Chinese dramas and films

The historical political drama «Royal Court Ballad» (The Empire as Betrothal, Yu Ting Yao, Jiang Shan Wei Pin, 江山为聘, 御廷谣) is gearing up for its premiere. 

The project will air on Hunan TV and Mango TV during the evening prime-time slot. It will replace the series «Love for You».

A total of 32 episodes are planned, with two episodes scheduled to air each day.

The lead roles are played by Wu Jin Yan («Story of Yanxi Palace», «Kill Me, Love Me») and Chen Zhe Yuan («Hidden Love», «White Olive Tree»).

The series’ title has undergone several changes. In the early preparation stage, it was listed as «Royal Court Ballad» (Yu Ting Yao, 御廷瑶). After filming began, the creators renamed it «The Empire as Betrothal» (Jiang Shan Wei Pin, 江山为聘). On 24 July 2026, the creators announced they were reverting to the original title, «Royal Court Ballad». No reasons for the decision have been disclosed.

The drama has already amassed more than 1.5 million pre-bookings on the Mango TV platform.

Read more:
Chen Zhe Yuan and Wu Jin Yan to Star in Historical Political Drama
Chen Zhe Yuan and Wu Jin Yan Wrap Filming on «The Empire as Betrothal»

Trailer

The plot unfolds in the fictional Tang dynasty. The heroine, Meng Ting Hui (Wu Jin Yan), is a former orphan who was saved from beneath a pile of bodies during wartime. Through intelligence and perseverance, she becomes the first woman in history to pass the highest imperial examination and enter the Hanlin Academy. Her character rises from an official of the sixth rank to a vice-chancellor, known for her toughness and cunning.

Her primary goal is career advancement and combating organised corruption, but her real driving force is her love for the emperor, who once saved her life.

Emperor Ying Gua (Chen Zhe Yuan) ascended the throne at 14, but real power remained in the hands of court factions. During the day, the emperor is forced to play the role of a submissive ruler, while at night he secretly eliminates his enemies.

Gradually, the two leads evolve from mutual pawns into allies in the fight against corruption and conspiracies, broadening the storyline from harem intrigues to something more expansive.

For Chen Zhe Yuan, the filming proved to be a serious ordeal – he worked on set with a complicated clavicle fracture. A broken collarbone is, in fact, one of the most painful injuries one can sustain.

The accident happened through an unfortunate moment of clumsiness. On the eve of Chinese New Year (28 January 2025), Chen Zhe Yuan slipped in the bathroom after a shower and fell awkwardly. Doctors diagnosed a fracture of his left collarbone. The injury was severe and required surgery. On 29 January, Chen Zhe Yuan underwent an operation in which five steel screws and a plate were implanted to fix the bone.

The doctors, of course, recommended an extended period of rest. But rest was out of the question. Due to a tight schedule and a determination not to let his colleagues down, he returned to work just 5–6 days after the operation.

He still faced filming for the historical costume dramas «Royal Court Ballad» and «Chasing Dreams», both of which involved action and horse-riding scenes. The strain on his injured shoulder was immense. Chen Zhe Yuan endured severe pain that caused muscle tremors, and on one occasion the screws shifted.

Fans dubbed Chen Zhe Yuan “Iron Man”. Only in December 2025 did he undergo a second operation to remove the screws and plate. Afterwards, he shared a photo of the extracted screws on social media with the caption, “I’m back!”

For Wu Jin Yan, things were not so dramatic or painful, but this was her first shoot after giving birth. She returned to the set just a few months after her baby was born in March 2025. Any mother can understand that even with ten nannies and a loving husband, working postpartum – when the body is still recovering and everything aches – is extremely hard.

Fans of the actors are on high alert – we’re following updates and getting ready for the premiere.

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Sources 1, 2