粉墙花影自重重，
帘卷残荷水殿风。
抱琴弹向月明中，
香袅金猊动。
The story occurs in the Southern Sung Dynasty. Pan Bizheng, a young scholar, was engaged to Chen Jiao-lian by their parents while still in their childhood. Later, the families lost contact while fleeing from foreign invasion. After the death of her father, Chen sought asylum in a Taoist monastery where she became a novice and adopted the Taoist name Miaochang. Unbeknownst to her, the Monastery was managed by Pan's aunt.

Pan Bizheng, studying to become a Government official, had traveled to the capital city to take the national civil service examination. Having failed the examination, he is too embarrassed to return home. Instead, he takes temporary lodging his Aunt's Taoist Nunnery to study for the next examination. He quickly becomes aware of the young Taoist novice, unaware of her true identity