
A mysterious dream haunts the Han emperor: a luminous courtesan appears, whispering that she dwells in the distant province of Yuezhou. Intrigued, the ruler dispatches his chief minister, a shrewd yet avaricious man, to locate the woman—named Wang Xiaoqi, known affectionately as Zhao Jun—who is said to possess unrivaled beauty and talent. The imperial edict sparks a frantic search, turning a quiet county into a stage for politics and intrigue.
In Yuezhou, the local magistrate Wang Zhong grapples with the impossible demand to present a daughter he does not have. His wife, the graceful Lady Yao, and their clever daughter soon devise a daring plan to protect their family while confronting the corrupt envoy. As the minister’s greed intensifies, the young Zhao Jun must navigate palace expectations, familial loyalty, and the peril of a power‑hungry court.
The story unfolds with vivid court ceremony, sharp wit, and the tension of a dream that could change a life—offering listeners a richly textured glimpse into love, duty, and the hidden dangers of ambition.
Language
zh
Duration
~3 hours (178K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
May 6, 2008
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Known by the pen name 雪樵主人, this elusive Chinese novelist is remembered chiefly for Shuang feng qi yuan (雙鳳奇緣), a historical romance centered on Wang Zhaojun. Very little about the person behind the name survives, which gives the work an added air of mystery.
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