Succession War (TV series)
Succession War is Hong Kong historical drama created and produced by Chong Wai-kin for TVB, starring Ruco Chan, Selena Li, Shaun Tam and Elaine Yiu as the main leads. The show is a fictional biography story about the last 28 days of the life of Qing dynasty court official Heshen, who is known for being the most corrupt court official in Chinese history. Succession War premiered on 25 June 2018 on TVB Jade.
Premise
Succession War stars Ruco Chan as Heshen of the Niohuru clan, a Qing dynasty official who came into power under the reign of the Qianlong Emperor. The drama depicts the last 28 days of his life, with each episode covering the course of one day. Succession War details the events and characters of the time that ultimately lead to Heshen's death.Cast and characters
Qing Imperial Family
- Lily Leung as Lady Niohuru, the Empress Dowager Chongqing, Qianlong's late mother and Jiaqing's late grandmother
- KK Cheung as Qianlong, the Retired Emperor, Jiaqing's father who favors Heshen
- *Episode 4: Succumbs to poisoning by Jiaqing
- Angelina Lo as Lady Barin, the Dowager Noble Consort Ying, Qianlong's consort
- Shaun Tam as Jiaqing Emperor, Qianlong's fifteenth son and successor who is intimidated by Heshen's power
- Jess Sum as Hitara Shuk-yung, the Empress Xiaoshurui, Jiaqing's late empress
- Selena Lee as Niohuru Ling-yee, the Empress Xiaoherui, Jiaqing's empress, first introduced as his Imperial Noble Consort
- Yoyo Chen as Liugiya Ching-yee, the Noble Consort Xian, Jiaqing's consort
- Siu Hoi Yan as Lady Hougiya, the Consort Hua, Jiaqing's consort
- Katherine Ho as Lady Niohuru, the Concubine Ru, Jiaqing's concubine
- Kathy Fung as Concubine Hui, Jiaqing's concubine
- Aliya Fan as Jiaqing's concubine
- Hebe Chan as Jiaqing's concubine
- Wingto Lam as Jiaqing's concubine
- Yu Chi Ming as Hongxiao, Prince Yi of the First Rank, Qianlong's cousin
- Savio Tsang as Yongxuan, Prince Yi of the First Rank, Qianlong's eighth son, leaves the ranks in episode 27 over distraught and depression
- David Do as Yongxing, Prince Cheng of the First Rank, Qianlong's eleventh son
- Jonathan Cheung as Yonglin, the Seventeenth Imperial Prince, Qianlong's seventeenth son and Jiaqing's younger brother
- Stephanie Ho as Gurun Princess Hexiao, personal name: Sheung-sheung, Qianlong's tenth daughter and the wife of Fengshen Yinde
- Nono Yeung as Mianning, Jiaqing's son
Niohuru Household
- Ruco Chan as Niohuru Heshen, the most powerful and corrupt official in the Qing Court
- Natalie Tong as Tau Kau, Heshen's lover and trusted aide, whom he has proposed to many times
- Kimmy Kwan as Fung Tzs-man, Heshen's late wife
- Elaine Yiu as Cheung Mei, Heshen's second wife, who was educated in Europe
- Michelle Wong as Ng Hing-lin, Heshen's concubine
- Lena Wong as Nalan, Heshen's concubine
- Eddie Pang as Niohuru Helin, Heshen's younger brother and a general
- *Episode 14: Commits suicide
- Matthew Ho as Niohuru Fengshen Yinde, the Prince Consort, Heshen's eldest son and the husband of Gurun Princess Hexiao
- Stephanie Ho as Gurun Princess Hexiao, Qianlong's daughter and the wife of Fengshen Yinde
- Lau Chong Hei as Niohuru Fu'en, Heshen's grandson and the son of Fengshen Yinde and Gurun Princess Hexiao
- Henry Lo as Lau Chuen, Heshen's steward and most loyal to Heshen. He is killed by an army raid after Tau Kau betrays him by talking to Janggiya Nayancheng in Episode 27.
