PRINCE YONGLIN finds out that NOBLE CONSORT DOWAGER YING committed suicide and left a note, accusing JIAQING of killing QIANLONG by poisoning him. Furious YONGLIN goes to confront JIAQING, who silently admits it. Without saying anything, YONGLIN draws his sword to point at JIAQING! Claiming that defeating JIAQING will be an uphill battle, HESHEN wants to fulfill his wish to tie the knot with DOUKOU. However, after they drink wine from the nuptial cups, DOUKOU suddenly coughs up lots of blood! At the crack of dawn, HESHEN completes the posthumous edict of the late QIANLONG by forging his handwriting, then marches into the palace with his head held high. Right in front of LIU YONG, PRINCE YI and other high-ranking officials, HESHEN claims that he has a way to verify how JIAQING poisoned the late QIANLONG!