Secret of the Three Kingdoms

The series is set in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Consort Wang, a concubine of Emperor Ling, has just given birth to a pair of twin boys – Liu Xie and Liu Ping – when she is poisoned to death by the jealous Empress He. While Liu Xie is raised by his grandmother Empress Dowager Dong and becomes emperor (as Emperor Xian) later, Liu Ping is secretly taken out of the palace and raised as a commoner.

Eighteen years later, chaos has broken out throughout China as various warlords fight for power and control over territories. Emperor Xian has been reduced to the status of a puppet emperor under the control of a powerful warlord, Cao Cao. During this time, he learns that he has a secret twin brother, Liu Ping, so he summons his brother to the palace to help him save the Eastern Han dynasty from collapse. Throughout these years, Liu Ping has grown up with Sima Yi and never knew about his true origins until now.

A power struggle breaks out between Liu Ping and Cao Cao. With assistance from Sima Yi, Empress Fu Shou and other Han loyalists, Liu Ping evades several attempts by Cao Cao and his followers to get rid of him. At a critical moment, Liu Ping realises that he cannot do anything to save the Eastern Han dynasty and that the best thing he can do is to back out from the power struggle. In contrast, his childhood friend Sima Yi becomes more ruthless and ambitious in his quest for power.

The series was filmed at the Hengdian World Studios and Xiangshan Film City between 7 March and 28 June 2017.[2][3]

• List of media adaptations of Romance of the Three Kingdoms