Imperial Woman by Pearl S Buck. BK32

The book was published in 1956 and it’s about the last Empress of China. She was born in a house of low rank, but when her father died, she moved into her uncles house. At 17 according to custom, she joined the other maidens of her age for inspection at the imperial Palace. Those who passed inspection were eligible to be chosen by the emperor as concubines. From here she rose to be China‘s greatest woman ruler.