Once or twice a year consort is allowed to see her family . She will sit behind the curtain while her mother or sister sit/kneel in front of her. Her father can talk but he need to keep along distance.



Cixi is one of the consort who want to be someone in the palace.when she entered she is poor,innocent and fragile. She does not have a chance to serve Emperor . you may ask. Why money has something to do with it? . Money can buy anything even the path to emperor bed. Because the Emperor has thousand concubines. He cannot meet them all and pick one he wants to sleep with. The palace artist will draw a picture and present to him.Consort who have money to bribe will have the most beautiful picture.Consort who have no money will have ugly picture. Also at night , Eunuch will present Emperor with a big plate that has a lot of consort name tag on it .Emperor will pick and that consort will go to his chamber -naked to avoid assassination. If you have money , your name tag will be on the top so emperor see it clearly.No money mean your name tag may sit below or hidden some where in that plate.



Cixi has no present so she spend her time reading book in royal library .she master all subjects. she read philosophy, politic,art and medicine.she knows what medicine can treat and kill. Below are picture of period movie show emperor Shunzhi and empress Suoerna



No one know how Cixi gain Emperor favorite .Some say she use her voice to lure emperor to her chamber. She hide in the garden and sign when emperor walk by. Anyway she manage to get pregnant and bear the first male heir-Tongzhi Emperor. She was promoted from consort rank five to two .Her rank is below the empress nose .Her golden age has arrived and she has used it to gain power and support.
Below is picture of Empress Wan Rong - The Last Empress Consort of the Qing Dynasty



Some say she does intervene and help emperor make big decision on country affair. Who can object the high rank consort who bear the only son of the king. Her son soon became crown price of china. Surprisingly the palace rule does not allow prices or princesses to stay with their mom. After the consorts gave birth.They will be taken away by Eunuch .They will be nursed by empress and call empress "mother". They may see the real mother once or twice a year until grown up,so Cixi's son is close to his step mom instead of his real mother. Image of Tongzhi Emperor