In many traditional Chinese costume dramas, viewers often witness scenes where a consort is banished to the \"cold palace\" as punishment for angering the emperor. This portrayal has led many to believe that the cold palace in ancient times was a dreadful place, feared by all and avoided at all costs. However, the reality was quite different. Surprisingly, eunuchs in the imperial court were not afraid of the cold palace; in fact, many eagerly vied for the chance to serve there. The reasons behind eunuchs competing to attend to consorts in the cold palace can be summarized into three main factors.
展开剩余88%First, serving the consorts in the cold palace was considered a lucrative assignment. Most of the women sent to the cold palace once held high ranks and considerable status; otherwise, the emperor would not have punished them so severely out of anger. This situation illustrates the saying, “deep love, deep hate.” Although these consorts were exiled to harsh living conditions, they often retained substantial wealth accumulated over time. Once confined to the cold palace, their living environment became tough and limited, making them reliant on eunuchs to manage their affairs.
For instance, these consorts would use eunuchs to purchase daily necessities or to gather information from outside the palace. They might even rely on eunuchs to convey messages to the emperor, reminding him of their past favor and hoping to regain his attention and possibly restore their position. Naturally, such services required eunuchs to receive “tips” or gifts, which were far from trivial sums—they essentially amounted to bribes to ensure loyalty and diligent service.
Second, attending to consorts in the cold palace presented eunuchs with an opportunity for social mobility and career advancement. As mentioned, most consorts sent there had once been highly favored by the emperor. Although they fell out of grace, there was always a chance that, over time, the emperor’s anger would subside and the consort would be reinstated. Eunuchs who had served these consorts faithfully during their exile could benefit greatly from their resurgence in favor.
When a consort was restored, she could influence the emperor to promote or reward the eunuchs who had supported her during her difficult times. However, this depended heavily on the eunuchs’ ability to win the consort’s favor while in the cold palace. For example, in the famous drama \"Empresses in the Palace,\" although many eunuchs served the protagonist Zhen Huan before she rose to power, only Xiao Yunzi managed to leverage his loyalty into becoming the head eunuch of the court. Such examples show the complex power dynamics within the palace.
Thus, consorts in the cold palace often became targets for ambitious eunuchs looking to improve their status and fortunes. The third reason eunuchs competed to serve in the cold palace relates to the nature of their profession itself. Despite the common perception of eunuchs as palace servants, their roles were extremely perilous. They served either the emperor or his favored consorts, and a single mistake could result in harsh punishment, humiliation, or even death.
Many eunuchs endured constant physical and mental hardship in their duties. However, serving consorts in the cold palace offered a different, less risky dynamic. These women had lost the emperor’s favor, and their once-arrogant demeanor had been subdued by their harsh circumstances. Eunuchs could afford to be more assertive—even difficult—towards them, as the emperor was no longer their protector.
Conversely, the consorts’ diminished status forced them to treat eunuchs with more respect and kindness, as offending their attendants could jeopardize their already precarious situation. This shift meant eunuchs not only gained respect in their roles but could also earn substantial “tips” for their services.
When eunuchs encountered consorts with compatible personalities, they could cultivate closer relationships, a practice dramatized in historical fiction as “sharing meals.” Should a consort regain favor, she might keep these bonds confidential and even recommend the eunuchs to the emperor for promotion. This possibility of social reversal made the cold palace a surprisingly desirable post, explaining why eunuchs often competed fiercely for the chance to serve there.
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