Beauties in Jiang Hu(2004)

Beauties in Jiang Hu is a Ming Dynasty series that unfolds when the emperor falls gravely ill, leaving the court in disarray. The 18th prince Long'er faces an unexpected challenge when Hei Ni, king of the Black Teeth Kingdom, arrives and boasts of four unparalleled masters: the God of War, Poetry, Cookery, and Chess. Long'er initially sees an opportunity to showcase Han superiority in these very disciplines, but discovers too late that Hei Ni has already corrupted the Ming Dynasty's finest talents. Trapped by his own confidence, Long'er is forced into a binding agreement: a three-month competition between the two nations, with territorial loss and heavy compensation at stake if Ming Dynasty fails. The prince must now find new champions to save his country from humiliation and ruin.