In the last years of Dajing, the Yuhe troupe in Xishi had a broken shed and leaked rain. Su Xiaotao made a living by embroidering opera costumes and painting facial makeup, and depended on the rest of the troupe. Opera was their only sustenance in desperate circumstances. With exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes overwhelming her, she had no choice but to step into the Zhang Mansion to seek a living. She met the gentle Zhang Jingheng and the arrogant and mean Zhang Wanrou. She thought she had found a chance to survive, but she didn't know that murderous intent lurked deep inside the wealthy family; everything on the stage was disguised.
Old Zhao died tragically due to trouble, Liu Niang couldn't bear the humiliation and hanged herself, Xiao Ahe was sold into a well, the theater troupe was destroyed, and Su Xiaotao transformed from an ignorant embroidery worker seeking survival into a poison-quenching and revengeful blade. Only then did she see clearly that Zhang Jingheng's gentleness was sugar-coated poison, Zhang Wanrou's arrogance hid an unspeakable secret, and behind Master Zhang Zhang Chengye's majesty were Machiavellian schemes and unspoken obsessions.
Singing has become a tool of political power, the opera costumes are embroidered with blood and tears, and the singing voice hides the brilliance of swordsmanship. Su Xiaotao endured and lay dormant, using opera to convey messages and embroidery as a soldier. She and Zhang Wanrou went from opposition to alliance, and then turned against each other because of their positions, and finally revealed all the truth at a theater banquet in the court. She put an end to Zhang Jingheng's evil with her own hands, watched the Zhang family destroyed in party strife and sin, and atoned for the grievances of the theater troupe with their blood.
The play disappeared and Chang'an was destroyed. In front of the old theater, Su Xiaotao took the orphan boy to rebuild the troupe, allowing the blood, tears and tenderness in the play to continue in the dust of the times.
Purpose: Use drama as a mirror to reveal the hypocrisy and true goodness of people's hearts, telling the struggle, revenge and redemption of low-level people in the torrent of the times; exposing the desolation of human nature under the power game, also praising the undying tenderness and perseverance in desperate situations, and exploring the bond between "drama and life" - when the stage ends and people's hearts are extinguished, only goodwill and inheritance can shine in the ashes.