Empress Lü Zhi
For her son's future, Shen'er views Yifang's son, Liu Qi as an obstacle in her son's path to the Throne. Shen'er plotted and devised schemes to overthrow Yifang. Initially, she plans to reveal Yifang's relationship to the late Empress Lü Zhi as a spy sent to Dai. She also uses Zhou Yafu's hatred towards Yifang due to the death of Zirang's son and further plans the rape and murder of Xueyuan to enlist Zhou Yafu in her conspiracy against Yifang, and allying herself in secret with Empress Dowager Bo who held grudges against Yifang. Later, she devises the witchcraft affair by planting voodoo dolls with Liu Heng and Liu Wu's name on it in Yifang's palace in order to charge Yifang with treason crime of praying for Liu Heng and Liu Wu's death. But YiFang changed the name Liu Wu to Liu Qi and planted it back in Shen'er's palace. In the end, her own plot backfires against herself and Shen'er's doomed fate was sealed. For her son's life, Shen'er makes a deal with Yifang, that she will confess the criminal charges resulting from her schemes and in return, Yifang must protect her son's life – to this which Yifang agrees.