The Story of Yanxi Palace is a Chinese period drama series recounting the struggles of a palace maid in the court of the Qianlong Emperor. This is a historical drama following one of the most famous monarchs, who was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. It has 70 episodes in total and a full cast to set the tone or what is, in my opinion, one of the best shows ever.

The main lead of this show, Wei Yingluo, is an upright, strong and cunning young woman is ahead of her time in terms of knowledge and reasoning. She uses her innate skills to rise above tangles of conventional palace rivalries to defeat her enemies. This portrayal of a character leaves the audience hanging on every action as they watch as this palace maid skillfully talks her way out of the worst of situations, toppling even the most ruthless of enemies.

The extent of wit and subterfuge that is witnessed in the show also makes for a thoroughly enjoyable watch as there is no shortage of humor or laughable scenes. The Story of Yanxi Palace provides a comical peek into the historical Chinese palace hierarchy (concubines, etc.) as well as the inner court workings and state affairs. However, this drama is less conformative in many aspects with a multitude of unique twists and turns that the audience won't see coming.

I highly recommend this show to anyone and everyone who is looking for something new to watch.