The Hua family is suddenly struck by disaster, and the entire household is exiled, leaving only the sheltered young women behind. The eldest daughter, Hua Zhi (played by Zhang Jingyi), sheds her disguise and leads the women of her clan in a desperate fight to survive: from pawning their dowries to selling goods on the street, and from never having lifted a finger to doing housework to opening their own cosmetics shop, these noblewomen turn hairpins into abacuses and embroidered handkerchiefs into account books. The cold-faced Gu Yanxi (played by Hu Yitian) is ordered to keep watch over them, but Hua Zhi's resilience moves him, transforming him from a ruthless inspector into her protector. As turmoil once again grips the imperial court, this army of women must not only fight for survival, but also clear their family name...
