Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace
Also known as	The Legend of Ruyi
Traditional Chinese	如懿傳
Simplified Chinese	如懿传
Hanyu Pinyin	Rúyì Zhuàn
Genre	Historical fiction Romance
Based on	Hou Gong Ru Yi Zhuan by Liu Lianzi
Written by	Liu Lianzi
Directed by	Wang Jun
Starring	Zhou Xun Wallace Huo
Country of origin	China
Original language	Mandarin
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	87
Production
Executive producer	Huang Lan
Production locations	Hengdian World Studios Beijing Wulan Butong Mudu
Production company	New Classics Media
Original release
Network	Tencent, Jiangsu Television, Dragon Television
Release	August 20 (2018-08-20) – October 15, 2018 (2018-10-15)

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace (simplified Chinese: 如懿传; traditional Chinese: 如懿傳; pinyin: Rúyì Zhuàn, literally: The Legend of Ruyi) is a 2018 Chinese television series based on novel Hou Gong Ru Yi Zhuan by Liu Lianzi. Starring Zhou Xun and Wallace Huo, the series chronicles both the romantic and marital relationship between the Qianlong Emperor and Empress Nara.

The series is the sequel to the critically acclaimed drama Empresses in the Palace. It aired on Tencent Video starting 20 August to 15 October 2018; during which it was streamed more than 18.9 billion times. It later went on national broadcast and aired simultaneously on Jiangsu Television and Dragon Television from 25 December 2018.

Despite receiving initial mixed reviews from viewers about the plot and the characters, the series eventually won acclaim for its exquisite props, ornate lavish sets and stellar cast and has a grand total score of 7.5 points on Douban.

Synopsis

The story follows the Empress Nara and her life during the Qianlong Emperor's reign as his consort until her death.

Originally known as Lady Qingying, the niece of Empress Xiaojing, she is childhood friends with Prince Hongli and initially chosen to be his primary consort. However, when Yongzheng Emperor exposes Empress Xiaojing in making Prince Hongshi a usurper against him, Prince Hongli is forced to rescind his decision, taking Lady Fuca Langhua as his primary consort instead. Lady Qingying is banished from the Imperial Court upon Empress Xiaojing's house arrest. Prince Hongli compromises with Yongzheng Emperor to take Lady Qingying as the former's secondary consort in exchange of also taking Lady Gao Xiyue as his concubine as well. All three women are promoted once Prince Hongli became Qianlong Emperor; Lady Qingying becoming Consort Xian, Lady Fuca becomes Empress and Lady Gao becoming Noble Consort Hui.

Due to her involvement with the Ula-Nara clan and her reputation as Qianlong Emperor's most favored wife, Consort Xian was initially not well received in the Imperial Harem and Imperial Family. Dowager Empress Xi initially distrusted Consort Xian but granted her the name "Ruyi" once trust was later established. Threatened by Ruyi's favor among both mother and son, Empress Fuca, Noble Consort Hui, and her maid Aruo conspired against her, resulting in Ruyi being blamed for the deaths of royal heirs. She is demoted and sent to the Cold Palace where the truth about her infertility surfaced and where she formed an alliance with lowly bodyguard Ling Yunche. Ruyi was able to return to the Imperial Harem with the help of her allies and, with her sister-wife, Consort Yu's help. Aruo was banished to the Cold Palace, Noble Consort Hui was abandoned by the Empress, and the Empress was isolated from her allies. Devastated by the deaths of her sons and forced to marry her daughter off to the Mongol allies, Empress Fuca falls into water during winter and nearly drowns. On her deathbed, Qianlong confronted her for her evil deeds done during her reign towards the harem. In return, she cursed him with an Empress who would endure his cold demeanor until her death.

It is revealed that Empress Fuca and Noble Consort Hui were both manipulated by Consort Ji, a favored consort from Joseon who wanted to win the love of the Joseon Crown Prince. Ruyi's ascension from Consort to Imperial Noble Consort to Step Empress was made uneasy due to Consort Jia's attempt to curb her favor with scathing rumors and an attempt to frame her for adultery. Furthermore, she rallied her maiden clan and well known Duchesses to convince the Qianlong Emperor to name her oldest son as Crown Prince. Eventually, Consort Jia lost favor and was demoted to a Commoner due to her constant scheming and manipulations. On her deathbed, to have her confess to her crimes, Ruyi revealed to her that Joseon Crown Prince exposed the fact that she was a commoner, which was why he never loved her. Ruyi was unaware that Consort Jia's downfall was due to the scheming of unfavored Consort Ling.

Consort Ling, a former maid and look-a-like of Ruyi began rising in power. Driven by spite against those who had wronged her and financially pressured by her family, Consort Ling grew in favor due to constantly feeding into Qianlong Emperor's wants over his needs and reputation. Ruyi's differing opinions for his health and reputation begin clashing with his expectations and desires, causing a dramatic decline in their relationship. Ultimately, a confrontation between them caused Ruyi to cut her hair as a means of symbolically ending their marriage and rescinding her status as Empress. This act was seen as a major insult/curse against the Emperor and Dowager Empress Xi. Consort Ling was promoted as Imperial Noble Consort where she continually offended the Mongol concubines and abused her power obnoxiously. Ruyi refuses to be treated for tuberculosis and collected evidence of Consort Ling's crimes and murders of royal heirs. Consort Ling's life came to an end when her crimes were exposed to the Qianlong Emperor and she was punished to be poisoned everyday to her dying days.

Though no longer on house arrest, Ruyi refused to be involved harem nor accept her role as Empress. While Qianlong Emperor was on a hunt at Mulan Hunting Grounds, Ruyi finally succumbed to her illness without letting him know. Though he greatly mourned her death, Qianlong only granted her a very small funeral as an Imperial Noble Consort, refused to give her a posthumous name, ordered all records of her to be destroyed and her death to be written as merely a passing of an untitled clanswoman. This brought controversy throughout China and the Imperial Palace. When Dowager Empress Xi asked about his decision, he justified his act by recounting how Ruyi had cut her hair in defiance and his order was her eternal punishment but also to free her of the Empress title in death. Qianlong Emperor designed and dedicated a pavilion to her, spending the rest of his life sitting inside of it and forever haunted by her memory as he grew older. To save their only surviving son from the pressures and tragedies that come from being an emperor, he made Consort Ling's youngest son to be his successor instead and retired soon after.

A now elderly Qianlong Emperor cutting a piece of his whitened hair and placing it beside with the original lock of dark hair which Ruyi had cut in front of him years ago. After the passing of the Emperor, a dead Prunus mume plant once nurtured by Ruyi (from previous garden scenes) began to blossom. The last memory upon his death was of Ruyi attending his wife selection, late in her presence.

The ending sequence states that no woman from Ula-Nara Clan ever entered the Imperial Harem again after the death of Ruyi. They are to be free from the burdens of the palace and live their lives with normal husbands.

Cast

Main

Leading Protagonists

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Zhou Xun	Ula-Nara Ruyi (烏拉那拉·如懿)	Yanxi Palace Yikun Palace	The Step Empress (繼皇后) Lady Ula-Nara → Secondary Consort (Ce Fujin) → Consort Xian → Noble Lady Xian → Commoner → Consort Xian → Noble Consort Xian → Imperial Noble Consort → The Step Empress Coming from the Ula-Nara clan of the Plain Yellow Banner with the birth name Qingying (青櫻), she is the niece of the Empress Ula-Nara Yixiu. Childhood friends with Qianlong Emperor, she was initilally chosen to be his first wife before her family's position in the Imperial Family was compromised. Wanting to distance herself from her past and make amends, she was given the name Ruyi (如懿), meaning 'beautiful and quiet' (美好安靜), reminding her that she must be calm if she wants to have a peaceful life in the palace. While she is referred to as her titles, she is often called Ruyi in private by Dowager Empress and Qianlong Emperor. Due to her past relationship with Qianlong Emperor, she is despised by the women in the Imperial Harem and suffered trials and tribulations as a result. She is eventually promoted to Step Empress but her relationship between her and Qianlong Emperor eventually deteriorated as time passed. Her death causes great pain and guilt to Qianlong Emperor up to the day he dies. Her legacy remains a mystery for years to come, as Qianlong Emperor ordered all records and documents of her to be destroyed after her death.
Wallace Huo	Aisin-Gioro Hongli (愛新覺羅·弘曆)	Prince Bao's Manor Yangxin Hall	The Qianlong Emperor (乾隆皇帝) The Fourth Prince → Prince Bao of the First Rank → The Qianlong Emperor → Retired Emperor The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor and Dowager Empress's adoptive son. Childhood friends with Ruyi, he was named the next successor to the throne after his older brother's dismissal and forced to choose Ruyi as his second wife instead of his first. While he is talented and politically capable, he is revealed to be insecure and selfish as time passes. Appearances matter to him, as he intentionally hide the true reality of the Imperial Court to the outside world, and puts on a show to pretend he genuinely cares for the Imperial Family and Imperial Harem. Despite vowing to protect Ruyi, he lets his ego and indulgence control his decisions over Ruyi's well-being. As he grows older, his weaknesses cause him to fall victim to Consort Ling's influence and becomes a shadow of a man Ruyi used to love. Qianlong Emperor eventually realizes the error of his ways and attempts to reconcile with Ruyi until her death. Out of guilt and as a final attempt of making things right, he removed all traces of her (paintings, records, etc.) from the Imperial Court as a means to set her free.

Secondary Protagonists

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Janine Chang	Keliyete Hailan (珂里葉特·海蘭)	Xianfu Palace Yanxi Palace	Noble Consort Yu (愉貴妃) Embroidery maid → Mistress (Shu Fujin) → First Attendant Hai → Noble Lady Hai → Concubine Yu → Consort Yu → Noble Consort Yu (posthumous) Initially an embroidery maid in Prince Hongli's residence named Hailan and eventually promoted to become Noble Consort Yu. Gentle yet determined, she is a loyal friend and confidante of Ruyi. Hailan was first taken advantage of by Prince Hongli on a drunken occasion when she was an embroidery maid prior to his ascension. To preserve her dignity and prevent her from being further bullied, Ruyi helped her become a mistress in the Imperial Harem and she eventually became known as Noble Consort Yu. Her only son, Prince Yongqi, was adopted by Ruyi and, in later years, became Qianlong Emperor's favorite son until his death. Hailan is an exceptionally influential member of the Imperial Harem and makes use of her influence to deal with the concubines and consorts who stand in Ruyi's way. She serves as the messenger that helped Ruyi expose Yanwan's actions to Qianlong Emperor.
Vivian Wu	Niohuru Zhenhuan (钮祜禄·甄嬛)	Yongshou Palace Shoukang Palace Cining Palace	Empress Dowager Chongqing (崇慶皇太后) Consort Xi → Noble Consort Xi → Empress Dowager Chongqing Qianlong Emperor's adoptive mother and Dowager Empress during Qianlong Emperor's reign. Although she appears to share a civil relationship with her son, they are wary and suspicious of each other. In order to ensure that she continues to thrive in the Imperial Court, she places concubines that are subservient to her by Qianlong Emperor's side and manipulates some consorts like Ruyi to influence him. She initially dislikes Ruyi because of her familial relationship with Empress Xiaojing, but later grows to respect her for her intelligence and her pure love for the Qianlong Emperor, becoming an ally to her in the end. However, some of her tasks that she asked Ruyi to perform ended up causing strain on Ruyi's relationship with Qianlong Emperor as well as the rest of the family. She was the second voice that sealed Yanwan's fate at the end of the series.
Jing Chao	Ling Yunche (凌雲徹)	—	Ling Yunche (凌雲徹) Imperial guard of the Cold Palace → Imperial guard of Kunning Palace → Lanling Imperial guard → Imperial guard of the 3rd rank → Slave → Imperial guard of the 2nd rank → Imperial guard of the 1st rank → Eunuch of Yikun Palace An imperial guard that helped Ruyi survive the Cold Palace. He was Consort Ling's first love and eventually Miaoqian's husband. Ling Yunche had hoped to marry Yanwan but her selfish and greedy goals, as well as her obligations to her family, caused their relationship to fall apart. He first met Ruyi and her maid at the Cold Palace and, assigned by Yuhu, had protected them for years. For his loyalty and efforts, he rose into the ranks of being an Imperial Guard. Despite rejecting him, Yanwan made sure of his suffering because of her belief that he loves Ruyi and successfully persuaded Qianlong Emperor to believe that both he and Ruyi were having an affair. Under the Emperor's orders, Ling Yunche suffered tremendously before Hailan ordered his execution, as a means to appease the Emperor and stop the rumors from hurting Ruyi. He provided the ring he had given to Yanwan as an expression of their love to Hailan, a physical proof against his former lover.

Main Antagonists

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Tong Yao	Gao Xiyue (高晞月)	Xianfu Palace	Imperial Noble Consort Huixian (慧賢皇貴妃) Mistress Gao (Shu fujin) → Secondary Consort (Ce Fujin) → Noble Consort Hui(慧貴妃) → Imperial Noble Consort Hui(慧皇貴妃) → Imperial Noble Consort Huixian (posthumous) Formerly the concubine of then-Fourth Prince and eventually promoted as Imperial Noble Consort Hui. A skilled Pipa player who is proficient in the Chinese Four Arts and a favored consort of Qianlong Emperor during the earlier years of his reign. Because of her father's status and popularity in court, she is obnoxious and ill-tempered, often abusing her authority. She maintains a great alliance with Empress Fuca and Consort Jia, and is the person who acts against the other concubines for her own benefits. She often plots against Ruyi, knowing it would make the Empress happy, and at one point, plots to adopt 1st Prince Yonghuang in the hopes that it would help her gain independence from the Empress. Due to her health, Qianlong had never wanted to impregnate her because of the risks of her illness passing down to the heir. However, this is due to the fact that Empress Dowager had ordered Imperial Physician Qi Ru to secretly poison her; the reason being, her father, Gao Bin, forced Empress Dowager's first daughter Hengti to marry into a Mongol tribe. She becomes erratic and paranoid, believing that Aruo is haunting her, thus her ties with the Empress is severed when Ruyi exposed the fact that it was Empress Fuca who made her infertile. On her death bed, she exposed Empress Fuca's crimes to Qianlong Emperor, and gave him scabies as a parting gift.
Dong Jie	Fuca Langhua (富察·琅嬅)	Changchun Palace	The First Empress Xiaoxianchun (孝賢純皇后) Di fujin → The First Empress(元后) Formerly the first wife of then-Fourth Prince and eventually the Empress Fuca. Elegant and dignified, she presents herself as a respected, virtuous, and frugal Empress but is insecure, paranoid, and jealous. Her high expectations indirectly caused the death of her 2nd Prince Yonglian and her grudge against Ruyi initially being the First Wife cause her to often act against her. She allies with Noble Consort Hui and Consort Jia, making it her personal mission to make Ruyi suffer in the harem. Upon Noble Consort Hui's death, Empress Fuca's alliance and popularity starts to fade within the harem. With the deaths of her sons and her 1st Princess Jingse married to a Mongol tribe, she eventually succumbs to her illness, aggravated by near-death drowning. Just before her death, she pleaded Qianlong not to promote Ruyi to Empress and curses his next Empress to suffer his cold shoulder like she did. Empress Fuca is memorialized throughout his reign and her funeral was admirable compared to past Empresses.
Xin Zhilei	Jin Yuyan/Kim Ok-yeon (金玉妍/김옥연)	Qixiang Palace	Imperial Noble Consort Shujia (淑嘉皇貴妃) Lady Jin (Shu fujin) → Noble Lady Jia (嘉貴人) → Concubine Jia (嘉嬪) → Consort Jia (嘉妃) → Noble Consort Jia (嘉嬪) → Concubine Jia (嘉嬪) → Noble Lady Jia (嘉貴人) → Concubine Jia (嘉嬪) → Noble Consort Jia → Second Class Female Attendant Jin (金答應) → Noble Consort Jia → Commoner → Imperial Noble Consort Shujia (posthumous) A favored concubine of Qianlong Emperor from Joseon that rose and fell in rank over the years. Consort Jia is a Joseon woman who practices Confuscianism, her maiden religion, in secret. In the public eye, she presents herself as an ally of Empress Fuca who is subservient but is often a gossiper with no limitations. In secret, she is manipulative, shrewd, and is the mastermind behind Imperial Noble Consort Hui and Empress Fuca's demise. She accuses Ruyi of an affair and plants physical evidence, all in an attempt to become the Step-Empress as a favor to her true lover, the Crown Prince of Joseon. With this failure, Consort Jia then tries to gain favor for her 4th Prince Yongcheng by rallying her maiden clan and the popular duchesses to name her son as Crown Prince. Once her plans, including the plot to assassinate the Emperor, were discovered, she was demoted to Commoner and commits suicide to save her deposed sons the embarrassment of a mother like her. Before her death, Ruyi revealed to her that the King of Joseon never loved her because she was actually common-born. Her posthumous title of Imperial Noble Consort Shujia; her name is a homophone for "loser" (输家).
Li Chun	Wei Yanwan (魏嬿婉/衛嬿婉)	Yongshou Palace	Imperial Noble Consort Lingyi (炩懿皇貴妃) Palace maid → Palace maid of Consort Chun → Palace Maid of the Royal Garden → Palace Maid of Consort Jia → Second Class Female Attendant Wei (衛答應) → First Class Female Attendant Wei (衛常在) → Noble Lady Ling (炩貴人) → Concubine Ling (炩嬪) → Consort Ling (炩妃) → Second Class Female Attendant Wei (衛答應) → Noble Lady Ling (炩貴人) → Concubine Ling (炩嬪) → Consort Ling (炩妃) → Noble Consort Ling (炩貴妃) → Imperial Noble Consort Ling (炩皇貴妃) → Imperial Noble Consort Lingyi (炩懿皇貴妃, posthumous) Initially a former maid named Wei Yanwan that was a Ruyi look-a-like who rose in rank. Yanwan was always driven by obligations to her family, particularly her mother, since the shame of her father's demotion and was regarded as the main breadwinner. Because of this, her aspiration was always about money and, because Ling Yunche was a lowly guard, she often used his connections and took advantage of him for mere favors. Yanwan ultimately became Consort Jia's maid and suffered endlessly due to her similar looks to Ruyi and for trying to seduce Qianlong. Yanwan is forced to ally with junior eunuch Jinzhong who helped her climb in ranks and maintain the Emperor's meager favors by granting him favors that could damage his health or reputation. With their alliance, Ling Yunche was banished to Mulan Grounds (who later returned), many consorts and heirs died, and the relationship between Ruyi and Qianlong Emperor fell apart. Even when she became part of Qianlong harem, her feelings towards Ling Yunche didn't subside. When she discovered that Ling Yunche had feelings for Ruyi, her hatred for her grew and she became more determined to take her down. Despite holding the title of Imperial Noble Consort after Ruyi's house arrest, she fails to maintain the allegiance of the Mongol consorts, educate her son properly, and even fails to trust her closest allies. For the sake of her own evil ambitions, she even sacrificed her mother and brother. As she rapidly loses her allies one by one, her crimes are then exposed to Qianlong Emperor. She was sentenced to consume poison everyday until her last breath. Despite her end, her youngest son was named heir and became Jiaqing Emperor as he was the only eligible child of Qianlong to succeed him. He also promotes her to Empress Xiaoyichun posthumously after the death of Qianlong Emperor as an act of filial piety.

