翘楚 #AshesToCrown is an ancient Chinese Han Traditional Clothing drama produced by Youku, co-produced by Damai Entertainment and Yuewen Group, directed by Yang Long , written by Li Min and Xia Mengying , starring Chen Duling and Zhou Yiran (in no particular order, sorted by the first letter of surname) , with Tang Xiaotian as a special guest star, Wang Ruichang as a special guest star, Wang Zhuocheng and Rong Rong as special guests, Zhou Kui and Zhao Qi as special guests, Ma Yue , Yu Yijie and Shen Tai as guest stars, and Wu Shile , Gao Maotong , Zhang Shian , Zhou Ruoling , Han Jing and Wang Yibei as supporting actors …. .
The drama is adapted from Xi Xing ‘s novel ” Chu Hou ” , which tells the story of Chu Chao, the daughter of a general, who is unwilling to become a victim in the power game. She restarts the game, takes the initiative to play the game, and joins hands with Xie Yanlai to break the deadlock in the undercurrents of the court.
Plot Synopsis
Chu Chao ( Chen D uling ), the daughter of a general, discovers that taking the initiative is the only way to change her tragic fate of becoming a sacrifice in Xiao Xun’s power grab. In her tumultuous struggle against fate, she meets Xie Yanlai ( Zhou Yiran ) , the illegitimate son of the Xie family , and her actions illuminate his previously dark and gloomy life, helping him break free from the shackles of destiny. He rises from a lowly soldier in the imperial guards to become a great general, and together they successfully thwart Xiao Xun’s ambitions and plans. On their way to escape the chaos of war, witnessing the suffering of the people, Chu Chao resolutely returns to the city to support the young grandson Xiao Yu in becoming emperor, until he assumes full power. However, Xiao Xun again invites foreign invaders, willing to plunge the people into misery for his lust for power. Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai fight back fiercely, leading their troops in a bloody battle, finally resolving the internal and external threats to the Chu Kingdom. Thus, the Chu Dynasty not only changed its own destiny, but also freed millions of its people from the turbulent fate of war and chaos
After the fate chart is reset, Chu Chao, as the daughter of a general, takes the initiative to change her fate of becoming a sacrifice in the power grab of Xiao Xun, the crown prince of Chu. [5-9]During this process, she met Xie Yanlai ( played by Zhou Yiran ), the illegitimate son of the Xie family. She not only brightened his dark life, but the two also admired each other and gradually developed feelings for each other. Chu Chao helped Xie Yanlai grow from a lowly soldier in the Imperial Guard to a general who protects the country. Together, they successfully stopped Xiao Xun’s ambition and plans. On the way to escape the place of trouble, Chu Chao saw the suffering of the people in the war and resolutely returned to the city to help the young grandson Xiao Yu become emperor. When Xiao Xun invited foreign enemies to invade, Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai led the army to fight to the death and finally relieved the internal and external troubles of the Great Chu Dynasty… . Thus, the Chu Dynasty not only changed its own destiny, but also freed the people of Chu from the turbulent fate of war and chaos…
Chen Duling , who plays Chu Chao, is seen wearing classical costumes and carrying a palace lantern. Under the light and shadow, her image blends classical temperament with the strategic sense required for the role.
Chu Chao is portrayed as a character of political intrigue, described as “a woman who can manipulate events with her bare hands and devise strategies that defy fate..
Chu Chao, the daughter of a general, took the initiative to change her fate in order to avoid becoming a victim in the power grab by Xiao Xun, the crown prince of Chu. During this process, she met Xie Yanlai , the illegitimate son of the Xie family, who not only brightened his gloomy life but also helped him grow from a lowly soldier in the Imperial Guard to a great general who protects the country. After the two joined hands to stop Xiao Xun’s ambition, Chu Chao, having witnessed the suffering of the people in the war, resolutely returned to the city to help the young grandson Xiao Yu become emperor. When Xiao Xun invited foreign enemies to invade, Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai led their troops to fight to the death, finally relieving the internal and external troubles of the Great Chu.
In her previous life, she grew up in Yunzhong County in the desert. Dissatisfied with her father’s focus on military affairs, she ran away to the market alone and rescued a young man (actually Xie Yanlai) who was being beaten by a vagrant. As a result, she met and fell in love with Xiao Xun. Despite her father’s objections, she married Xiao Xun and helped him ascend the throne. Two years later, at her birthday banquet, she witnessed her father being falsely accused of treason by Xiao Xun and beheaded on the spot. She was then strangled to death by Xiao Xun. Her resentment did not dissipate after death, and she was reborn three years earlier (in the nineteenth year of Tian Shu) when the emperor bestowed the marriage upon her. After being reborn, she immediately saw through Xiao Xun’s true colors and vowed revenge. Through dialogue with her resentment from her previous life in the mirror, she strengthened her determination to take revenge and began to secretly plot
陈都灵 Chen Duling
Chen Duling, born on October 18, 1993 in Xiamen, Fujian Province, graduated from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and is a Chinese film and television actress.
In 2013, Chen Duling gained attention for winning the Facejoking “Goddess Ranking” championship. In 2015, her debut film, The Left Ear, was released, marking her official entry into the entertainment industry. She was nominated for the Best New Actress Award at the 24th Shanghai Film Critics’ Awards for the film. In 2017, her first TV drama, “Operation Proposal “, was broadcast . In 2018, she tried ancient costume for the first time in the martial arts drama ” The Legend of Ming Hong “, which received positive reviews and sparked heated discussions. Since 2019, she has been selected for the Film Channel’s “Starry Sea Young Actor Selection Program” for three consecutive years. In 2021, the tribute film Red Boat was released, in which she played the role of Yang Kaihui. In 2023, the mythological The Moon Over the Moon ” premiered, and her acting skills were recognized . In the same year, he won the 2023 Weibo Movie Night Annual Potential Actor Award . In 2024, the fairy tale film ” The Journey of Flower ” starring him was released in theatres . On November 1, the book-traveling system adventure drama ” Eternal Night Galaxy ” starring him was broadcast. On March 18, 2025, the TV series ” The Glory ” in which she starred was broadcast; On March 22, the movie ” The Angry River ” in which he made a special appearance was released.
Images and visuals are from Weibo also from their respectives.
