Bai Lu and Chen Zheyuan Lead Chao Yu Jie (朝玉阶), an Upcoming Historical Romance With a 12-Year Time-Travel Mystery

An eighteen-year-old heroine awakens twelve years in the future, discovers her family has been destroyed, and becomes entangled with a powerful regent hiding secrets of his own.

Bai Lu (白鹿) and Chen Zheyuan (陈哲远) are joining forces for Chao Yu Jie (朝玉阶), an upcoming Chinese historical fantasy romance announced as part of iQIYI's 2026–2027 programming lineup.

The drama was officially introduced on September 23, 2026, with both actors confirmed as its leading stars.

At the center of the story is a young woman who unexpectedly finds herself twelve years in the future. Her family is gone, the world she remembers has changed beyond recognition, and a mysterious regent appears to be carrying an obsession that has endured for twelve years.

With its combination of time travel, family tragedy, political intrigue, and a romance shaped by the past, Chao Yu Jie has an intriguing premise that goes well beyond the usual palace power struggle.

What Is Chao Yu Jie (朝玉阶) About?

The story follows Lu Zhaoxi (陆昭熹), an eighteen-year-old woman whose life takes an extraordinary turn when she suddenly awakens twelve years in the future.

Everything familiar has disappeared.

Her former home lies in ruins, and her family has been destroyed in a tragedy surrounded by unanswered questions.

Even more unsettling, Lu Zhaoxi finds herself inhabiting another person's body.

Determined to uncover what happened, she begins investigating the catastrophe that destroyed her family.

Her search draws her into dangerous political conspiracies involving the imperial court and the inner palace, where secrets are closely guarded and the people around her may not be who they appear to be.

Among them is Tu Yin (屠隐), a powerful regent whose influence extends throughout the court.

Behind his commanding position lies a deeply personal fixation connected to the twelve years Lu Zhaoxi has lost.

Then there is the mysterious Jade Consort, an influential woman within the imperial palace whose fate appears strangely intertwined with Lu Zhaoxi's own.

Why do their destinies seem to mirror each other? What happened during those missing twelve years? And what connection does the regent have to the tragedy Lu Zhaoxi is trying to uncover?

Those questions form the central mystery of the upcoming series.

Confirmed Cast: Bai Lu and Chen Zheyuan

Bai Lu — Reported Role: Lu Zhaoxi

Production reporting identifies Bai Lu as Lu Zhaoxi, the young woman transported twelve years into the future. iQIYI confirms Bai Lu as a lead, although its accessible cast listing does not specify character assignments.

Rather than simply adjusting to an unfamiliar world, Lu Zhaoxi must investigate her family's destruction while navigating an imperial court filled with dangerous secrets.

Her circumstances place her in a particularly difficult position: she remembers a past that no longer exists, while the people around her have lived through twelve years she knows nothing about.

The mystery surrounding the Jade Consort also introduces questions about identity, personal change, and the consequences of decisions made over time.

Whether the series can give Lu Zhaoxi the intelligence and determination necessary to challenge the powerful people surrounding her will be one of its most interesting elements to watch.

Chen Zheyuan — Reported Role: Tu Yin

Production reporting identifies Chen Zheyuan as Tu Yin, the influential regent at the center of the drama's political and romantic intrigue. iQIYI confirms him as a lead; the role assignment is reported separately.

iQIYI's official synopsis describes him as a figure who holds enormous authority at court while concealing an intense attachment rooted in the past.

His connection to Lu Zhaoxi—and whatever happened during the twelve missing years—appears central to the story.

The regent's political position also introduces an interesting question: will he become Lu Zhaoxi's most important ally, or does he know more about her family's tragedy than he initially reveals?

The official synopsis leaves the details of their relationship unresolved.

A Historical Romance Built Around Time Travel and Palace Intrigue

One of the most interesting aspects of Chao Yu Jie is how its central mystery connects to the heroine's personal history.

Lu Zhaoxi does not travel into the future with the advantage of knowing what will happen.

Instead, everyone else has twelve years of knowledge that she does not possess.

People she once trusted may have changed, former relationships may no longer exist, and decisions made during her absence have transformed the world around her.

The Jade Consort introduces another layer of uncertainty.

Her apparent connection to Lu Zhaoxi raises questions about identity and whether people can escape the circumstances that shape their lives.

Meanwhile, Tu Yin's twelve-year attachment suggests that the romantic storyline may involve devotion, regret, and complicated emotional histories.

iQIYI describes the production as a story involving intertwined love and conflict, personal growth, and mutual redemption.

