She was Once a Delicate Maiden (C-Vertical Drama Review & Summary)
AKA: The Ninth Prince is a Daughter- Genre: Historical Drama Fiction, Romance
- Release Date: 18 August 2025
Cast
- Li Keyi as Xiao Chu/Ninth Prince
- Cai Xin Yang as Chu Tai Chi/Prince Regent
Plot Summary
I really like this drama. Again Li Keyi delivers a very good performance. Cai Xin Yang was believable as a rather vengeful Prince Regent.
The Prince Regent has an uneasy relationship with the Emperor. The Emperor fears that his brother might usurp the throne so he had secretly tried to incapacitate the Prince Regent.
Xiao Ju is the Ninth Prince, a favourite and spoiled by the Emperor. Because of this, the Prince Regent made him the butt of his ire.
Xiao Ju was not really the son of the Emperor. Concubine Wen was poisoned during her pregnancy so she birthed a dead princess. She immediately asked her nursemaid to look for another baby outside as a substitute for her dead infant. A healthy baby girl was found which really not pleased Concubine Wen as she wanted a son.
So she brought up the new baby as a boy, the Ninth Prince. Despite not being a blood relative, Concubine Wen loved the Ninth Prince or Xiao Chu. The Ninth Prince grew into a spoiled but really uncomplicated prince who was into everything.
Xiao Chu heard that the Prince Regent had come home. She thought that he might have brought home an exotic beauty. Curious, she went to take a look.
She got caught spying on Prince Regent while he was bathing. He ordered his young perverted nephew to be caned.
Poor Xiao Chu was in pain and being ministered by Concubine Wen. Xiao Chu brought up the subject of coming out as a girl but Concubine Wen told her that she will bring death not only to herself but to the whole Wen clan for deceiving the emperor. So poor Xiao Chu had to put up with it for now or forever.
Prince Regent decided to rehabilitate his ‘gay’ nephew and sent a beautiful girl to seduce Xiao Chu. Xia Chu, of course, had to decline the services of the girl.
There was a gala held at the palace. Someone drugged the Prince Regent. Poor Xiao Chu somehow was cornered by the drugged prince and used Xiao Chu as his aphrodisiac antidote. He was too strong for Xiao Chu so he easily overpowered her.
Xiao Chu was shocked but left after the deed. The Prince Regent did not really remember who was his antidote.
But then he began to suspect Xiao Chu might be it. Xiao Chu might be a girl. After investigation, he found out the truth that Xiao Chu is a girl as well as not being not a daughter of the Emperor.
In the end, he told Xiao Chu that the only way that she can remain alive and also save the Wen family was if she becomes the new Emperor. He said he was going to help her. He also told her that her siblings were not good enough as future rulers. Her adored eldest brother, was actually behind everything in toppling the emperor. He even masterminded Xiao Chu’s assassination.
The Ninth Prince became the new Emperor and the Prince Regent was at her side. He was actually the power behind the throne but the Ninth Prince is spoiled and adored. She told the Prince Regent that she was pregnant which doubly excited the Prince Regent as he had been systematically poisoned so he thought he could never father a child.
The drama is so cute.