The Legend of Xiao Chuo (Chinese: 燕云台; pinyin: Yan Yun Tai) is a 2020 Chinese television series based on the novel Yan Yun Tai by Jiang Shengnan. It stars Tiffany Tang in the title role, along with Shawn Dou, Charmaine Sheh and Jing Chao.[1] The series chronicles the life of legendary Empress Xiao Yanyan.[2][3]
Xiao Yanyan is the third daughter of prime minister Xiao Siwen and Princess Yan. She falls in love with the young lieutenant Han Derang and the couple eventually decide to marry each other. However, their promise of love is severed when Xiao Siwen, Yanyan's father agrees to let Yelü Xian take Yanyan as his empress after ascended the throne. Yanyan's relationship with sisters Xiao Hunian and Wuguli also deteriorate due to the power struggle between their husbands, who each believe they have a legitimate claim to the throne.
Suddenly, Yelu Xian was critically ill that he entrusted the government to Yanyan and she became the most important woman in Liao history. She broke political boundaries, completed the process of Liao's sinicization from original tribe to a feudal dynasty, promoted the integration of Khitans and Hans, also bring prosperous and continuous towards the dynasty. On emotional side, she bravely pursued disregarding the widow's voice and the world's material opinions about womens.[4]
The legendary Empress Regent Xiao Chuo and the youngest Xiao sister. A smart and competitive person, as a young girl, she has always been loved by her parents. She is an extremely passionate person with lots of interests and is also very devoted. Although she's always been in love with Han Derang, fate and conditions force her to break with him and enter the Palace as Yelü Xian's concubine, subsequently becoming his Empress. She has 3 children with Yelü Xian and after his death, their oldest son, Yelü Longxu, ascended the throne and she became the Empress Dowager. She later remarried Han Derang.
Xiao Yanyan the 3rd Young Miss of Xiao Mansion (蕭燕燕 宰相府三小姐), Noble Consort Xiao (蕭貴妃), Empress Xiao (蕭皇后), Empress Regent Xiao (蕭攝政皇后), Empress Dowager Xiao (蕭皇太后).
A Liao general who is Xiao Yanyan's lover and ex-fiancé. A brave and smart young man. He is forced to break up with Yanyan in spite of their love and engagement. He was one of Yelü Xian's trusted people in the Palace but felt betrayed and disappointed after he forced Yanyan to be his concubine. Later, he was reluctantly ordered to marry Li Si by his mother. He always accompanied Yanyan and assisted her in state affairs. In the end, he remarried Xiao Yanyan.
Han Derang the 4th Young Master of Han Mansion (韓德讓), Military Commander (郎君軍右統領), Privy Council General (樞密院通事), South Chancellor (南院樞密史), Prime Minister (大丞相), King of Jin (晉王).
The eldest of the Xiao sisters. A strong Liao female soldier who is good at inspecting the military, opening up territories and commanding the three armies to fight together. Initially, she has unrequited feelings for Han Derang but later sacrifices herself for the sake of Xiao family and marries Yelü Yansage. Although her marriage with Yansage was just a loveless political marriage at the start, she becomes moved by Yansage's affection and consequently fell in love with him. After his death, she meets with Talan A'bo who rescues her when she had a riding accident outdoors and later develops a mutual romantic affection. However, after learning the truth about Yansage's death, she began to resent Yanyan and then left Beijing. Her love story ends in tragedy with A'bo as well.
Xiao Hunian the 1st Young Miss of Xiao Mansion (萧胡辇 宰相府一小姐), Queen Taiping (太平王妃), Dowager Imperial Consort (皇太妃).
The fifth ruler of Liao and Xiao Yanyan's husband who is deeply in love with her. Despite the evident relationship between Xiao Yanyan and Han Derang, he still ordered her to enter the Palace as his concubine not long after his ascension to the throne. Before his death, the Liao Kingdom is handed over to Xiao Yanyan and making her the Empress Regent.
Yelü Xian (耶律贤), King Mingyi (明扆), Emperor Jingzong of Liao (遼景宗).
Prime Minister of the Liao Dynasty and a father of the Xiao sisters. For the sake of the country, he agrees to marry his youngest daughter to Yelü Xian. He is later assassinated while accompanying Xian on a hunt.
An innocent and naive but willful girl. The second of the Xiao sisters, married to Yelü Xiying and mother of Liulishou. Trying to avenge her husband's death, she conspires with the Queen of Ji to poison Yanyan, but later commits suicide after learning that the attempt was unsuccessful.
