Now that he's the commander of Dongchang, Cai Ming tells his wife that she should respect him as her sovereign and not bow down to anyone. He's also learned that the assassins are willing to die for a promise of respect. He tells her that if she and Cai Ming continue to compete like this, one of them will lose. If they continue to do so, he says, historians will be able to criticize them. He also tells her about the yues, who owe their mother a lot of money. The yue family has refused to serve Cai Ming's empress, but if they are on the side of the emperor, she will join them. Cai Ming asks why the empress chose dongchang instead of the dowager. He says that if he wants to live, he needs to work hand-in-hand with Cai Ming to help him achieve his goals. He asks her to drink his drink and they will seal their alliance.