Empress Dowager Ci'an, the second empress of the Xianfeng Emperor, was a woman that Empress Dowager Cixi feared. She was elected to the palace in the same year as Empress Dowager Cixi, and only half a year after entering the palace, she was crowned empress by Xianfeng, and Empress Dowager Ci'an's status was far above that of Empress Dowager Cixi, and she was also deeply favored by the Xianfeng Emperor.
After the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, the Tongzhi Emperor succeeded to the throne, Empress Dowager Ci'an was given the title of Eastern Empress, and Empress Dowager Cixi was given the title of Western Empress, and the status of Empress Dowager Cixi was still not as high as that of Empress Dowager Ci'an. In front of Empress Dowager Ci'an, Empress Dowager Cixi could not raise her head like a little wife in front of her eldest wife.
Even Empress Dowager Cixi's very favored eunuch An Dehai was executed by Empress Dowager Ci'an, and Empress Dowager Cixi did not dare to speak up. On the issue of the Tongzhi Emperor's establishment, although Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an had differences, Empress Dowager Cixi did not dare to argue with Empress Dowager Ci'an, and in the end, the Tongzhi Emperor still established empress Arute, recommended by Empress Dowager Ci'an.
However, Empress Dowager Ci'an's political skills were far inferior to those of Empress Dowager Cixi, and her means were not as vicious as Empress Dowager Cixi's, so she was poisoned by Empress Dowager Cixi at a young age, and it was really lamentable that she died under the political ambitions of Empress Dowager Cixi.