In spite of her withdrawal from rule from behind the curtain, CIXI worries that Emperor TONGZHI is unable to control the court officials, so she requests her close confidant to come to the Chang Chun Palace and report the state affairs discussed by TONGZHI after each morning court audience. Eunuch FAI commits suicide by hanging himself from a beam and dies. According to TIM-SHAU, FAI, until his death, has been insisting that he had not wronged DE-HAI. Upon his return to his mansion, DE-HAI catches SIU-CHAI right on the spot when she is fooling around with the Peking Opera actor, but SIU-CHAI directly accuses DE-HAI of being impotent. By the time DE-HAI goes to find the missionary for diagnosis, the missionary already made his getaway. While persuading his best friend to let go of SIU-CHAI, LIAN-YING is also flamed with anger, wanting to get rid of her. DE-HAI goes back to his mansion, but SIU-CHAI is no where to be found……
