My Fair Princess: The Pearl of a Golden Age

During the Qianlong era, undercurrents swirled through the Forbidden City. Princess Gurun Zhaohua and Princess Zhaoning, also known as Qing’er, returned from a Buddhist temple just as Little Swallow, the “Returning Pearl Princess,” entered the palace with Ziwei. Thus began a contest between rules and chaos, wisdom and recklessness. As an auspicious princess personally named by the emperor, Zhaohua had not only a noble status but also foresight in governance and political acumen. Her brother, Heir Yongjun, was calm and astute, while Chengying, her childhood friend and a battle-hardened general, was valiant in combat. Together, the three formed the Forbidden City’s most steadfast “righteous faction.”

When Qianlong decided to travel incognito, the conflict between Zhaohua’s faction and Little Swallow, Ziwei, Fu Erkang, and the others escalated. During a disturbance in the marketplace, Zhaohua deftly avoided trouble and observed the people’s lives, in stark contrast to Little Swallow’s reckless antics. At the disaster-relief site, she and Yongjun devised a thorough relief plan, outshining the martial-arts world’s lofty talk of “robbing the rich to help the poor.” During a talent contest, she steered poetry toward matters of livelihood, making Ziwei’s romantic verse seem dull by comparison. And when they were attacked, Chengying’s command skills only made Fu Erkang look brave but witless. The trip not only brought Qianlong’s trust in Zhaohua’s faction to its peak, but also prompted Fu Ertai to defect completely, while jealousy consumed Ziwei and left her unhinged.

After they returned to the palace, the Fragrant Concubine affair became a new maelstrom. Reading the situation, Zhaohua worked in perfect sync with the empress and laid a net, waiting for Little Swallow’s group to walk right into it. In the end, Little Swallow was betrothed and sent far away to Mongolia for causing trouble, while Ziwei and the disabled Fu Erkang were stripped of their status and reduced to commoners, paying the price for their reckless behavior.

Zhaohua and Chengying ultimately became a couple, while Yongjun and Zhaohua celebrated a joyous marriage. The two couples went on to create a splendid legend for the ages.