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From a humble servant to a queen like in a fairytale: After unjust exile, she died with a tragic mystery by the roadside.

Once a lowly concubine, she rose to become the Empress of China, like a fairytale. However, her life ended in tragedy, dying unjustly by the roadside when she fell out of favor with the emperor.

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24 February, 2024

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The queen is the epitome of beauty and elegance, carefully chosen among the finest women in the kingdom. However, there is one exception, a consort from the opera house who became the queen of China like a fairy tale. Nevertheless, her life ended tragically, with a wrongful death on the street after being fallen out of favor by the emperor.

Becoming a queen like a fairy tale

In March 139 BC, Emperor Han Wu had just turned around 18 and came to his sister’s house in the northern part of Truong An City, after visiting the royal tombs. Princess Binh Duong held a banquet, with beautiful women singing and pouring wine for the emperor. Among them was Ve Tu Phu, who immediately captivated Emperor Han Wu at their first meeting. Shortly after, Emperor Han Wu pretended to change clothes to leave the banquet. The princess understood the hint and urged Ve Tu Phu to accompany him. Ve Tu Phu was favored by the emperor right in the changing room. Then, when leaving Binh Duong’s residence for the palace, Emperor Han Wu also brought her along.

At that time, Emperor Han Wu already had Queen Tran A Kieu. Knowing that the queen was jealous and not wanting to ruin the arranged marriage, Emperor Han Wu left Ve Tu Phu alone in the palace. During that time, Ve Tu Phu wanted to leave the palace and return to being a maid for Princess Binh Duong. When saying goodbye to Emperor Han Wu, Ve Tu Phu burst into tears, arousing the emperor’s affection and persuading her to stay in the palace.

Queen A Kieu was extremely angry and jealous, wanting to completely eliminate the immediate threat. A Kieu wanted to kill Ve Tu Phu’s whole family, but her plan was quickly exposed. Emperor Han Wu, aware of the situation, distanced himself from the queen, making Ve Tu Phu a concubine. Later, Ve Tu Phu gave birth to 3 daughters for the emperor. Queen A Kieu became increasingly mad and used dark magic to harm Ve Tu Phu. In 130 BC, A Kieu was “deposed for violating laws, practicing dark magic, and no longer deserving the title of queen”. Emperor Han Wu, in respect of their previous relationship, spared A Kieu’s life, but stripped her of all titles and kept her imprisoned in the palace until she died.

A year after Queen A Kieu was deposed, Ve Tu Phu gave birth to a prince named Liu Cu for the emperor. This served as a foundation for Emperor Han Wu to elevate Ve Tu Phu to the position of queen when she turned 28.

Everything seemed like a fairy tale for Ve Tu Phu. She became the rightful queen, with family members receiving many rewards, holding positions of power, or becoming military leaders of the Han dynasty.

A tragic and unjust death

Over time, as her beauty and novelty faded, Queen Ve Tu Phu began to fall out of favor. The emperor showered his affection on other young concubines. Emperor Han Wu also didn’t think that Prince Liu Cu deserved to inherit the throne due to his weakness. However, Ve Tu Phu still retained her position thanks to her modest and obedient nature, always carrying out her duties whenever the emperor was absent from the palace.

In old age, Emperor Han Wu, in his pursuit of pleasure, built many palaces and believed in superstitions. During that time, conflicts arose between Emperor Han Wu and Crown Prince Liu Cu, as well as external forces seeking to eliminate the Ve lineage. Misunderstanding his son’s intention as a plot to overthrow him, Emperor Han Wu became enraged and deposed the Crown Prince, ordering his capture.

After the Crown Prince’s death, Emperor Han Wu sent two high-ranking officials to confiscate the queen’s seal, strip the Ve family of all rewards. Ve Tu Phu had no way to explain, so she chose to commit suicide. The Ve family, once splendid during the Han dynasty, was completely wiped out. Chinese historical records note her as the longest-reigning queen in the history of the Han dynasty, reigning for 38 years, and the second longest-reigning queen in Chinese history.

Frequently asked questions

The article focuses on the life and tragic death of a woman, referred to as a ‘humble servant’, who endured an unjust exile.

Her life is portrayed as a fairytale-like journey, starting from a position of humility and service, only to be exiled and ultimately meeting a mysterious and tragic end, akin to the fate of a queen in a dark tale.

The mystery lies in the circumstances of her death. She was found dead by the roadside, and the cause of her demise remains unknown. It’s described as a ‘tragic mystery’, suggesting there may be unseen factors at play.

The article hints at an unjust exile, implying that she may have been wrongfully banished or forced to leave her previous life behind. The reasons for her exile are not explicitly stated, adding to the overall air of mystery surrounding her story.

The tone of the piece is melancholy and somewhat romanticized. It emphasizes the dramatic arc of the woman’s life, from humble beginnings to an unfortunate end. There is a sense of pathos and intrigue woven throughout the narrative.