Fengyan loved her cousin Zihong deeply, but Zihong married the son of a powerful man. Hou Zihong's husband failed in the official struggle and committed suicide out of fear of crime. Zihong wandered south alone with her young son, and later fell into prostitution. Fengyan has been single and deeply in love with Zihong. After learning about Zihong's fall, she died of depression. Soon after, Zihong also became seriously ill and died.