During the reign of the Long Qing Emperor in the Ming Dynasty (the mid-1500s), Lin ShaoChun is the daughter of a once-powerful government official. But after being accused of embezzlement and corruption, her father - and the rest of the family - fell from grace. In an attempt to make ends meet, she joins a troupe of traveling performers - where she meets Sun YuLou, the heir of a rich family. He falls in love with Lin ShaoChun at first sight. But she has no intention of remaining in the performing troupe. Instead, Lin ShaoChun intends to avenge those who wronged her family. She plans to join the civil service, and disguises herself as a man in order to take the necessary examinations. Sun YuLou resolves to help her, although his family vehemently opposes at first. Regardless, the duo begins to form a close bond and eventually marry. However, when she discovers that a member of her husband's family may have played a role in her own family's fall, Lin ShaoChun finds herself at a crossroads.
