Meeting Lady Wei in a Dream
- ScreenwriterTong Tik-sang
Wai Zihing is a female entertainer in the palace and her brother Wai Ching is an outrider who has a friendly relationship with the widowed Princess Pingyeung. In order to help them get rid of the drudgery, Pingyeung sets a plan for Emperor Honmou to meet Zihing at the Royal Garden as he passes by, so that Zihing could entice her beauty to Emperor Honmou. Zihing is then conferred as Empress Wai.
As Zihing goes to the palace calling on the female dowager, she provokes Empress Chan’s extreme hatred and resentment towards her and summons her brothers in secret to murder Zihing, but in vain. Wai Ching is even dispatched by Emperor Honmou for an expedition in the Western Regions. Emperor Honmou realizes her pregnancy when he stealthily visits Zihing who is imprisoned at Changmen, yet unfortunately, noticed by Empress Chan.
Returning from victory, Wai Ching pretends to have murdered his sister who is then replaced by a palace maid to deceive the Empress, so that she could flee away. Emperor Honmou mistakes that his beloved has died, and dejectedly prepares for a funeral to mourn his love. When he sees the dreamlike scene that Zihing returns with her son, he finally learns about the truth. As Waiching already grasps a great military power firmly, Empress Chan has no way but to approve the two pairs of couples.