太姬), a title used for empresses' mothers pursuant to Northern Qi regulations. Mu Qingxiao, believing that her daughter rejected her on account of her ugliness (from the tattoo), managed to have her tattoo removed and tried to see her daughter, but was never able to do so, as Lady Lu prevented all meetings between them. After Empress Mu became empress, she began to lose favor from Gao Wei as he preferred Consort Cao and Consort Dong. Empress Mu teamed up with Lu Lingxuan to accuse Consort Cao of witchcraft, and she was executed. After the death of Consort Cao, Empress Mu didn't regain the favor of Gao Wei, but instead he preferred Consort Dong. To divert his affections towards Consort Dong, Empress Mu presented her servant, Feng Xiaolian. He greatly favored Feng Xiaolian and took her as a concubine, but he continued to honor Empress Mu as empress. As retired empress In 576, Northern Zhou launched a major attack on Northern Qi, and by spring 577 was threatening Northern Qi's capital of Yecheng. In order to try to change his fortune, Gao Wei passed the throne to Gao Heng, taking the title of Taishang Huang (retired emperor). Empress Mu thereafter carried the title of Retired Empress. (Meanwhile, Empress Mu's adoptive brother Mu Tipo had surrendered to Northern Zhou, and upon hearing the news, her adoptive mother, Lady Lu, committed suicide.) Gao Wei soon abandoned Yecheng, fleeing with Gao Heng, Grand Empress Dowager Hu, Retired Empress Mu, Consort Feng, and other concubines and children. On their way to the Chen Dynasty, however, they were captured by Northern Zhou forces and returned to Yecheng. After Northern Qi's destruction Subsequently, Gao Wei was made the Duke of Wen by Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou, and he and his entire clan was taken to the Northern Zhou capital of Chang'an. Northern Qi territory was seized by Northern Zhou. Later that year, Emperor Wu, feeling threatened by them, falsely accused them of plotting treason with Mu Tipo, and had them, including Gao Wei and Gao Heng, put to death. Nothing further was recorded in history about Empress Mu. |- Northern Qi empresses Northern Zhou people