Episode 18

LIAN-YING and DE-HAI spot that both SIN YUNG and PAK-LUN are lying on the floor in an austere room, but LIAN-YING stops DE-HAI from rescuing PAK-LUN, leaving him to die from poisoning. DE-HAI goes to a temporary bamboo framed theatre, requesting the owner to return CHAN FOOK's silver ingots, which was acquired from selling the imperial treasures secretly. The owner not only refuses to do so, but also mocks DE-HAI of being castrated. DE-HAI unintentionally finds out that SIU-CHAI has also been bullied by the owner, so he decides to take care of her. LIAN-YING sees that SIN YUNG is under the imperial guards' escort to make an audience with CIXI, who makes SIN YUNG in charge of the hair combing duty in the palace so as to save her from being homeless. Time flies and Emperor TONGZHI has reached his adolescence. Despite CIXI’s reminder, Emperor TONGZHI shows no interest in a plan to select his empress……