Michelle Yim
Catherine Tsang, one of the deputy chief directors of TVB's drama department, initially created the idea of producing a drama based on Li Lianying. A pre-production trailer was filmed in late 2010 for TVB's 2011 Sales Production Presentation, and it was the last and longest trailer to broadcast at the ceremony. At the time, the temporary cast featured in the trailer consisted of Wayne Lai as Li, Michelle Yim as Cixi, Bosco Wong as the Guangxu Emperor, Tavia Yeung as Consort Zhen, Susanna Kwan as Li's mother, with David Chiang, Elliot Ngok, and Chung King-fai as prominent government officials. When production for "The Confidant" was announced, only Lai was confirmed to star. The drama was originally slated to begin production in March 2011, but it was pushed back to end of the year due to production difficulties.