The Moon in the Palace [Paperback]

<p><strong>A RITA Award Winner!<br></strong><strong>A 2016 <em>RT Book Reviews</em>Reviewers Choice Nominee for First Historical Romance! </strong></p><p><strong>There is no easy path for a woman aspiring to power</strong></p><p>A concubine at the palace learns quickly that there are many ways to capture the Emperor's attention. Many paint their faces white and style their hair attractively, hoping to lure in the One Above All with their beauty. Some present him with fantastic gifts, such as jade pendants and scrolls of calligraphy, while others rely on their knowledge of seduction to draw his interest. Young Mei knows nothing of these womanly arts, yet she will give the Emperor a gift he can never forget.</p><p>Mei's intelligence and curiosity, the same traits that make her an outcast among the other concubines, impress the Emperor. But just as she is in a position to seduce the most powerful man in China, divided loyalties split the palace in two, culminating in a perilous battle that Mei can only hope to survive. </p><p>In the breakthrough first volume in the Empress of Bright Moon duology, Weina Dai Randel paints a vibrant portrait of ancient China—where love, ambition, and loyalty can spell life or death—and the woman who came to rule it all.</p><p><strong>1</strong></p><p>The day my future was foretold, I was just five years old. </p><p>I was practicing calligraphy in the garden where Father hosted his gathering with the nobles, scholars, and other important men of the prefecture. It was a brilliant summer afternoon. He was not wearing his governor's hat, and the sunlight sifted through the maze of the oak branches and illuminated his gray hair like a silver crown.</p><p>A monk, whom I had never seen before, asked to read my face.</p><p>"How extraordinary!" He lowered himself to look into my eyes. "I have nl³.