From the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty to the Anshi Rebellion (approximately 742-763), the prosperous Tang Dynasty went from its peak to turmoil. The prosperity of Chang'an was in sharp contrast with the ruin after the war. The imperial examination system, the power of clans, the blending of Hu and Han cultures and other era characteristics are throughout. Shen Zhiyan, a scholar from a poor family, and Li Mingyue, the daughter of a general, fell in love across the strict hierarchical Tang Dynasty society, but were swept up in the Anshi Rebellion. After separation, betrayal, and the test of life and death, they finally understood in the troubled times that "love is not only about flowers before the moon and under the moon, but also the responsibility of staying together through thick and thin."