That suggests romance will be important to the narrative, although the exact relationship progression and eventual outcome remain unknown.

Is Chao Yu Jie Based on a Novel?

Despite earlier online reports linking Chao Yu Jie to a similarly titled web novel, producer Yu Zheng publicly clarified in July 2026 that the television production uses an original screenplay rather than adapting the novel circulating in those reports.

Screenwriter Ren Yanan has been identified in production reporting as part of the creative team.

This distinction matters because readers should not assume that characters, romantic developments, or endings from similarly titled novels will appear in the television series.

The officially announced story should be treated as its own production.

Is Chao Yu Jie a Full-Length Chinese Drama?

Yes. This is a planned full-length historical television drama, not a short-form vertical series.

Sohu Entertainment's July 27 coverage of the National Radio and Television Administration's July 2026 production filings identifies Chao Yu Jie as a Huanyu Entertainment project with 40 planned episodes. The regulator's notice links the underlying filing attachment.

However, a production filing is not the same as a finalized broadcast episode count.

The number could change during production, post-production, or licensing.

When Will Chao Yu Jie Be Released?

As of October 24, 2026, Chao Yu Jie does not have an officially confirmed premiere date.

iQIYI now labels the drama as a 2027 title in its Chinese catalog, while its official programming slate still lists the broadcast time as to be determined. The catalog year is not a confirmed premiere date.

Reports have circulated about filming beginning in late 2026, but a confirmed filming-start announcement should be distinguished from tentative production schedules.

The drama is officially associated with iQIYI in China.

U.S. streaming availability, international distribution, English subtitles, and specific release arrangements have not yet been confirmed.

What About the Romance and Happy Ending?

For viewers primarily interested in romance, Chao Yu Jie has several promising elements.

The official premise introduces a powerful regent, an emotional connection spanning twelve years, and a heroine determined to uncover the truth about her past.

Those ingredients could support a compelling romance built around loyalty, hidden identities, and long-held feelings.

But several important details remain unconfirmed:

• Whether Lu Zhaoxi and Tu Yin become an official couple early in the story
• How much romantic development takes place before the finale
• Whether the main couple experiences prolonged separation
• Whether the drama features a clear happy ending

The official description emphasizes a mutually devoted, redemptive love story, but that is not enough to verify the television production's final outcome.

For now, Chao Yu Jie is one to watch for its central mystery, promising romantic tension, and the possibility of a heroine who actively challenges the people responsible for her family's destruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who stars in Chao Yu Jie (朝玉阶)?

Bai Lu and Chen Zheyuan are the officially announced leading actors.

What is Chao Yu Jie about?

An eighteen-year-old woman travels twelve years into the future and discovers that her family has been destroyed. In another person's body, she investigates the tragedy while becoming entangled in palace conspiracies and a powerful regent's mysterious past.

Is Chao Yu Jie a short drama?

No. The production was filed as a full-length historical television drama with 40 planned episodes.

When is Chao Yu Jie coming out?

iQIYI currently lists the year 2027, but no exact premiere date has been announced.

Where can I watch Chao Yu Jie?

iQIYI is the confirmed Chinese platform. International and U.S. streaming availability remain unconfirmed.

Does Chao Yu Jie have a happy ending?

The drama has not premiered, and its ending remains unconfirmed.

Sources and Verification

1. iQIYI — Official Chao Yu Jie Drama Listing — Cast, official synopsis, and platform information.
2. iQIYI — 2026–2027 Programming Page — Official programming-page reference; its dynamic text was not accessible during this check.
3. National Radio and Television Administration — July 2026 Production Filings — Official July production-filing notice; the project-specific episode count is corroborated by the Sohu report below.
4. Tencent News — Yu Zheng Clarifies the Production's Original Screenplay — July 27, 2026, reporting.
5. Sina — September 23, 2026 Production Reporting — Reported character assignments and creative team. Its twenty-year plot description conflicts with iQIYI; this article follows iQIYI’s twelve-year synopsis. Its tentative filming schedule is not treated as confirmed.
6. Sohu Entertainment — July 2026 Production Filings — Reports the Huanyu filing and 40 planned episodes. Its novel-adaptation rumor is superseded by Yu Zheng’s clarification.
7. Sina / Fengmian News — Yu Zheng’s Original-Screenplay Clarification — Accessible July 27 report of his denial and identification of screenwriter Ren Yanan.

Information checked October 24, 2026. Final episode count, premiere date, additional cast, international streaming availability, and romantic ending remain subject to official confirmation.