations. When the extravagant Loulan moved in, the palace changed drastically; its minimalism was replaced by an overabundance of exotic and garish decorations.
• Color: Black

Virtuous Consort

Consort Lishu

• Consort: None
  • (Former) Lishu
• Residence: Diamond Pavilion
• Color: White

Wise Consort

Consort Lihua

• "Worthy Consort" in Square Enix translation.
• Consort: Lihua
• Residence: Crystal Pavilion
  • The pavilion is dressed in refined nobility in accordance with Lihua's elegant personality.
• Color: Blue

Middle-Ranking Consorts

Below the highest ranking consorts are middle-ranking consorts who are given an entire building to themselves, though not as vast as a pavilion.  

Known middle-ranking consorts:

• (Former) Fuyou
• Aylin
• Jin

Low-Ranking Consorts

Low ranking consorts are only allowed two serving women, and are given personal rooms on the fringes of the inner palace.

• Son

Notes

• There seems to be different names for the highest ranking consorts based on which media or translation is read. For the purposes of this page, the light novel is given priority.