Shangguan Wan'er
After Shangguan Yi's and Shangguan Tingzhi's deaths, Shangguan Wan'er and her mother Lady Zheng—an elder sister of the official Zheng Xiuyuan () -- were spared, but became slaves in the inner imperial palace. As Shangguan Wan'er grew older, she read extensively and showed a talent for writing prose and poetry at an early age, as well as in matters of civil service regulations. After Empress Wu stumbled upon poems written by the 13-year-old Shangguan Wan'er, Empress Wu summoned Shangguan Wan'er and asked her to compose an essay based on a given theme right on the spot. Shangguan Wan'er performed marvelously, and the Empress was so impressed that she appointed Wan'er her personal secretary.