The "Empress Regnant" (
Appearance[]
In Jinshi's dream, the Empress Regnant was an old woman who wore an elaborate hair stick and walked with a calm demeanor. Her gaze was sharp enough to cause Jinshi to shiver.[2]
Personality[]
The Empress Regnant was said to be a very terrifying and capable woman who controlled her son as his puppet-master. Her actions show her to be shrewd and calculating, but for the most part, she was a relatively just ruler who tried to keep the people of Li's best interests at heart predominantly acting in what she felt was necessary for prosperity and peace. However in pursuit of this, she was often unnecessarily fierce in her rule and capable of great cruelty, uncaring of who she hurt regardless of intent, even her own family. Her biggest flaw was underestimating the tenacity of those beneath her and failing to consider how her harsh actions could cause others to act.
MaoMao theorizes that her harsh personality and actions were actually a sincere, but misguided, intent to protect her son. She had recognized he could not handle his role of emperor and would quickly be eaten alive, thus she fiercely established a firm control on both him and the empire in order to protect him from the stress of a job he could not handle and defend him from those that would take advantage or try to eliminate him because of his weak disposition.
Despite her terrible treatment of her son she ultimately loved him dearly, in one of her more softer actions she encouraged her son's painting hobby, despite the fact that it would cause backlash from the public as painting was seen as a hobby unbefitting of an emperor, procuring him a secure place where he could paint in secret as well as any and all materials he could want.
Abilities[]
Influence: As the de facto ruler of Li, she held immense power within the inner and outer courts. Her political positions had long-lasting influences even after she died; because she favored Shishou, he became a powerful civil official that the Emperor himself could not defy, even after she passed away.
Background[]
The Empress Regnant began as a maidservant in the inner court, who was promoted to a low consort.[3] She gave birth to the youngest son of the emperor of the time. After a plague killed the other princes, her son became the crown prince, but was unsuited for the position and she had to act on his behalf as he ascended to the throne. She unintentionally caused her son to develop pedophilic tendencies when she dominated and brow beat him into submission, making him fear adult women in the process. As a result, he could only find comfort in the one thing he had power over: children, specifically little girls. When her son sexually assaulted and impregnated Taihou, a lady-in-waiting who served his consort Shenmei, the Empress Regnant pinned the birth of her illegitimate granddaughter onto a court physician and banished the two from the Imperial Palace, all in an effort to unsuccessfully cover-up her son's crimes.
The Empress Regnant was noted to have given the following orders and implemented reforms during her reign:
- Increased the size of the Inner Court, by hiding slaves who were to be sold to foreign countries in the Inner Court as palace ladies and eunuchs.[4]
- Ordered the Shi clan to send Shenmei to the inner court as a high consort, leading to their future attempted rebellion.[4]
- Forbid male physicians in the Inner Court unless they were made eunuchs (such as Luomen and Guen).[3]
- Exterminated the Yi Clan for supposed insubordination.[5]
- Appointed Shishou as Prime Minister.
- Placed bans on logging, which impaired the paper industry, leading to Guen's family to suffer immensely.[6]
The Empress Regnant passed away sometime after her eldest great-grandchild, Jinshi, was born, with her son quickly following behind, but not before Luomen was punished and banished from the Imperial Palace because he did not prevent the swap between her second grandson and Jinshi.
References[]
- ↑ ANIME FREAKS (Abema TV) - アニメ「薬屋のひとりごと」声優・キャラクター一覧｜全キャスト96人を網羅 (in Japanese; in English: List of voice actors and characters for the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" | All 96 cast members
- ↑ The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 3, Prologue
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 3, Chapter 14
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 4, Chapter 21
- ↑ The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 5, Chapter 15
- ↑ The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 2, Chapter 16
Feilong • Fengming • Fengxian • Fuyou ☆ Gaoshun • Guen/Quack Doctor • Guiyuan • Gyokuen • Gyokujun • Gyoku-ou • Gyokuyou
Haku-u • Hongniang • Hulan ☆ Jazgul • Jin • Jinshi • Joka • Junjie ☆ Kanan • King of Shaoh • Koku-u • Kokuyou • Kounen
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Sanfan • Sazen • Seki-u • Shenlü • Shenmei • Shikyou • Shin • Shishou • Shisui • Shrine Maiden of Shaoh • Suirei • Suirei's Mother • Suiren • Sotei
Taihou • Taomei • Tianyu ☆ Ujun • Ukyou • Uryuu ☆ Xiaohong • Xiaolan ☆ Yakou • Yao • Yinghua • Yinxing • Yo • Dr. You ☆ Zulin
Crown Prince • Emperor • Empress Regnant • Former Emperor • Imperial Brother