Supporting

the Imperial Harem

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Hu Ke	Su Lüyun (蘇綠筠)	Zhongcui Palace	Imperial Noble Consort Chunhui (純惠皇貴妃) Mistress (Shu Fujin) → Concubine Chun → Consort Chun → Noble Consort Chun → Imperial Noble Consort → Imperial Noble Consort Chunhui (posthumous) A concubine of then-Fourth Prince and eventually promoted to Imperial Noble Consort Chun. Naïve and kind, she is manipulated often by the women of the Imperial Harem to unknowingly help with their machinations and sometimes works against Ruyi for her own agenda. Initially recommended to be the next Empress to succeed Empress Fuca, she fell out of favor but remained an important figure of the Imperial Harem when Ruyi became Step Empress. She is a major ally to Ruyi and Noble Consort Yu, and ended up caring for her former foster son Prince Yonghuang when she was sent to The Cold Palace. Until the end of her life, she served as Ruyi's confidant alongside Noble Consort Yu. She fell from further favor as Ruyi began clashing with Qianlong Emperor and siding with the former. At the end of her life, she was granted the title Imperial Noble Consort but died from illness before her ceremony.
Cao Xiwen	Chen Wanyin (陳婉茵)	Zhongcui Palace	Noble Consort Wan (婉貴妃) Mistress (Shu Fujin) → Second Attendant Wan → First Attendant Wan → Noble Lady Wan → Concubine Wan → Consort Wan → Noble Consort Wan (posthumous) A concubine of then-Fourth Prince and eventually promoted to Consort Wan. Timid and complacent, she remains neutral on harem politics and does not dare to aim higher, despite always vying for the Emperor's favor. Despite having a good relationship with the Step Empress, Yanwan manipulated her desire to gain favor and her penmanship skills to further separate Qianlong Emperor from Ruyi and lose custody of Prince Yongji. Ruyi described Consort Wan as a "rare, good person" and forgave her for her actions before Consort Wan vowed to make amends.
Han Dantong	Huang Qiying(黃琦莹)	Jingyang Palace Yanxi Palace	Concubine Yi (儀嬪) Personal maid of Primary Consort Fuca → Mistress (Shu Fujin) → Noble Lady Yi → Concubine Yi (posthumous) A maid of Empress Fuca turned concubine of then-Fourth Prince and eventually promoted to Noble Lady Yi. Empress Fuca and Imperial Noble Consort Hui despised her for receiving favor and caused her to miscarry. She was manipulated to believe that Ruyi was responsible and attempted to assassinate her when they lived together. Noble Lady Yi committed suicide soon after.
Zeng Yixuan	Socolun A'ruo (索索綽倫·阿箬)	Qixiang Palace	Concubine Shen (慎嬪) Maid of Consort Xian → Palace maid → First Attendant Shen → Noble Lady Shen → Concubine Shen → Commoner A former maid of Ruyi named A'ruo promoted to be Concubine Shen. At the start of the series, Aruo was more subservient but, as the story progressed, she becomes more conceited and superior due to her father's abilities in court. Since her punishment by Noble Consort Hui for badmouthing Lianxin, Aruo is bitter against her mistress Ruyi and secretly conspires with Empress Fuca and Noble Consort Hui against her. She played a crucial role to have Ruyi blamed entirely for the deaths of two royal heirs and then promoted to First Attendant Shen. Despite entering the harem and rising fast in ranks, Aruo's actions are offensive and the other consorts dread her. This is because Qianlong used her against her co-conspirators to make them jealous and isolate Aruo. Ruyi's return to the palace and the reinvestigation into the murders of the royal heirs cause Aruo to be erratic and paranoid. With no allies and her family held hostage against her, she admits to the acting alone on the murder charge. Concubine Shen was sent to The Cold Palace as a commoner and committed suicide shortly.
He Hongshan	Bai Ruiji (白蕊姬)	Yonghe Palace Anhua Palace	Concubine Mei (玫嬪) Musician of South Manor → Second Attendant Mei → First Attendant Mei → Noble Lady Mei → Concubine Mei A musician promoted to Concubine Mei. A yueqin player, Concubine Mei was the first of many spies sent by Dowager Empress as a means of spying on Qianlong Emperor and having control over the harem. Despite initially being favored, the loss of her child and decline in health led her to lose favor. Through many manipulations, she was led to believe that Ruyi, Aruo, Noble Consort Hui, and Empress Fuca were responsible for her child's death. Manipulated by Consort Jia, Concubine Mei killed Empress Fuca's son by making him contract smallpox. She was eventually used as a scapegoat by Qianlong Emperor to weaken Empress Dowager's control by causing Concubine Qing to be infertile. As punishment for her crimes, she is forced to commit suicide. Ruyi prepared the death to ensure that Concubine Mei is reunited with her son in the afterlife.
Chen Haoyu	Yehe-Nara Yihuan (葉赫那拉·意歡)	Chuxiu Palace	Consort Shu (舒妃) Noble Lady Shu → Concubine Shu → Consort Shu A noble lady promoted to be Consort Shu. One of Dowager Empress's spies, Consort Shu was trained to be the ideal partner for the Qianlong Emperor and entered into the Imperial Harem after a dancing performance. Straightforward and good-natured, she keeps to herself and believes that her love for the Qianlong Emperor is reciprocated and, therefore, she stayed loyal to him despite her alliance with the Empress Dowager. She is one of Ruyi's allies and resents the other scheming concubines. However, Qianlong Emperor always knew that she was a spy and had secretly ordered for contraceptive medication for her to consume to prevent her pregnancy. Oblivious to this, eventually Consort Shu gave up on the idea of pregnancy and, ironically became pregnant with 10th Prince. She is heartbroken that her child was born with a weak frame and sent out to be raised by Duke and Duchess of Narqian, and became inconsolable upon her son's death. When Yanwan secretly revealed to her that it was due to Qianlong Emperor's contraceptive medication that caused her son's ill health, she then learns from him that he had always been wary of her. She commits suicide via arson in her own palace.
Yu Yang	Lu Muping (陸沐萍)	Jingyang Palace	Imperial Noble Consort Qinggong (慶恭皇貴妃) First Attendant Qing → Noble Lady Qing → Concubine Qing → Noble Lady Qing → Concubine Qing → Consort Qing → Noble Consort Qing → Imperial Noble Consort Qinggong (posthumous) Consort Qing is one of Empress Dowager's spies but has very little sway over the Emperor. She is very naive and often sides with any consorts that are favored, such as Consorts Jia and Ling. She was poisoned by Concubine Mei, conspired by Qianlong Emperor, and has become infertile. She eventually became in charge of raising Yanwan's son, the future Jiaqing Emperor, after the latter's death.
Liu Meitong	Bai'erguosishe (拜爾果斯氏)	Xianfu Palace	Concubine Ke (恪嬪) Noble Lady Ke → Concubine Ke A Mongolian concubine promoted to be Concubine Ke. The first member of the Imperial Harem from Mongolia, she is a descendant of Mongolian Royalty and is close with Noble Consort Ying. She remains loyal to Ruyi and has a great dislike for Yanwan and Consort Jia.
Zhang Jianing	Baarin Meiruo (巴林·湄若)	Chuxiu Palace	Noble Consort Ying (穎貴妃) Concubine Ying → Consort Ying → Noble Consort Ying A Mongolian concubine promoted to be Noble Consort Ying. Spirited and eloquent yet blunt, she is the second member of the Imperial Harem from Mongolia and regarded as a "Southern Beauty" who became very favored by the Qianlong Emperor. Like Concubine Ke, she remains loyal to Ruyi and has a great dislike for Consorts Ling and Jia. She serves as a representative for all the Mongolian Harem members. She lost her fetus when Consort Jia's dog lunged at her and 5th Princess Jingsi. Under the Qianlong Emperor's order, Consort Ying raised Yanwan's daughter Jingyuan after her demotion for suspicion of black magic and fighting for favor. She often fights with Yanwan over their daughter, with one occasion that greatly offended Empress Dowager. Consort Ying caused a rift between Yanwan and 1st Princess Jingse, which allowed Qianlong to find out Yanwan is not properly educating her son.
Zhao Ke	Borjigin Eyinzhu (博爾濟吉特·厄音珠)	Yonghe Palace	Consort Yu (豫妃) Concubine Yu → Consort Yu A Mongolian concubine promoted to be Consort Yu. Arrogant, defiant, and another descendant of Mongolian royalty, she quickly became favored by Qianlong Emperor due to her exuberance. However, this is a farce to play on his favoritism so she can gain political information for her father. When she attempted to use an aphrodisiac on him, she is promoted out of respect to her clan but placed under house arrest. Under Yanwan's orders, she masterminded an assassination attempt on 12th Prince YongJi and created an opportunity to cement the rumors regard the supposed affair between Ruyi and Ling Yunche using his wife Maoqian. She was put to death when Maoqian's proof was insufficient.
Li Qin	Han Xiangjian (寒香見)	Chengqian Palace Baoyue Hall	Consort Rong (容妃) Princess Xiangjian → Noble Lady Rong → Concubine Rong → Consort Rong A Han princess promoted to Consort Rong. Xiangjian was brought in as a tribute by General Zhaohui after her tribe was defeated by the Qing army. Her beauty, that captivated Qianglong Emperor, enticed fear and jealousy in the Imperial Harem as she was quickly favored. Despite his apparent and heavy favor towards her, Xiangjian abhors him and maintains her loyalty to her deceased fiance Han Qi. She relents only when Ruyi convinced her to live for Han Qi's memories, as well as for her clan. Nevertheless, the choice to live on does not dissuade her to choose infertility, which she asks of Ruyi and Ruyi delivers reluctantly. By allowing her to go through with her choice, Ruyi's relationship with Qianlong Emperor greatly strained but Consort Rong was still favored. Consort Rong remained loyal to Ruyi for helping her become infertile and became Qianlong Emperor's voice of reason, criticizing him when he acts against Ruyi out of spite or pettiness. Her clan on the borders helped Ruyi retained a witness against Yanwan: Yanwan's brother Zuolu who was banished there.
Sun Wenting	Lady Lin (林氏)	Jingren Palace	First Attendant Gong (恭常在) A lady who enters the Imperial Harem along with Concubine Ke and First Attendant Xi. Originally siding with Consort Jia, she ended up being close to Consort Ying. She, as well as Concubine Ke and First Attendant Xi were picked to serve Qianlong Emperor while Ruyi and Jia were pregnant. She hates Yanwan and stays loyal to Ruyi.
Wang Mian	Lady Sirin-Gioro (西林覺羅氏)	Jingren Palace	First Attendant Xi (禧常在) A lady who enters the Imperial Harem along with Concubine Ke and First Attendant Gong. Originally siding with Consort Jia, she ended up being close to Consort Ying. She, as well as Concubine Ke and First Attendant Gong were picked to serve Qianlong Emperor while Ruyi and Jia were pregnant. She hates Yanwan and stays loyal to Ruyi.
Zhu Jue	Lady Socolun (索綽倫氏)	Jingyang Palace	Noble Lady Rui (瑞貴人) Enters the palace at the same time as Consort Yu. She sides with Yanwan.
Xia Yuxia	Lady Fang (方氏)	Yonghe Palace	First Attendant Kui (揆常在) Palace maid → Second Attendant Kui → First Attendant Kui A former maid who entered the palace when Ruyi is promoted to Imperial Noble Consort and became part of the Imperial Harem. She sides with Yanwan.
Zhao Ruoxi	Lady Xu (徐氏)	Jingyang Palace Zhongcui Palace	First Attendant Xiu (秀常在) Second Attendant Xiu → First Attendant Xiu
Qu Rong	Lady Qian (錢氏)	Yonghe Palace	First Attendant Ping (平常在) Palace maid → Second Attendant Ping → First Attendant Ping A former maid who entered the palace when Ruyi is promoted to Imperial Noble Consort and became part of the Imperial Harem.
Huang Lulu	Lady Bai (白氏)	Jingyang Palace	First Attendant Bai (白常在) Entered the palace at the same time as Consort Yu.
Song Qinglin	Lady Lu (陸氏)	Jingyang Palace	First Attendant Lu (陸常在) Entered the palace at the same times as Consort Yu.
Yang Wanyi			First Attendant Wu (武常在) A member of Yanwan's posse.
Gao Rui			First Attendant Lu (柏常在) A member of Yanwan's posse.
Sun Wanting			First Attendant Ning (寧常在)
Jin Ning			First Attendant Fu (福常在)

