The protagonist, a widow known as Er Furen (Second Madam) of the Yao family. She spent several years under the Empress Dowager's care and witnessed palace struggles. After her husband's death, she initially saw herself as ill-fated and preferred to retreat, but was not easy to bully. She discovered Yao Jinning tried to drug her with an aphrodisiac at Chang Gongzhu's banquet, and in response slapped Yao Jinning multiple times. She revealed herself to be cunning by registering all maishenqi (servants) under her own name in government records, giving her legal power over them. She confronted Madam Yao Li and the Yao family with newfound defiance.