Wang Ziquan as Xiao Dalin, King of Lanling County
Xiao Siwen's nephew and Xiao sisters' first cousin. He dies getting shot by the Southern Armies.
Han Derang's father and Xiao Siwen's confidant. He is an Imperial physician.
Juan Zi as Madame Han, Queen of Yan
Han Derang's mother and biggest supporter.
Deng Ying as Madame Li
Li Si's mother.
Zhuyuan as Madame Xiao Han
Han Derang's sister and Xiao Pusage's mother by marriage to Xiao Weiyin.
Imperial Household
Tan Kai as Yelü Yansage, King Taiping, then King of Qi (Imperial Uncle)
Xiao Hunian's husband and Yelü Jing's younger brother and one of the main antagonist. An ambitious man who likes power and after his nephew, Yelü Xian ascended the throne, he become the Imperial Uncle. Despite his ambition, he truly loves Hunian and always take care of her in every possible way. However, when he tries to conspire, he got hit by an arrow from Xiao Yanyan and finally died in Hunian's arms.
Xiao Wuguili's husband and one of the main antagonist, also the cousin of Yelü Xian. He was spared by emperor Yelü for the plot to take over the throne with his father but his father was made to die. Later his love and marriage with Wuguili was not sincere at first, and just using her, for her families power. However, after being together for a long time, he then sincerely loved her and had a son named Liulishou. Later, he got exiled to Zuzhou after he tried to rebel for the Emperor's throne. Not long after that, he then died along with his son.
Shao Bing as Great King Wuzhi, the oldest member in the Liao Imperial Family.
One of the main antagonist, Yelü Yansage's older brother and Yelü Xian's uncle. He also responsible for Xian's father's death. He wasn't intimate with any women, due to his fickle feelings and tempestuous, which made him also suffer from severe paranoia and delusions of people wanting to kill him for his throne, which resulted in him killing many guards, eunuchs, court maids and others around him. Due to this, he is eventually killed by his own guards.
Yelü Xian's half little brother and Empress Zhen's son. However, he has an affair with one of Yelü Jing's maid, An Zhi and after it was discovered by emperor Jing, he lost one of his eye to protect An Zhi and then become half blind, plus was castrated for sleeping with the emperors maid. After An Zhi's death, he started to live alone in his Mansion and became a Buddhist monk.
Zhao Yuanyuan as An Zhi, Queen of Ning
One of emperor Yelü's personal palace maids that's in love with Yelü Zhimo. However, She is killed by Zhimo's own hands after the emperor Yelü found out about their affair.
Yelü Dilie's wife. Later, she blamed Han Derang for her husband's death in the battlefield. Then, Xiao Yanyan gave her a poisoned wine to kill herself.
Wang Junpeng as Yelü Dilie, King of Ji
Yelü Jing and Yelü Yansage's half little brother. He often look down on himself because of his biological mother's status just a maidservant. He has ambitions of ascending the throne and become the Emperor of Liao. Because of his greed, he got ambushed and killed by Song army along with his son.
Yelü Xiyin's father and Xiao Wuguili's father in-law. He was later made to drink poisoned wine under orders from the emperor Yelü, when his plot to take over the throne was discovered.
Zhou Siyu as Yelü Liulishou
Xiao Wuguili and Yelü Xiyin's son. He later died along with his father when try to make a rebellion in Shangjing.
Rong Zixi as Consort Xige
An arrogant and proud young lady who selected as Yelü Xian's concubine because she is Master Nüli's niece. She always jealous when sees or hears if Xiao Yanyan and Yelü Xian are together. She urged the two Dowager Consorts and forced them to tell that Xiao Siwen was dead to Xiao Yanyan. Later, Xian ordered her to be sent to the cold palace after it was discovered that she participated in Yelü Yansage's rebellion. She eventually died in the cold palace.
Ren Hongmo as Yelü Daoyin, King of Shu
Xiao Wuguili and Queen of Ji's hand, he wanted to conspire and inspire a rebellion to fulfill his own wish. He was later made to drink poison under the orders from Empress Dowager Xiao Yanyan, after Xiao Wuguili's death.
Sun Yali as Yelü Hugudian, Princess of Qin
Yelü Xian's younger sister and Xiao Chuoli's wife.