Members of the Imperial Family

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Zhang Fengyi	Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen (愛新覺羅·胤禛)	Yangxin Hall	Yongzheng Emperor (雍正帝) Father of Qianlong Emperor and the previous Emperor at the beginning of the series. His decision to take Third Prince out of the line of succession and make Qianlong Emperor his successor forced the latter to initially rescind his decision to make Ruyi his difujin. Despite his orders, he saw how much his son loved her and allowed him to have Ruyi as his son's cefujin so long as Qianlong Emperor takes Empress Fuca as difujin and Imperial Noble Consort Hui as Mistress. He is shown to have a soft spot for Ruyi due to her being Empress Xiaojing's niece. Yongzheng Emperor died six years after Ruyi's marriage to Qianlong Emperor.
Joan Chen	Ula-Nara Yixiu (烏拉那拉·宜修)	Jingren Palace	Empress Xiaojingxian (孝敬憲皇后) Secondary Consort of Prince Yong of the Second Rank → Primary Consort of Prince Yong of the First Rank → Empress → 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘟𝘪𝘢𝘰𝘫𝘪𝘯𝘨 → 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘟𝘪𝘢𝘰𝘫𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘹𝘪𝘢𝘯 (posthumously) Aunt of Ruyi, legal mother of Third Prince, and the previous Empress at the beginning of the series. Empress Xiaojing was exposed for her role in the previous Empress's death as well as her legal son's attempt at usurping the throne. As a result, Empress Xiaojin was placed under house arrest and the Ula-Nara clan's reputation was compromised. It is revealed that then-Consort Xi, now Dowager Empress, disclosed this information as a means of making Qianlong Emperor succeed the Yongzheng Emperor instead. Qianlong Emperor is torn between giving Empress Xiaojing the posthumous title she deserved and granting Dowager Empress's wishes. Not wanting two Ula-Nara consorts in the Imperial Harem, Dowager Empress asked Ruyi to commit suicide. However, Empress Xiaojing decides to commit suicide herself and tells Ruyi to not be abandoned by Qianglong Emperor before she dies.
Zhu Yan			Dowager Concubine Ji (吉太嬪) A concubine from Yongzheng Emperor's reign who was banished to the Cold Palace, supposedly due to Empress Dowager's influence. Disillusioned and aged, she meets Ruyi and attempts to assassinate the visiting Dowager Empress; she is later executed for her attempt.
Li Jie Ma Qiyue (young)	Aisin-Gioro Hongshi (愛新覺羅·弘時)		Hongshi (弘時) Third Prince of the Yongzheng Emperor and Empress Xiaojin's legal son. As Qianlong Emperor's half-older brother and initially the successor to the throne, he lost favor after he was caught usurping the throne from the Yongzheng Emperor. He loses his place in the succession while Empress Xiaojin loses her status as Empress. Initially, Ruyi was sent to attend his bridal selection but was unable to be chosen to become his difujin because she intentionally failed to impress him.
Wang Xiao Tang Chengjing	Aisin-Gioro Hongzhou (愛新覺羅·弘晝) Imperial Princess Consort Hegong (吳扎庫氏)	Prince He's Manor	Hongzhou (和親王) Fifth son of the Yongzheng Emperor and Prince He of the First Rank. As Qianlong Emperor's half-younger brother and initially another member in the line of succession, he chose to let his brother ascend to the throne instead. He is married to Imperial Princess Consort Hegong.
Xuan Lu	Aisin-Gioro Hengchuo (愛新覺羅·恆娖)		Grand Princess Duanshu (端淑長公主)Princess Hengchuo → Grand Princess Duanshu Oldest daughter of the Yongzheng Emperor and the Dowager Empress. Upon her marriage, she became Grand Princess Duanshu. A younger-half sister of Qianlong Emperor, she was initially married to Khan Dorza and became High Princess of Dzungar Khanate. However, Khan Dorza was killed and his position was usurped by Khan Dawachi, who forced Qianlong to give High Princess Duanshu's hand in marriage in order to maintain peace and possibly prevent her from being mistreated horribly. Qianlong's decision to hold off on taking his sister back put great strain on his relationship with Dowager Empress. Eventually, he was able to make Khan Dawachi surrender and regain Grand Princess. She is revealed to be carrying his child, forcing Qianlong Emperor to acknowledge that he is a father; therefore he was not put to death nor was their marriage voided.
Wang Herun	Aisin-Gioro Hengti (愛新覺羅·恆媞)		Grand Princess Roushu (柔淑長公主)Princess Hengti → Grand Princess Roushu Younger daughter of the Yongzheng Emperor and Dowager Empress. Initially chosen to be part of a marriage alliance to Septeng Baljur, Dowager Empress appealed to Empress Fuca's maiden clan to offer her daughter Princess Jingse instead.
Guan Xueying Wu Yuyu (teen) Liu Sitong (young)	Aisin-Gioro Jingse (愛新覺羅·璟瑟)	Changchun Palace Third Princess's Manor	Princess Hejing of the First Rank (固倫和敬公主) Grand Princess Jingse → Princess Hejing of the First Rank The Third Princess of Qianlong Emperor and Empress Fuca's only surviving daughter. Proud and eloquent, she is the surviving child of Empress Fuca. She looks down on the imperial concubines due to her noble birth and, although she loved her mother dearly, is held at very high expectations from her mother. She became resentful of Ruyi for pressuring her and Empress Fuca to marry far away, causing her to endure a traumatic birth, as well as the indirect hit to her mother's health and eventual death. After returning home to be with Qianlong Emperor, she initially sided with Consort Ling to take her down as a means of avenging her mother. However, she betrays Consort Ling after being convinced by Consort Ying to side with Ruyi instead.
Ding Qiao Wang Donghe (teen) Ye Kaiwan (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yonghuang (愛新覺羅·永璜)	Prince Bao's Manor Yanxi Palace Zhongcui Palace Prince Ding's Manor	Prince Ding'an of the First Rank (定安親王) Prince Yonghuang → Prince Ding'an of the First Rank (Posthumously) The First Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Imperial Noble Consort Zhemin's only son. Innocent and mild-mannered, he was abused and neglected after the death of his birth mother due to his birth before Empress Fuca's son Yonglian. His personal decision to be adopted by Ruyi caused jealousy from Empress Fuca and Imperial Noble Consort Hui. When Ruyi was sent to live in the Cold Palace, he was then adopted by Imperial Noble Consort Chun. Despite Ruyi's desire to have her son back, she allowed Imperial Noble Consort Chun to raise him in order to avoid more conflict within the Imperial Harem. He grows up to be ambitious and yearns to succeed his father due to Consort Chun's emotional neglect, as well as her favoritism towards her own son 3rd Prince Yongzhang. He lost favor when he acted upon his anger at Empress Fuca's funeral, egged on by Consort Jia, and fell into terminal illness. On his deathbed, he revealed to Ruyi that Consort Jia's conspired against him to be disrespectful at the funeral. He was posthumously titled Prince Ding'an of the First Rank.
Ma Yanan	Lady Ilari (伊拉里氏)	Prince Ding's Manor	Yonghuang's primary wife and a distant relative of Imperial Noble Consort Chun. She was politically chosen to marry Yonghuang because of her humble background with no prominent clan influence to hinder Yonghuang's influence in the Imperial Court.
Yu Yao	Aisin-Gioro Yonglian (愛新覺羅·永琏)	Prince Bao's Manor Changchun Palace The Study Hall	Crown Prince Duanhui (端慧皇太子) Prince Yonglian → Crown Prince Duanhui The Second Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Empress Fuca's oldest son. Due to Empress Fuca's expectations, Prince Yonglian was often pushed to excel academically. As a result of his asthma and Empress Fuca's bad parenting, he eventually died as a result of overworking himself.
Cheng Xingyuan Liu Zeyu (teen) He Luanhui (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongzhang (愛新覺羅·永璋)	Zhongcui Palace Third Prince's Manor	Prince Xun of the Second Rank (循郡王) Prince Yongzhang → Prince Xun of the Second Rank The Third Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Imperial Noble Consort Chun's oldest son. A kind, filial and hardworking person, he is goaded by Imperial Noble Consort Chun to compete for the position of the Crown Prince against 1st Prince Yonghuang. He loses favor with Qianlong Emperor after the death of Empress Fuca alongside Prince Yonghuang. He remains filial and kind despite not being favoured by his father. He speaks against his father to save his reputation and get care for his mother only to be banished from the palace by the Emperor. He later falls ill and passes away after his mother.
An Jie Hu Xianxu (teen) Rong Zishan (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongcheng (愛新覺羅·永珹)	Qixiang Palace Prince Lü's Manor	Prince Lü of the First Rank (履親王) Prince Yongcheng → Prince Lü of the First Rank The Fourth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Jia's oldest son. Ambitious, cunning, and calculating. He was initially favored due to being the first son born after the Qianlong Emperor's ascension. Alongside his mother, he attempted to help assassinate his father and gain the position Crown Prince of Qing, next to his mother's lover, the Prince of Joseon. He is egotistical and resorts to petty competition to keep his brothers out of favor. Due to the actions of Consort Jia and his role in the assassination attempt, he was deposed and titled of Prince Lü of the First Rank.
Tang Mengjia	Lady Irgen-Gioro (伊爾根覺羅氏)	Prince Lü's Manor	Yongcheng's primary consort. She was chosen by Consort Jia due to her connections with the royal family and as a means to strengthen Prince Yongcheng's succession to the throne. Once Consort Jia was demoted to commoner, Lady Irgen-Gioro showed disdain towards her mother-in-law.
Qu Chuxiao Bian Cheng (teen) Wuze Jinxi (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongqi (愛新覺羅·永琪)	Yanxi Palace Yikun Palace Prince Rong's Manor Chonghua Palace	Prince Rong of the First Rank (荣親王) Prince Yongqi → Prince Rong of the First Rank The Fifth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Noble Consort Yu's only son. Sensitive and intelligent, he becomes Qianlong's favorite son and was adopted by Ruyi. Due to harmful rumors regarding his adoptive mother and her so-called affairs, he kept her within arms reach to avoid incurring Qianlong Emperor's wrath, as well as aid her whenever he can. He is very observant and talented, but is pressured to hide such skills to avoid making any of the brothers jealous, lest they target him. He was named Crown Prince right before his death. He dies due to recurring bone cellulitis caused by Consort Ling's actions and his death was blamed on Ruyi.
Li Yiru	Lady Sirin-Gioro (西林覺羅氏)	Prince Rong's Manor	Prince Yongqi's primary consort. The marriage was granted by Qianlong Emperor as a political move in the imperial courts. Because the marriage was out of duty rather than love, Prince Yongqi kept himself busy with court matters and Lady Sirin-Gioro managed his household and secondary wives.
Janice Wu	Hu Yunjiao (胡芸角)	Prince Rong's Manor	Prince Yongqi's concubine. Manipulated by Consort Ling into thinking that Ruyi killed her mother, she is ordered to sow discord between Prince Yongqi and Ruyi. Her actions caused Qianlong Emperor to blame Ruyi for Yongqi's death.
Zhang Jinze Zhou Jinshi (teen) Chixu Xuanzhe (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongrong (愛新覺羅·永瑢)	Zhongcui Palace	Prince Shen of the Second Rank (慎郡王)Prince Yongrong → Prince Shen of the Second Rank The Sixth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Imperial Noble Consort Chun's youngest son.
He Xinrui	Aisin-Gioro Jingyan (愛新覺羅·璟妍)	Zhongcui Palace	Princess Hejia of the Second Rank (和碩和嘉公主)Princess Jingyan → Princess Hejia of the Second Rank The Fourth Princess of Qianlong Emperor and Imperial Noble Consort Chun's only daughter.
Ma Boquan Ha Lin (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongxuan (愛新覺羅·永璇)	Qixiang Palace The Study Hall Shoukang Palace	Prince Yi of the First Rank (儀親王) Prince Yongxuan → Prince Yi of the First Rank. The Eighth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Jia's second son. The Fifth Prince Yonqi was close to Eighth prince even though their mothers did not get along. Through Yanwan's scheming, Yongxuan was injured during a horse ride with Yongqi, causing Consort Jia to think both Ruyi and Hailan schemed against her. He was crippled and later cut from the royal heirdom due to Consort Jia's constant scheming to promote Yongcheng to Crown Prince.
Dongli Wuyou Zhang Yaoyang (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongxing (愛新覺羅·永瑆)	Qixiang Palace Shoukang Palace	Prince Cheng of the First Rank (成親王) The Eleventh Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Jia's youngest son. The Prince and his biological brothers are cut from the royal heirdom due to the actions of their mother Consort Jia and her maiden clan.
Xu Lingchen Ye Shengtong (teen) Lin Jingjie (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongji (愛新覺羅·永璂)	Yikun Palace Yanxi Palace	Prince Yongji (永璂) The Twelfth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Ruyi's only surviving son. 12th Prince Yongji is free-spirited and adventurous, held Ling Yunche in high regards, and loved picking flowers for his mother Ruyi. However, as he is the legitimate son, Qianlong Emperor had high expectations of him. At Mulan Hunting Grounds, Yongji was taken hostage by an assassin (arranged by Consort Yu and Yanwan) and was saved by Ling Yunche. His hostage situation greatly embarrassed his father and Ruyi was lectured for raising a mediocre prince. Soon, he was targeted by Yanwan to further cement the rumors of Ruyi's affair with Ling Yunche, and years on his own life. He was saved only when Empress Dowager intervened and discovered his unhealthy addiction to a certain ingredient. To save his son from the stress of being an emperor, Prince Yongji was not selected to become the next successor.
Lin Jingyi	Aisin-Gioro Jingsi (愛新覺羅·璟兕)	Yikun Palace	Princess Heyi of the First Rank (固倫和宜公主) Princess Jingsi → Princess Heyi of the First Rank The Fifth Princess of Qianlong Emperor and Ruyi's only daughter. Jingsi was born premature with a weak heart because of the circumstances regarding Consort Shu's death. At 3 years old, she unfortunately died after being startled by Consort Jia's dog, a scheme plotted by Yanwan to target Prince Yongji at the time. Qianlong greatly mourned for her.
Jin Ziqi	Aisin-Gioro Jingyuan (愛新覺羅·璟妧)	Yongshou Palace Chuxiu Palace	Princess Hejing of the First Rank (固倫和静公主) Princess Jingyuan → Princess Hejing of the First Rank The Seventh Princess of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Ling's oldest daughter. After her mother's demotion to Second Attendant, she was sent to be raised by Consort Ying and considers the latter as her true mother instead. She was once kidnapped by Yanwan due to her wishes of being united with her biological daughter. However, Jingyuan despises her and convinced Empress Dowager to keep her with Consort Ying.
Chen Yuan'er	Aisin-Gioro Jingyun (愛新覺羅·璟妘)	Yongshou Palace Xianfu Palace	Princess Heke of the Second Rank (和碩和恪公主) Princess Jingyun → Princess Hejing of the Second Rank The Ninth Princess of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Ling's youngest daughter. Like her older sister, Princess Jingyun was separated from Consort Ling at a young age and raised by Concubine Ke.
Wei Zihan Chen Xuetao (young)	Aisin-Gioro Yongyan (愛新覺羅永琰)	Yongshou Palace Xiefang Palace Zhongcui Palace Prince Jia's Manor	Prince Jia of the First Rank (嘉親王) Prince Yongyan → Prince Jia of the First Rank → Jiaqing Emperor The Fifteenth Prince of Qianlong Emperor and Consort Ling's youngest son. He ends up succeeding the Qianlong Emperor.
Tang Jiaze	Borjigin Qingyou (孛兒只斤·慶佑)	Yikun Palace	Only son of Princess Jingse. When his mother returned to live with the Imperial Family, he came along with her.

Officials

Actor	Character	Introduction
Qin Yan	Zhang Tingyu (張廷玉)	Member of the Grand Council. He dislikes the Empress Dowager and often goes against her opinions.
Jia Tinglong	Fuca Fuheng (富察·傅恆)	A senior officer and commander-in-chief. He is the brother of Empress Fuca.
Gao Lancun	Gao Bin (高斌)	Qianlong Emperor's most trusted minister. He is the father of Imperial Noble Consort Huixian.
Wang Jinsong	Ula-Nara Na'erbu (烏拉那拉·那爾布)	Qianlong Emperor's left Minister. He is the father of Ruyi. While Ruyi was in The Cold Palace, he died drowning as a result of trying to build a dam. Ruyi blamed herself for his death and was almost caught secretly burned Joshi paper in remembrance of him.
Ma Weifu	Liu Tongxun (劉統勛)	Minister of the Eight Banners.
Huang Wei	Niohuru Naqin (鈕祜祿·訥親)	Minister of the Eight Banners. Close relative of the Empress Dowager.
Zhang Xingzhe	Zhao Hui (兆惠)
Wu Lihua	Yue Zhongqi (岳鐘琪)

Female servants

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Chen Xiaoyun	Suoxin (惢心)	Yanxi Palace Yikun Palace	Personal Maid → Senior Maid → Madame Jiang Ruyi's senior maid and Jiang Yubin's wife. Patient and soft-spoken, Suoxin started as Ruyi's junior maid and Aruo's underling. She often relents to Aruo due to her aggressive and argumentative nature. Once Ruyi was demoted to Commoner and banished to the Cold Palace, Suoxin volunteered to serve her still and recommended her lover Jiang Yubin as a doctor to them and messenger to both Hailan and Qianlong Emperor. Once she and her mistress leaves the Cold Palace, Suoxin is promoted as the Head Maid. She falls to Consort Jia's scheming, who put her in the middle of the rumors of Ruyi's so-called affair with Master Buddhist. Suoxin was tortured but retains Ruyi's innocence of an affair, but is permanently crippled. For her servitude and sacrifice, Ruyi arranged a marriage between Doctor Jiang Yubin and became his only wife as Madame Jiang. She occasionally visits Ruyi after her marriage and helps her attend to a few things during her stay despite having her own children to tend to.
Qi Huan	Rong Pei (容珮)	Yikun Palace	Maid of Clothes Washing Division → Senior Maid A maid from the Clothes Washing Division who succeeded Suoxin as Ruyi's Senior Maid. Loyal, firm, and sharp-tongued, Rongpei was an orphan who spent her life working as a maid in Yuanmingyuan, and was recently sent to the Forbidden City in the Clothes Washing Division when she first met Ruyi. Like Suoxin, she is loyal to Ruyi and became her senior maid after displaying her proactive and protective nature. Ruyi trusted her to occasionally act or carry out sentences on her order alone. When Ruyi died from her tuberculosis, it was reported that Rongpei committed suicide to reunite with her mistress.
Zheng Shuijing	Lingzhi (菱枝)	Yikun Palace	A maid of Ruyi. She and Lingzhi were the last two maids to be able to serve Ruyi during her house arrest. Lingzhi was a part of Ruyi's funeral when she died, burning Joshi paper alongside Yunzhi and San Bao.
Chen Erjia	Yunzhi (芸枝)	Yikun Palace	A maid of Ruyi. She and Shuizhi were dismissed as part of Qianlong Emperor's orders to dispose Ruyi. She was part of Ruyi's funeral when she died, burning Joshi paper alongside Lingzhi and San Bao.
Li Linfei	Shuizhi (水芝)	Yanxi Palace	A maid of Ruyi. She and Yunzhi were dismissed as part of Qianlong Emperor's orders to dispose Ruyi.
Gong Xiaoxuan	Yuhu (毓瑚)	Yangxin Hall	A maid of Qianlong Emperor. Formerly a maid for his birth mother, she became his personal assistant in terms of keeping an eye on his internal affairs and reporting news to him. She also helps escort new members of the Imperial Harem and act as a liaison between him and others within the Imperial Court.
Guo Hong	Fujia (福珈)	Shoukang Palace Cining Palace	Personal maid of Dowager Empress. She is loyal and is in charge of the consort spies, educating them and making sure they are doing their due diligence.
Zhang Yanyan	Xiuxia (繡夏)	Jingren Palace	Personal maid of Empress Xiaojing. After Empress Xiaojing's suicide, it was resported that Xiuxia also committed suicide afterwards.
Min Chunxiao	Sulian (素練)	Changchun Palace	Personal maid of Empress Fuca. Loyal to Empress Fuca, Sulian often helps her plot against the other consorts. She is later killed by Consort Jia's maid Zhenshu as an attempt to hide the truth about Empress Fuca's death.
Wang Xiaocheng	Lianxin (蓮心)	Changchun Palace	Personal maid of Empress Fuca. In exchange for Wang Qin's loyalty, she is married off to him at Empress Fuca's approval. However, her marriage was abusive and Ruyi was able to help her get out of it in exchange for helping Ruyi clear her name. Her marriage was null by Qianlong Emperor after exposing her husband's true nature. When Empress Fuca fell into the water, she chose to not rescue her and she is also suspected of being involved in the death of Prince Yonglian. She later committed suicide out of guilt.
Liu Jia	Yexin (葉心)	Xianfu Palace Yanxi Palace	Personal maid of Noble Consort Yu.
Zhang Huanhuan	Xiangyun (香雲)	Xianfu Palace Yanxi Palace	A maid of Noble Consort Yu. After framing Noble Consort Yu of stealing charcoal under orders of Noble Imperial Consort Hui, she was executed by Qianlong Emperor as punishment for her disloyalty.
Li Bingyi	Zezhi (澤芝)	Xianfu Palace Yanxi Palace	Maid of Consort Xian → Maid of Consort Yu → Personal Maid of Consort Yu A maid of Ruyi, later sent to serve Noble Consort Yu.
Guo Yuanyuan	Zhenshu/Jung Suk (貞淑/정숙)	Qixiang Palace	Personal maid of Consort Jia. A highly skilled uinyeo (female physician) from Joseon, she is skilled in medical treatment, and calligraphy. Because of this, she was able to frame Ruyi for her affair with visiting monk Anji Bosang by forging her signature. Once her crime was revealed, she was banished and sent back to Joseon.
Xia Nan	Lixin (麗心)	Qixiang Palace	Personal maid of Consort Jia. She becomes Jia's right hand after the banishment of Zhenshu.
Zhou Xiaoqin	Palace maid Yan (妍宫女)	Qixiang Palace	A maid of Consort Jia.
Sun Qianqian	Moxin (茉心)	Xianfu Palace	Personal maid of Imperial Noble Consort Hui. After her death, she sought revenge by colluding with Concubine Mei to pass on smallpox to Seventh Prince, leading to his death.
Li Mengyang	Xingxuan (星璇)	Xianfu Palace	Dowry maid of Imperial Noble Consort Hui. Dies of smallpox just before her mistress.
Wang Chun (王純)	Chunchan (春嬋)	Yongshou Palace	Personal attendant of Consort Ling. Close friend with Wei Yanwan before she became an imperial consort. Often the mastermind behind Consort Ling's schemes, she remained loyal to her until Consort Ling attempted to rid of her via poison. After being rescued by Jiang Yubin, she testified against Consort Ling to Qianlong Emperor.
Yang Liu	Lancui (瀾翠)	Yongshou Palace	A maid of Consort Ling. Close friend with Wei Yanwan before she became an imperial consort. She is used by Consort Ling to threaten imperial guard Zhao Jiuxiao into harming Prince Yongxuan. She is eventually sent to The Punishment Bureau because Yanwan wanted to cover up the source of how the rumor against Ruyi and Ling Yunche spread. She died from intestinal burst, possibly from being poisoned.
Bai Lan	Kexin (可心)	Zhongcui Palace	Personal maid of Imperial Noble Consort Chun.
Ding Liuyan	Suyun (俗雲)	Yonghe Palace Anhua Palace	Personal maid of Concubine Mei.
Shi Min	Hexi (荷惜)	Chuxiu Palace	Personal maid of Consort Shu.
Zhang Xinying	Xinyan (新燕)	Qixiang Palace	Head Maid of Concubine Shen. It is heavily implied that she is Xiyue's spy to keep an eye on Aruo.
Wang Jingya	Shunxin (順心)	Zhongcui Palace	Personal maid of Noble Consort Wan.
Wang Xinwen	Abao (阿寶)	Chuxiu Palace	Personal maid of Consort Ying.
Zhang Menghan		Xianfu Palace	Personal maid of Consort Ke.
Chen Mengxi	Xipo (喜珀)	Chengqian Palace Baoyue Hall	Personal maid of Consort Rong. She first greeted Consort Rong and tried to make her comfortable in her new home. She soon became a personal confidant to her.
Gao Dongyu	Hali (哈麗)	Chengqian Palace Baoyue Hall	A maid of Consort Rong. Brought with her sister and other servants from Consort Rong's home, they willingly came under the Qianlong Emperor's orders in order to ease her homesickness.
Zhang Xinyuan	Guli (古麗)	Chengqian Palace Baoyue Hall	A maid of Consort Rong. Brought with her sister and other servants from Consort Rong's home, they willingly came under the Qianlong Emperor's orders in order to ease her homesickness.
Ma Lan		Jingyang Palace	Personal maid of Imperial Noble Consort Qing.
Huang Wen	Huaixin (怀心)	Jingyang Palace Yanxi Palace	Personal maid of Concubine Yi.
Zhao Jing	Duoyun (朵雲)	Yonghe Palace	Personal maid of Consort Yu. Caught receiving illegal medicine for Consort Yu and captured by Qianlong.
Jin Xi	Duoyan (朵顏)	Yonghe Palace	Personal maid of Consort Yu.
Tian Miao	Nursemaid Tian (田嬷嬷)	—	Nursemaid and mother of Prince Yongqi's concubine. She was used by Consort Ling to commit various actions.

