After disaster strikes the Su family, Su Qingci sets off for the capital with half of the Mountain and River Map her father left behind, which conceals clues to a hidden treasure from the previous dynasty. She ends up lodging with her sharp-tongued aunt by marriage, a distant relative. To raise enough money to grease the wheels for her father’s exile, she sets up a stall selling paintings at Liulichang. A painting called Solitary Angler on a Cold River catches the eye of Xiao Jinghan, who is traveling incognito. The lonely fisherman in his straw cape and bamboo hat mirrors Xiao Jinghan’s own feelings as he faces exclusion at court. Xiao Jinghan buys the painting anonymously, but on his way back he happens upon Su Qingci being bullied by her aunt. Though in dire straits, she stands tall and argues her case, winning his admiration.
