# Story of Yanxi Palace

Story of Yanxi Palace (Chinese: 延禧攻略; pinyin: Yánxǐgōnglüè) is a 2018 Chinese television series recounting the struggles of a palace maid in the court of the Qianlong Emperor. It was created by Yu Zheng, with original screenplay written by Zhou Mo, and later developed into a novel by Xiao Lianmao. Starring Wu Jinyan, Charmaine Sheh, Qin Lan, Nie Yuan, Tan Zhuo and Xu Kai, the series premiered on iQIYI from July 19, 2018 to August 26, 2018.
Distributed in more than 70 markets worldwide, Story of Yanxi Palace became a huge hit across Asia, catapulting Wu Jinyan and Xu Kai to stardom and revitalizing the careers of Qin Lan and Charmaine Sheh. It was the most googled TV show in the world in 2018, despite Google being blocked in Mainland China, and was streamed over 15 billion times on iQIYI that year. A spin-off/sequel titled Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures was released on Netflix on December 31, 2019.

## Plot

Embroidery Bureau (Episode 1–7)
During the Qing dynasty, in 18th century Beijing, Wei Yingluo enters the court of the Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) as an embroidery maid in order to secretly investigate her beloved sister, Wei Yingning's mysterious death. Yingluo survives the machinations of other embroidery maids jealous of her skills and impresses Empress Fuca with her wit.
Changchun Palace I (Episode 8–27)
At first believing the imperial guard Fuca Fuheng to be the prime suspect, Yingluo schemes to approach his sister, the Empress Fuca, and succeeds in getting transferred from the Embroidery Bureau to Changchun Palace. Yingluo serves the Empress together with head palace maids Erqing and Mingyu, where she eventually becomes a trusted confidante of the Empress and learns that the Fuca siblings are innocent of the crime. Yingluo and Fuheng also fall for each other in the meantime.
Meanwhile, the Emperor's Consort Chun allies herself with the Empress due to her crush on Fuheng.
Yingluo eventually catches the attention of the Emperor himself. Though she is not of noble birth and is illiterate, the Empress teaches her how to read and write, and the proper etiquette and mannerisms for noblewomen. The Empress also saves her several times from punishment for probing too deeply into her sister's death. In turn, Yingluo helps the Empress survive a series of schemes by her rivals. The two develop a close friendship.
Over time, Yingluo discovers that her sister was raped by Prince He, the fifth son of the late Yongzheng Emperor and a younger half-brother of the current Emperor. To cover up the shameful act, the Prince's mother, Consort Dowager Yu murdered Yingning. Yingluo successfully hatches a plot to kill the culprit.
Hard Labour Department (Episode 28–36)
The Empress feigns anger over Yingluo's acts and banishes her to the Hard Labor Department, allowing her to escape a potentially more severe punishment from the Emperor. There, Yingluo befriends a conniving eunuch, Yuan Chunwang.
Without Yingluo, the Empress falls victim to the machinations of Noble Consort Gao that causes a miscarriage and puts her in a coma. News reaches Yingluo, who visits the Empress' chamber to care for her. Her devotion, quick wit and defiance attracts the Emperor, causing him to develop an infatuation towards Yingluo and leading him to forbid Fuheng and Yingluo from marrying. Fuheng persists in his love despite many problems arising from it. However, when Yingluo is about to be severely punished and sentenced to death, Fuheng backs down to appease the Emperor and agrees to marry Erqing, breaking Yingluo's heart. This causes the two to become distant.
Meanwhile, Consort Xian leverages on Yingluo's plan to avenge the Empress and eventually drives Noble Consort Gao to commit suicide. The Emperor eventually relents on his tough stance towards Yingluo and allows her to return as a maid to the Empress.
Changchun Palace II (Episode 37–40)
The Empress eventually wakes from her coma and becomes pregnant again, but almost loses her life while giving birth to a son. Consort Chun, insulted by Fuheng's rejection, strives to be the Emperor's new favorite and even bears a son, which places her in direct competition with the Empress. That New Year's Eve, Consort Chun murders the Empress' baby by causing a fire in Changchun Palace and the devastated Empress commits suicide out of grief.
Imperial Gardens I (Episode 41–42)
After her death, Yingluo is sent to live and guard over her mistress' memorial tablet at the Imperial Gardens. She stays there with Yuan Chunwang until the Emperor and the imperial consorts come to celebrate the Empress Dowager's birthday, and Yingluo learns that Noble Consort Chun is responsible for the late Empress' suicide. She decides once again to enter the Forbidden City and exact retribution on the evildoers.
Yanxi Palace I (Episode 43–57)
In order to achieve her goal, Yingluo skillfully charms the Empress Dowager and becomes part of the Imperial Harem, being bestowed the rank of noble lady (five ranks below the empress). She quickly rises through the ranks, with the help of Fuheng and Mingyu, the late Empress Fuca's attendant, toppling her rivals including Noble Consort Chun, and exposing her role in the late Empress Fuca's death. This leads to Noble Consort Chun's demise at the hands of the newly named Step-Empress Nara. Yingluo's captivation of the Emperor and rapid promotions bring her numerous threats, especially from her former sworn brother Yuan Chunwang. Yingluo forces Erqing to drink poison after she learns the truth about her involvement in Empress Fuca's suicide. At the Step-Empress Nara's direction, Yuan Chunwang makes it known that Yingluo is secretly taking contraceptives. She instantly loses the favor of the Emperor, who has fallen for her at this point.
