Episode 5 recap: Zhao Ruoqi befriended Shufei.
Zhao Ruoqi and Liu Rufan came to attend the banquet. Liu Rufan introduced Zhao Ruoqi to Shufei, stating that the most favored individuals in the palace currently were Consort Lizhao and Shufei. Consort Lizhao was young and beautiful, greatly favored by the emperor. Shufei, on the other hand, was older and initially not highly favored. However, after the death of the emperor's third son's mother, he was raised by Shufei, causing her to gain favor.
Consort Lizhao and Shufei had a rivalry. Consort Lizhao thought highly of the peach blossoms, but Shufei did not like them. Liu Rufan asked Zhao Ruoqi whom she wanted to befriend, so she could help Zhao Ruoqi with that. Zhao Ruoqi agreed that the peach blossoms were only focused on competing for spring and were indeed undesirable. Shufei thought highly of Zhao Ruoqi and invited her to come over in the evening, as she had a matter for Zhao Ruoqi to handle.
In the evening, Zhao Ruoqi arrived, accompanied by Shufei's maid. The maid explained to Zhao Ruoqi that Liu Gu, who was with Consort Lizhao, was pressuring others to gamble and asked Zhao Ruoqi to find a way to resolve the situation. Zhao Ruoqi had to solve the problem without offending Consort Lizhao, so she directly apprehended Liu Gu and asked everyone to testify together.
With solid evidence, Consort Lizhao could not do much. Liu Gu was punished and expelled from the palace. Zhao Ruoqi was promoted to the rank of a consort, and Shufei thought Zhao Ruoqi handled the situation well. Shufei had another matter for Zhao Ruoqi to attend to.
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