Imagine how much the fate of an ordinary maid could change in the hierarchical society of the Qing Dynasty? Many people may feel that the maid can only live in obscurity in the bottom society all her life. There are always some unexpected stories in history. It is said that in a big family named Yuan in Xiangcheng, there was a strange legend of mortals turning over. An ordinary maid, by chance, became a concubine in the family, and gave birth to Yuan Shikai, a controversial political figure later! Her life was full of dramatic turns, but there was only an empty coffin in her grave, why is this? Does the story sound confusing, is this just a legend in the sky?
In 1823, a young man named Yuan Baozhong was born in the Yuan family in Xiangcheng, which was a local noble family with a big family. From an early age, Yuan Baozhong was regarded as the hope and future successor of the family. In this context, Yuan Baozhong's life is undoubtedly prosperous, and the maids around him are recruited from various poor families and are busy for the daily complicated needs of this big family.
Among these maids, there is a woman named Liu, whose fate is different. Liu is not only smart-looking, but also has a likable personality, which makes her stand out among many maids, and she is finally assigned to Yuan Baozhong's side to be in charge of his diet and daily life.
One night, Yuan Bao was in a good mood and asked Liu to help him wash his feet. In the process of washing his feet, Liu accidentally discovered a black mole on the sole of Young Master Yuan's foot, which was considered a symbol of wealth in ancient times. Yuan Baozhong half-jokingly mentioned that this mole was a sign of his future wealth. After hearing this, Liu also joked that she also had two moles on the soles of her feet, could she also be rich? Although these words were a joke, they made Yuan Baoxin have a plan.
Yuan Baozhong knew that the family needed marriage to consolidate power, but he was also a merry and clever young master, and he decided to keep Liu by his side, not only because of her cleverness and beauty, but also because he believed that it was a good omen that would bring good luck. As a result, the Liu family jumped from an ordinary maid to a concubine of the Yuan family.
This relationship not only changed Liu's fate, but also made her a role to be reckoned with in the family. Liu later gave birth to a son for Yuan Baozhong, who was later Yuan Shikai. Yuan Shikai's birth had a profound impact on the history of the Yuan family and even China. His political career has been controversial, from the imperial system to the founder of the republic, Yuan Shikai's life has been full of twists and turns and challenges.
Although Liu's status has been elevated as a result, her life has not been smooth sailing. In the social context of the time, the status of the concubine was always less stable than that of the main family, especially in the internal power struggles of the large family, and the Liu family and her son were often on the cusp. She also has to face the jealousy and exclusion of other women in her family, which brings great pressure to her psychology and life.
Liu's situation in his later years is even more embarrassing. It is rumored that when she was alive, she once enjoyed a certain amount of honor because of the change of identity and the political status of her son. After her death, the situation was very different. Locals say that not many family members attended her funeral and that her grave was left in an empty coffin, whether it was to prevent the grave from being stolen or whether someone in the family was dissatisfied with her and deliberately did so, which has been a mystery.
Behind this transformation of prosperity and decline, does it reflect that even at the peak of power, a person's fate may still be greatly limited by his origin and identity? Although Liu's life seems to be a fairy tale of Cinderella becoming a princess, it is actually full of complex family politics and the sorrow of social class.
Liu's story is like a mirror, reflecting the deep hierarchy and complexity of human nature in feudal society. From an unknown maid to a concubine of a powerful family, and then to the fate of a lonely old man, what ups and downs her life is. And Yuan Shikai's controversial life is not separated from her influence. This fragment of history is not just an echo of the past, it reminds us that everyone's destiny is woven by countless seemingly accidental choices and opportunities, and history is a complex picture of the interweaving of these individual destinies. Looking back at the past today, we can't help but ask, is real history more tortuous and changeable than fiction?