Yingluo teams up with the Empress Dowager, whose own relationship with the Emperor has been put to the test after the Step-Empress has revealed that the Emperor is not the biological son of the Empress Dowager, but the offspring of Lady Qian, a Han Chinese imperial consort of the late Yongzheng Emperor who had died under mysterious circumstances. It is implied that the Empress Dowager had killed Lady Qian out of jealousy for having a son and then adopted the current Emperor.
Imperial Gardens II (Episode 58)
The two women once most dear to the Emperor go into self-imposed exile, leading the Emperor to feel guilty for doubting his adoptive mother, who is undeniably the one who raised and protected him for years.
Yanxi Palace II (Episode 59–70)
A few years later, another threat in the form of newcomer Concubine Shun, a beautiful and cunning woman, calls Yingluo back to the Forbidden City. Yingluo sets out to reclaim the Emperor's favor, but finds herself befriended by her rival. However, Concubine Shun has her own agenda. Framing Yingluo for attempted assassination, she teams up with the Step-Empress Nara to put Yingluo under house arrest. Nevertheless, Yingluo is able to reverse her situation, reveal Concubine Shun's treachery, and reclaim the Emperor's affections for her. At the same time, Yingluo is discovered to be pregnant with the Emperor's child, much to his happiness. Having reached stalemate at this point, Yingluo negotiates a truce with the Step-Empress Nara on the condition that both of them will not harm any imperial offspring in spite of their rivalry.
Yingluo, who also raises the Fifth Prince Yongqi, goes on to bear two daughters and two sons over the next ten years, but one of her sons dies in infancy and her health also slowly deteriorates.
Yuan Chunwang, now the Step-Empress Nara's trusted servant, betrays his new mistress by causing a series of mishaps in the palace that destabilize her rule and affect her sanity. He gradually uses Prince He's affection for the Step-Empress to instigate a rebellion; they plot to sabotage the southern imperial boat tour in order to seize power and, in Prince He's mind, free the Step-Empress from her eroding position. One night, a band of rebels suddenly storms onto the imperial boat just as a fire engulfs the Empress Dowager's cabin, prompting the Emperor to charge into the flames to save his mother and seemingly perishing in the process.
The next morning, as Prince He gallantly appears to restore order from the overnight coup, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager emerge safely from a secret passageway designed by Fuheng and expose the plan of treachery. As it turns out, Prince He was betrayed by the Step-Empress, who has always loved the Emperor and wants to use the rebellion to prove her devotion to her husband. Just then, Yingluo comes out of hiding under the protection of the Emperor's guards, the only imperial consort to have received such protection. This clear favoritism, after all of her years of devotion, causes the Step-Empress to break down into a fit of jealous rage and cut off her hair, a taboo in Manchu tradition.
After the Emperor sentences Prince He to confinement and the Step-Empress is dragged away, Yuan Chunwang proclaims his innocence, only for Yingluo to reveal the real reason behind his hate for the Emperor. Yuan Chunwang believes he is an illegitimate son of the late Yongzheng Emperor, because of the imperial clothes that were left behind to his family. The Empress Dowager loudly denies this and claims that he is the offspring of a bandit who killed the Emperor's biological mother and later raped Yuan Chunwang's own mother, and asserts that the clothes were the same ones Lady Qian exchanged with the Yongzheng Emperor and wore to distract the bandits. Yuan Chunwang is driven into madness upon realizing that he has been misled by a lie, which led him to choose to be castrated and enter the Forbidden City for revenge. Although the Emperor desires to execute Yuan Chunwang by lingchi, the Empress Dowager suddenly asks the Emperor to spare him. When he protests, the Empress Dowager tells him to trust her this one time and it is implied that she was lying about Yuan Chunwang's backstory. Yuan Chunwang is banished to the Hard Labor Department for life, never recovering his sanity.
Back when Yingluo was being punished to work in the Hard Labor Department, the then-Consort Xian had saved her life by ordering an imperial physician to attend to her after she collapsed from illness. To repay this kindness from long ago, Yingluo pleads for leniency for the Step-Empress, who is permitted to keep her title, but loses the authority to manage the Inner Palace and all of the Emperor's affection. Prince He is given poisoned wine by the Emperor, who orders him to go back to his mansion after drinking it to make it look like he died of an illness. With Prince He executed for his crimes, Yingluo's revenge for her sister is finally complete.
Yingluo is elevated to the rank of imperial noble consort (deputy empress), and as the highest ranking consort, she is given the authority to manage the Inner Palace.

