i really like the empress actually

shes so smart and vicious and steadfast. its not her fault the emperor is a bumbling simpleton and she assumes power quickly. its actually really amazing knowing she held on against tias grandfather for so long ALONE given that the men in her family, her father, her son, her bro, her in laws (tias uncles) are useless and tactless. other villains in this story is such a comic relief and easy ragebait but the empress, though she IS enraging, isnt as much a villain as tias grandfather. they both holds enormous power and is maintaining it as they see fit.

it literally took tia dying once to even stand on the same playing field with the empress. thats a feat.