Male servants

Actor	Character	Residence	Introduction
Imperial guards, physicians and others
Yuan Wenkang	Jiang Yubin (江與彬)	—	An imperial physician and Ruyi's most trusted doctor. Childhood sweethearts with Suoxin, he requested her hand in marriage after treating her injuries after she was tortured. Despite his esteemed status, he vowed to only have Suoxin as his only wife and pamper her despite her disability.
Meng Zhaozhong	Zhao Jiuxiao (趙九霄)	Cold Palace Kunning Palace	An imperial guard and friend of Ling Yunche. Due to his affections to Lancui, he is threatened by Consort Ling to frame Ruyi for her role in harming Prince Yongxuan.
Wang Quanyou	Qi Ru (齊汝)	—	Head imperial physician. At Dowager Empress's order, he secretly weakened Imperial Noble Consort Hui's health and helped Consort Shu become pregnant. His actions infuriated Qianlong Emperor and he is killed under the guise of an accidental drowning.
Ha Yingqun	Imperial Astronomer Qin (欽天監)	—	Astronomer Qin was bribed for telling Qianlong Emperor false star readings in her favor. His report regarding 10th Prince Nafu forced the Emperor to disregard him, breaking Consort Shu's heart. His report regarding Ruyi's auspicious prince forced the Emperor to have the first falling out with Ruyi. He was dismissed after the death of Ruyi's fetus and he was then assassinated by Chunchan, on Yanwan's orders.
Steven Thomas Boergadine	Giuseppe Castiglione (郎世宁)	—	A royal Jesuit painter from Italy serving the Imperial Court referred to as Sir Lang Shining. As a painter, he is known to paint portraits for the Qianlong Emperor and his consorts. As a result, he occasionally interacts with members of the Imperial Court who come to request commissions or watch him work. Giuseppe's interaction provide a brief view into Western culture to Ruyi when they first spoke. When asked to paint Ruyi and Qianlong Emperor for the first time as Empress and Emperor respectively, he suggested the two hold hands for their portrait. The portrait was then sent to Ruyi by Qianlong Emperor as a peace offering after their last fight, to which Ruyi responded by burning her side of the painting. When asked to fix the painting, Giuseppe stated that it could not be fixed in a way to be exactly as before.
Jin Song	Li Jinzhu (李金柱)	—	A guard at the Cold Palace.
Wang Liusheng	Physician Zhao (趙太醫)	—
Feng Bao	Physician Bao (包太醫)	—
Wang Zhimin	Physician Xu (許太醫)	—	Personal doctor of Concubine Jia. Bribed by Jia to allow Consort Yu to have a hard labor, and was banished because of that.
Huang Ningsheng	Physician Zhao (曹太醫)	—
Xu Zhiming	Er'tao (二套)	—
Eunuchs
Shen Baoping	Su Peisheng (蘇培盛)	Yangxin Hall	Personal attendant of the Yongzheng Emperor. He was tasked to send Ruyi out of the Imperial Court but allowed her to linger behind in order to see her aunt before she leaves.
Huang Ming	Li Yu (李玉)	Yangxin Hall	Deputy head eunuch of Yangxin Hall → Head eunuch of Yangxin Hall → Eunuch of Yuanming Garden → Head Eunuch of Yangxin Hall A personal attendant of Qianlong Emperor and ultimately the Head Eunuch of Yangxin Hall succeeding Wang Qin. Li Yu is childhood friends with Suoxin and Jiang Yubin, and was in an unrequited love with Suoxin. Eventually he gives up this pursuit when she mentioned she wanted children, something he cannot give her. Diligent and ambitious, Li Yu was Wang Qin's junior but often finds opportunities to prove his worth to Qianlong Emperor, much to Wang Qin's annoyance. He sides with Ruyi, firstly because Suoxin is her maid and because Ruyi herself has shown sympathy and care towards him despite the gap in their ranks. He conspired with Ruyi and Lianxin to get rid of Wang Qin, who had been torturing his wife and abusing his authority. Once Li Yu ascends as Head Eunuch, he becomes great friends with Ling Yunche and greatly sympathizes with Ruyi, often helping her carry out messages or favors. When Ruyi is on the verge of being deposed, he was temporarily dismissed for allowing her to intervene on Qianlong Emperor's night entertainment. When Ruyi was cleared, Li Yu was reinstated and his first duty was to give Ruyi back her Empress scrolls but she rejects them.
Hu Ming	Wang Qin (王欽)	Yangxin Hall	The former Head Eunuch of Yangxin Hall and a personal attendant of Qianlong Emperor. Wang Qin despised Li Yu and felt threatened by him. In order to keep his position, he promised himself to Empress Fuca, as well as Noble Consort Hui, if she grants his marriage to her junior maid Lianxin. Empress Fuca agrees to the marriage only because she wants to spy on her royal husband's moves and thoughts. He worked for Noble Consort Hui to blame Ruyi for spreading rumors regarding the deformity of Concubine Mei's fetus; however, his actions eventually backfires when Lianxin overdoses him on his own illegal drugs and he unconsciously attacked Noble Consort Hui. To prevent him from speaking about the incident, and to save Lianxin from his torture and abuse, Qianlong Emperor puts him to death.
Jiang Xueming	Jinzhong (進忠)	Yangxin Hall	An attendant of Qianlong and Li Yu's disciple. Lecherous and ambitious, he became obsessed with Yanwan from her time as Consort Jia's maid and proposes a quid pro quo: the two will help each other rise in ranks so that she can become Empress and he can replace Li Yu. He detests Ling Yunche, knowing that he would be Yanwan's downfall, and pressures her to get rid of him. Their relationship temporarily strained when Yanwan argued for Ling Yunche to be banished to Mulan Grounds to save his life. Their partnership hits a climax when the two seduce Qianlong Emperor to engage in night entertainment, surrounded by escorts. Yanwan betrays and kills him, on Qianlong Emperor's order to save his reputation while she is freed from his schemes.
Zhang Juju	Jinbao (進保)	Yangxin Hall	An attendant of Qianlong and Li Yu's disciple. Loyal to Qianlong and Ruyi, but keeps unbiased in many disputes.
Han Yu	Xiao Linzi (小林子)	Yangxin Hall	An attendant of Qianlong.
Li Qi	San Bao (三寶)	Yanxi Palace Yikun Palace	Personal eunuch attendant of Ruyi. Under orders of Noble Consort Yu, he killed Ling Yunche in order to clear Ruyi's name.
Gao Weibo	Xiao Fuzi (小福子)	Yanxi Palace	An attendant of Ruyi. Framed her for killing Concubine Mei and Concubine Yi's children when bribed by Imperial Noble Consort Hui and Empress Fuca. After the incident, he killed himself.
Chen Zhuo	Wu Fu (五福)	Yanxi Palace	Personal attendant of Noble Consort Yu
Zhong Weihua	Cheng Han (成翰)	Shoukang Palace Cining Palace	Personal attendant of the Dowager Empress Betrays her for Empress Fuca, inciting the Empress Dowager to go to the Cold Palace because Ruyi was burning money for her father, a taboo in the palace. He is killed afterwards.
Ma Bo	Zhao Yitai (趙一泰)	Changchun Palace	Personal attendant of Empress Fuca.
Liu Zikai	Qian Shuangxi (錢雙喜)	Xianfu Palace	Personal attendant of Imperial Noble Consort Hui. Perpetrator of the poisonous snakes in the Cold Palace, and many other schemes by the Noble Consort and Empress Fuca.
Chen Muyi	Wang Chan (王蟾)	Yongshou Palace	Personal attendant of Consort Ling. Stole Fugui'er from Noble Consort Jia and ended up killing Jingsi and the 6th princess. Later confesses to the emperor when Wei Yanwan's ill deeds are exposed.
Wang Peidong	Xiao Lizi (小栗子)	Zhongcui Palace	Personal attendant of Imperial Noble Consort Chun → Eunuch of the Study Room → Eunuch of the 12th Prince. Formerly a personal attendant of Imperial Noble Consort Chun, he was moved to work in the Study Room and ultimately served as Prince Yongji's personal attendant.
Yang Shuo	Xu An (徐安)	—	Head Eunuch of the Internal Affairs Department.
Yu Tong	Qin Li (秦立)	—	Eunuch of the Internal Affairs Department.
Yang Yang	Xiao Lüzi (小祿子)	—	Eunuch of the Imperial Kitchen. Bribed by the Imperial Noble Consort Hui and Empress Fuca to add cinnabar to fish feed and poison Concubine Mei and Concubine Yi while pregnant. After confessing and framing Consort Xian, he was banished to hard labor. He was given money by Imperial Noble Consort Hui and A'Ruo and held a lavish life until exposed.
Zhang Shu	Xiao Anzi (小安子)	—	Eunuch of the Internal Affairs Department. Bribed by the Imperial Noble Consort Hui and Empress Fuca to add cinnabar to the charcoal of Concubine Mei and Concubine Yi while pregnant. After confessing and framing Consort Xian, he was banished to hard labor. He was given money by Imperial Noble Consort Hui and A'Ruo and held a lavish life until exposed.
A Xing	Xiao Leizi (小磊子)	Prince Rong Manor	Personal attendant of Yongqi.
Chang Cheng	Xiao Guizi (小貴子)
Wang Zhen	Xiao Shunzi (小順子)
Ma Xin Li Pengwu	Xiao Lezi (小樂子)
Liu Xue	Ma Hanzi (馬憨子)	—	Bribed by the Imperial Noble Consort Hui to give chilling food to Ruyi and Suoxin when they lived in the Cold Palace.

Others

Actor	Character	Introduction
Wang Wei	Sakda Miaoqian (薩克達·茂倩)	Daughter of an official and Ling Yunche's wife. Due to her background as one of the ladies of the eight banners, she looks down on Ling Yunche and does not have a good relationship with him. Because of her jealousy against Ruyi, she collaborates with Consort Yu to accuse him of having an affair with Ruyi. Her actions caused her to be exiled.
Yu Shaoqun	Anji Bosang (安吉波桑)	A Grand Master monk from Nanyu Holy Place that came to visit shortly after Ruyi became Imperial Noble Consort. Attractive and venerated by the public, Consort Jia orchestrated a rumor that he and Ruyi were having an affair by planting false evidence. The accusation led to Suoxin to be tortured but Consort Jia to be demoted once her plans were exposed.
Zhang Yuxi	Shui Linglong (水玲珑)	A famous courtesan favored by Qianlong Emperor during his trip. Consort Ling arranged her and various other courtesans to occupy Qianlong Emperor for several nights, leading to Ruyi's final argument with him when she confronted him about his interactions with the women. Linglong and various other courtesans were sent to Nian Temple to become nuns as punishment for their involvement.
Li Guangjie	Prince Yu (朝鮮世子/玉氏王爺)	Crown Prince of Joseon → King of Joseon. Rumored to be cruel, he was Consort Jia's first love and Consort Jia yearned to get the Qing throne for his glory. He forced his wife to suicide and was sent to the Forbidden City, where he saw Consort Jia for the last time. After Jin Yuyan gets demoted to commoner, he denounces her as a member of the Joseon aristocracy and claims she was an orphan.
Fang Xiaoli	Madame Na (那夫人)	Ruyi's mother. Madame Na occasionally visits her daughter. When Ruyi was first pregnant, she was tricked into believing that Ruyi's child was female. She died of a heart attack upon hearing of Ruyi being deposed as Empress; this is due to Yanwan's doing, who wanted Ruyi to suffer in confinement.
Cai Wenyan	Madame Fuca (富察夫人)	Empress Fuca's mother. She has high expectations for her daughter to bring glory to the Fuca clan and encourages her to use others to secure her position in the harem. This in turn, also put constant pressure and insecurity on Empress Fuca that drove her to have high expectations for her own children and led to her scheming against Ruyi and other women.
Meng Xiu	Madame Wei (衛夫人)	Consort Lings's mother. A greedy and obnoxious woman, she tries to push her daughter into achieving higher for her personal gains. She ultimately takes the blame for harming Ruyi's children and is forced to commit suicide as punishment.
Song Jiateng	Keliyete Zhaqi (珂里葉特·扎齊)	Noble Consort Yu's nephew. A greedy man who often gambles away his earnings, he was manipulated by Consort Ling into framing his aunt for harming Ruyi's children.
Xu Xiaoning	Wei Zuolu (魏佐祿)	Consort Ling's younger brother. A disgraced criminal, Zuolu was brought in by Noble Consort Yu as a witness to Consort Ling's crimes.
Wu Rige	Borjigin Saisang Gendun (孛兒只斤·賽桑根敦)	Ruler of the Mongol Khorchin tribe and Consort Yu's father.
Liu Jun	Han Ati (寒阿提)	Ruler of the Han tribe and Consort Rong's father.
Wang Leifang	Han Qi (寒企)	Consort Rong's first love and late fiancé. He was killed by an avalanche while trying to take Consort Rong back. Consort Rong refers to him as her youthful lover.
Liu Yupu	Demuqiseyinchake (德穆齊塞音察克)	Concubine Ke's father.
Zhang Xiaolin	Anduo (安多)	Anji Bosang's disciple.
Huang Deyi	Tian Jun (田俊)	Nursemaid Tian's son and Hu Yunjiao's brother.
Fang Yuchen	Yao'er (桃兒)	Madame Wei's maid.
Liu lianzi	Consort to Prince Xian of the First Rank (誠親王福晉)	Wife of Qianlong's paternal uncle (Kangxi Emperor's 24th prince). She was present as an attendant during Ruyi's first night as Empress, and in a later scene appears before Qianlong and describes Consort Jia's bribes among the wives of the imperial clan in exchange for installing her son Yongcheng as the Crown Prince. Cameo by the original author, most of Liulianzi's scenes were deleted from the final cut.