## Cast and characters
### Main

| Actor | Character | Role |
| Wu Jinyan | Wei Yingluo 魏璎珞 | Embroidery Bureau Maid 绣坊宫女 → Maid Changchun Palace 长春宫 宫女 → Maid of the Hard Labor Department 辛者库 奴婢 → Maid Changchun Palace 长春宫 掌事宫女 → Maid of the Imperial Gardens 圆明园 宫女 → Noble Lady 魏贵人 → Imperial Concubine Ling 令嫔 → Consort Ling 令妃 → Noble Consort Ling 令贵妃 → Imperial Noble Consort Ling 令皇贵妃 An upright and cunning woman who is ahead of her time in terms of knowledge and reasoning. She enters the palace to investigate the murder of her sister and uses her innate skills to rise above the tangles of conventional palace rivalries and defeat her enemies. Rises to be the favoured consort of Emperor Qianlong, adoptive mother of the 5th Prince (Yongqi), and birth mother of the 7th Princess (Zhaohua), 9th Princess (Zhaoyu), 14th Prince (Yonglu), and 15th Prince (Yongyan). |
| Charmaine Sheh | Hoifa-Nara Shushen 辉发那拉·淑慎 | Secondary Consort 侧福晋 → Consort Xian 娴妃 → Noble Consort Xian 娴贵妃 → Imperial Noble Consort Xian 娴皇贵妃 → Step-Empress 继皇后 She is initially a kind-hearted woman who desires only peace, but soon realizes that her kindness only results in her being stepped on. Not after long, she changes her attitude and turns into a Machiavellian, scheming and manipulative character. She becomes the second wife and Step-Empress of the Qianlong Emperor. Birth mother of 12th Prince (Yongji) and 13th Prince (Yongjing). Also adoptive mother of the 4th Prince (Yongcheng). |
| Nie Yuan | Aisin-Gioro Hongli 爱新觉罗·弘历 | Prince Bao of the First Rank 宝亲王 → Qianlong Emperor 乾隆帝 The fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty, who rules sternly but justly. |
| Xu Kai | Fuca Fuheng 富察·傅恒 | Imperial Palace Guard 御前侍卫 → Duke Zhongyong of the First Rank 一等忠勇公 Third young master of the Fuca Clan and younger brother of Empress Fuca. Due to his good looks and outstanding reputation, he is enormously popular among the various palace maids. He falls in love with Yingluo, but in order to protect her, he marries Hitara Erqing under the pressure of circumstances. Nominally the father of Fukangan. Initially head of the Imperial Guards, he later becomes the Emperor's highly regarded court official, minister, military general, and is bestowed the title of a Duke of the first rank. |

### Supporting
#### Imperial Harem

| Actor | Character | Role |
| Qin Lan | Fuca Rongyin 富察·容音 | Primary Consort of Prince Bao 宝亲王嫡福晋 → Empress Fuca 富察皇后 → posthumously Empress Xiaoxian 孝贤皇后 The first wife of the Qianlong Emperor. Kind, gentle and virtuous, she mentors Yingluo while the latter serves in Changchun Palace. Living up to her high moral standards, she never schemes against anyone, but is in turn targeted by other consorts, most notably by Noble Consort Gao. Eventually, she commits suicide out of grief for consecutively losing her two sons, the Second Prince (Yonglian) and Seventh Prince (Yongcong). |
| Tan Zhuo | Gao Ningxin 高宁馨 | Secondary Consort of Prince Bao 宝亲王侧福晋 → Noble Consort 高贵妃 → posthumously Imperial Noble Consort Huixian 慧贤皇贵妃 The highest-ranked imperial consort after Empress Fuca. She is ruthless, sly and manipulative, and will do anything to inflict suffering on anyone who dares to oppose her. Conspires with the elder Lady Jin and Nalan Chunxue against Empress Fuca, Yingluo, and Hoifa-Nara Shushen. |
