Episode 22

Prince GONG thinks that CIXI should hand state power back to Emperor TONGZHI since the emperor is married, however, CIXI refuses to withdraw from her reign behind the curtain. Ordering LIAN-YING and SIN YUNG to make an audience with her, CIXI reveals her understanding of the reason why SIN YUNG is not willing to marry court official CHAN as his second wife. So she has a word with LIAN-YING alone, suggesting making the two as pairing off couples. A young eunuch FAI goes to DE-HAI's room to steal something, then gets raided by DE-HAI. As LIAN-YING and SHEUNG-HEI bump into FAI, FAI counterclaims that DE-HAI privately possesses "Thousand Cups Drink". At the night before DE-HAI's wedding banquet, both SIU-CHAI and him are taken to the Chang Chun Palace by the troops because CIXI won’t allow DE-HAI to marry SIU-CHAI. Meanwhile, CIAN arrives, adopting SIU-CHAI as her goddaughter, letting the two get married, which greatly annoys CIXI……