I did not really get a feel for Orchid as a character/historical figure - perhaps because it was narrated to us as a past event and most of the sense of urgency and real feelings were muted.

It was very, very frustrating to read about Nuharoo from Orchid's perspective, though. For someone who was supposedly trained in the court, she was mindbogglingly ignorant of how the political winds shift and sway.

But man, royalty the whole world 'round do some weird ass shit:

When Orchid was being examined during her "audition" to become one of the Emperor's wives:

"One lady dipped her middle finger in an oil jar and stuck it inside my rear end. It hurt but I tried not to make any noise. When the lady pulled her finger out, all the other ladies jumped up to smell it." (p. 39)

Upon being chosen as a consort of the fourth rank:

"I told Mother that the Grand Empress had taken us to the Hall of Punishment, where I saw for the first time the famous beauty Lady Fei. She used to be the favorite concubine of Emperor Tao Kuang, but now she lived in a jar. When I saw that Lady Fei had no limbs I almost fainted. “Lady Fei was caught having the Emperor all to herself, and she fooled nobody but herself,” the Grand Empress said coldly. The only reason Lady Fei was kept alive was to serve as a warning.

I would never forget my horror that afternoon at the sight of Lady Fei. Her head rested on the rim of the jar, her face was filthy, and green mucus dripped from her chin." (p. 64)