Han Gong Fei Yan 汉宫飞燕

Description:

During the Western Han dynasty, the mighty empire was slowly declining. Born into poverty, two sisters, Zhao Fei-Yan (Zhao Ming-Ming) and Zhao He-De (Yuan Li), made their way to Chang'an to seek refuge with relatives, only to endure every cruelty and humiliation the world could offer. Fortunately, their natural beauty allowed them to become singers and dancers for a certain princess. Their innate intelligence and stunning looks won them favor, and Fei-Yan was eventually recommended to the palace by Zhang Fang, a favorite courtier of Emperor Cheng of Han (Zhang Tie-Lin). While enjoying the emperor's exclusive favor, Fei-Yan brought He-De into the palace as well, and the two sisters won the emperor's delight and favor together. Yet life in the imperial palace was full of danger: Empress Xu, consumed by jealousy, resorted to witchcraft to curse the sisters, while the sisters themselves gradually lost their former innocence and kindness, seeking to eliminate every rival, including Ban Jie-Yu (Li Jian-Qun). Moreover, because they remained childless, they did not hesitate to kill, one after another, the emperor's sons born to other palace women.