Novoland: Pearl Eclipse

Tencent Video premiered Novoland: Pearl Eclipse in November 2021, adapting Xiao Ruse's dark fantasy novel into a 48-episode drama. The series stars Yang Mi as Ye Haishi, a merfolk princess who must disguise herself as a male general to survive in the human court. Her path crosses with William Chan's Fang Jianming, a powerful figure posing as a castrated eunuch while secretly ruling the empire alongside his younger brother, the young Emperor.

The show explores the fragile truce between humans and merfolk, a peace maintained by an exorbitant tax on luminous pearls that sustain both races. As political factions maneuver for power, Haishi uncovers deep corruption within the Zheng dynasty. The narrative balances high-stakes wuxia action with a complex love triangle involving Haishi, her commander Di Xu, and the enigmatic ruler Fang Jianming. [edit]

The story begins in the underwater kingdom of the Merfolk, where a plague threatens the population. King Haishi sacrifices himself to save his people, leaving his daughter, Ye Haishi, as the sole heir burdened with the responsibility of paying the human empire's crushing tax on luminous pearls. To secure funds and resources for her dying people, she ventures onto land but is immediately captured by imperial soldiers. She is brought before the Imperial Court, where she meets Fang Jianming, the de facto ruler of the Zheng Dynasty who hides his true identity as the Emperor's biological brother beneath the guise of a eunuch.

Fang Jianming recognizes Haishi's unique ability to breathe both air and water and sees potential in her as a weapon or asset. He takes her under his protection, training her in military strategy and statecraft. To navigate the treacherous politics of the human court without revealing her gender or heritage, Haishi adopts a male persona, presenting herself as General Ye Haishi. She rises through the ranks of the Imperial Guard, earning respect for her combat skills and strategic mind.

As Haishi integrates into the court, she finds herself entangled in a web of intrigue. Her bond with Fang Jianming evolves from a master-servant dynamic into a relationship defined by mutual reliance and shared secrets. Simultaneously, she develops a complicated connection with the young Emperor, Fang Zhu, who struggles to assert his authority against his older brother's shadow. The series delves into the moral ambiguities of war and governance, showing how various factions exploit the tension between humans and merfolk for their own gain.

Haishi discovers that the peace between the two races rests on lies. The luminous pearls are not merely a resource but a key to survival, and the curse plaguing the Merfolk may be linked to the empire's actions. Throughout the 48 episodes, she transforms from a naive princess into a formidable leader. The narrative builds toward a confrontation where the fate of both worlds hangs in the balance, forcing Haishi to choose between her duty to her people and her growing affection for the men who have become her masters and allies.[edit]