She made her nephew Emperor Guangxu accompany her flight from the capital, but had his concubine Imperial Consort Zhen assassinated by ordering eunuchs to push her down the well behind Ningxia Palace of the Forbidden City.
都落ちに際しては甥である光緒帝も同行させたが、その愛妃珍妃については宦官に命じて紫禁城寧寿宮裏にある井戸に落とし殺害させている。