The Promise Of Chang’an does not disappoint as the story is progressing to the point where the 9th and 10th princes of Sheng, Prince Xiao Cheng Xu and Xiao Cheng Xuan get closer to discovering the truth of their mother, a concubine of the late King of Sheng’s death. She had been forced to take her own life after the death of their father and she did as asked by the 9th and 10th princes half-brothers, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th prince, in order to protect the 9th and 10th prince.

Although married to King Xiao Cheng Rui (the former 4th Prince), He Lan Ming Yu who is still in love with Prince Xiao Cheng Xu, she appears quite distant and cold towards King Xiao Cheng Rui who is beginning to wonder why she is always sending him away and never competing for his affection and attention unlike his other concubines. Prince Xiao Cheng Xu has been forced into marrying Su Yu Ying, niece of one of King Xiao Cheng Rui’s concubines. Su Yu Ying has been in love with Prince Xiao Cheng Xu ever since they were children, she was brought up in the palace. However Prince Xiao Cheng Xu has always treated her as a sister and only married her because he was cornered into it.

4th Prince, Xiao Cheng Yao is at loggerheads with King Xiao Cheng Rui and finally his actions at war lead to his imprisonment. He is about to reveal the truth of 9th and 10th Prince’s mother’s death to them but because 10th Prince was about to torture him into revealing everything, he dies from a heart attack. Where 9th Prince is calm, rational and patient, 10th Prince is rash, impetuous and impatient which makes things worse for 9th Prince as he’s always having to cover up what his brother did wrong.

King Xiao Cheng Rui is suspicious of all around him and doesn’t fully trust any of his brothers. It’s just surprising that after so long, he hasn’t figured out why He Lan Ming Yu is treating him more like King than husband. She is more duty driven than affection driven.