Main •
Jing Tian as Ban Shu • Daughter of
Ban Chao and princess of
Shanshan County. A free-spirited girl who grew up in the grasslands. She later enters the palace and becomes a scholar to prove her identity as Ban Chao's daughter. •
Zhang Zhehan as Wei Ying • Descendant of military general
Wei Qing. A cold and distant man. Because of the accident of his previous fiancee Liu Xuan, he grew to dislike outlanders. He used to be a capable general, but due to an accident, decides to become a scholar in the palace's academy. •
Fu Xinbo as Huo Heng/Huo Xuan • Huo Heng is the commander of the Eastern Han's imperial army. An intelligent and courageous man. He loves Yao Juan, and would sacrifice anything for her. Huo Xuan is Huo Heng's twin brother. A cunning and crafty man. He loves Deng Sui. •
Li Jiahang as Deng Zhi • Brother of Deng Sui. Great General Cheqi. Kou Lanzhi's fiancee. He used to love Ban Shu and Yue Jin. •
Li Xinai as Kou Lanzhi • Daughter of Marquis Fulu. Known as the most talented girl in the capital. She later becomes a scholar in the palace academy, and becomes rivals with Ban Shu. • Deng Sha as Yao Juan • Ban Zhao's renowned disciple. A scholar in the palace academy. She loves Huo Heng, and is a close friend of Ban Shu. She has extremely poor eyesight.
Supporting Palace academy •
Tien Niu as
Ban Zhao • A renowned historian and scholar. Ban Shu's aunt, Deng Sui's teacher. •
Zhang Xinyu as Liu Xuan (Mo Chou) • Ban Zhao's senior disciple, and the top female professor in the inner palace academy. She used to be Wei Ying's lover, but was sent to the Southern Lands due to a marriage arrangement with King Zuoxian. • Zhang Yijie as Liu Hong • Son of Prince Zhongshan. Student of Professor Wei. •
Zhang Xueying as Liu Yan • Princess Beixiang. Daughter of Prince Zhongshan. An unruly and spoilt girl who likes Wei Ying, and treats Ban Shu as a rival. •
Guan Xiaotong as Jiang Xiu • Elder mistress of Lanling Order's Jiang manor. •
Jiang Yiyi as Jiang Ling • Second mistress of Lanling Order's Jiang manor. • Kang Ning as Liu Xing • Princess Wenxi. A girl with weak health but a kind heart. •
Merxat as Kou Feng • Brother of Kou Lanzhi. He likes An Xin, and dislikes Ban Shu due to her rivalry with his sister. •
Sun Yi as Ah Cen • Daughter of Grand Herald Lin. Kou Lanzhi's most favored student. • Fan Linlin as He Hui • Daughter of the provincial governor. • Zheng Danlei as Ah Xiang • Liu Yan's close friend. • Gao Yu'er as Ah Shuang • Gao Jicai as Zhu Ding • Son of Glorious Grand Master Zhu Mingtang. • Chen Long as Li Yong • Son of Guannei Marquis Li Guang. • Xiao Yuyu as Xia Wenji • Daughter of the Education Minister. A female professor who entered the Academy at the same time as Ban Shu, but was scared away by the rowdy students.
Imperial family • Li Sheng as
Deng Sui • Empress Dowager Deng. She has a forbidden love with Huo Xuan. • Wang Peidong as
Liu Hu • Emperor An. • Wang Jialin as
Liu Wu • Prince Liang. He aims to overthrow Deng Sui. • Xiang Yicheng as Princess Yunxiu
Servants • Wang Shuang as Court Lady Ming • Personal attendant of Deng Sui. • Shao Min as Wang Sheng • Wet nurse of the Emperor. She often encourages the Emperor to go against Deng Sui. She treats Kou Lanzhi as a younger sister. •
Kent Tong as Uncle Zhong • Loyal servant of Ban family. • Wen Wen as Pei Huan • Personal attendant of Ban Shu. • Cao Xinyue as Bi Yu • Personal attendant of Kou Lanzhi. • Zeng Yixuan as Jin Shu • Attendant of the inner academy hall.
Court officials • Lu Yong as Yang Zhen • Minister of Eastern Han. • Wang Jianxin as Marquis Kou • Fulu Marquis. A renowned scholar. Kou Lanzhi and Kou Feng's father. He is in cahoots with Prince Liang, and aims to overthrow Deng Sui. • Qiu Xinzhi as Zhu Mingtang • Glorious grand master. Zhu Ding's father. • Yang Long as Qin Huai • Deng Zhi's subordinate. • Zhang Jia as
Ban Yong • Sima General. Ban Shu's brother. • Zhuo Fan as Jiang Chongdong • Investigating Censor of Lan Tai. Jiang Xiu and Jiang Ling's father. • Hu Pu as Bai Chengen • A general. • Yue Dongfeng as Minister Cai • In charge of the purchasing orders of the palace. • Wang Maolei as Zhen Jian • A general. Princess Yunxiu's husband. • Ya Jiahui as Du Zhong • Minister of Ye Ting Order.
People of Han kingdom • Hei Zi as Lord Nanyang • Wang Lin as Lady Nanyang •
Jiao Junyan as Ah Yue • Courtesan of Hongxiang Court. Deng Zhi's close confidant. •
Johnny Zhang as Song Cheng • Military captain of Xiliu Camp. Jiang Xiu's lover. • Zang Hongna as Yin Xiu • A girl who likes Huo Heng. •
Kristy Yang as Zhu Ding's mother. • He Yanni as Miao Rouniang • Zhu Mintang's second wife.
Others •
Gao Yunxiang as Su Li • Leader of the Inner Mongolias' Bandits. He likes Ban Shu. •
Zhang Meng as Yue Jin • A songstress who came from the Northern Lands. Deng Zhi's crush. • Kang Lei as An Ping • Prince of Loulan Kingdom. •
Dilraba Dilmurat as An Xin • Princess of Loulan Kingdom. She likes Kou Feng. • Ji Chen as Mo Dong • A businessman from the Northern Lands. •
Gao Weiguang as King Zuoxian • Ruler of Inner Mongolias' Southern Lands. Liu Xuan's husband. • Li Yilin as Prince of South • Leader of Inner Mongolias' Southern Lands. Brother of King Zuoxian. • Zhang Yameng as Consort Dowager • Mother of King Zuoxian. • Kun Enpan as Ah Zhu • Personal attendant of King Zuoxian. == Soundtrack ==