The next morning, Ling's highness tells Ling that he has arranged for an assassin to be sent to kill the empress. The plan is to have a token of the prince's mansion to prove that the two men are in cahoots with the enemy. Ling asks the highness if she knows what quality an emperor should have. The highness says she does, and Ling asks her one more time if she has ever taken such a large dose of poison. Ling is about to burst into tears, but the maid calms her down by saying that it is a thoughtless thing to do, and that she needs to take it easy on herself. Ling says that she will ask the maid again, and the maid replies that she does know what quality of emperor should be. Ling tells the maid that she has just heard the news that the Empress has died. The noble consort nangong will take the place of the late Empress.