The Confidant

Owing to the destitution during their youth, LI LIAN-YING (Lai Yiu Cheung) and AN DE-HAI (Raymond Cho) have presented themselves as eunuchs in the court, where they serve their apprenticeship with an old eunuch LAU DOR-SANG (Chung King Fai). Having closely bonded to one another, the two respectively played dominant roles during the rule of Empress Dowager CIXI (Michelle Yim). However, unlike DE-HAI's single-minded obsession with greed, LIAN-YING overcautiously abides by the rules, gradually diverging from the former. In view of them gaining recognition from CIXI, the Head Eunuch CHAN FOK (Yueh Hua) resorts to strike treachery against LIAN-YING and DE-HAI, feeling that his position is threatened. Fortunately, with the help of his two close friends, a palace maid SIN-YUNG (Nancy Wu) and a eunuch of the Imperial Dispensary YIU SHEUNG-HEI (Wong Ho Yin), LIAN-YING manages to avert the disaster. With the Emperor TONGZHI (Oscar Leung) conferring the throne on his Empress, Empress Dowager CIAN (Maggie Shiu) fears that CIXI will further wield power. She then colludes with Prince GONG (Cheung Kwok Keung) to sow discords among the court, isolating CIXI. In the face of such ever-changing phenomena, only LIAN-YING firmly stands his ground on the motto of "A servant is no more than a servant", remaining as CIXI’s loyal attendant.