窮書生桂炳芬與藩王府婢女杜月明相戀。太史汪汝南之子與郡主有婚約,但他殺人潛逃,汝南乃找炳芬頂替其子,並隱瞞了婚約之事。
成婚之日,炳芬騎虎難下。月明誤會炳芬負情,百感交集下出走。汝南派人殺月明滅口。草莽英雄易劍湘救了月明,並答應照顧她。一年後,月明生下一女,原打算送還炳芬,此時汪汝南兒子的仇家前來尋仇,毒箭射中炳芬右手。眾人以為月明行兇,連同女嬰一併驅逐。接著傳來月明告御狀的消息,騙婚之舉遭揭發。結果,郡主難產,母子俱亡。炳芬被判充軍十四年,汝南被貶為平民。炳芬充軍回來,再遇月明母女。眾人仍為當年恩怨糾纏不清。劍湘道出他才是當年告御狀之人,目的是留住月明。最後炳芬領回親女,而月明仍為劍湘妻。
Crescent Moon on a Cold Bed / Lonely Moonlight on a Cold Bed
Poor scholar Gui is in love with Du, a maid in the household of Wang,a feudal lord. Court Historian Wang’s son is engaged to the princess, but the young man has committed murder and is on the run. Wang asksGui to take the place of his son without disclosing the engagement.
Gui finally agrees to marry the princess on the day of the wedding. Disappointed at his betrayal, Du leaves the Wang household. In order to hide the truth,Wang issues orders to eliminate the servant girl Du, who could potentially inform the princess of Gui’s true identity. Grass-roots hero Yi rescues Du and promises to take care of her.
One year later, Du gives birth to a daughter, whom she is to return to Gui. A man comes to avenge a murder perpetrated by Wang’s son, and Gui is wounded in the right hand by a poisoned arrow. Du arrives with the baby. Mistaking Du for the assassin, the household expels Du and her child. Word soon comes thatDu has informed the emperor about the ruse of the marriage. The princess dies with her baby stillborn.Gui is sentenced to fourteen years of military exile, andWang is relieved of his official rank and becomes a commoner.
Gui finally returns from his exile and meets with Du and her daughter. They find themselves still haunted, irreconcilably, by their past. Yi reveals that it is he who had informed the emperor in order to keep Du. Finally, Gui takes back his daughter. Du remains Yi’s wife.