Xiao Shufei (?~655 AD), whose name is unknown, was born in Nanlanling County (now Wujin District, Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province). Tang Gaozong Li Zhi was a concubine.
The Xiao family was born into the top tier aristocratic family of Lanling, descendants of the Qi and Liang royal families. Later, due to her beauty and intelligence, she was chosen to marry Crown Prince Li Zhi in the Eastern Palace and was granted the title of Liangdi. In May of the 23rd year of the Zhenguan reign (649 AD), Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, passed away in the Hanfeng Hall, and Crown Prince Li Zhi ascended to the throne in the Taiji Hall, becoming Emperor Gaozong of Tang. Later, the Crown Princess Wang became the Empress, and Liang Di Xiao became the Consort Shu. She was once greatly favored by Li Zhi and gave birth to one son and two daughters in succession. They are Princess Yiyang Li Xiayu, son Prince Xu Li Sujie, and daughter Princess Gao’an. Also favored for her seductive appearance, vicious and jealous, to the point where even Queen Wang didn’t care about her later on.
However, Queen Wang fell out of favor due to the lack of children. Upon learning that Emperor Gaozong and Lady Wu had met at the Gan Ye Temple, Queen Wang took the initiative to request Li Zhi to bring “Wu Mei” into the palace in order to help her defeat Lady Xiao. Emperor Gaozong, who had already had this intention, immediately agreed and welcomed the talented Wu Shi (later known as Wu Zetian) back to the palace. After entering the palace, Wu Zetian began to try her best to flatter Queen Wang and win the favor of Li Zhi. Later, Wu Zetian was conferred the title of Zhaoyi and received the special favor of Emperor Gaozong. Xiao Shufei fell out of favor, and after falling out of favor, she did not change her previous domineering and arrogant personality, but instead became even more severe. Therefore, Emperor Gaozong of Tang had a dislike for her. Shortly thereafter, Lady Wu framed Queen Wang and attempted to seize her position in the imperial palace.
In the sixth year of Yonghui (655 AD), Emperor Gaozong of Tang issued an edict to depose Queen Wang and Consort Xiao Shufei as commoners. Seven days later, Wu Mei was appointed as Empress Wu.
After Xiao Shufei and Empress Wang were imprisoned, Emperor Gaozong visited them one day and couldn’t bear to see their miserable situation. Empress Wang and Xiao Shufei also requested Emperor Gaozong to name the other courtyard where they were imprisoned as “Huixin Courtyard”. Subsequently, Wu Zetian immediately received a report from her confidants and ordered them to be beaten with one hundred sticks each, their hands and feet cut off, tied behind their backs, and thrown into a large wine jar, affectionately called “Bone Drunken”
In order to completely eradicate them, Wu Zetian also ordered Emperor Gaozong of Tang to issue an edict to execute them. When Xiao Shufei was about to be executed, she cursed loudly, “Awu is so cunning that even this! May he give birth to me as a cat and Awu as a mouse, strangle their throats, and devour their bones every day.” This is also the reason why Wu Zetian later ordered not to keep cats in the palace and not to live in Chang’an Palace.
After the death of Xiao Shufei, Prince Xu Li Sujie was hanged, and Princess Yiyang and Princess Gao’an were imprisoned in the Yeting Palace until they were only released to marry at the age of forty.
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