Episode Plots

episode	episode title	premiere date	viewership ratings
1	"All I want is you (我要的只有妳)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 25, 2018 (2018-12-25)（Dongfang、Jiangsu）	0.247（Dongfang） 0.181（Jiangsu）
Yongzheng's third son, Hongshi, angered Emperor Yongzheng due to his attempts to vie for the position of Crown Prince and forming factions for personal gain, leading to his titles being stripped and his name removed from the Imperial Jade Records. The Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace, who was the foster mother of the third son, was also implicated. Emperor Yongzheng decreed that they would never see each other again, and she was permanently placed under house arrest. The fourth son, Hongli, held a selection for consorts at the Jiangxue Pavilion, intending to choose his childhood friend, Ulanara Qingying, as his primary consort. However, Emperor Yongzheng blocked this decision due to the guilt of Qingying's aunt, the Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace. After discussions between father and son, Fucha Langhua was chosen as the primary consort, Qingying as a side consort, and Gao Xiyue as a noble lady, following which Hongli was titled Prince Bao.
2	"Don't worry, I'm here (放心，有我在)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 25, 2018 (2018-12-25)（Dongfang、Jiangsu）	0.247（Dongfang） 0.181（Jiangsu）
In the six years following Prince Bao Hongli's marriage, he successively took five noble ladies as consorts: Fucha Zhuying, Su Luyun, Jin Yuyan, Huang Qiyin, Keliyete Hailan, and Chen Wanyin. The primary consort, Langhua, gave birth to Hongli's second son and first legitimate son, Yonglian, a daughter who died young, and the third princess, Jingshe. The noble lady Zhuying gave birth to Hongli's eldest illegitimate son, Yonghuang, and died in childbirth along with her second daughter, both mother and daughter perishing.；Noble Lady Su Luyun also just gave birth to Hongli's third son, Yongzhang, while Noble Lady Gao Xiyue was promoted to the side consort of Prince Bao. Emperor Yongzheng died, and the fourth son, Hongli, ascended to the throne, honoring his birth mother, Noble Consort Xi, as the Holy Mother Empress Dowager and officially making the primary consort, Langhua, the Empress.
3	"Unspeakable trouble (有苦難言)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 25, 2018 (2018-12-25)（Dongfang、Jiangsu)	0.247（Dongfang） 0.181（Jiangsu）
On September 3rd of the 13th year of Emperor Yongzheng's reign, Aisin Gioro Hongli succeeded to the throne and became the emperor, establishing his reign name as Qianlong, thus becoming the Qianlong Emperor. The following year was designated as the first year of Qianlong. After the Qianlong Emperor's ascension, the status of the Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace became awkward, causing endless debates within the court. The Empress Dowager pressured Ruyi and the Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace, stating that the palace could only have one Ulanara clan member. The Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace decided to sacrifice herself to protect Qingying, urging Qingying to become the empress, and then died from poisoning.
4	"35 days of missing you (35天的想念)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 25, 2018 (2018-12-25)（Dongfang、Jiangsu）	0.247（Dongfang） 0.181（Jiangsu）
Hailan and Qingying impersonated each other to help Qingying, who was confined to the mansion under the guise of mourning by the Empress Dowager, leave to convey a message to the Emperor. She reminded the Emperor to deal promptly with the Empress Dowager's relocation issue, leaving a good initial impression on the Empress Dowager towards Qingying, who then personally granted her a new name, "Ruyi". The Emperor originally intended to make Ruyi a Noble Consort, but due to her aunt's (the Empress Dowager of Jingren Palace) relationship and on the Empress's suggestion, she was only made a Virtuous Consort, residing in the Yanxi Palace. Gao Xiyue was named Hui Noble Consort, taking the principal position in the Xianfeng Palace; Su Luyun was titled Chun Concubine, residing in the Zhongcui Palace; Jin Yuyan was made Jia Noble Lady, residing in the Qixiang Palace; Huang Qiyin was titled Yi Noble Lady, residing in the Jingyang Palace; Keliyete Hailan was named Hai Changzai, residing in the Xianfeng Palace with the Hui Noble Consort; Chen Wanyin was titled Wan Response, residing in the Zhongcui Palace with the Chun Concubine.
5	"The emperor's little temper (皇上的小脾氣)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tendent） December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)(Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.306（Dongfang） 0.178（Jiangsu）
Giuseppe Castiglione, known as Lang Shining in Chinese, painted portraits for the Qianlong Emperor and the Empress.
6	"The Placard Inscription Incident (匾額之亂)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)（Dongfang,Jiangsu）	0.306（Dongfang） 0.178（Jiangsu）
Hai Changzai was deprived of charcoal by Hui Noble Consort. The pipa player Bai Ruiji from the Southern Mansion was favored by the Emperor and titled Mei Response, actually arranged secretly by the Empress Dowager.
7	"Unspoken understanding (不可言喻默契)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.306（Dongfang） 0.178（Jiangsu）
Hui Noble Consort falsely accused Hai Changzai of stealing red charcoal and used this as a pretext to punish her. Ruyi and the Qianlong Emperor came to her rescue and ordered Hai Changzai to move to Yanxi Palace to live with Ruyi.
8	"Defend to the death, deep sisterly affection (拚死維護 姐妹情深)"	August 20, 2018 (2018-08-20)（Tencent） December 26, 2018 (2018-12-26)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.306（Dongfang） 0.178（Jiangsu）
Virtuous Consort was falsely accused of using white arsenic flowers to nearly disfigure Mei Response, but was later exonerated with the strong support of her good sister, Hai Changzai.
9	"The value of life lies in mutual understanding (人生貴在兩心知)"	August 21, 2018 (2018-08-21)（Tencent） December 27, 2018 (2018-12-27)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.359（Dongfang） 0.171（Jiangsu）
Hui Noble Consort's maid saw Suoxin and Yonghuang together in the Imperial Garden.
10	"A birthday wish uncovers hidden scars (生日願望揭開隱秘傷疤)"	August 21, 2018 (2018-08-21)（Tencent） December 27, 2018 (2018-12-27)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.359（Dongfang） 0.171（Jiangsu）
Mei Response has been titled Mei Changzai.
11	"Patience leads to a clear view of the moon through the parting clouds (守得雲開見月明)"	August 22, 2018 (2018-08-22)（Tencent） December 27, 2018 (2018-12-27)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.359（Dongfang） 0.171（Jiangsu）
Virtuous Consort takes over the upbringing of the eldest prince.
12	"Finding endless delight in each other's company (相看兩不厭)"	August 22, 2018 (2018-08-22)（Tencent） December 27, 2018 (2018-12-27)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.359（Dongfang） 0.171（Jiangsu）
Mei Changzai became pregnant with a royal heir and was promoted to Mei Noble Lady. Aro, for mocking Lianxin over the matter of being promised to Wang Qin by the Empress, was punished by Hui Noble Consort to kneel at the Zongsi Gate. As a result, Aro began to ally with Jia Noble Lady.
13	"The grievances of being helpless (身不由己的委屈)"	August 23, 2018 (2018-08-23)（Tencent） December 28, 2018 (2018-12-28)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	N/A
Hai Changzai was promoted to Noble Lady for her meritorious service in taking care of the eldest prince.
14	"Everything requires waiting for the right moment (凡事 都要等待時機)"	August 23, 2018 (2018-08-23)（Tencent） December 28, 2018 (2018-12-28)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	N/A
Under the provocation of Jia Noble Lady, Hui Noble Consort secretly added cinnabar to the fish and shrimp consumed by Mei Noble Lady, causing the seafood to contain mercury. As a result, Mei Noble Lady gave birth to a deformed stillborn and, in despair, attempted to hang herself but was fortunately saved by a palace maid. Yi Noble Lady became pregnant.
15	"Rumors and gossip stir up a storm across the city (流言蜚語 滿城風雨)"	August 27, 2018 (2018-08-27)（Tencent） December 28, 2018 (2018-12-28)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	N/A
Wang Qin, tricked by Lianxin into taking an overdose of aphrodisiac pills (Aji Su Wan), offended Hui Noble Consort and Mo Xin in his confused state. Subsequently, the Qianlong Emperor annulled the marriage arrangement between Wang Qin and Lianxin and executed Wang Qin with the punishment reserved for "attached staff officials."
16	"Some households rejoice, while others grieve (幾家歡樂幾家愁)"	August 27, 2018 (2018-08-27)（Tencent） December 28, 2018 (2018-12-28)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	N/A
The Qianlong Emperor decreed that Virtuous Consort assist Empress Langhua in managing the six palaces.
17	"Harm by snakes, harm by tongues (蛇害舌害)"	August 28, 2018 (2018-08-28)（Tencent） December 29, 2018 (2018-12-29)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.368（Dongfang） 0.2（Jiangsu）
Yi Noble Lady was poisoned by Hui Noble Consort, who added mercury to charcoal and seafood, resulting in a stillbirth. Jia Noble Lady suddenly fell into a coma.
18	"The ill-fated dragon fetus (命運多舛的龍胎)"	August 28, 2018 (2018-08-28)（Tencent） December 29, 2018 (2018-12-29)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.368（Dongfang） 0.2（Jiangsu）
Aro betrayed her master, accusing Mei Noble Lady's birth of a deformed child and Yi Noble Lady's stillbirth as Ruyi's doing. Ruyi, faced with immense grievances, was unable to defend herself. The Empress Dowager decreed Ruyi's demotion to Noble Lady and confined her to Yanxi Palace. Jia Noble Lady became pregnant with a royal offspring.
19	"Every decision comes with a price (每個決定都有代價)"	August 29, 2018 (2018-08-29)（Tencent） December 29, 2018 (2018-12-29)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.368（Dongfang） 0.2（Jiangsu）
Mei Noble Lady, out of resentment, whipped the confined Ruyi. After losing her child, Mei Noble Lady suffered from a condition called "bloody flux." Yi Noble Lady attempted to assassinate Ruyi in Yanxi Palace but failed. Due to consuming an overdose of safflower and achyranthes soup to induce labor, Yi Noble Lady gave birth to a stillborn child and died, leading the Qianlong Emperor to posthumously honor her as Yi Concubine. The Qianlong Emperor ordered Suoxin to serve in the imperial presence.
20	"The cruel contrast of fate (命運 殘忍的對比)"	August 29, 2018 (2018-08-29)（Tencent） December 29, 2018 (2018-12-29)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.368（Dongfang） 0.2（Jiangsu）
The Empress and Hui Noble Consort framed Virtuous Consort for the birth of a deformed child by Mei Noble Lady and the stillborn child of Yi Noble Lady, resulting in her demotion to a commoner and banishment to the Cold Palace.。Ruyi, guided by hints from Concubine Ji in the Cold Palace, worked day and night to sew handkerchiefs and handed them to the guard Ling Yunchen through her personal palace maid, Suoxin. Jia Noble Lady was promoted to Jia Concubine and became the principal of Qixiang Palace. The Emperor ordered Chun Concubine to take care of the eldest son, Yonghuang. Mei Noble Lady was promoted to Mei Concubine and became the principal of Yonghe Palace. Suoxin was titled Shenchangzai and resided in Qixiang Palace with Jia Noble Lady.
21	"Aro is just being melodramatic (賤箬就是矯情)"	August 30, 2018 (2018-08-30)（Tencent） December 30, 2018 (2018-12-30)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.455（Dongfang） 0.292 (Jiangsu）
Hai Noble Lady was slapped without reason by Shenchangzai. Ling Yunchen informed Ruyi that she could earn money through embroidery and handicrafts to bribe for better food. Wei Yanwan bribed her aunt to become a maid in Zhongcui Palace, serving the eldest prince. The second prince fell seriously ill, and while Hai Noble Lady was flying a kite in the palace, she encountered the displeasure of the Empress, Noble Consort, Shenchangzai, and others who were worried about the second prince's condition. Noble Consort accused Hai Noble Lady of neglecting her ailing son to play with the kite, resulting in her humiliation and a two-hour kneeling punishment in the rain by the Empress.
22	"When pushed to the extreme, one must summon courage (人到絕境 定要生出勇氣)"	August 30, 2018 (2018-08-30)（Tencent） December 30, 2018 (2018-12-30)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.455（Dongfang） 0.292（Jiangsu）
After her punishment, when Hai Noble Lady passed by Anhua Hall, she unintentionally overheard Noble Consort confessing the truth about the death of her son to the Qianlong Emperor. Determined to recover after a severe illness, Hai Noble Lady gained the Emperor's favor. She sewed a bulrush flower into the third prince's doll, causing the death of the second prince, who suffered from asthma, as his breathing was obstructed. Filled with guilt over plotting to harm the second prince Yonglian with the cotton-filled bulrush flower, she burned paper offerings outside the Cold Palace. Princess Hejing found paper offerings carried by the wind near the garden, but as the garden was close to the Cold Palace, Noble Consort suspected that Ruyi had cursed the second prince to die early.
23	"Joy and entertainment on this evening, Yanyan and Liangshi (歡娛在今夕 嬿婉及良時)"	August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31)（Tencent） December 30, 2018 (2018-12-30)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.455（Dongfang） 0.292（Jiangsu）
Jia Concubine gave birth to the first prince after the Emperor's ascension to the throne, the Qianlong Emperor's fourth son, Yongcheng. The Emperor celebrated extravagantly in Qixiang Palace. Hui Noble Consort sent someone to release a poisonous snake in the Cold Palace in an attempt to harm Ruyi but was thwarted with the help of Ling Yunchen. Chun Concubine, with the assistance of Hai Noble Lady, made the Emperor consider her meritorious service in raising two princes and was promoted to Chun Consort. Hai Noble Lady warned Chun Consort that Wei Yanwan had ulterior motives regarding the Emperor and advised her to use the excuse of her birth chart clashing with the eldest prince to have Wei Yanwan reassigned to the flower house as a servant.
24	"Watching the Cold Palace from afar, silently guarding (遙望冷宮 默默守護)"	August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31)（Tencent） December 30, 2018 (2018-12-30)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.455（Dongfang） 0.292（Jiangsu）
Ruyi was bitten by a snake, and in desperation, Ling Yunchen sucked out the poison with his mouth and used realgar wine to drive away the snake. During his inspection, he found that a tile had been lifted, revealing the snake, but he was severely beaten by Hui Noble Consort's subordinates. Jiang Yubin discovered that the dishes served for breakfast were all cold and damp foods, which clashed with the constitution of Ulanara and Suoxin, who had a cold and deficient physique. Lu Muping was introduced by the Empress Dowager and received the title Qing Changzai.
25	"The shocking truth is revealed (令人震驚的真相揭開)"	August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31) December 31, 2018 (2018-12-31)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.556（Dongfang） 0.295（Jiangsu）
Ji Tai Concubine attempted to assassinate the Empress Dowager, and Ruyi sacrificed herself to rescue her, leading the Empress Dowager to consider allowing Ulanara to leave the Cold Palace. Ruyi accidentally broke the bracelet given by the Empress after entering the Qianqing Palace, revealing that the bracelet contained a contraceptive called Zerong Incense. Hai Noble Lady became pregnant with a royal offspring.
26	"Everything is said without words (一切盡在不言中)"	August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31) December 31, 2018 (2018-12-31)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.556（Dongfang） 0.295（Jiangsu）
Shenchangzai was promoted to Sheng Noble Lady, and it was revealed by the Empress that she had sent someone to sprinkle oil and set fire to the Cold Palace. Ruyi was successfully rescued by Ling Yunchen once again. With the assistance of the imperial physician, Hai Noble Lady deliberately consumed a mild dose of cinnabar, causing herself to exhibit symptoms similar to those of Mei Noble Lady and Yi Noble Lady during their pregnancies. She used this as evidence to prove Ruyi's innocence in the Cold Palace and took the opportunity to request a thorough investigation into the poisoning incidents of the past. Yehe Nara Yihuan was recommended by the Empress Dowager and received the title of Noble Lady during the Chongyang family banquet, with the Emperor personally bestowing her the title "Shu."
27	"If you want to keep something a secret, don't do it yourself (若要人不知 除非己莫為)"	September 3, 2018 (2018-09-03) December 31, 2018 (2018-12-31)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.556（Dongfang） 0.295（Jiangsu）
Ruyi poisoned herself, prompting the Emperor to visit her. He promised that once she recovered, she could leave the Cold Palace and be reinstated as Xian Consort, residing in Yikun Palace.
28	"Reuniting after a long separation, filled with joy (久別重逢 滿心歡喜)"	September 3, 2018 (2018-09-03) December 31, 2018 (2018-12-31)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.556（Dongfang） 0.295（Jiangsu）
On the day Xian Consort left the Cold Palace, Shu Noble Lady was promoted to Shu Consort. Shenchangzai was promoted to Sheng Consort during a family banquet, but due to protocol, her formal investiture ceremony was omitted. Hai Noble Lady showed Xian Consort the stretch marks on her body caused by pregnancy, realizing that she had lost the Emperor's favor.
29	"Reunion after a broken mirror (破鏡重圓)"	September 4, 2018 (2018-09-04) January 1, 2019 (2019-01-01)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.557（Dongfang） 0.298（Jiangsu）
During the Spring Banquet, the Emperor exposed the truth about the poisoning of the royal heir. It was revealed that due to a message from her maid Xinyan, Noble Consort had kidnapped her two younger brothers. In desperation to save her family, she had confessed to all the crimes, leading to her being demoted to a commoner, poisoned to lose her voice by Li Yu, and subsequently handed over to Xian Consort for punishment, leading to her being sent to the Cold Palace. Ling Yunchen received assistance from Xian Consort and was sent to serve as a guard in the Kunning Palace.
30	"On the brink of life and death (瀕臨生死邊緣)"	September 4, 2018 (2018-09-04) January 1, 2019 (2019-01-01)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.557（Dongfang） 0.298（Jiangsu）
Jia Consort sent someone to add appetite-enhancing medicine to Hai Noble Lady's pregnancy medicine, causing the dragon fetus to grow too large and have horizontal stripes on its body. She also conspired with a special envoy from the Yu clan, faking illness to manipulate the imperial physicians, leading to excessive use of labor-inducing medicine that caused her to lose a significant amount of blood. Fortunately, she was saved. Due to her contribution in giving birth to the fifth imperial son, Yongqi, she was promoted to Yuyu Consort and became the principal lady of the Yanxi Palace. However, as Yuyu Consort had a lower rank, Xian Consort took care of the fifth prince on her behalf. Wang Da Ying learned that she had been promoted to Wang Changzai. Suo Suolun, Lady Arui, hanged herself in the Cold Palace.
31	"Walking the night road too often (夜路走多了)"	September 5, 2018 (2018-09-05) January 1, 2019 (2019-01-01)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.557（Dongfang） 0.298（Jiangsu）
Xian Consort released the news that Suo Suolun, who had hanged herself, had returned for revenge, causing Empress Dowager Fucha to be disturbed all day long. This led to unexpected revelations by Shuangxi, the eunuch of Empress Dowager Fucha, about the snakes being thrown into the Cold Palace and the tampering with food. The Qianlong Emperor used his illness as a pretext to place Empress Dowager Fucha under soft confinement in the Xianfu Palace and forbade her from receiving medical treatment. Jiapi, due to giving birth to the first son after the emperor's ascension, was promoted to Ji Consort.
32	"A woman lacking in sentiment and loyalty (薄情寡義的女子)"	September 5, 2018 (2018-09-05) January 1, 2019 (2019-01-01)（Dongfang, Jiangsu）	0.557（Dongfang） 0.298（Jiangsu）
Wan Yanwan happened to see Concubine Xian wearing a yellow peony dress. When she was caught with the yellow peony, the Empress scolded her, and in her anger, she accidentally knocked over a flowerpot. As a result, Concubine Xian was renamed as Concubine Ying'er. Later, she was taken back to Qixiang Palace by Concubine Jia for re-education and endured various humiliations, abuses, and torture. She developed a deep-seated hatred towards Concubine Jia. Concubine Chun gave birth to the sixth son, Yongrong.
33	"Knowing a person's face but not their heart （知人知面不知心）"	September 6, 2018 (2018-09-06)	N/A
Xianfei informed Noble Consort Gao that inside the bracelet given by the Empress to Noble Consort Hui, they found Lingling incense that could cause infertility. It was also suspected that the Empress had instructed Imperial Physician Qi Ru to tamper with the medicine, which led to her prolonged illness and weakened health. During a gathering, as her condition worsened, she couldn't recover from her illness. She then confessed to the Emperor about the Empress's actions, even revealing that the Emperor had unknowingly sat on a cushion infected with scabies. Before her passing, she was posthumously honored as the Imperial Noble Consort, and she entrusted her maid, Mo Xin, to seek revenge against the Empress. Imperial Noble Consort Gao died and was posthumously named Virtuous and Wise Imperial Noble Consort. Simultaneously, Xianfei was promoted to Xian Noble Consort, Pure Noble Consort to Pure Xian Noble Consort, and Yufei was titled as Yufei. One day after the death of the Virtuous and Wise Imperial Noble Consort, the Emperor deliberately expressed sympathy for Zhefei's pitiable death in front of the Empress, and posthumously conferred her as the Compassionate Zhe Noble Consort. Subsequently, the Empress Dowager learned of the Emperor's scabies and mentioned that Pure Noble Consort was expecting again.
34	"Never leave, never abandon （不离不弃）"	September 6, 2018 (2018-09-06)	N/A
