Zhao Min'en

Zhao Min'en is one of the consorts of the Shaozhi Emperor. At his coronation, she was given the rank of Virtuous Companion.

Life
Zhao Min'en was born in Huaizhou, in the south of the Empire, in the 7th year of Yongfeng (1640).

She came from a family that once used to be of great rank; her great-grandfather, Zhao Hezhang (赵鹤彰), served as the Grand Secretary of the Cedar Hall (银杉殿大学士), while her grandfather Zhao Fengdu served as the second-last Viceroy of the Southern Bay.

In the wake of the Disaster of Yongfeng, Zhao Min'en's father died in battle fighting against rebel forces; before doing so, he was able to secure passage northwards for his family. Because of this deed of loyalty, the Zhao family - decimated though it was - remained in honour.

She was previously pregnant with the Shaozhi Emperor's child when he was still a Prince, but subsequently miscarried during an outbreak of disease when she was infected and suffered a nearly-fatal fever herself.

Relationships
As Zhao Min'en's father died in the wars of the south, while his wife was still pregnant, Min'en never got to see her father. She has four surviving older siblings:
 * 1) Zhao Ende 赵恩德 (b. 1630)
 * 2) Zhao Minyi 赵敏宜(b. 1634)
 * 3) Zhao Enji 朝恩济 (b. 1635)
 * 4) Zhao Minsi 赵敏思 (b. 1638)