Jeff Hortman

Empress Wu Jeff Hortman

Inside the palace of the most powerful kingdom on Earth, amid a suffocating world of choreographed behavior, one woman stood up to a stale patriarchy. One Machiavellian courtesan rose above the rules and became the most powerful person alive. Born into poverty with nothing but her wit and charm, Wu was carried to the Emperor's Palace as a child to join his large and growing harem of courtesans. She caught the eye of the aging Emperor, but chose her mark carefully. Eluding rivals in the courtesan halls, she hooked the heart of the Crown Prince, leading him to smash centuries of tradition to marry her, a lowly woman on ignoble birth. Wu consolidated her power, becoming the de facto ruler of ancient China. But how far would she go to consolidate her legacy? Would she sacrifice the love of her husband? The life of her child? When allies become enemies only to become allies again, what are the rules in this new world? To stay one step ahead, the victorious must write the rules themselves. And for Wu, all the rules must go.