| Wang Yuanke | Su Jinghao 苏静好 | Mistress of Prince Bao 宝亲王庶福晋 → Consort Chun 纯妃 → Noble Consort Chun 纯贵妃 → First Class Female Attendant 答应 Described as gentle, sophisticated, and talented by many, she is actually a supremely intelligent schemer. She allies with Empress Fuca, avoids royal favor for years out of infatuation with Fuca Fuheng, and is an outspoken adversary of Noble Consort Gao. Later, she wins the Emperor's favor, and turns against Empress Fuca and Yingluo. |
| Jenny Zhang | Niohuru Chenbi 鈕祜祿·沉璧 | Noble Lady Chang 常贵人 → Imperial Concubine Shun 顺嫔 The long lost daughter of Governor Lord Aibida who grew up carefree. Beautiful and charming with an air of naivety, she is gifted to the Qianlong Emperor and becomes the most favoured consort after Yingluo. She gains the trust of Yingluo and alienates her from the Emperor and Empress Dowager. Nearly succeeding in her scheme, she attempts to assassinate the Emperor for revenge. |
| Lian Lian | Keliyete Ayan 珂里叶特·阿妍 | Favoured Lady of Prince Bao 宝亲王格格 → Noble Lady Yu 愉贵人 → Imperial Concubine Yu 愉嫔 → Consort Yu 愉妃 → Nun Timid and cowardly, she remains reticent about the abuse she suffers under Gao Ningxin until Yingluo and Empress Fuca come to her protection. She allies herself with Su Jinghao in the later half of the series and turns against Yingluo. She sacrifices herself to reveal Su Jinghao's crimes and entrusts her son, the Fifth Prince (Yongqi), to Yingluo. |
| Xu Baihui | Lady Huang 柏氏 | Imperial Concubine Yi 怡嫔 Keliyete Ayan's closest friend at the beginning of the series who commits suicide after being publicly insulted by Gao Ningxin's personal attendant for making accusations against Gao. |
| Pan Shiqi | Lady Jin 金氏 | Favoured Lady of Prince Bao 宝亲王格格 → Elder Imperial Concubine Jia 大嘉嫔 → Noble Lady Jia 嘉贵人→ First Class Female Attendant 答应 Elder of the two Jin sisters, who becomes an ally of Gao Ningxin and takes the fall for their schemes against Hoifa-Nara Shushen. Birth mother of the Fourth Prince (Yongcheng). |
| Pan Shiqi | Lady Jin 金氏 | Noble Lady Jia 嘉贵人→ Younger Imperial Concubine Jia 小嘉嫔 → Consort Jia 嘉妃 Younger of the two Jin sisters, who enters the imperial harem after her sister's demotion and death. |
| Li Chun'ai | Nalan Chunxue 纳兰·淳雪 | Noble Lady Shu 舒贵人 → Imperial Concubine Shu 舒嫔 → Consort Shu 舒妃 Determined to succeed early in the series, she repeatedly sabotages Empress Fuca and Yingluo, siding with Gao Ningxin. However, Yingluo manages to handle these schemes. Develops into a comic relief character over the course of the series. |
| Li Ruoning | Lu Wanwan 陆晚晚 | First Class Female Attendant Qing 庆常在 → Noble Lady Qing 庆贵人 → Imperial Concubine Qing 庆嫔 → Consort Qing 庆妃 Entered the palace at the same time as Noble Lady Shu and becomes her sidekick early in the series. Quiet but self-assured, she is a reserved person who can nevertheless effect big changes. She later becomes Yingluo's confidante and helps raise the Fifteenth Prince (Yongyan). |
| Liu Lu | Lady Barin 巴林氏 | Noble Lady Ying 颖贵人 → Imperial Concubine Ying 颖嫔 → Consort Ying 颖妃 |
| Wang Xinhui | Lady Chen 陈氏 | Favoured Lady of Prince Bao 宝亲王格格 → Noble Lady Wan 婉贵人 → Imperial Concubine Wan 婉嫔 → Consort Wan 婉妃 |
| Fu Xiaoyu | Lady Socoro 索绰罗氏 | Noble Lady Rui 瑞贵人 |

