The Rise of Phoenixes

The Rise of Phoenixes is a 2018 Chinese television series that is loosely based on the novel Huang Quan by Tianxia Guiyuan, taking place in the fictional kingdom of Tiansheng. It stars Chen Kun and Ni Ni. The series premiered on Hunan Television starting August 14, 2018, and then on Netflix starting on September 14, 2018. It became one of the highest rated shows of the year, was nominated for several awards including for Best Drama Series at the Asian Television Awards, and won for best cinematography at the 25th Shanghai Television Festival. Synopsis Ning Yi (Chen Kun) is the highly intelligent and calculating sixth prince of the Tiansheng kingdom. He has learned to hide his true personality behind a carefree façade after the corrupt and duplicitous court officials charged the third prince Ning Qiao, Ning Yi's older half-brother, with high treason. Over the next decade, he establishes a secret information network led by Qingming Academy's headmaster (equivalent to a modern-day college chancellor) Xin Ziyan, and waits for the perfect chance to strike down his enemies and overturn the charges laid against his half-brother, whom he sees as a just ruler. Feng Zhiwei (Ni Ni) is the niece of Colonel Qiu, who is supposed to take the place of Qiu's daughter in an arranged marriage to Ning Yi. After convincing him to call off the marriage, she is banished from her household after being falsely accused of a crime. With the help of Ning Yi and Headmaster Xin, she dresses as a man and joins the prestigious Qingming Academy, to help them serve their purpose. She enters court as the Ultimate Scholar (Royal Designated Scholar) and becomes an official after stunning the world with her talent and knowledge. Feng Zhiwei remains loyal and honest to the reigning Emperor as Wei Zhi, who values her candid, wise advice during the princes’ fight for the throne, but she is forced to reveal her true identity when the emperor wants to marry Wei Zhi to his daughter. After being arrested and sentenced to death, she is pardoned thanks to Ning Yi, Headmaster Xin, and the emperor's head eunuch, and sent on a diplomatic mission alongside the prince of Chu. While on the mission, her feelings for Ning Yi as well as his for her become evident to both.