Any woman in ancient times hoped to catch the eye of the emperor. All they needed was to pass the selection process for palace beauties to elevate their status and live a life of luxury.
However, despite the opulent lifestyle and daily indulgence in gourmet delicacies, many consorts fell ill easily or even died young. What is the real reason behind this? Below are some reasons why these consorts were prone to illness.
Constant Worry and Anxiety
These queens and consorts seemed never to truly experience joy, as serving the emperor was not an easy task.
In the imperial harem, there were thousands of beautiful women, and these consorts seldom had the opportunity to see the emperor in person. As a result, they could not guess what the emperor was thinking. Some consorts might go a month or even a year without receiving the emperor’s favor, leading to persistent negative thoughts. They often wondered if they had made some mistake that caused the emperor to ignore them.
When they were suddenly called to serve the emperor, they felt anxious and worried about their gestures, actions, and words. Prolonged exposure to such anxiety would undoubtedly lead to psychological damage, resulting in illness.
Always on Guard, Poor Sleep and Eating Habits
Members of the royal family often enjoyed gourmet delicacies but still could not live long lives.
Throughout Chinese history, many consorts employed cruel tactics to gain favor and rise in rank. Once they reached a high position, it often meant they had blood on their hands from countless others, bearing unending guilt. Therefore, with a restless heart and an uneasy body, how could they find peace and sleep well?
In addition to striving daily to win the emperor’s favor and serve him well, they also worried about the jealousy of other consorts that could harm them.
If fortunate enough to receive the emperor’s affection and bear a royal heir, they would worry about others trying to harm their child. Those without children constantly sought ways to capture the emperor’s interest, always anxious about being compared to others.
Dietary Habits
In the palace, the diet of the emperor, empress, and consorts was always special. Each of the three daily meals was meticulously prepared by the royal kitchen. However, these gourmet dishes, which seemed delicious and nutritious, concealed significant risks.
To pursue the exquisite flavors of the dishes served to the emperor, many ingredients underwent extremely complex preparation processes. For example, chefs had to marinate and simmer ingredients for a long time. This not only diminished the nutritional value of the food but could also produce harmful substances detrimental to health.
Long-term abuse of tonics can lead to significant harm. (Illustrative image).
Additionally, women often abused various tonics to maintain their youth. While these tonics could improve physical strength temporarily, long-term use could cause significant harm.
Consequences of Inbreeding
In ancient times, to maintain power and protect the noble bloodline, many emperors married beautiful women who were relatives. They were unaware of the dangers of inbreeding.
However, according to current scientific research, marriages between closely related individuals can have severe consequences, such as their offspring being more susceptible to genetic diseases and congenital defects. Undoubtedly, these genetic diseases due to inbreeding could shorten the lifespans of emperors in ancient times.