#### Palace Maids

| Actor | Character | Role |
| Su Qing | Hitara Erqing 喜塔腊·尔晴 | Head Maid of Changchun Palace 长春宫 掌事宫女 → Madame Fuca 富察夫人 → Duchess Zhongyong 一等忠勇公夫人 Personal attendant of Fuca Rongyin and initially well-regarded as the Empress' most trusted confidant, she later grows jealous of Yingluo and resorts to ever more drastic measures to achieve her goals by manipulating Mingyu and the Fuca family. |
| Jiang Zixin | Mingyu 明玉 | Maid of Changchun Palace 长春宫 宫女 → Head Maid of Changchun Palace 长春宫 掌事宫女 → Maid of Zhongcui Palace 钟粹宫 宫女 → Head Maid of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫 掌事宫女. Personal attendant of Fuca Rongyin. Often lectured for speaking out of place, she remains unreservedly loyal to the Empress. She initially dislikes Yingluo, but becomes her reliable friend and personal attendant. Falls in love with Hailancha, who proposes to marry her in the later part of the series. |
| Fang Anna | Zhen'er 珍儿 | Head Maid of Chengqian Palace 承乾宫 掌事宫女 Personal attendant of Hoifa-Nara Shushen who falls for Yuan Chunwang and unwittingly contributes to the former's downfall. |
| Yang Xue | Yunxiang 云香 | Senior Maid of Chengqian Palace who offended the Step-Empress and was punished. |
| Shi Yufei | Zhilan 芝兰 | Head Maid of Chuxiu Palace 储秀宫掌事宫女 Personal attendant of Gao Ningxin. |
| Chen Mo | Yuhu 玉壶 | Head Maid of Zhongcui Palace 钟粹宫掌事宫女 Personal attendant of Su Jinghao and romantic interest of Wang Zhong, a eunuch from the heating department. |
| Ren Wanjing | Fangcao 芳草 | Senior Maid of Yonghe Palace 永和宫大宫女 Personal attendant of Keliyete Ayan who was bribed by elder Lady Jin. |
| Liu Sisi | Heye 荷叶 | Maid of Yonghe Palace 永和宫宫女 Personal attendant of Keliyete Ayan. |
| Qian Chenjie | A'shuang 阿双 | Senior Maid of Chuxiu Palace 储秀宫大宫女 Personal attendant of the elder Lady Jin. |
| Liu Shitong | Lan'er 兰儿 | Head Maid of Chuxiu Palace 储秀宫掌事宫女 Personal attendant of the younger Lady Jin. |
| Zhang Jie | Yizhu 遗珠 | Head Maid of Lijing Chambers 丽景轩 掌事宫女 Personal attendant of Niohuru Chenbi. |
| Ma Shunsha | Dongzao 冬枣 | Personal attendant of Nalan Chunxue. |
| Li Jiawei | Aunt Liu 刘姑姑 | Head Maid of Shoukang Palace 寿康宫掌事宫女 Personal attendant of Empress Dowager who is well-versed in medicine. |
| Gao Rui | Bailing 百灵 | Senior Maid of Shoukang Palace 寿康宫大宫女 Personal attendant of Dowager Consort Yu. |
| Yang Jingru | Hupo 琥珀 | Maid of Changchun Palace 长春宫宫女 → Maid of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫宫女 → Maid of the Hard Labor Department 辛者库宫女 Served Empress Fuca under Head Maids Erqing, Mingyu, and Yingluo. Sent to annoy Yingluo when she first became an imperial consort and later banished by Qianlong to the Hard Labour Department for disrespecting Yingluo. |
| Zhang Tianyun | Zhenzhu 珍珠 | Maid of Changchun Palace 长春宫宫女 → Maid of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫宫女 → Head Maid of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫掌事宫女 Served Empress Fuca under Head Maids Erqing, Mingyu, and Yingluo. Sent to serve Yingluo when she first became an imperial consort and later Head Maid of Consort Ling. |
| An An | Manao 玛瑙 | Maids of Changchun Palace at the beginning of the series. |
| Zhao Mengjie | Feicui 翡翠 | Maids of Changchun Palace at the beginning of the series. |
| Xu Gege | Hongluo 红螺 | Maids of Changchun Palace at the beginning of the series. |
Embroidery Bureau and Hard Labour Department
| Actor | Character | Role |
| Zhang Yixi | Jixiang 吉祥 | Embroidery maid close to Yingluo and framed by Linglong for theft. |
| Gao Yu'er | Jinxiu 锦绣 | Embroidery maid jealous of Yingluo and banished to the Hard Labour Department for making untrue accusations towards the former. |
| Chen Ruoxi | Linglong 玲珑 | Embroidery maid jealous of Yingluo, constantly eggs Jinxiu and Aunt Fang to frame Yingluo. Pretends to befriend Yingluo after Jixiang's death. |
| He Jiayi | Supervisor Zhang 张嬷嬷 | Head of the Embroidery Bureau 绣坊掌事宫女 A kind mentor to the embroidery maids. |
| Yin Xu | Aunt Fang Nizi 方姑姑 | Deputy Head of the Embroidery Bureau 绣坊掌事宫女 A mean superior who dislikes Yingluo and banished from the palace after failing to frame Yingluo. |
| Deng Sha | Wei Yingning / A'man 魏璎宁 / 阿满 | Mistress of Prince He of the First Rank 和亲王格格 Yingluo's elder sister who died from alleged suicide at the start of the series. While in the embroidery bureau her name was changed to A'man to avoid the naming taboo with Gao's personal name, Ningxin. |
| Zhang Tingting | Supervisor Liu 刘嬷嬷 | Head of the Hard Labor Department 辛者库掌事宫女 Bribed by Su Jinghao to frame Yingluo for using black magic on the late Gao Ningxin. |
Palace Eunuchs
| Actor | Character | Role |
| Liu Enshang | Li Yu 李玉 | Head Eunuch of Yangxin Palace 养心殿首领太监 Personal attendant and trusted confidante to Qianlong Emperor and a comic relief for the series. |
| Chang Cheng | Desheng 德盛 | Deputy Head Eunuch of Yangxin Palace 养心殿副首领太监 Personal attendant to Qianlong Emperor and a comic relief for the series. |
| Wang Maolei | Yuan Chunwang 袁春望 | Eunuch of the Hard Labor Department 辛者库太监 → Supervisor of the Hard Labor Department 辛者库管事 → Deputy Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department 内务府副管事 → Eunuch of the Imperial Gardens 圆明园杂役 → Head Eunuch of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫首领太监 → Eunuch of Chengqian Palace 承乾宫太监 Sworn brother of Yingluo at the Hard Labour Department who believes they are two of a kind. Obsessed with Yingluo, he is determined to do whatever it takes to make her see it his way. |
| Zheng Long | Xiao Quanzi 小全子 | Eunuch of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫太监 → Head Eunuch of Yanxi Palace 延禧宫首领太监 Initially bribed by the younger Lady Jin to frame Yingluo, he later pledges loyalty to Yingluo for forgiving his misdeeds. |
| Sun Di | Wu Shulai 吴书来 | Head Eunuch of the Imperial Household Department 内务府总管太监 |

