Xu Chun lost his father young and was separated from his mother Bi Niang—they kept in touch only by letters, a secret from everyone but his friend Sun Wei. He studied hard to join the Imperial Academy, rose to First Rank, and the emperor ordered their reunion. Consumed by jealousy, Sun Wei poisoned and disfigured Bi Niang, then impersonated her. Bi Niang survived a storm, rescued baby Qiao’er, wandered for 20 years, and went to the capital to find Xu Chun. Mistaken for a stranger, she was beaten and imprisoned by him—until she proved her identity with a jade pendant.