The Empress and Consort Jia both became pregnant with royal heirs. On the day of the Buddha's birthday, the Empress gave birth to the seventh prince, who was also the legitimate heir, named Yongcong. Not long after that, Consort Chun gave birth to a fourth daughter and Princess Jingyan.
35	"The Emperor's invincible flirting skills （皇上的無敵撩妹術）"	September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07)	N/A
After the Empress's postpartum weakness, the Emperor ordered Concubine Xian to assist in managing the six palaces. On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Concubine Jia gave birth to the Emperor's eighth son, Yongxuan. Wei Yanwan was originally chosen by the Emperor to serve as a maid in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Later, she was granted the title of Da'an and resided in the Palace of Eternal Longevity. Upon learning of Yanwan's promotion to Da'an, Ling Yuncheng decided that they should each go their separate ways.
36	"Excessive joy leads to sorrow （樂極生悲）"	September 7, 2018 (2018-09-07)	N/A
Concubine Jia is pregnant. Weiyun has been granted the title "Wei Changzai." Noble Consort Xian assists Ling Yunche in rising to the position of a eunuch serving in the imperial presence. Noble Consort Mei, instigated by Noble Consort Jia's maid Zhen Shu, encounters Mo Xin and learns of the Queen's involvement in the plot against the Dragon Heir. She decides to seek revenge and harm Yongcong.
37	"All hopes are dashed （萬念俱灰）"	September 10, 2018 (2018-09-10)	N/A
Lady Mei overheard a conversation between the Emperor and the Empress where she learned that the Empress intended to arrange the marriage of the Empress Dowager's daughter to someone in Mongolia. She then reported this matter to the Empress Dowager.
38	"Train the army for a thousand days, use the army for one moment （養兵千日 用兵一時）"	September 10, 2018 (2018-09-10)	N/A
Mei Pin saw the Queen and Xian Gui Fei conversing in the distance, so she deliberately walked to the room where Chun Gui Fei and Yu Fei were having their evening banquet. She purposely joined them in laughter and brought up the prediction made by the Qintian Palace before their departure, mentioning the impending disaster for the Empress. She spoke loudly, ensuring that the Queen, who was further away, could hear. Upon hearing Mei Pin intentionally discussing the early deaths of Yong Lian and Yong Cong, the Queen became unsettled. On her way back to the Green Sparrow Palace, someone smeared a slippery substance, causing her to slip and fall into the water. Ling Yun Che bravely risked his own life to save the Queen, and the Emperor ordered a reward of three hundred taels of silver and promoted him to the third-ranked Imperial Guard.
39	"Tit for tat （一報還一報）"	September 11, 2018 (2018-09-11)	N/A
The Queen recommended Chun Gui Fei as the next Empress to the Emperor, expressing her belief that Xian Gui Fei should not enter the main palace. However, the Emperor remained indecisive. During the same gathering, while on a southern expedition, the Queen died. Before her death, she was interrogated by the Emperor, who accused her of poisoning the imperial heir, framing Xian Gui Fei, and causing the difficult birth of Zhe Min Huang Gui Fei, among other wrongdoings. She also suffered greatly from the pain of her daughter's distant marriage and the loss of her son, which further aggravated her illness, leading to her death. She was posthumously honored as the "Filial and Virtuous Empress. Jia Fei schemed to have Chun Gui Fei pick up her hairpin and then had Zhen Shu disguise herself as a mysterious person in black robes, attempting to falsely accuse Chun Gui Fei of being involved in the deaths of the Queen and Empress Dowager. After the Queen's passing, Chun Gui Fei, swayed by Jia Fei's influence, resolved to compete with Xian Gui Fei for the position of Empress. Wei Chang Zai crossed paths with Ling Yun Che and congratulated him, knowing that he had been granted the title of "Pinyin Gui Ren“ (Consort Pinyin).
40	"Things that the emperor doesn’t know （那些皇上不知道的事）"	September 11, 2018 (2018-09-11)	N/A
Yu Fei intentionally pretended to teach Yong Qi not to cry when accompanying the imperial coffin, in front of Yong Zhang, to appear composed and gain the Emperor's favor. Later, Yong Zhang informed Chun Gui Fei about this. Yong Qi was encouraged to subtly imply to the Emperor that the Crown Prince, Yong Huang, had ambitions to take the throne, during a conversation in front of the Emperor. This also allowed him to indirectly inform the Emperor of Chun Gui Fei's desire for the empress position. Jia Fei learned that Crown Prince Yong Huang was going to pay tribute to his late mother, Zhe Min Huang Gui Fei. She intentionally revealed that the Empress was responsible for Zhe Min Huang Gui Fei's death before Yong Huang had the chance, aiming to mislead him and create disrespect towards his deceased birth mother.
41	"The warmth and warmth of human relationships （人情冷暖）"	September 12, 2018 (2018-09-12)	N/A
Under the covert manipulation and schemes of Jia Fei and Yu Fei, the 21-year-old First Prince Yong Huang and the 14-year-old Third Prince Yong Zhang indeed remained calm and showed no signs of grief in front of the Empress's imperial coffin. This behavior provoked the Emperor's displeasure, leading to him scolding them on the spot. When Chun Gui Fei interceded on their behalf, the Emperor kicked her aside and declared that neither of them was qualified to inherit the throne, causing Chun Gui Fei to faint from shock on the spot.
42	"How you live your life is your choice （日子怎麼過 都是自己選的）"	September 12, 2018 (2018-09-12)	N/A
Xian Gui Fei became the Jin Huang Gui Fei, overseeing the affairs of the six palaces. Jia Fei was promoted to Jia Gui Fei, assisting in the management of the six palaces. Ling Gui Ren had long been favored but had not been able to conceive, and Jin Zhong reminded her of the importance of bearing a child. As a result, she seduced Ling Yun Che, but her attempts to become pregnant were unsuccessful. Wan was commonly referred to as Jin Wan Gui Ren, while Qing was commonly referred to as Jin Qing Gui Ren. In addition, Xiu Da Ying, Kui Da Ying, and Ping Da Ying were all commonly referred to as Jin Chang Zai.
43	"Pray for blessing or bring disaster? （祈福還是降禍？）"	September 13, 2018 (2018-09-13)	N/A
Jia Gui Fei falsely accused Huang Gui Fei of having an intimate relationship with Master Anji. She presented incense and prayer beads as evidence, suggesting they were tokens of their romantic involvement.
44	"People who don't care for themselves will be destroyed by heaven and earth （人不為己 天誅地滅）"	September 13, 2018 (2018-09-13)	N/A
Huang Gui Fei was imprisoned by the Emperor in the Yikun Palace and her case was handed over to the Shengxing Department for investigation. In order to prove her innocence, on the occasion of the Ten Thousand Longevity Festival, she personally made pastries to present to the Emperor. Inside the longevity peach, she concealed a red jade bead bracelet, and on the white frost square cake, she placed an imitation character for 'longevity' like the one used by the Emperor. She also attached two poems, which Consort Yu immediately understood. She promptly asked Ling Yun Che to switch the original bracelet with the one she had prepared through the help of Li Yu.。
45	"Self-inflicted （自作自受）"	September 14, 2018 (2018-09-14)	N/A
After the false accusation by Jia Fei against Huang Gui Fei was exposed, she was demoted to a lower rank and had her custody rights over the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, and the Eighth Prince, Yongxuan, taken away. She was also confined in the Qixiang Palace. When she learned that Lord Yushi Wang had entered the capital to investigate and hold her accountable, she knelt outside the Yangxin Hall, weeping bitterly. The Emperor then ordered Huang Gui Fei to reinstate her as a concubine, but the immense sorrow and distress had already taken a toll on her pregnancy. She experienced difficulties during the birth of the Ninth Prince, leading to his stillbirth, and tragically, the child did not survive the complications of the difficult childbirth.
46	"Lovers get married (有情人終成眷屬)"	September 14, 2018 (2018-09-14)	N/A
uo Xin left the Shengxing Department and was married to Jiang, the Royal Physician. Before the Crown Prince's death, he revealed to Huang Gui Fei that it was Jia Fei who had informed him that his biological mother, Zhe Min Huang Gui Fei, and her unborn sister, the Second Princess, were both harmed by the Empress Xiaoxian. Shortly after, he died at the age of twenty-three, leaving the Emperor grief-stricken. Consequently, the Emperor posthumously honored his eldest son as the Prince of Ding'an
47	"Above ten thousand people, standing alone at the summit of no one （萬人之上 孤伶伶的無人之巔）"	September 17, 2018 (2018-09-17)	N/A
After the Crown Prince's death, the Emperor felt lonely and wished for Huang Gui Fei to accompany him. Huang Gui Fei agreed to become the Empress in order to be with the Emperor in life and death. Huang Gui Fei encountered a punishment from the Imperial Household Department involving Rong Pei and was subsequently moved to the Yikun Palace. Huang Gui Fei extended her goodwill to Consort Chun Gui Fei, and the two reconciled their differences. Huang Gui Fei was officially crowned as the Empress, receiving the Golden Seal and the treasures of the Empress. Empress was wrongly accused by Jia Gui Fei of having a romantic relationship with Master Anji, but Ling Gui Ren pleaded with the Emperor on her behalf, leading to her promotion as Ling Pin. After inquiries by Lord Yushi Wang, the Emperor was concerned about questions from his native land, so he changed her status back to Jia Pin. As Wan Gui Fei was a former inhabitant of the Qian Residence, she was bestowed the title of Wan Pin.
48	"In this life, for a long time, not deceiving, not betraying （此生長久 不相欺不相負）"	September 17, 2018 (2018-09-17)	N/A
After the conferment ceremony, because Concubine Chun was the most senior, the Queen hoped to cooperate to restrain everyone, remember the palace rules, and gave her agate pearl earrings. Following the tide, she was reinstated as Concubine Jia and given carnelian earrings that were much thicker than ordinary pierced ears. Always remind him not to cause trouble, just to avenge himself for being sent to the Shenxing Division.
49	"A devoted heart triumphs over fake pregnancy medicine （一片癡心戰勝偽坐胎藥）"	September 18, 2018 (2018-09-18)	N/A
Under the Empress's subtle guidance, Shu Pin stopped taking the 'pregnancy medicine' and became pregnant with an imperial child, subsequently being promoted to Shu Fei. Ling Pin learned that the Empress had already figured out that the 'pregnancy medicine' was, in fact, a contraceptive, but chose not to share this knowledge with her, leading to lingering resentment in her heart.
50	"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it （螳螂捕蟬 黃雀在後）"	September 18, 2018 (2018-09-18)	N/A
Ling Pin danced with the Emperor against the backdrop of the West Lake scenery, earning her the promotion to Ling Fei. She confided in her maids about Shu Fei's pregnancy-related edema and Yongqi's cold, both of which were caused by her actions. Furthermore, due to Jin Zhong's concerns that Ling Yun Che might become an obstacle, he started instigating and persecuting him. Qing Gui Ren was promoted to Qing Pin.
51	"No worries, no troubles, something no one can achieve （無憂無患 無人能做到）"	September 19, 2018 (2018-09-19)	N/A
Jia Gui Fei ordered her maid, Li Xin, to poison Mei Pin, but the attempt failed. Ling Yun Che was falsely accused during the southern tour by Jin Zhong and Ling Fei, framing him as the thief who stole Jia Gui Fei's bellyband. With the pleas of Ling Fei and the Empress, he was spared his life but was sentenced to hard labor at the Mulan hunting grounds by the Emperor. Jia Gui Fei instructed Li Xin to administer poison through a silver needle, but her actions raised suspicions from Consort Yu and the Empress. They then had Mei Pin try the poisoned food, which eventually led to the death of a parrot who consumed the rice. The Emperor discovered that Mei Pin had been planted as a spy by the Empress Dowager. Furthermore, the Emperor ordered Mei Pin to ingest a potion that she had previously added cowherb and creeping senna to, rendering her unable to conceive for the rest of her life. Eventually, she was given poisoned wine by the Emperor.
52	"The most venomous thing in the world is a woman's heart （最毒婦人心）"	September 19, 2018 (2018-09-19)	N/A
Ling Fei bribed and conspired with the midwife Tian Laonu to damage Shu Fei's palace during the birth of the Tenth Prince, making it difficult for her to conceive again. Mei Pin, witnessed by the Empress, drank poisoned wine and died, while it was publicly announced as a sudden death due to intestinal strangulation. Shu Fei successfully gave birth to the Tenth Prince, but Ling Fei secretly bribed the midwife Tian Laonu, who harmed her palace during the birth, preventing her from having more children.
53	"Unexpected surprises can unravel inner knots of the heart （意外驚喜解開心結）"	September 20, 2018 (2018-09-20)	N/A
The Emperor drank the deer blood wine presented by Ling Fei. The Empress admonished the Emperor, and she knelt outside the Yongshou Palace, subsequently fainting, but she also became pregnant with an imperial child for the first time. Simultaneously, Jia Gui Fei was also expecting an imperial child. The Tenth Prince died, leaving Shu Fei devastated. Consort Ke, Consort Gong, and Consort Xi all participated in the selection of talents during the first screening of Qianlong's reign.
54	"Weary of the palace's intrigues and deceptions （厭倦後宮的爾虞我詐）"	September 20, 2018 (2018-09-20)	N/A
Jia Gui Fei gave birth to the Eleventh Prince, Yongxuan, while the Empress safely delivered the Twelfth Prince, Yongqi. Consort Ke was promoted to Consort Ke, and due to her disdain for Ling Fei's attempts to captivate the Emperor with her coquettish charms, she refused her entry to the Xianfu Palace.
55	"The assassin's mission is fraught with suspicion and uncertainty （刺客行刺疑點重重）"	September 21, 2018 (2018-09-21)	N/A
The Empress became pregnant with an imperial child for the second time. Ling Yun Che, for his meritorious service in protecting the Emperor, was promoted to the rank of second-class Imperial Guard and received the Emperor's blessing for his marriage, marrying Saqida Maoqian.
56	"Rather than speculating about each other, it's better to communicate clearly（互相猜測不如說個明白）"	September 22, 2018 (2018-09-22)	N/A
The Emperor, accompanied by several concubines, resided in the Yuanmingyuan, awaiting the return to the palace after a hundred days following the birth of the Empress's child.
57	"I'm just a chess piece, coming and going entirely not of my own accord （我只是一顆棋 來去全不由自己）"	September 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)	N/A
Jin Zhong instigated Ling Fei to let Shu Fei know that the 'pregnancy medicine' was, in fact, a contraceptive, which led to Shu Fei taking her own life and severing ties with the Emperor. Ultimately, she self-immolated in the Spring Rain Shu and Guan in the Yuanmingyuan. The Empress experienced complications due to Shu Fei's self-immolation, leading to the birth of the Fifth Princess, Jingxi. However, the Fifth Princess had a purplish complexion, and after examination by the imperial physician, it was confirmed that she suffered from heart palpitations.
58	"Having a heart, but unable to give all of it sincerely （有心 但不能付出全部真心）"	September 24, 2018 (2018-09-24)	N/A
The Empress Dowager summoned Ling Fei and, regarding the matter with Shu Fei, confessed her guilt and offered herself to be of service to the Empress Dowager.
59	"It's both a weakness and a strength （是短處也是長處）"	September 25, 2018 (2018-09-25)	N/A
The Empress, upon receiving the message from Li Yu, showed the note to Consort Chun and Consort Yu. Consort Yu remarked that Ling Fei's bold move should not be taken lightly and must not go unpunished. The Noble Consort informed the Emperor about Jia Gui Fei's efforts to buy off servants and influence officials to ensure the Fourth Prince's successful ascension to the position of Crown Prince, which made the Emperor wary of Jia Gui Fei and the Fourth Prince.
60	"Such great audacity （好大的狗膽）"	September 25, 2018 (2018-09-25)	N/A
Due to suspicions arising from the events at the Mulan hunting grounds, the Emperor ordered the Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, to immediately move out of the palace and not return without a valid reason. The Eighth Prince, Yongxuan, was relocated to the Jie Fang Palace, while the Eleventh Prince, Yongxuan, who was still young, remained in the Qixiang Palace and received careful upbringing. Because of this, Jia Gui Fei raised different dogs for protection, believing that someone might pose a threat to her and her sons. Ling Yun Che had doubts about the Fourth Prince's questionable behavior at the Mulan hunting grounds and found evidence to support his suspicions. As a result, he was rewarded for his loyalty and promoted to the rank of first-class Imperial Guard.
61	"In life, it's inevitable to encounter some unexpected misfortunes （人生在世 難免有一些飛來橫禍）"	September 26, 2018 (2018-09-26)	N/A
Ping Pin was pregnant. Ling Fei plotted the incident of Yongxuan falling from the horse, leading Jia Gui Fei to suspect foul play by Yongqi and hold the Empress and Consort Yu responsible. Ling Yun Che discovered something suspicious about the horse saddle in Yongxuan's case, and, for the time being, he gave the Empress the benefit of the doubt. However, Saqida Maoqian became aware of this.
62	"The attachment of a small white flower （小白花的依戀）"	September 26, 2018 (2018-09-26)	N/A
Ling Fei schemed to have Jia Gui Fei's dog, Fugui'er, attack the Fifth Princess, Jingxi, causing her to die of excessive fright, leading to a heart condition. Ying Pin also suffered a miscarriage due to the incident with the crazed dogs, resulting in the stillbirth of the Sixth Princess. Consort Qing, for using the fabric gifted by Jia Gui Fei to sew a red garment for the Fifth Princess during the dog incident, was demoted to a noble consort. She was subjected to punishment by transcribing scriptures day and night in the Baohua Hall. Jia Gui Fei, accused of attempting to have the Fourth Prince ascend to the position of Crown Prince and framed for the deaths of the Fifth Princess and Ying Pin, was confined to the Qixiang Palace by the Emperor. She was treated as a lowly concubine and subjected to daily corporal punishment.
63	"The melancholy of being a caged bird （身為籠中人的悲涼）"	September 27, 2018 (2018-09-27)	N/A
The Empress became pregnant with an imperial child once again. Jia Gui Fei was restored to the rank of Concubine due to the assistance of Consort Yu in the Jungar conflict. However, due to her collusion with her maternal relatives, the Yu clan, in plotting for her own son to become the Crown Prince and her unabashed and disrespectful behavior in front of the other concubines, she caused the Empress to experience a shock to her pregnancy. During a confrontation with Consort Yu, these revelations led to the exposure of the evil deeds committed by Jia Gui Fei in the past, including plotting against the imperial heir and other concubines. As a result, the Emperor demoted her to a commoner, sentencing her to a lifetime of imprisonment in the Qixiang Palace, where she would not be allowed to leave until her death. The Fourth Prince, Yongcheng, was implicated in Jia Gui Fei's wrongdoing and was immediately stripped of his status as the Emperor's son, no longer having any possibility of ascending to the throne. During this time, Ying Pin had been elevated to the rank of Ying Fei.
64	"If I had known earlier, why bother in the first place? （早知如此 何必當初）"	September 27, 2018 (2018-09-27)	N/A
Jin Shi fell critically ill and confessed to orchestrating plots against Empress Xiaoxian, the Seventh Prince, Consort Yi, Mei Pin, and their imperial children, as well as the Crown Prince, Yonghuang, Hailan, Empress Huixian, and A Ruo, among others. During an argument with the Empress, she learned that she wasn't actually of the Yu clan, but rather an infant brought from an unknown origin. In her despair, she died suddenly. After her death, she was posthumously honored as the Shujia Empress, which was a veiled mockery from the Emperor, suggesting her as the loser in their power struggle. Ling Fei became pregnant with an imperial child for the first time.
65	""Suspicion" is the most hurtful weapon（「疑心」是最傷人的利器）"	September 28, 2018 (2018-09-28)	N/A
When the Empress gave birth to the Thirteenth Prince, Yongjing, Ling Fei schemed to bribe the midwife Tian Laonu to delay the process, resulting in the Thirteenth Prince being stillborn.。The Emperor, believing the words of the Qintianjian Jianzheng, considered the Thirteenth Prince, Yongjing, to be an auspicious sign. However, he deeply suspected the Empress of causing Yongjing's death, sowing a seed of doubt in her heart. At the same time, the Emperor was overwhelmed with grief and issued a decree to posthumously honor the Thirteenth Prince, Yongjing, as the Mournful Auspicious Crown Prince. As for the midwives who attended the birth, they were expelled from the palace by the Emperor on the grounds of inadequately caring for the Empress during childbirth and were never to be employed again. The Qintianjian Jianzheng was also removed from her position by the Emperor, citing 'false statements and slander against the Empress' as the reason for her dismissal. Ling Fei bribed Tian Jun and Yu Fei's distant nephew, Zhaqi, arranging for Ling Fei's younger brother, Zuolu, to send them silver coins. This led Tian Jun and Zhaqi to provide false testimony, framing and implicating Consort Yu, resulting in her confinement in the Shencheng Prison.
66	"Exerting all one's efforts, not hesitating to face ten thousand deaths （竭盡心力 萬死不辭）"	September 28, 2018 (2018-09-28)	N/A
The Empress expressed her lingering suspicions to Ling Yun Che, believing that someone might have manipulated Tian Laonu's actions from behind the scenes, and she requested Ling Yun Che to investigate the matter.
67	"Irrefutable evidence, no room for denial （罪證確鑿 百口莫辯）"	October 1, 2018 (2018-10-01)	N/A
