On the Crown Prince's concubine-taking day, the new concubine Liu Zhenzhen mistook the successor empress Pei Jintang for the crown princess and made a public scene. Pei Jintang followed the clue and discovered that Consort Shu used Liu's usurpation of phoenix patterns, forged accounts, and aromatic fake imperial decrees to plot to seize the East Palace and Middle Palace. She teamed up with the crown princess to gather evidence and counterattack, ultimately resulting in Consort Shu being demoted and confined, Liu being banished, and the crown prince being punished. Emperor Xiao Yan secretly backed them up, and feelings gradually grew between the two.