The Only Imperial Noble Consort Who Never Lived in the Forbidden City | Tea with Amy

We all know the famous women of Emperor Qianlong's Imperial Harem, but his first love has a story you've never heard. Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin was the mother of his first son, but she died before he ascended the throne, never setting foot in the Forbidden City. Her death, and the later tragedy of her son, haunted Emperor Qianlong for his entire life. Why did he give her a posthumous name meaning "pity" and "regret," and why was she one of only five consorts he chose to be buried with?