#### Imperial Guards and Physicians

| Actor | Character | Role |
| Lawrence Wong | Suolun Hailancha 索伦·海兰察 | Imperial Guard and Fuca Fuheng's closest friend who falls in love with Mingyu, and later proposes to her. |
| Tan Xuqi | Cigiya Qingxi 齐佳·庆锡 | Imperial Guard and Wei Yingning's alleged lover. |
| Yong Yi | Ye Tianshi 叶天士 | A talented travelling doctor who becomes an imperial physician. Befriends and is trusted by Yingluo. |
| Wu Lihua | Imperial Physician Zhang 张院判 | Head Imperial Physician. |

#### Imperial Family

| Actor | Character | Role |
| Wang Huichun | Aisin-Gioro Yinzhen 爱新觉罗·胤禛 | Yongzheng Emperor, father of Qianlong. Deceased at the start of the series and only seen in flashbacks. |
| Ma Chunyan | Lady Ula-Nara 乌拉那拉氏 | Empress Xiaojingxian, wife of the Yongzheng Emperor and Qianlong's legitimate mother. She chose Fuca Rongyin as his primary consort. Deceased at the start of the series and only seen in flashbacks. |
| Song Chunli | Lady Niohuru 钮祜禄氏 | Empress Dowager Chongqing 崇庆皇太后 Empress Dowager and one of the late Yongzheng Emperor's high-ranked imperial consorts. She is a pious Buddhist who prizes a stable empire above all and actively pursues a stable Imperial Harem, but also a force to be reckoned with. Adoptive mother to Hongli and birth mother to Princess Hean. |
| Bai Shan | Lady Geng 耿氏 | Dowager Noble Consort Yu 裕太妃 One of the Yongzheng Emperor's high-ranked imperial consorts and regarded as a pious and devout Buddhist. Birth mother to Hongzhou. |
| Gong Fangmin | Aisin-Gioro Yuntao 爱新觉罗·允祹 | Prince Lü of the First Rank Kangxi Emperor's 12th son and Qianlong Emperor's uncle who is critical of Hongzhou's unruly behavior. |
| Zhang Bin | Aisin-Gioro Yunxi 爱新觉罗·允禧 | Prince Shen of the Second Rank Kangxi Emperor's 21st son and Qianlong Emperor's uncle who is young and fond of Hongzhou. |
| Gu Tiantian | Aisin-Gioro Hongshi 爱新觉罗·弘时 | Yongzheng Emperor's 3rd son and Qianlong's older half-brother who tried to poison Qianlong when they were young. |
| Hong Yao / Yan Xinhao | Aisin-Gioro Hongzhou 爱新觉罗·弘昼 | Prince He of the First Rank Yongzheng Emperor's 5th son and Qianlong Emperor's younger half-brother. He puts on an apathetic, foolhardy demeanor to conceal his ambition and lifelong disappointment of always being second to the Qianlong Emperor. |
| – | Aisin-Gioro Yonglian 爱新觉罗·永琏 | Second Prince → posthumously Crown Prince Duanhui Second son to Emperor Qianlong by Empress Fuca. Died at age 9 before the start of the series. |
| Fang Yangfei | Aisin-Gioro Yongcheng 爱新觉罗·永珹 | Fourth Prince → Prince Lü of the First Rank Fourth son of the Qianlong Emperor by elder Lady Jin; raised by Hoifa-Nara Shushen but often insecure when compared to his brothers, allowing Yuan Chuanwang and Zhen'er to sow discord between him and the Step-Empress. |
| Chen Youwei | Aisin-Gioro Yongqi 爱新觉罗·永琪 | Fifth Prince → Prince Rong of the First Rank Fifth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Keliyete Ayan; raised by Yingluo. Incredibly talented and capable. |
| Zhou Yicheng | Aisin-Gioro Yongrong 爱新觉罗·永瑢 | Sixth Prince → Prince Zhi of the Second Rank Sixth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Su Jinghao. |
| – | Aisin-Gioro Yongcong 爱新觉罗·永琮 | Seventh Prince → posthumously Prince Zhe of the First Rank Seventh son to Emperor Qianlong by Empress Fuca. Died in infancy due to a fire at Changchun Palace. |
| – | Aisin-Gioro Yongyue 爱新觉罗·永玥 | Tenth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Nalan Chunxue, died in infancy. |
| Sun Ao | Aisin-Gioro Yongji 爱新觉罗·永璂 | Twelfth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Step-Empress Nara. A hardworking child who the Step-Empress worries is no match to Yongqi. |
| – | Aisin-Gioro Yongjing 爱新觉罗·永璟 | Thirteenth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Step-Empress Nara, died in infancy. |
| – | Aisin-Gioro Yonglu 爱新觉罗·永璐 | Fourteenth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Yingluo, died in infancy. |
| Tang Jiatong | Aisin-Gioro Yongyan 爱新觉罗·永琰 | Fifteenth Prince → Prince Jia of the First Rank → Future Jiaqing Emperor Fifteenth son of the Qianlong Emperor by Yingluo; raised by Consort Qing and doted on by Consort Shu. |
Others
| Actor | Character | Role |
| – | Qian Zhengyuan 钱正源 | Elder brother of Lady Qian and Qianlong Emperor's biological maternal uncle. |
| Zhou Jianhua | Wang Tianyi 王天一 | Personal guard to the late Yongzheng Emperor and mentor to the young Qianlong Emperor. Revealed the truth behind the death of Qianlong's biological mother, Lady Qian. |
| Shen Baoping | Wei Qingtai 魏清泰 | Father of Wei Yingluo and Wei Yingning. |
| Ru Ping | Old Madame Fuca 富察老夫人 | Mother of Fuca Rongyin, Fuheng, and two older sons. Legitimate mother to Fuca Fuqian. Mother-in-law to Qianlong Emperor and Hitara Erqing, and paternal grandmother of Fukangan. |
| Wei Yankan | Fuca Fuqian 富察·傅谦 | Fourth young master of the Fuca Clan and half-brother to Fuca Rongyin and Fuheng. Infuatuated with his sister-in-law, Erqing. |
| Zhuang Zexi | Fuca Fukangan 富察·福康安 | Erqing's son with disputed paternity – officially Fuheng, allegedly Qianlong, and biologically Fuqian. |
| Fang Chutong | Qinglian 青莲 | Maid of Fuca Manor. A pretty personal attendant and trusted confidante of Fuca Fuheng. Secretly infatuated with Fuheng. Regularly the target of Erqing's fits of jealousy. |
| Mo Xiaoman | Dujuan 杜鹃 | Maid of Fuca Manor. Personal attendant of Erqing as Madame Fuca . |
| Su Mao | Gao Bin 高斌 | Father of Gao Ningxin and Gao Heng. |
| Zheng Xiaodong | Gao Heng 高恒 | Older brother of Gao Ningxin. |
| Yao Moping | Hoifa-Nara Naerbu 辉发那拉·那尔布 | Father of Hoifa-Nara Shushen and Changshou. |
| Dai Chunrong | Lady Langiya 郎佳氏 | Mother of Hoifa-Nara Shushen and Changshou. |
| Wang Chenyao | Hoifa-Nara Changshou 辉发那拉·常寿 | Younger brother of Hoifa-Nara Shushen. |
| – | Niohuru Aibida 钮祜禄·爱必达 | Father of Niohuru Chenbi and brother of Niohuru Neqin. Executed due to Chenbi's failed assassination attempt. |
| Sun Yong | Niohuru Neqin 钮祜禄·讷亲 | Uncle of Niohuru Chenbi and brother of Niohuru Aibida. Executed due to failure at War of Jinchuan. |

## Production

Many of the props and costumes were made using traditional Chinese crafts that are dying out, with few master-level experts remaining to pass on their skills to the next generation. The acquisition of these skills requires a lifetime of commitment, since they are unsurprisingly labor-intensive, demanding a sharp eye and tireless hands.

