Atthirteen, as much by virtue of the service her recently deceased father hadrendered the founding Tang emperor as for her beauty and learning, Wu Zhao lefther widowed mother to enter the women’s quarters of the imperial place asTalent Wu, one of nine fifth-ranked concubines in the harem of famous emperorTang Taizong. Talent was not her name, nor even her distinct title: It was ageneric title for fifth-rank concubines.
十三岁时，