She was particularly praised for refusing to celebrate lavishly (as her attendants had suggested) when her son Cao Pi was made heir in 217.
[3] She was not much involved in her son's administration or in his campaigns against Cao Wei's rival states, Eastern Wu and Shu Han.
She, in particular, refused to grant her family excessive wealth or titles, setting an example for the rest of Cao Wei's history.
In 227, she was inadvertently insulted by her granddaughter-in-law Lady Yu – Princess Yu had been Cao Rui's wife when he was Prince of Pingyuan, but after he became emperor, he did not make her empress, but made his concubine Lady Mao as empress instead.
[6] Empress Dowager Bian was greatly offended, but did not punish her further than having her sent back to Cao Rui's princely manor house.