Episode 4

S1 E4: The emperor starts to go against the empress dowager secretly. Qingying knows the emperor misses her, and intends to use the impasse between the dowagers to relieve her predicament. Qingying asks for help from her good friend Hailan, who is staying in the prince's residence for her. The two switch places, so Qingying can sneak out to see the emperor. Upon Qingying's request, the emperor agrees to let the empress dowager move to the Palace of Tranquility. Only then does the empress dowager summon Qingying, call off the restrictions on her and allow her to enter the palace. Qingying asks the empress dowager to give her a new name. The empress dowager names her "Ruyi". Xiyue tells Langhua to keep Hailan at the Palace of Universal Happiness, to prevent Ruyi and Hailan from joining forces. The emperor discusses Ruyi's position and palace with Langhua. Langhua appears to mean well, but actually wants to send Ruyi to the Palace of Extending Happiness, which is far away and run down, and to make Ruyi Consort Xian, which is a lower position than Xiyue who was ranked lower than Ruyi originally but has become a noble consort. Upon seeing that the emperor has decided on titles in the harem, the empress dowager remarks to her personal maid Fujia that the battle of the harem has officially begun.