Name: The Shadow Sovereign
Released: 2026-07-23
Rating: 8.0
Cast: Li Hongyi, Kong Xue'er, Liu Xuwei, Hana Lin

The Beautiful Man turns into the Top Scholar

32 min

Princess Zhaoyang, acting on the Crown Prince's orders, destroys the examination papers of humble scholars, cutting off their path to official office. Left with no other choice, the humble scholar Shen Xiao disguises himself as a courtesan to approach Zhaoyang in the hope of securing her recommendation.

02

Impeachment in Court

25 min

At the Scholar's Banquet, the new Top Scholar, Shen Xiao, impeaches Zhaoyang for being extravagant and suggests the Crown Prince take charge of repairing the Yongtong Canal for disaster relief. The suggestion is accepted by His Majesty.

03

Kill Three Birds with One Stone

23 min

The Crown Prince is furious at Zhaoyang because of the Yontong Canal. To ease the Crown Prince's suspicions, Zhaoyang proposes a plan for him to replace money with grains. Not only can she use this chance to drive a wedge between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, but she can also use this chance to eliminate Qing Luo, the mistress who set her up.

04

Princess from the Cold Palace

24 min

Shen Xiao learns from the Recluse Le Sheng that Zhaoyang once struggled to survive in the Cold Palace, leaving him even more intrigued by her. As he honors his promise to spend every night with Zhaoyang, he finds himself relentlessly pursued by Princess An Le.

05

Your Highness, Will You Protect Me?

23 min

Shen Xiao mourns his father. Zhaoyang hints that his father's death is suspicious. Shen Xiao decides to investigate the truth.

06

Private Treasury Break-Ins

25 min

Shen Xiao notices that the Crown Prince is pocketing the grains given for the canal repair. He decides to investigate the Crown Prince's private treasury.

07

More than a Male Companion

29 min

When Shen Xiao finds out about the past between Zhaoyang and Cui Jinzhi, he understands that the marriage is out of self-preservation. The Seventh Prince returns to the capital and gains favor from the Emperor with three gifts. It sends the Crown Prince's faction on alert.

08

Blade and Trap

25 min

Ordered by the Emperor to lead the grain donation effort, Zhaoyang finds herself caught between a rock and a hard place. To get out of the predicament, she devises a scheme that provokes Shen Xiao into seizing the grain.

09

If I Die, Will You Mourn Me?

27 min

Shen Xiao is thrown into prison, and the Second Prince shifts the blame onto him to protect himself. To clear her own name, Zhaoyang is ordered by the Eastern Palace to enter the prison and silence Shen Xiao forever.

10