Living in seclusion in the Buddha Hall for five years, the Empress Dowager attends the Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet for the first time, and unexpectedly hears the inner voice of the shabby companion reader in the corner—this child turns out to be Princess Zhaoyang's own daughter, Mingzhu. She immediately seals off the palace gates to thoroughly investigate, peeling back the layers to uncover the case of the consort and the concubine swapping daughters. Opening the imperial mausoleum to examine remains, executing treacherous officials and deposing the empress, she clears the grievances of the orphan girl. Furthermore, she establishes the system of female officials receiving petitions, allowing all cries for help in deep manors to finally cross the heavy palace gates.