Juniper
By the time I realised “The Princess Weiyoung” was showing on 8tv weekdays, it was already episode 10 and I had to search for it online in order to watch the earlier episodes. It’s really engrossing and it’s been keeping me awake since I want to watch as many episodes as I can before I doze off. What I like about this Chinese drama is that the heroine is feisty, she gets bullied a lot but she never gives up. She isn’t one who will curl up in a corner and bemoan her fate.
The heroine is actually a fair princess from the vanquished state of Northern Liang. Feng Xin’er (Tiffany Tang) is a carefree, pretty and kind-hearted princess whose father (King of Northern Liang) surrendered to Northern Wei but gets killed by a scheming marshal from Northern Wei on the pretext that the King of Northern Liang was staging a rebellion against Northern Wei. Xin’er’s beloved grandmother also gets wiped out and the princess flees. She is saved by Weiyoung, daughter of the Prime Minister of Northern Wei. Weiyoung has been banished to live in a remote village as she was considered to bring bad luck to her family. Weiyoung gets killed in the forest and the princess decides to take her place when Weiyoung’s family comes to take her home. So the princess assumes the identity of her benefactor, Weiyoung.
In the Prime Minister of Northern Wei’s household are his principal wife who comes from the powerful military family, the Chiyun clan. The marshal who decimated the Northern Liang royal family is also from the Chiyun family. There’s also the PM’s elder daughter, Li Changle who turns out to be as manipulative and evil as her mother. There is the extended family consisting of cousins, 2 girls and a boy. One of the cousins, Li Changru is the most nasty and wicked schemer in the drama but she looks so sweet and innocent with big, round saucer eyes.
Vanness Wu is the main male villain and he does a marvellous job in this role. Tuoba Yu or Prince Of Nan’an’s mission in life is to replace his father as Emperor of Northern Wei and to make Weiyoung his wife, not because he truly and genuinely loves her but because he realises how smart and wise she is. He knows that she can help him realise his dream.
Of course what would any drama be without a beautiful romance or two. Princess Weiyoung is saved numerous times by the Emperor of Northern Wei’s grandson, the very dashing and handsome Prince Charming, Tuoba Jun or Prince of Gaoyang who can make a woman’s heart melt when he smiles. At first Princess Weiyoung resists his advances (he is smitten by her very early on) as she doesn’t want to love her enemy’s son but later as she realises she has misunderstood the Emperor of Northern Wei, she begins to accept Tuoba Jun and they go through many hardships together.
At the crux of this drama is the unrequited love. Tuoba Yu is obsessed with Princess Weiyoung and must have her, no matter how many times she has rebuffed him. However, main female villain, Li Changru has been in love with Tuoba Yu for many years ever since they met as children. This love drives her insane as she seeks to destroy Princess Weiyoung, the object of Tuoba Yu’s affection. Li Changle (Princess Weiyoung’s half-sister) has also been in love with Prince Charming, Tuoba Jun for years but alas, the Prince has given his heart and soul to Princess Weiyoung and no matter what she does (the machinations are so devious), he is oblivious to her which also drives her crazy.
“The Princess Weiyoung” has a good plot, not the usual harem drama where concubines fight for the Emperor’s affections. It’s refreshing because there are a few twists and turns which are not the average fare one has come to expect from Chinese dramas. Tiffany Tang is so lovely and regal. The other romance between Princess Weiyoung’s cousin, Li Minde and Princess Tuoba Di (9th Princess of Northern Wei) is delightful. Everything about this drama was fantastic and I declare this drama a must-watch!