### Velvet flowers (ronghua)

The velvet flower headwears used by the main characters were designed based on historical documents or antiques housed in the Palace Museum. Each adornment was created according to the characteristics of individual women. Zhao Shuxian, one of the few craftsmen still making velvet flowers, created all the pieces in the show. The technique dates back to the Tang dynasty (618–907) and refers to the creation of not only floral displays, but also animal shapes made of silk on a twisted wire frame.

### Jeweled hairpins (tian-tsui)

Worn by the imperial consorts as status symbols of opulence, these are hairpins of a particular vibrant blue hue, made from the preserved feathers of the wings and back of the kingfisher bird. The technique resembles cloisonné, and when inlaid with pearls and other gemstones, the jewels are especially eye-catching.

## Soundtrack

The original soundtrack was released as an extended play on July 23, 2018. "Willows of the Palace" by Li Chunai was released independently from the album.
A 70-track studio album titled The Story of Yanxi Palace TV soundtrack (延禧攻略 影视剧配乐) was released on July 19, 2018, containing the instrumental music of the series composed by Chen Guoliang. The music was recorded in J Productions House, and features flute player Tan Baoshuo, violin player Leslie Ryang, pipa player Liu Tuotong, erhu player Huang Leting, and Li Junzhu as the female voice. A total of 129 pieces were used in the show.
In the Philippines, "Aahon" JMKO was released under ABS-CBN Star Music and was the show's theme song.

## Reception

The series generated online buzz for its engaging plot of a "Cinderella" tale with Chinese characteristics. It set the single-day online viewership record in China with a total of 530 million views, and had attracted a cumulative 13 billion views as of August 2018. It was streamed more than 15 billion times on iQIYI in 2018, and was the most watched online drama in China for 39 consecutive days over the summer.
Many viewers praised the story, because unlike the amicable heroines they were used to seeing, the main character Wei Yingluo fights fire with fire and outmaneuvers her opponents. It also received praise for its well-developed characters and exciting interpretation by the actors, beautiful cinematography and intricate costume design, as well as its accurate portrayal of the Qing dynasty setting. Owing to its success, there has been an increased number of visitors to the Palace Museum in Beijing.

### Ratings

Zhejiang Television CSM52 City Network 09:30–16:00 ratings :
| Air date | Ratings (%) | Rank | Audience share (%) | Daily cumulative eps |
| September 24, 2018 | 0.253 (AM) 0.498 (PM) | 1 | — | 8 |
| September 25, 2018 | 0.330 | 7 | 3.787 | 4 |
| September 27, 2018 | 0.319 | 6 | 3.853 | 4 |
| September 28, 2018 | 0.354 | 5 | 4.316 | 4 |
| September 29, 2018 | 0.285 | 7 | 3.780 | 4 |
| October 1, 2018 | 0.593 | — | — | 8 |
| October 2, 2018 | 0.615 | — | — | 8 |
| October 3, 2018 | 0.689 | 1 | 7.317 | 8 |
| October 4, 2018 | 0.694 | 1 | 7.474 | 8 |
| October 5, 2018 | 0.603 | 1 | 6.202 | 2 + 6 (two rounds) |
| Re-run |||||
| October 6, 2018 | 0.565 | 2 | 5.576 | 8 |
| October 7, 2018 | 0.619 | 2 | 5.787 | 8 |
| October 8, 2018 | 0.403 | 4 | 4.894 | 4 |
| October 9, 2018 | 0.422 | 4 | 4.915 | 4 |
| October 10, 2018 | 0.494 | 2 | 5.957 | 4 |
| October 11, 2018 | 0.442 | 1 | 5.546 | 4 |
| October 12, 2018 | 0.520 | 1 | 6.485 | 4 |
| October 13, 2018 | 0.518 | 1 | 5.451 | 8 |
| October 14, 2018 | 0.588 | 1 | 5.848 | 8 |
| October 15, 2018 | 0.528 | 1 | 6.362 | 4 |
| October 16, 2018 | 0.541 | 1 | 6.545 | 4 |
* Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue

### Controversy

There was uproar in China after a Vietnamese website managed to acquire episodes not yet shown in China and asked visitors to the website to answer questions confirming their Vietnamese identity before the website loads. "This service is for Vietnamese people only. Please answer the following questions: To which country do the Hoàng Sa Islands (Paracel Islands) belong? Vietnam, China, Philippines or Japan?". The only correct answer to the question was "Vietnam". Copies of the episodes were later removed from the platform.

