LayarHijau.com — On the night of May 21, actor and singer Liu Yuning once again drew public attention after responding to a fan question about the possibility of character deaths in the drama The Prisoner of Beauty (折腰). During the livestream, a viewer asked whether any characters would die at the end of the story. Liu Yuning replied with a metaphor:
The drama just ended. Read about how the Chinese viewers reacted to the ending and the spoiler here.
“That question is just like the previous one—it’s like asking me to rent the first volume of Detective Conan and immediately point out the culprit on the first page.”
This response subtly indicated that Liu Yuning was reluctant to reveal spoilers. He emphasized the importance of maintaining mystery and surprise in the storyline so that viewers can fully enjoy the experience.
Liu also addressed the widespread circulation of leaked scripts online. He acknowledged that some people have purchased drama scripts on the internet. Regarding this, he said:
“If you secretly read it, fine. But don’t go around telling others.”
He further warned viewers not to fall for suspicious promotions such as “scan this QR code to join a group and watch the full version,” which he implied could be a scam.
However, Liu’s response triggered a humorous reaction from netizens on Weibo. Many recalled a similar moment during the airing of A Journey to Love (一念关山). Back then, Liu Yuning claimed the drama had a happy ending, but in reality, it was extremely tragic—nearly all the main group members died, with only one survivor.
Among the trending comments:
“Don’t trust Liu Yuning!”
“Remember A Journey to Love? He said it had a happy ending, but everyone died except one!”
Though said in jest, these comments reflect how deeply the dramatic ending of that drama impacted fans. Many admitted they still “hold a grudge” over the shocking twist, even while understanding that Liu Yuning’s earlier statement may have been meant to avoid spoiling the story.
Spoiler: The Prisoner of Beauty Novel Ending
Warning: The following contains spoilers from the novel. The drama’s ending may differ significantly.
In the novel version, the final adversary standing in Wei Shao’s path to conquering the world is Liu Yan, Xiao Qiao’s former fiancé. Liu Yan joins forces with Su E Huang in an effort to halt Wei Shao’s expansion. Motivated by both vengeance and unresolved love, Liu Yan wants to destroy the man who took the woman he once loved.
However, their resistance fails. Liu Yan and his allies flee but are eventually captured. In a final duel, Liu Yan is defeated once again.
Wei Shao then officially ascends to the throne and becomes emperor. In the novel, Xiao Qiao is portrayed as a time traveler from the future who has taken over the body of the original Xiao Qiao, who had died earlier.
After the main story ends, there are several extra chapters exploring their postwar lives. One major highlight is Wei Shao’s determination to remain loyal to Xiao Qiao. He refuses to take any concubines and declines the offers from officials who wish to marry off their daughters to the emperor—a common tradition in royal courts.
Despite Xiao Qiao having “only” given him a daughter, Wei Shao remains committed to his love for her alone.
Other side stories also feature Xiao Qiao’s reformist ideas, including her proposal to hold imperial examinations to recruit talented scholars as government officials.