- Leo Kwan as Yuen Po, Heshen's servant
- Apple Chan as Mau Tan, Cheung Mei's personal maid
Qing Court
- Ruco Chan as Niohuru Heshen ; Grand Secretary, Senior Grand Councillor, Nine Gates Infantry Commander, & Grand Minister Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department
- *Episode 5: Dismissed from duties as the Nine Gates Infantry Commander & Grand Minister Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department
- Lee Shing Cheong as Lau Yung, Grand Secretary
- Henry Yu as Kei Hiu-lam, Grand Councillor and Minister of Rites
- Law Lok Lam as Chu Kwai, Grand Councillor and Minister of Personnel, Grand Councillor
- *Episode 1: Commits suicide after failing to assassinate Heshen and Qianlong
- Kwan Wai Lun as Tatara Suringga, Minister of Justice
- *Episode 14: Sentenced to death for hiding Helin
- Eddie Li as Pang Yuen-shui, Minister of Works
- Kong Fu Keung as Kam Shi-chung, Minister of War
- Lee Hoi Sang as Shum Chor, Minister of Revenue
- *Episode 13: Assassinated by Tau Kau and Lam Kan
- Leo Tsang as Lee Si-yiu, Viceroy of Minzhe
- Joel Chan as Fuca Fuchang'an, Viceroy of Grain Transport
- Benny Tsang as Ng Sang-lan, Senior Deputy Minister of Rites
- Terrence Huang as Lee Wong, Senior Deputy Minister of War
- Joe Tang as Chan Tsang-hei, Senior Deputy Minister of Justice
- *Episode 7: Executed on charges of corruption
- Kings Wong as Murca Chengshu, Junior Deputy Minister of Revenue
- Ray Lo as Lee Kwong-wan, Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud
- Tony Chui as Tai Kui-hang
- William Chan as Hada Nara Yulin, Chief Supervisor of Instruction
- George Ng as Siu Yat-hong, Deputy Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau
- Kenneth Fok as Fuca Fuk'anggan, a general and Fuchang'an's late older brother
- Matthew Ho as Niohuru Fengshen Yinde, Director-General of the Intelligence Bureau & Grand Minister Supervisor of the Imperial Household Department
- Andrew Yuen as Borjigit Lavan Dorji, the Prince Jasagh of the First Rank, a prince of the Khalkha Mongols
- Eddie Pang as Niohuru Helin, General of Shandong
- Kelvin Yuen as Pok Tok-ngok, Deputy General and Fuchang'an's subordinate
- Frankie Choi as Lau Wan-chi, Prefect of Shuntian ; and Lau Yung's adopted son and nephew
- *Episode 7: Executed on charges of corruption
- Ricky Wong as Fuca Mingliang, Deputy General of Shandong and Helin's subordinate; cousin of Fuchang'an
- Willie Lau as Kei Chun, Regimental Commander of the Vanguard Battalion
Imperial Servants
- Chan Wing Chun as Cho Tsun-hei, Head Eunuch and Qianlong's personal eunuch
- Sunny Dai as Little Eunuch Tak, Jiaqing's personal eunuch
- Samantha Chuk as Granny Fong, Dowager Noble Consort Ying's personal maid
- GoGo Cheung as Suet Ying, Noble Consort Xian's personal maid
- Clevis Tam as Sheung Chun, a eunuch who is murdered by Jiaqing after becoming accidentally poisoned in Jiaqing's scheme to kill Qianlong
- Jonathan Lee as Sheung Tung, a eunuch who is forced by Jiaqing to frame Yongxuan for poisoning the late Retired Emperor. He commits suicide by poison when Heshen captures him and attempts to make him be reframed.
White Lotus Sect
- Wong Wai Tong as Chai Lam, Sect Leader
- *Episode 5: Commits suicide
- Candice Chiu as Wong Chung-yi, wife of Chai Lam and later Sect Leader
- Oscar Li as Yiu Tsz-fu, Branch Commander
- Lena Li as Yip Ching-ching, a sect disciple
- Jack Wu as Janggiya Nayancheng, Agui's grandson who infiltrates the White Lotus Sect on orders from Jiaqing
Others
- Pinky Cheung as Tip Yee, a Tibetan woman and Heshen's informant
- Alan Tam as Lam Kan, Tau Kau's friend and assistant
- Osanna Chiu as Wo Wo Tau, Tau Kau's maid
- Chan Min Leung as Chui King-wan, the Head Imperial Physician
- Dolby Kwan as Sha Wai-yat, an Imperial Physician
- Andy Sui as Chin King, an Imperial Physician
- Mok Wai Man as Nyima Tseten, a highly skilled Tibetan physician
- Forest Chan as Yuen Tsan, a blind fortune teller
Awards & Nominations