Sigh of His Highness (2006)

The series is set in 19th century China under the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty. Prince Gong was Emperor Xianfeng's half-brother, but their relationship was strained as they both fought for his father's throne. In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the British and French allied forces approached Beijing. Emperor Xianfeng fled to the Summer Palace in Chengde, Hebei, and ordered Prince Gong to stay in Beijing and make peace with the enemy. After humiliation and complicated negotiations, Prince Gong, on behalf of the Qing Empire, signed the "Beijing Convention" with Britain, France and Russia. With this achievement, he not only improved his political status in the court but also won the respect of foreigners. The following year, Emperor Xianfeng died in Chengde. His son Zaichun succeeded him as Emperor Tongzhi. Before his death, Emperor Xianfeng appointed seven people, including the minister Su Shun, as regents for his son until he grew up and could govern independently. In November 1861, Prince Gong, with the support of the Empress Dowager Cixi and Ci'an, launched a coup d'état in Xinyou, and successfully seized power from Sushun and the regent. For the next four years, Prince Gong reached the pinnacle of his political career by being appointed as regent and in charge of important state and military affairs, including control of the Great Council. He also almost ascended to the throne, but did not do so. He led the self-improvement movement and introduced new policies to modernize China and maintain friendly relations with other countries. However, Prince Gong's relationship with the Empress Dowager Cixi deteriorated over the years as she became more power hungry and he distanced himself from her. The empress dowager's status in the court gradually became more prominent, especially after the death of her son Tongzhi Emperor. Emperor Tongzhi's cousin Zai Tian succeeded as Emperor Guangxu and became a puppet ruler under the control of the Empress Dowager Cixi. Over time, Empress Dowager Cixi merged power in her hands, and when her co-regent Empress Dowager Ci'an died under mysterious circumstances, she became the only de facto ruler. Prince Gong's status in the court declined as the Empress Dowager Cixi increasingly distrusted him and gradually reduced his power by cancelling his important appointments. In 1885, Prince Gong fell out of favor because of the indecision of whether the Ecumenical Council would fight or draw in the Sino-French war. As a result, the Empress Dowager Cixi dismissed his appointment and forced him to retire. After the Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1894, Prince Gong returned to the court to deal with the crisis. However, despite his efforts, he failed to prevent the Qing Dynasty from being defeated again by the Japanese. Four years later, he eventually died of illness.