Guifei Niangniang Zhao Ke'er is the Crown Prince's nominal adoptive mother. She is mentioned in passing whispers among the spectators during the autumn hunt, with one person noting that her equestrian and swordsmanship skills were unparalleled in her day, said to rival even the late Lady Shen. She is referenced as the gold standard for horse taming and martial skills, though she does not appear directly in the scene. The Crown Prince coldly dismisses the whispers about her with a curt Enough of this nonsense, silencing the speakers immediately. Her legendary reputation as a skilled rider and swordsman is invoked by the spectators as a contrast to Song Yiqiu's apparent struggles with the fierce horse.