Yelü Xian's later concubine, an expert in Medicine. After becoming his concubine, they had a son. She later killed herself after realizing she could not cure her husband's illness.
Crystal Zhang as Consort Puge, Yelü Ruan's widow concubine.
Huang Xiaoge as Consort Chuoli, Yelü Ruan's widow concubine.
Yang Anqi as Yelü Ting, Princess Yicheng
Yelü Xiang's daughter and later married with Li Jiqian.
A bright young man who is in love with Xiao Hailan, Xiao Yanyan's niece.
Guan Yajun as Gao Xun
A hungry-power and manipulative man who is jealous with Xiao Siwen's power. To defeat him, he provokes Xiao Haili and Xiao Haizi to assassinate him. He later died after stabbed by Xiao Dalin in his rebellion with Yelü Yanchage.
Leo Jiang as Master Nüli
Consort Xige's uncle and likes Gao Xun, he also jealous with Xiao Siwen's power. For secure his position, he does the same like Gao Xun and joining Yelü Yansage's rebellion. He later died after get a fire-archery shot by Yelü Xiuge.
A Sihan as Yelü Molugu, Yelü Hugu's son and Xiao Yanyan's rejected suitor.
Xue Hanyu as young Yelü Molugu
Han Dong as Yelü Hugu
Yelü Molugu's father who later killed by Han Derang after try to killed the Dowager Empress Yanyan.
Xiao Moge as Yelü Longxian, King of Ping
Chen Tao as Yelü Shao, King of Wu
Zhang Jinyuan as Shi Fang, Prime Minister of Beifu.
Guo Jun as Yelü Chage, King Taining
One of Yelü Yansage's person who helps him in killed the former Emperor Yelü Ruan.
Zhao Qiang as Yelü Xidi
Hou Zhuyuan as Liu Zigu
Tian Kai as Yelü Xianshi, Envoy of the North Privy Council.
Mu Leen as Liang Ge, Xiao Yanyan's attendant after entered palace.
Yu Menghan as Qing Ge, Xiao Yanyan's attendant who gives a poisonous alcohol to Han Derang and Li Si. She later saved by Xiao Hunian, Yanyan's oldest sister.
Han Shuo as Xinning, Han Derang's loyal bodyguard
Li Yizhen as An Xi, Xiao Hunian's attendant.
Cao Feiran as Fu Hui, Xiao Hunian's attendant.
Zhang Qiaoqiao as Chong Jiu, Xiao Wuguili's attendant who killed by Yelü Xiyin.
Ma Mengqiao as Gui Yin, Xiao Wuguili's attendant.
Fu Fengnan as Po'er, Yelü Xian's eunuch.
Shi Danjiang as Hu Si, Xiao Siwen's subordinate.
Yu Hongliang as Gao Liu, Yelü Yansage's subordinate.
Zhu Feng as Nianmugun, Yelü Yansage's confidant and trusted assistant.
Rachel Yang as Yun'er, Li Si's maid.
Katherine Zhao as Fang'er, Li Si's attendant.
He Long as Salan, Yelü Xiyin's butler.
Ma Mengqiao as Xiao Wuguli's maid who misunderstood with her due to an incident.
Meng Zhichao as Hulie
Ayden Wong as Chu Bu, at first was Yelü Yansage's assistant, but later become Yelü Xian's assistant.
Patty Hou as Zi Su, Queen of Ji's maid.
Luo Ning as A Gu, Yelü Xiezhen's bodyguard.
Xie Shanshan as Tabu, An Zhi's maid who got poisoned by her own.
Others
Yang Chen as Bai Hai
Huang Chengcheng as Ji Geng
Zhang Keyan as Nai Wanshi
Henry Han as Xiao Chuoli, Princess of Qin's husband.
Yin Zeqiang as Shi Lu
Shen Xuewei as Wang Jizhong
Yang Di as Li Zha
Pang Xiandong as Lu Cun
Zhang Zhenjiang as Lu Duan's father
Wen Wei as Lu Duan's mother
Zhou Zixin as Kou Kui
Da Qing as Tuo Li
Wilson Wang as Hu Er'bo
Rilian Tribe
Huo Zhengyan as Abohe
The new head of Rilian Tribe and Han Derang's best friend when he goes to travelling because Derang once save his life.
Special appearances
Jin Jia as Yelü Ruan, the former Emperor of Liao who killed by Yelü Jing. He is Yelü Xian, Yelü Zhimo, and Yelü Hugudian's father.
