The drama adaption of Feiwo Sicun’s tragic romance novel Eastern Palace is titled Goodbye My Princess 东宫, and has cast Peng Xiaoran (The Mystic Nine) and Chen Xingxu (Legend of the Condor Heroes 2016) as the leads.

Peng Xiaoran plays Xiaofeng, the beloved ninth princess of Western Liang, who enters into a political marriage with Li Chengyin, the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, played by Chen Xingxu. The latter has his own favourite concubine, and only agreed to this loveless marriage to secure his position as heir to the throne.

It is later revealed that Xiaofeng had met Li Chengyin under the alias of Gu Xiaowu three years ago. He was on a secretive mission to conquer the western kingdoms, and used Xiaofeng to accomplish his goal. After finding out the truth, Xiaofeng jumped into the River of Forgetfulness, and Gu Xiaowu / Li Chengyin followed suit out of guilt, and perhaps also love. In the present-time, only Xiaofeng has regained her memories, and their heart-wrenching romance begins all over again.

The leads are relative newbies – Peng Xiaoran was a host on iQiyi’s early morning entertainment program before signing under Fan Bingbing, while Chen started off as a child actor, and recently made a comeback as Yang Kang in the latest  adaption of LoCH. Thankfully they’ll be guided by a solid supporting cast, which includes Wang Zhifei (Housing), Siqin Gaowa (Legend of the Dragon Pearl), Gallen Lo (Song of Phoenix) and Yang Gongru (Across the Ocean to See You) and Wei Qianxiang (Midnight Diner).

The 30 episode drama is directed by Li Muge (Fighting Time), and penned by Song Yangming, who’s worked as a second writer on family dramas such as Seven Years and Young Couple Times.