Xiqu

“Di Qing and Princess Shuangyang” takes place during the Northern Song dynasty. The Liao of the Kara-Khitan Khanate are waging war at the western border. The Song emperor orders Prince Baxian to pick a marshal for an offensive expedition. Di Qing wins a duel against Han Tianhua for the post of marshal. His vanguard, Jiao Tinggui, enters the Shanshan state by mistake, and Di falls into the hands of Princess Shuangyang as a prisoner of war and is later made her consort. The Song court finds this outrageous, has Di’s mother placed under arrest and orders Di to return to ask for forgiveness. Di gets back his sword and horse, and manages to breach three gates during the night to escape. Shuangyang chases after him, but, on catching up, is moved by his heartfelt plea to go home and lets him go. When the Song land is under attack by the Liao again, the emperor orders the indicted Di to lead the army as compensation for his crimes. Di gets trapped inside a gulley, but Shuangyang arrives with reinforcements and defeats the Liao troops, and husband and wife are reunited.