### Censorship

On January 25, 2019, the Beijing Daily, an official government newspaper, criticized the program for failing to promote socialist values. Four days later, on January 29, the Chinese government cancelled the program and similar programs such as Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace. CNN and other media outlets quickly reported on this incident, calling it Chinese censorship. A Hong Kong professor stated that the show was censored because it became too popular and defied social norms.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 2018 | 5th Hengdian Film and TV Festival of China | Best Television Series | Story of Yanxi Palace | Won |
| 2018 | 24th Huading Awards | Best Actress (Ancient Drama) | Wu Jinyan | Won |
| 2018 | 24th Huading Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Charmaine Sheh | Nominated |
| 2018 | 24th Huading Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Qin Lan | Nominated |
| 2019 | Golden Bud – The Third Network Film and Television Festival | Most Influential Web Series | Story of Yanxi Palace | Won |
| 2019 | Influence of Recreational Responsibilities Awards | Web Drama of the Year | Story of Yanxi Palace | Won |
| 2019 | Asian Academy Creative Awards | Best Telenovela/Soap Opera | Story of Yanxi Palace | Won |

## International broadcast

| Network | Dates | Notes |
| TVB Jade | 6 August–6 October (Monday–Friday at 20:30). (Two episodes back to back on Saturday & Sunday at 20:30). | Dubbed in Cantonese, 26 August and 22 September was not aired. TVB Jade aired at 20:30 on 1 October. |
| Astro AOD | 6 August–6 October (Monday–Friday at 20:30). (Two episodes back to back on Saturday & Sunday at 20:30). | Dubbed in Cantonese, 26 August and 22 September was not aired. TVB Jade aired at 20:30 on 1 October. |
| HTV7 – Ho Chi Minh City Television | 9 August–October 2018 (Monday-Friday at 17:00). | Dubbed in Vietnamese. |
| H1 – Hanoi Radio Television | 22 November 2018 – 20 February 2019 at 19:50: Monday–Friday and Sunday (before 19 January 2019) Every day (19 January–20 February 2019) | Aired on the Film for fans (Vietnamese: Phim truyện Dành cho người hâm mộ) time slot. Original language with Vietnamese voiceover. Edited to 77 episodes. Delayed on 25 November 2018 and from 4 to 7 February 2019. Episodes 49 to the end aired every day. |
| VTC1 | March–13 May 2019 (at 17:00). | Dubbed in Vietnamese. |
| Hub VV Drama | 20 September–present (weekdays at 17:00). | Original language with subtitles. |
| Mediacorp Channel U | 8 March–13 June (weekdays at 22:00). | Original language with subtitles. |
| Fairchild TV 2 HD (FTV2HD) | From 6 August (Monday–Friday). Vancouver (West) 4:30pm, 8:30pm & Toronto (East) 7:30pm, 11:30pm. | Dubbed in Cantonese (TVB Version). |
| ABS-CBN (defunct) | 27 January–5 May 2020 (cancelled broadcast on free-to-air, due to the network's shutdown because of expired franchise). | Dubbed in Filipino. |
| Asianovela Channel (defunct) | 1–30 June 2020 (cancelled re-run) | Dubbed in Filipino. |
| Kapamilya Channel | November 2, 2020 – February 12, 2021 (complete re-run, via cable and satellite). | Dubbed in Filipino. |
| Sony Entertainment Television | TBA | Dubbed in Hindi. |
| RCTI | TBA | Dubbed in Indonesian. |
| M-Net | TBA | Dubbed in English. |
| CTI America | From 3 September 2018 (weekdays) at 7:00 PM. Repeat at next day 3:00 PM. | Original language with subtitles. |
| Eigeki | From 18 February 2019 (Monday–Friday at 21:00). | Original language with subtitles. |
| PPCTV Drama 10 | From 10 March 2019 (Monday–Sunday at 11:30 & 19:30). | Dubbed in Khmer. |
| 8TV | 16 September–22 December 2019 (Monday–Friday at 19:00). | Original language with subtitles. |
| Astro Prima | TBA | Dubbed in Malay. |
| Polsat 1 | TBA | Dubbed in Polish. |
| TVR 1 | 9 October 2019 – 28 January 2020 (Monday–Friday at 17:35) & 24 March–13 July 2020 (Monday–Friday at 17:00). | Original language with subtitles. |
| LNK | 4 January–30 August 2020 (Saturday–Sunday at 17:45). | Dubbed in Lithuanian. |
| RTP1 | TBA | Original language with subtitles. |
| Asian Box (Mongolia) | 5 June–10 July 2019 (Monday–Friday at 22:00). | Dubbed in Mongolian. |
| TRT 1 | TBA | Dubbed in Turkish. |

## Sequel

On December 31, 2019, Netflix released the six-episode spinoff Yanxi Palace: Princess Adventures, which covers the marriage of Wei Yingluo's daughter, Zhaohua.
Main Cast
* Wang Herun as Princess Zhaohua
* Wang Yizhe as Fuca Fuk’anggan
* Wang Yuwei as Lhawang Dorji, Prince Chaoyong
* Xu Xiaonuo as Princess Siwan
* Wu Jinyan as Wei Yingluo, Imperial Noble Consort Ling
* Nie Yuan as Aisin-Gioro Hongli, Qianlong Emperor
Recurring & Guest Cast
* Zhang Tianyun as Zhenzhu, personal maid to Imperial Noble Consort Ling
* Xu Yuan as Chisu, personal maid to Princess Zhaohua
* Wang Chenyixian as Dingxiang, personal maid to Princess Siwan
* Liu Enshang as Li Yu, Head Eunuch
* Chang Cheng as Desheng, eunuch in service to the Qianlong Emperor
* Zheng Long as Xiao Quanzi, eunuch in service to Imperial Noble Consort Ling
* Wei Yankan as Fuca Fuqian, uncle of Fuk'anggan