Upcoming historical drama Royal Nirvana 鹤唳华亭 stars Luo Jin (The Way We Were) as an unfavoured prince of Southern Qi and Li Yitong (Bloody Romance) as his love interest. The ~60 episode drama will be premiering on Youku soon.

Crown prince Xiao Dingquan (Luo Jin) is backed by powerful general and uncle Gu Silin (Liu Dekai) as well as the incorruptible Grand Tutor Lu Shiyu (Wang Jinsong), much to the dismay of the emperor (Huang Zhizhong). A gentle scholar at heart, he desires fatherly love, though never receives it from the paranoid ruler, who encourages his illegitimate son Xiao Dingtang (Jin Han) to frame the crown prince for killing politician Lu Ying.

Lu Ying’s daughter Lu Wenxi / Gu Sese (Li Yitong), often referred to by her nickname Ah-Bao, infiltrates Xiao Dingquan’s residence to exact revenge, yet discovers the crown prince is far from the ambitious man she thought him to be. Ah-Bao eventually falls in love with Xiao Dingquan, and helps him clear his name. Xiao Dingquan vehemently opposes a rebellion planned by his uncle’s subordinates after the latter’s death, though it may all be too late.

The drama is directed by Yang Wenjun (Legend of Fuyao) and written by the source novel’s author Xueman Liangyuan.

Huang Zhizhong as the emperor

Zhang Zhijian as Li Baiqing

Miao Pu as Noble Consort Zhao

Jin Han as Xiao Dingtang

Wang Jinsong as the grand tutor

Liu Dekai as the crown prince’s uncle

Zheng Yecheng as the young general Gu Feng’en.