This story takes place in Yuanye Village, a mountain community, in the final years of the Guangxu reign. Set in the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu, it tells the story of three landowning families, the Hong, Hou, and Wei families. The main characters are Hong Ziran, Wei Zibiao, and Hou Yu. The novel recounts their family circumstances, their love and marriages, and the lives of their parents. It is a tale of village life in days gone by.
