Le Lanzhen

Le Lanzhen is a consort of the Shaozhi Emperor, and prior to that, a consort of the Yuanlu Emperor. Having carried on a secret affair with the Shaozhi Emperor while still a consort of the then-ruling Emperor, she was finally given official recognition as a consort in the 4th month of the 1st year of Shaozhi.

Early Life
Of Falangse descent, Lanzhen was born in the 1st year of Jianzhang (1643). It is not known precisely who her birth parents are, but she was adopted into the Leclair family (Lekelie 勒可列 in Chinese) - a family of Oceanic nobles with substantial landholdings on the east shore of Lake Huron - and given the name Heloise Josephine.

From a tender age, the Leclair family - planning to use Heloise to gain favour with foreign powers - trained her in the arts, as well as in Chinese. She had multiple Chinese tutors, gaining a grounding that rivaled even learned children in the Wei Empire.

In the 2nd year of Yuanlu (1657), then-fourteen year old Heloise was betrothed to the then Prince of Haidong, Xiao Xuyu. However, upon arriving at the Imperial Capital, she attracts the attention of the Yuanlu Emperor, who invites her to dance before the princes in the Palace. Xiao Xuyu, entranced by Lanzhen, is then shocked when the Emperor takes her into his Inner Palace instead. The Yuanlu Emperor gave her the name of Suwan, and the rank of Companion (贵人).

Shaozhi Period
The early death of the Yuanlu Emperor gave the lovers a chance to make themselves official. Suwan asked to have her name changed, and the Shaozhi Emperor changed it personally to Lanzhen - literally meaning 'orchids growing thickly', after her favourite flower.