Which maid was loved by Emperor Gia Khanh?

Coming from the class of servants in the palace

What jobs did the servants of the Interior government do and what was their position in the palace? The main job of the servants in the Interior Palace is to serve the emperor and the masters in the palace. Their status is not so low as we think.

In fact, the servants of the Home Office often served their master, so if they had the opportunity to demonstrate their agility and work, they would also be respected by the emperor or master. If they are lucky, they can take on quite a high position.

During the Qianlong period, there was Ly Thi and Cao Thi, who were originally servants and were entrusted by the emperor to supervise embroidery and sewing in Jiangnan. A number of great figures in the court such as the great scholar Lai Bao also rose from the class of servants in the internal affairs government.

Many concubines started out as slaves thanks to the emperor’s attention while serving, from there they were loaded into the palace and a step forward to a noble status. During the reign of King Khang Hi, there was a consort Duc and a concubine, during the reign of King Ung Chinh, there was a concubine, during the reign of King Qian Long, there was a concubine of Ling and a concubine. But the luckiest person is probably Ling Fei, because her son also became the son of heaven, which is Gia Khanh De.

The fate of slaves changes

Hoa Du Hoang Quy consort’s real name was Luu Thi, then changed her name to Luu Giai Thi. She was born in the 26th year of Qianlong (1761), was originally a condom, 3 months younger than Gia Khanh. Luu Thi’s father is Luu Phuc Minh – an unqualified Bai Duong working in the dental office, with a low status. Luu Thi entered the Interior Government to work as a servant in the palace.

In the 42nd year of Qianlong, Luu Thi passed the entrance exam to select women in the palace. However, she was not allowed to enter the harem, nor did she take on the role of a maidservant. She was given by Qianlong to Thap Ngu A Ca Vinh Diem (Gia Khanh) with the status of a maid.

Luu Giai’s face is better than anyone’s, has a talent for speaking, and the age is similar to that of Thir Ngu A Ca. The two have been in close contact for a long time, so they developed feelings for each other. Thap Ngu A Ca Vinh Diem very quickly favored his maid.

Luu saw this opportunity to urgently give Vinh Diem a handsome son. However, that boy unfortunately died a year later (1780). Not long after, Luu Giai continued to give birth to a baby girl (the third child of Thap Ngu A Ca). From here, it can be seen that she occupies a very large position in Vinh Diem’s ​​heart.

Stepping onto the throne of the Royal Highness

After Qian Long’s death, Vinh Diem succeeded to take the title Gia Khanh. After ascending the throne, Gia Khanh conducted the ordination of his concubines. Luu Giai is the first-born mother and was given the position of Han consort, ranked 3rd in the harem, after Hi Thap La Thi (Empress Hieu Thuc Due) and Niu Hu Loc.

The title of Luu Thi did not stop there, Gia Khanh Emperor always favored and had special affection for this concubine. He often visited Ham Phi’s palace and greatly favored her. In the 13th year of Gia Khanh, consort Ham was ordained as Ham Quy consort, becoming the only consort to be ordained with a title after Empress Hieu Hoa Due.

In the 25th Gia Khanh year (1820), the emperor died. Emperor Dao Quang ascended the throne and made her Emperor Ham Hi Hoang Quy consort, besides, posthumously awarded her first son, who died prematurely, as Mu Quan Vuong. In the 14th year of Dao Quang (1833), Ham Hi Hoang Quy consort died of illness at the age of 74, then the king honored her as Hoa Du Hoang Quy consort.

Luu Giai is indeed a lucky maid, although she came from the class of servants in the imperial palace, but thanks to the emperor’s favor, she became the revered consort of Hoang Quy. Although she didn’t need to use tricks, Luu Giai still captured the heart of King Gia Khanh, if her eldest son that year had not died prematurely, perhaps she could have become the Empress Dowager.