Empress Dowager Hu
Around the new year 573, Lady Lu would further carry out adverse action against Empress Hu. She intentionally acted angry before Empress Dowager Hu and stated, "What kind of niece would use that kind of language?" When Empress Dowager Hu asked her about it, she initially refused to say anything, and then when Empress Dowager Hu persisted, she said that Empress Hu had told Gao Wei, "The empress dowager's behavior is immoral and should not be followed." Empress Dowager Hu was incensed, and without verifying the information, she ordered Empress Hu be expelled from the palace, and then had Gao Wei depose her. In spring 573, Right Empress Mu was formally entitled as the only empress. Trying to match the clothes made of pearl that he had earlier made for Empress Hu (but which had been destroyed in a fire), he tried to buy pearls from rival Northern Zhou, but Northern Zhou refused to sell him pearls—but somehow he was able to obtain sufficient pearls to do so.