After Consort Yu was released from the Shencheng Prison, she ordered Ye Xin to go to the Yongshou Palace to find Consort Ling, who had suffered a difficult childbirth. Ye Xin deliberately shouted loudly that there was no one to attend to Lady Wei's passing. As a result, Zhaqi was sent to a remote border post, and Consort Yu left the palace. Consort Ling became implicated when someone witnessed Zhaqi entering Lady Wei's residence. Furthermore, a voodoo doll was found in Lady Wei's residence intended to curse the Empress. It was also discovered that Zhaqi and Consort Ling's brother, Zuo Lu, had been gambling with flower wine. Another voodoo doll was found in a side chamber of Lady Wei's residence. Faced with these developments, Jin Zhong urged Consort Ling to distance herself from any involvement with witchcraft to protect herself. However, this caused her to experience a shock to her pregnancy. On her deathbed, Lady Wei entrusted the task of dealing with the Empress to Jin Zhong alone and subsequently gave birth to the Seventh Princess, Jingbo.
68	"There are no coincidences in the making of a book （無巧不成書）"	October 1, 2018 (2018-10-01)	N/A
The Emperor felt compassion for Ying Fei, who had just lost the Sixth Princess, and ordered her to care for the Seventh Princess. Due to the coexistence of Consort Ling and Ying Fei in their respective positions, Consort Ling couldn't raise her own daughter. Therefore, the Emperor issued a decree to strip Consort Ling of her title, demoting her to Lady Wei. The Empress, unable to believe that Lady Wei and Lady Wei's mother were involved in any wrongdoing, sent Wang Chan to the Shencheng Prison for questioning regarding the incident involving Tian Laonu, which Lady Wei had called her to witness. Jin Zhong learned of Wang Chan being subjected to torture and promptly informed Lady Wei. Lady Wei devised a plan and staged an incident where Jingyou, the son of Jin Ze, fell into the water, only to be rescued by her. Lady Wei was subsequently taken to the Shenyuan Prison. Jingze, motivated by his concerns for the Empress, informed the Emperor that Lady Wei was the one who saved Jingyou's life and mentioned that the Empress's actions were prompted by her dissatisfaction with Lady Wei repeatedly vying for favor. He advised the Emperor to release Lady Wei from the Shenyuan Prison for questioning.
69	"Living as if walking on thin ice （如履薄冰地活著）"	October 2, 2018 (2018-10-02)	N/A
The Emperor interrogated Wei Da Ying in the Yongshou Palace, with Consort Ying and the Seventh Princess Jing Bo present. Wei Da Ying, following Jin Zhong's instructions, refused to admit to any wrongdoing. With the assistance of Jing Se, Wei Da Ying managed to regain favor, conceived again, and gave birth to the Fourteenth Prince, Yong Lu. She was reinstated as Consort Pin, and later gave birth to the Ninth Princess, Jing Yun, before being reinstated as Consort Bin. During the Emperor's second selection of concubines, the Khorchin tribe sent E Yin Zhu Ge Ge, who was immediately appointed as Consort Yu. Suo Chuo Lun was granted the title of Rui Guiren, and the rest were given the title of Chang Zai. Consort Yu entered the palace at the age of thirty but quickly gained favor due to her skills in charming and captivating the Emperor. Despite sharing a Mongolian background with Consort Ying and Consort Ling, she was not well-received by them due to her coquettish and flirtatious behavior. Consort Pin, on the other hand, became close to her. The Emperor selected Xilin Jue Luo Shi, the granddaughter of E Er Tai, as the official Empress for Yongqi. Meanwhile, Consort Pin used Tian Laonu's daughter, Tian Yun'er, to plot against Yongqi and undermine the Empress. Consort Yu secretly read the Emperor's memorials, conveyed his intentions to Abu and Wang Ye, and left spies in the Yangxin Hall to gather information, which was eventually discovered by Yongqi.
70	"Little swallow dancing gracefully in flight （小燕子翩翩飛舞）"	October 2, 2018 (2018-10-02)	N/A
Consort Yu managed to win the Emperor's favor and was promoted to Consort Yu. However, Yongqi discovered that Duo Yan and a eunuch named Sasaotao secretly transmitted military secrets and provided aphrodisiacs. While she retained her title as consort, her rank badge was removed, and she was restricted from leaving without permission. Tian Yun'er adopted the alias Yunjiao and entered the residence of the Fifth Prince as a servant, gaining the favor of Yongqi. Han Xiang, on the other hand, presented herself as a gift from the border regions to establish friendly relations with the Qing Dynasty. She initially attempted to sacrifice herself for her fiancé, Han Qi, during her first palace performance but failed. The Emperor was captivated by her beauty and, disregarding the Empress Dowager's orders, sought to bring her into the imperial harem, giving her the main position in Chengqian Palace.
71	"Struggling in the midst of the storm （風雨中的掙扎）"	October 3, 2018 (2018-10-03)	N/A
The concubines were discontented with the arrival of Han Xiangjian and gathered in front of the Yikun Palace to plead for Pure Consort's reinstatement. The Emperor allowed the Empress to convey to Qing Concubine that if she understood her place, he would reinstate her as Qing Concubine. Consort Lian became pregnant for the fourth time. Pure Consort, due to Han Xiangjian's entry into the palace, was worried that the Emperor would become infatuated and strongly advised against it, but she was expelled from the Yongxin Hall. Qing Concubine, concerned for Pure Consort, pleaded on her behalf. However, due to the death of Su Lianzhi, the Emperor had lingering suspicions and scolded her. She also suffered from a persistent cough and fainted, causing the Emperor to worry. In order to appease the anger of the concubines, she was promoted to Empress.
72	"The things we can't have are always the best （得不到的永遠最好）"	October 3, 2018 (2018-10-03)	N/A
In the 25th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, the Pure Consort died and was posthumously honored with the title "Pure and Benevolent Consort." Three months later, the Third Prince, Yongzhang, also died following his mother, and he was posthumously titled as the Prince Xun of his domain. Lady Han, while the Emperor was intoxicated, attempted to deliver palace attire to him. However, during her suicide attempt, she accidentally injured her own cheek with the needle from a Western-style clock. The Emperor requested the Empress to help persuade Lady Han. Although reluctant, due to her responsibilities as the Empress, she complied. The Empress personally fed Lady Han ginseng soup, encouraging her to find strength for her father and family, as well as for Han Qizhen, ultimately dissuading her from taking her own life.。She personally fed Lady Han ginseng soup, encouraging her to find strength for her father, relatives, and for Han Qizhen, ultimately dispelling Lady Han's thoughts of suicide.
73	"Children are not tools for competing for favor or for preserving one's life. （孩子不是爭寵保命的工具）"	October 4, 2018 (2018-10-04)	N/A
Hanshi was conferred the title of "Lady Rong" and resided in the Bao Yue Tower. The Empress, at the behest of the Dowager Empress, delivered a sterilizing potion to Lady Rong to ensure she couldn't conceive, which aligned with Lady Rong's intentions. However, the Emperor slapped the Empress for this, and Consort Li was tasked with managing the six palaces.。Lady Rong was promoted to the rank of "Consort Rong," and Consort Li gave birth to the Emperor's fifteenth son, Yongyan. She was then elevated to the status of "Consort Li" once again and continued to oversee the management of the six palaces.
74	"Remembering is better than meeting （相見不如懷念）"	October 4, 2018 (2018-10-04)	N/A
Consort Wan was manipulated by Consort Li into transcribing poems and writings mourning the Empress's passing, which were then compiled into a book to gain the Emperor's favor. This indirectly led to the Empress's uncomfortable position in the palace. Upon realizing the consequences, Consort Wan apologized to the Empress. Consort Li successfully furthered the rift between the Emperor and the Empress. The Empress returned to the palace, isolating herself in reflection, while the Emperor entrusted the care of Yongqi to Consort Yu.。Consort Yu's house arrest has been lifted.
75	"From deep youthful love to mutual indifference （從年少情深到相看兩厭）"	October 5, 2018 (2018-10-05)	N/A
Consort Li orchestrated a plot involving Consort Yu to incite trouble. They attempted to bribe an assassin to kill Yongqi, the twelfth prince. The assassin, however, failed in his attempt. During the assassination attempt, Ling Yunche used an arrow to shoot the assassin, who then retaliated by trying to attack the Empress. In the struggle, the assassin managed to injure the Empress with a knife, leaving the Emperor suspicious but ultimately rewarding Ling Yunche for his efforts with a yellow military uniform.。The Emperor became aware of her deceitful intentions but was temporarily unable to take action due to concerns involving the Khorchin troops. Eventually, she was sent back to the palace, where she received a punishment of forty strokes to the palm and was once again put under house arrest in the Yonghe Palace. Additionally, she was tasked with transcribing Buddhist scriptures as a penalty.
76	"Rumors come and go （流言飄來散去）"	October 5, 2018 (2018-10-05)	N/A
Consort Yu's house arrest was lifted once again. Consort Yu spread rumors within the palace about an illicit relationship between the Empress and Ling Yunche. In response, Consort Yu accused the Empress, along with Lady Ling, of wrongdoing. They provided evidence, and the Emperor grew suspicious, which prompted the Empress to prove her innocence. She declared that during the time in question, she shared her joys and sorrows with the Emperor, and as a loyal guard by his side, she had no ulterior motives. Her words were reassuring, and all ended as she had wished.。Regarding the Yunwen boots, upon a thorough examination of the stitches, it was proven that they were not crafted by the Empress. After her innocence was established, an edict was issued to have Consort Yu imprisoned in the Shencixing Detention Center, where she would face her own fate, with no release unless through death. Maosian was divorced from Ling Yunche. After Ling Yunche was accused by Maosian of having an affair with the Empress, the Emperor dispatched Jinzhong privately to abduct him, forcefully castrated him, and sent him to Yikun Palace to serve as a eunuch, thus humiliating the Empress.
77	"...speechless...（......無言以對......）"	October 8, 2018 (2018-10-08)	N/A
The Emperor privately assigned Jinzhong to handle Ling Yunche's castration and transformation into a eunuch to serve the Empress.
78	"The Yearning of Green Plum （綠梅的牽掛）"	October 8, 2018 (2018-10-08)	N/A
Consort Li became pregnant with the Dragon's seed for the fifth time and gave birth to the Emperor's sixteenth son, Yongdi. Ling Yunche was deliberately accused by the Emperor of stealing the Emperor's most precious belongings and was demoted to the position of a eunuch responsible for cleaning and sweeping. Consort Li plotted to make Yongqi ingest hallucinogenic mushrooms, causing him to hallucinate. What was meant to be a gift of plum blossoms from Ling Yunche to Rong Pei was misunderstood as a gift to the Empress. Yongqi, in a state of panic, attempted to flee but was discovered by the Emperor and Consort Li, further deepening the Emperor's suspicions towards the Empress.
79	"Trading my life for their well-being （以我性命 換他安好）"	October 9, 2018 (2018-10-09)	N/A
Consort Li visited Ling Yunche in the Shencixing Detention Center and returned the tokens of their past love. Despite the Empress's advice, Consort Yu, in an effort to protect the Empress's reputation and ease the Emperor's suspicions, took it upon herself to secretly end Ling Yunche's life. Before his death, Ling Yunche entrusted the tokens of their love to Consort Yu.。
80	"It is only when one's own character is flawed that they can be easily seduced （其身不正 才會受人魅惑）"	October 9, 2018 (2018-10-09)	N/A
The fourteenth prince, Yonglu, and the sixteenth prince, Yongdi, died together, leaving Consort Li grief-stricken overnight for the loss of her two sons. The Empress still mourned Ling Yunche's death and refused to meet with Hailan. She instructed Yongqi to bury Ling Yunche properly and perform seasonal rituals, with the guidance of Jiang, the imperial physician. The Emperor had not visited the inner palace for nearly two years, even neglecting Consort Li, who had been promoted, and the once-beloved Consort Rong. The Dowager Empress advised the Emperor to mend his relationship with the Empress during his Southern Inspection Tour to alleviate his stress. However, the Emperor was displeased when Consort Rong spoke on behalf of the Empress, finding the inner palace and court ladies uninteresting. Consort Li, prompted by Jinzhong, arranged for the introduction of women from Qin Lou and Chu Guan to entertain the Emperor. Disguised as a commoner, the Empress ventured into the civilian world and noticed women adorning their arms with golden foil. She also learned of the rumors surrounding the Emperor's affairs with women in West Lake, which led to public discussions and left the Emperor exhausted. The Empress realized that Consort Li was behind these actions to vie for the Emperor's favor and, during a meal with the Emperor and the consorts, she wiped his face in frustration, leading to the imprisonment of Consort Li.
81	"Good medicine tastes bitter, and honest advice is hard to hear （良藥苦口 忠言逆耳）"	October 10, 2018 (2018-10-10)	N/A
The Empress revealed Consort Li's intentions to disrupt the country's stability and expressed her desire to have her executed. She boarded a boat and headed to the center of West Lake to find the Emperor. Consort Li quickly sought help from Princess Hejing. Rong Pei dispatched the courtesans to a nunnery and intended to execute Jinzhong. Consort Li and Princess Hejing intervened to prevent Rong Pei from carrying out the sentence, and Jinzhong was detained for further judgment. The Empress advised the Emperor not to tarnish the reputation they had built over decades. In response, the Emperor insulted her by claiming her virtue was inferior to that of the Empress Dowager and that she was not as gentle as Consort Li. This caused the Empress to lose hope, leading to a rupture in her relationship with the Emperor. She even cut her hair as an offering to the departed Qingying and Hongli. The Emperor decided to send the Empress back to Yikun Palace, where she could only leave with his consent. Meanwhile, Consort Li was promoted to Empress and took charge of the affairs of the six palaces. The Emperor contemplated deposing the Empress, but the Dowager Empress dissuaded him, pointing out that their excessive concern for each other had led to this situation. Empress Li blamed Jinzhong for the fireworks incident and had him hanged with a rope.。
82	"To receive such true love is a blessing for three lifetimes （得此真情 三生有幸）"	October 10, 2018 (2018-10-10)	N/A
Wang Chan followed the decree of the Empress Dowager to remove the eunuchs San Bao and Lingzhi from the side of the Empress, leaving only Yunzhi and Rongpei. With the Empress's recommendation, the Emperor secretly designated the fifth prince, Yongqi, as the Crown Prince. It was revealed through Yufei that Consort Rong had been promoted to Consort. The Empress became pregnant with a dragon seed for the sixth time.
83	"Heart-wrenching （痛徹心扉）"	October 11, 2018 (2018-10-11)	N/A
After the death of Prince Rong, the Imperial Noble Consort orchestrated Hu Yun's confession and death, which led to the Emperor revoking Empress Xiaoyichun's title. After Prince Yongqi's passing, he became known as Prince Rongchun. Following his death, the Emperor retrieved the box containing the decree behind the "Zhengda Guangming" plaque, lit candles, and burned the document that had named Prince Yongqi as his successor. The Imperial Noble Consort instructed Wang Chan to inform the Empress about the Emperor's confiscation of her decree, resulting in her mother's extreme grief and sudden death. The Imperial Noble Consort saw Yuhu returning the secret box to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
84	"The essential things to do （務必要做的事）"	October 11, 2018 (2018-10-11)	N/A
After the Empress's mother died, Consort Yu knelt outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, begging to see the Empress. The Empress instructed Consort Yu and Consort Rong to investigate the matter concerning Yongqi and Hu Yun. In Hu's belongings, they found the original prescription given to Tian Laoban by the Imperial Physician and the poison box given by the Imperial Noble Consort at that time. Subsequently, Consort Yu went to the Yuanmingyuan to pray for Yongqi. Imperial Physician Jiang confirmed that Ruyi had contracted tuberculosis and could not live for long. Ruyi expressed her desire to complete her mission and instructed Rongpei and Imperial Physician Jiang not to mention her illness to others. At this time, the Imperial Noble Consort gave birth to the 17th prince, Yonglin, and contested for the custody of Princess Jingye with Consort Ying. When they encountered the Empress praying for Yongqi at Anhua Palace, she remarked that adoptive mothers could never compare to biological mothers, indirectly pointing out that the Empress was not the Emperor's birth mother. As a result, the custody of Princess Jingye continued to be entrusted to Consort Ying. Ruyi handed a note to the Empress with the words "poisoned heart" written on it.
85	"Good or bad, there will always be consequences in the end （善惡到頭終有報）"	October 12, 2018 (2018-10-12)	N/A
Chuncao was taken to Anhua Palace by Rongpei for most of the day. Though Chuncao remained loyal and refused to reveal anything, her behavior aroused suspicion from the Imperial Noble Consort. The Empress entrusted the care of Yongdi to the Empress Dowager, who took him back to Cining Palace. This disrupted the Imperial Noble Consort's plan to tamper with his meals and drew the attention of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, leading to an investigation of the imperial kitchen. Various events occurred after Chuncao was apprehended, deepening the Imperial Noble Consort's suspicions towards her. Jingse ordered surveillance on the Imperial Noble Consort and unexpectedly discovered her ambitious desire for power, as she constantly emphasized the importance of the birth mother over the father. Jingse informed the Emperor, who subsequently ordered that the 17th prince, Yonglin, be given to Consort Ying, the 9th princess, Jingyun, to Consort Ke, and the 15th prince, Yongyan, to the Empress of Shoukang Palace. The Imperial Noble Consort believed that Chuncao had betrayed her and gave her poisoned lipstick under the pretense of a gift, intending to silence her. She then sent Chuncao out of the palace to sweep the tombs. Consort Yu secretly followed Chuncao and saved her when she nearly succumbed to poison on the road, instructing Wang Chan to make him understand the value of life. The Emperor fell ill, and after serving him for a night, the Imperial Noble Consort learned from Physician Bao that the Emperor's condition was likely irreversible. The Empress Dowager intentionally wept in front of the Imperial Noble Consort, mentioning the secret box from Zhengda Guangming Hall and Hall of Mental Cultivation, as well as the plan to designate Yongdi as the Crown Prince. Unable to contain herself any longer, the Imperial Noble Consort took action.
86	"Flowers bloom and flowers fall, all in due time （花開花落終有時）"	October 12, 2018 (2018-10-12)	N/A
The Imperial Noble Consort attempted to place a decree she had written, proclaiming the 15th prince, Yongyan, as the Crown Prince, into the secret box. However, the Emperor woke up and discovered her attempt. Subsequently, all her crimes were exposed by Consort Yu, Chuncao, Wang Chan, and Zhe Luo. The Emperor ordered that she be given a poison known as "Qianji Yao" but later administered an antidote. She was then imprisoned in the Yongshou Palace, where Chuncao and Wang Chan fed her mushroom soup daily, subjecting her to torment. Consort Yu accused the Imperial Noble Consort of arranging for Hu Yun to be close to Yongqi and provided evidence with the help of Chuncao and Wei Zhe. They also presented the tokens of affection left by Lingyunchai to the Emperor. Ruyi personally oversaw the transformation of those whom the Imperial Noble Consort had harmed into spirit tablets. These individuals included Lan Cui, Lingyunchai, the Sixth Princess, Tian Laoban, the 13th prince, Keliyebi Zhaqi, Yufei Boljigit Er Yin Zhu, the Fifth Princess, and Yi Princess Jingxi, the 10th prince, Shu Fei Yehenala Yihuan, Jin Yu Yan, Zhao Jiuxiao, the 9th prince, Prince Rong Yongqi, Hu Yunjiao, Tian Jun, Wei Yangshi, Lady Na, and others. They were then sent to Anhua Palace for Buddhist rituals before being sent to rest. Following this, the Empress Dowager took them to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to have the Imperial Noble Consort apologize by kowtowing to each of them. Afterward, the Emperor lifted Ruyi's confinement, but she had lost all affection and patience for the Emperor and the palace intrigues, having her hair cut short. She no longer wished to see anyone or retrieve her empress's decree. Instead, she had the Emperor go personally to find the Empress.。
87	"These days we've come all this way （一路走來這些日子啊）"	October 15, 2018 (2018-10-15)	N/A
Ruyi peacefully departed from this world, leaving behind a letter for Yongdi and a pot of withered plum blossoms.。The Emperor asked Lang Shineng to paint another portrait of himself and the Empress. Lang Shineng told the Emperor that at that time, they both had each other in their eyes, but now they no longer do. The Emperor instructed Eunuch Li that Empress Ruyi's behavior in her final days was bewildering, and her funeral should not follow the traditional empress's protocol. Instead, the Imperial Noble Consort's protocol should be used for the funeral, and all records of the Empress in history should be erased.。Nine years later, in the 40th year of the Qianlong reign, the Imperial Noble Consort was given the death sentence by consuming He Ding Hong, a poisonous substance. She was posthumously honored with the title "Pengyi Imperial Noble Consort."。In the fourth year of the Jiaqing reign, Hongli, who had already become the retired Emperor, cut his own hair. He placed the cut hair into a golden box, which contained the Empress's green silk hairpins and a handkerchief with green plum and red lychee patterns. He then sat in a chair, holding the golden box, and peacefully died at the age of eighty-nine.。From that point on, until the end of the Qing Dynasty, there were no more women from the Ulanara clan who entered the palace as consorts.

