Empress Dowager Cao, mother of Zhao Surui and the late Crown Prince Zhao Suqian. She has dominated the court for years by manipulating filial piety and using the memory of her deceased eldest son Zhao Suqian to control both Zhao Surui and Lin Miaozhen. She heavily favored the Cao family, allowing her brothers to seize lands and commit crimes. After Shen Shiqing (disguised as Zhao Surui) confronted her about her abuses, she was left shaken and collapsed into a chair.
