Empress Su Jin seeks revenge for her mother's suffering by ordering Xie Wanqing, the Chief Grand Secretary's daughter, to marry a eunuch. The Xie family applies pressure at every turn, and officials jointly petition for the Empress's removal, viciously attacking her humble origins in the Court Music Bureau. During the morning court assembly, Xie Yuan leads the ministers in an attempt to force the Emperor's hand and depose the Empress. Su Jin produces evidence in court, exposing how Xie Yuan stole manuscripts written by her late mother, Lin Ruojun, to claim academic honors, and how he once sold her away. Having endured countless hardships, Lin Ruojun appears before the court and tears away the Xie family's hypocritical facade. The truth about Xie Wanqing's poetry plagiarism is also revealed. The Xie family's followers are all arrested, and the villains receive their just punishment. The Emperor has long known the truth and does not punish Su Jin. Instead, he posthumously bestows upon Lin Ruojun the prestigious title of First-Rank Imperial Lady. At last, mother and daughter can hold their heads high.