The irony in the Empress Dowager's lesson is so, so spicy.
Ahhh... It infuriates me that Eli has been raised to an irredeemable point. If her father had not proceeded with a more drastic plan after the first 3, she would have been the one who warned the knights of the carriage and redeemed herself, that would be that. The "guidance" has twisted her so much, and the Dowager is truly making her into something that will die a terrible death, never learning right from wrong. There is no basis in her hypocrisy- only someone feeding her lies. It's honestly amazing how stubborn she is though- she never broke. I guess that's how the genes are able to keep reproducing despite idea that it's "blindness" lmao. Blind and delusion enough to survive societal and mental trauma