S1, A1: During Yongzheng's reign, Fourth Prince Hongli and Empress Ulanara's niece Qingying are childhood sweethearts and firm friends. Qingying fails to make the bride selection for Third Prince Hongshi, which makes Hongli secretly pleased. He hopes for Qingying to attend his own bride selection. Qingying tries to test Hongli, who says he will not pick Qingying. To spite him, Qingying rejects Hongli's invitation. On the day of the selection, the young ladies appear one by one, but Qingying is nowhere to be seen. Under the urging of his foster mother Noble Consort Xi from the Niohuru clan, Hongli drags his feet to the candidate she favors, Fuca Langhua, yet he delays giving her the primary consort's ruyi scepter. At this point, Qingying arrives late. Hongli is ecstatic, and shoves the ruyi scepter into her hand. Qingying is selected as the primary consort. At the same time, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Yongzheng is furious over Third Prince Hongshi's collusion with his foster mother Empress Ulanara. He banishes Hongshi from the imperial family and grounds the empress in the Palace of Great Benevolence, before calling off Hongli's wedding and casting Qingying out of the palace. With disregard for his future, Hongli pleads with his father and expresses his feelings for Qingying. Yongzheng allows Qingying to become Hongli's secondary consort, and makes Hongli Prince Bao of the First Rank.