Unpopular opinion, I'm sure, since I know the emperor and Rashta are the bad guys, but... I can't help but feel the empress is being petty... It's not like she and the emperor are married for love and it's his right to take a concubine. She makes a lot of remarks about Rashta being of low status, which is unusual for a concubine, but would her attitude change if Rashta were a noble? Her jealousy seems kind of shallow... "I don't want you, but I don't want anyone else to have you, either."