Zhao Guifei

Consort Zhao, whose date of birth and death are unknown, was a noble consort of Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang. She was the mother of Shen Jian Wang Zhu Mo, the twenty-first son of Ming Taizu. According to historical records, Shen Jian Wang was born on September 1st, the thirteenth year of the Hongwu Emperor's reign (1380), and his mother was Lady Zhao. The "History of Ming" refers to her as Consort Zhao, also known as Imperial Noble Consort. In addition to the "History of Ming," other historical sources such as the "Wu Xue Bian," "Guo Chao Xian Zheng Lu," and "Ming Mountain Collection" also record her as a noble consort. However, the "Tianhuang Yu Diao" collectively refers to Lady Zhao and the mothers of several other princes as "Imperial Noble Consort," though the exact nature of this title is unclear. The exact date of Lady Zhao’s death is not recorded, and it is possible that she was buried with her deceased husband after his death. There have been reports of palace women being buried with the emperor near Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. According to the "Wanli Wild Records" and "Sheng Chao Tong Shi Shi Yi Ji," the number of palace women buried there ranges from forty to forty-six. In July of the 31st year of Hongwu (1398), Emperor Jianwen Zhu Yunwen promoted many Jin Yiwei soldiers, some of whom were the sons of palace women buried with the emperor, referred to as "Chao Tian Nu Hu." Among them, "Zhao Fu" might be a relative of Lady Zhao.