Production

Crew

The series is directed by Wang Jun, produced by Huang Lan, and written by the author of the original novel Liu Lianzi. It also employed William Chang and Tongxun Chen as their overall style director, Han Zhong as art director and Peng Xuejun as cinematography director.

Development

Wu Xuelan, also known as Liu Lianzi, started to write the original novel in 2011, and changed her work several times to achieve the best version in the next five years.

New Classics Media picked up the series for a 90–episode season (later shortened to 87), with a ¥300 million budget, making it the most expensive television series in China.

Casting

On 14 January 2016, it was announced that Zhou Xun will play the leading role of the Step Empress. The role of the Qianlong Emperor, the male lead, was announced to be portrayed by Wallace Huo on May 27. On August 3, actors Janine Chang, Vivian Wu, Dong Jie, Tong Yao, Jing Chao, Xin Zhilei, Li Chun, Zeng Yixuan and Chen Haoyu were cast in major supporting roles for the drama. Around 5,000 actors competed for roles in the drama.

Filming

Shooting began on 23 August 2016 and took place in various locations including Hengdian World Studios, Beijing, Inner Mongolia, and Hangzhou. The series completed filming on 5 May 2017.

Soundtrack

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Singers	Length
1.	"Double Shadow (双影)" (Theme song (Ending theme episode 47 onwards))	Yi Jiayang	Ding Wei & Jim Lee	A-mei & Sandy Lam
2.	"Incense & Fleeting Years (沉香流年)" (Opening theme song (episode 1–46))	Yi Ming	Yi Ming & Wang Yaoguang	Lei Jia
3.	"Like the Fragrance of Plum Blossoms We Once Knew (梅香如故)" (Ending theme song (episode 1–38, 40–46))	Lv Jingye	Chen Shimei	Mao Buyi & Zhou Shen
4.	"Things stay the same, but people have changed (人非物是)" (Opening theme (episode 47 onwards))		Chen Shimei	Asia Philharmonic Orchestra
5.	"Worries (心事)" (Ending theme song (episode 39 only))	Lv Jingye	Yan Qing	Deng Tongtian

Reception

The series received mixed responses from viewers.

Many felt underwhelmed by the unaggressive heroine, who was not able to face off the villain consorts even in the second half of the drama, thus making her character design flawed and unconvincing. The drama was also criticized for its anticlimactic story and depressive tone. Critics felt that it was ironic and unbelievable for the protagonist to pursue monogamy in a highly feudalistic context. The slow pacing in the first half of the drama was pointed out, with critics believing that the screenwriters neglected to write with compact story-telling to flesh out the characters.

The series has also received criticism over the age of the leading performers, with viewers saying they made unconvincing teenagers, and criticized the series' producers for not using younger actors to portray the lovestruck teens. Viewers were also divided over the lack of dubbing for Zhou Xun's 15-year-old character, as they felt that her voice was "too raspy" and "mature" for a teenager.

However, there were also praises for the drama. Zhang Hanyue, a writer and critic, said "The show becomes more and more heart-tugging as the story goes deeper." Many viewers agree that Ruyi bears many characteristics of a modern female. Vogue magazine commented that the drama actually recorded "the failure of a high-end girl" because what Ruyi had been pursuing was spiritual connections with her spouse; and such a pursuit represents the taste and ideal of the modern middle class. Critics agree that the drama introduces a new light to and narrative of palace dramas, deviating from the existing patterns of treacherous harem games. The drama won acclaim for its exquisite props, ornate lavish sets, and stellar cast.

Censorship by the Chinese Government

On 25 January 2019, the Beijing Daily, an official government newspaper, criticized the program for failing to promote socialist values. Four days later, on January 29, the Chinese government cancelled the program and similar programs such as Story of Yanxi Palace. CNN and other media outlets quickly reported on this incident, calling it Chinese censorship.

Ratings

Dragon TV ratings
Broadcast date	Episode	Ratings (%)	Audience share (%)	Rank (excluding CCTV)	Rank (including CCTV)
2018.12.25	1–4	0.247	2.86	3	9
2018.12.26	5–8	0.306	3.42	1	4
2018.12.27	9–12	0.359	3.93	1	3
2018.12.28	13–16	0.291	3.20	2	6
2018.12.29	17–20	0.368	3.69	1	5
2018.12.30	21–24	0.455	3.79	1	3
2018.12.31	25–28	0.556	4.56	1	3
2019.1.1	29–32	0.557	4.36	1	3
2019.1.2	33–36	0.536	5.77	1	2
2019.1.3	37–40	0.467	5.22	1	2
2019.1.4	41–44	0.553	Not available	1	1
2019.1.5	45–48	0.550		1	1
2019.1.6	49–52	0.515		1	1
2019.1.7	53–56	0.551	5.99	1	2
2019.1.8	57–60	0.496	5.52	1	2
2019.1.9	61–64	0.500	5.29	1	3
2019.1.10	65–68	0.472	5.16	1	2
2019.1.11	69–72	0.482	5.05	1	2
2019.1.12	73–76	0.554	4.87	1	2
2019.1.13	77–80	0.611	5.38	1	1
2019.1.14	81–84	0.610	6.61	1	2
2019.1.15	85–87	0.623	6.29	1	1
Average ratings		0.485	4.79	–	–

Jiangsu TV ratings
Broadcast date	Episode	Ratings (%)	Audience share (%)	Rank (excluding CCTV)	Rank (including CCTV)
2018.12.25	1–4	0.181	2.115	4	11
2018.12.26	5–8	0.178	2.011	4	10
2018.12.27	9–12	0.171	1.884	5	12
2018.12.28	13–16	0.208	2.313	5	11
2018.12.29	17–20	0.200	Not available
2018.12.30	21–24	0.292	2.437	3	6
2018.12.31	25–28	0.295	2.431	3	6
2019.1.1	29–32	0.298	2.343	3	5
2019.1.2	33–36	0.231	2.354	4	9
2019.1.3	37–40	0.170	Not available
2019.1.4	41–44	0.186
2019.1.5	45–48	0.266
2019.1.6	49–52	0.223
2019.1.7	53–56	0.215	2.314	3	11
2019.1.8	57–60	0.215	2.315	3	11
2019.1.9	61–64	0.216	2.186	3	10
2019.1.10	65–68	0.181	1.948	5	11
2019.1.11	69–72	0.180	1.837	6	12
2019.1.12	73–76	0.189	1.728	4	11
2019.1.13	77–80	0.206	1.866	5	11
2019.1.14	81–84	0.208	2.221	3	9
2019.1.15	85–87	0.265	2.826	2	8
Average ratings		0.217	–	–	–

Awards and nominations

Award	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
24th Huading Awards	Best Director	Wang Jun	Nominated
	Best Actor	Wallace Huo	Nominated
12th Tencent Video Star Awards	Best Web Drama	Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace	Won
Golden Bud – The Third Network Film And Television Festival	Top 10 Web Drama		Won
Influence of Recreational Responsibilities Awards	Web Drama of the Year		Won
2nd Asian Academy Creative Awards	Best Leading Actress	Zhou Xun	Won

International broadcast

On 10 June 2016, Fox Networks Group Asia (FNG) acquired global rights outside mainland China to the series. It was the first epic period drama secured by FNG for markets outside China, and was carried by STAR Chinese Channel (SCC), the flagship Chinese general entertainment channel, starting 20 August 2018 in selected countries, rerun on August 6, 2019, in all countries for return a year.

From 27 November 2018, it aired on Fox Taiwan. From 27 December 2018, it aired on Talentvision Canada. To date it has debuted in 18 countries and regions, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and the Philippines.

Region	Network	Dates	Notes
United States	Fox Networks Group channels	August 20, 2018	Dubbed in English.
Hong Kong and Southeast Asia	Star Chinese Channel	August 20, 2018 – December 18, 2018	Re-run on 6 August 2019 at 15:00 and next day at 01:00 in all countries.
Hong Kong	TVB Jade	February 4, 2019 – March 19, 2019	Monday to Saturday (120 minutes), Sunday (60 minutes).
	myTV SUPER	August 20, 2018 – October 15, 2018
Vietnam	HTV7	September 1, 2018	Airs Monday to Saturday at 13:00. Dubbed with Vietnamese.
	H1 – Hanoi Radio Television	March 26, 2019 – June 20, 2019	Airs every day at 13:00. Original language with voiceover Vietnamese.
	Vie DRAMAS	March 23, 2019 – June 17, 2019	Airs every day at 19:00. Dubbed in Vietnamese.
Taiwan	Fox Taiwan	November 27, 2018	Original language.
	iQIYI Taiwan	August 20, 2018 – October 15, 2018	Original language.
	CTV	October 2, 2020	Airs Monday to Friday at 20:00–22:00. Original Language.
	Chung T'ien Television	February 18, 2021	Airs Monday to Friday at 21:00–22:00. Original language.
Canada	Talentvision Canada	December 27, 2018	Dubbed in English.
Japan	WOWOW TV	May 29, 2019
Malaysia	Shuang Xing	August 20, 2018 – November 14, 2018	First-run (simulcast). Original Language.
		April 5, 2020	Airs every day at 19:00–20:00. Second-run (re-run). Original language.
	8TV	July 6, 2021	Airs Monday to Friday at 18:00–18:58. Original language.
Thailand	Channel 3	March 15, 2023	Airs Monday to Friday after midnight. Dubbed in Thai. (first aired in 2021 only on page 3Plus, not broadcast on television)