Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace <后宫•如懿传>, also known as The Legend of Ruyi, has announced that it has cast Wallace Huo (霍建华) in the role of the Qianlong Emperor. He will star alongside Zhou Xun (周迅), who plays the titular character. The Legend of Ruyi is the sequel to the 2011 smash hit The Legend of Zhen Huan <后宫•甄嬛传>, which starred Sun Li (孙俪) as Zhen Huan, Ada Choi (蔡少芬) as the Empress Consort, and Chen Jianbin (陈建斌) as the Yongzheng Emperor. Both series are adapted from historical fiction novels written by Liu Lianzi (流瀲紫). Ruyi takes place after the death of Yongzheng and the accession of Qianlong, the adopted son of Zhen Huan. It follows Ruyi, Qianlong’s most beloved wife, who becomes a pawn in a power struggle among members of the royal harem and court. She eventually overcomes the struggle and becomes the Empress Consort, but is met with a tragic fate. The original novel was published in 2012 and spanned six volumes. The Legend of Ruyi begins production in August 2016. It is produced by New Classics Media and directed by Wang Jun (汪俊). Creds: Sina
