Synopsis
The series is set in 19th-century China during the Qing dynasty. Prince Gong has a strained relationship with his half-brother, the Xianfeng Emperor, because they previously competed for the succession to their father's throne.
In 1860, when the Anglo-French forces close in on Beijing during the Second Opium War, the Xianfeng Emperor flees to the Chengde Summer Palace and orders Prince Gong to remain in Beijing to make peace with the enemy. After enduring humiliation and manoeuvring his way through complex negotiations, Prince Gong signs the Convention of Beijing on behalf of the Qing Empire with the British, French and Russians. With this achievement, he not only improves his political standing in the imperial court, but also earns the respect of the foreigners.
The following year, the Xianfeng Emperor dies in Chengde. His young son, Zaichun, succeeds him as the Tongzhi Emperor. Before his death, the Xianfeng Emperor had appointed the senior minister Sushun and seven others to serve as regents for his son until he is old enough to rule on his own.
In November 1861, with support from the Empresses Dowager Cixi and Ci'an, Prince Gong launches the Xinyou Coup and succeeds in seizing power from Sushun and the regents. In the next four years, Prince Gong reaches the pinnacle of his political career as he is appointed Prince-Regent and placed in charge of important state and military affairs, including control over the Grand Council. He also has the opportunity to take the throne but refrains from doing so. He spearheads the Self-Strengthening Movement and introduces new policies in his attempts to modernise China and maintain friendly relations with other countries.
Over the years, however, Prince Gong's relationship with Empress Dowager Cixi deteriorates as she becomes more power-hungry and he starts distancing himself from her. At the same time, the Empress Dowager's position in the imperial court gradually becomes more prominent, especially after the death of her son, the Tongzhi Emperor. The Tongzhi Emperor's cousin Zaitian, who succeeds him as the Guangxu Emperor, becomes a puppet ruler under Empress Dowager Cixi's control. Over time, Empress Dowager Cixi consolidates power in her hands and becomes the sole de facto ruler when her co-regent, Empress Dowager Ci'an, dies under mysterious circumstances. Prince Gong's standing in the imperial court declines as Empress Dowager Cixi increasingly distrusts him and gradually reduces his power by removing him from key appointments.
In 1885, Prince Gong falls from grace after shouldering the blame for the Grand Council's indecisiveness on whether to fight or make peace during the Sino-French War. As a consequence, Empress Dowager Cixi relieves him from his appointments and forces him to retire. In 1894, following the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War, Prince Gong returns to the imperial court to handle the crisis. However, despite his efforts, he fails to prevent another Qing defeat at the hands of the Japanese. He eventually dies of illness four years later.
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