Legend of Dragon Pearl

The story tells of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty and Li Yihuan, the last princess of the Southern Ming dynasty. After the Qing conquest of the Ming, Li Yihuan and the rest of the descendants of the Ming dynasty retreat to the Dragon Pearl Canyon. There, they train under the guidance of the elders, learning various skills, hoping to restore the glory of their country one day. Li Yihuan was instructed by her teacher to get close to the Kangxi Emperor to seek an opportunity for revenge.

Li Yi Huan and Kang Xi met on a street in Beijing and became friends, unaware of the identity of each other. The princess wasn't aware of her true identity. They crossed each other's path again and faced several life-threatening events together, during which the princess risked her life to save the emperor.

After spending time together, they fell in love in spite of the initial prejudice of the last princess against the Qing emperor. But being of opposite sides, their love story is rendered impossible.

Kang Xi, whose face is not known outside of the Capitol, travels the country to determine the conditions his people must suffer. He maintains the fiction that he is a 5th-level Imperial official named Long San. Much of the story is centered around his interaction with a corrupt 2nd-level official, Liu Dezhao. Recent droughts and disasters have led to difficulty, and Xi learns that Liu has taken advantage of the instability to gather power, while at the same time diverting the silver and grain which the Empire has sent as aid. Xi is angered, but it is impossible for him to take direct action without making his true identity known. Instead, but Yihuan is keeping a record for him of what he sees, for later action. Dezhao discovers that "Long San" has "forged" a letter of authority, and that reports are being made to the Emperor.

When Kang Xi and his retinue return to the Capitol, his eyes have been opened to the suffering of the people under corrupt officials, and he learns that men who he had respected and honored among the Capitol officialdom and nobility are also corrupt. He is able to take action, and does so, in a far-reaching purge.

Liu Dezhao is ordered to the Capitol, but is unable to raise his eyes to see the face of the Emperor, following custom and law. He proclaims that the reports from "Long San" are false, then recognizes—and denounces—members of the group which had traveled with Xi. Once ordered to raise his eyes to meet those of the Emperor, he is shocked to realize that "Long San" is actually Kang Xi, and that his corruption is known.

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