春秋年間,楚將唐狡隨王出戰,凱旋而歸。唐狡與國舅向襄同戀玉姬,兩人同時到訪,雙方言語相爭。玉姬知向襄陰險,促唐狡早來迎娶,以免生變。玉姬兄長玉成罷朝歸來,責玉姬不應得罪國舅。楚王親訪玉姬選入宮中,玉姬無奈只好拒唐狡婚盟。
楚王宴群臣於漸台,唐狡失愛借酒消愁。忽然燈燭為狂風吹滅,唐狡怒恨玉姬無情,揮匕欲刺玉姬,反誤觸身旁向妃。向妃摘去其冠纓並稟告楚王,楚王以宴樂酒狂,非是真心冒犯不必縈懷。遂下令席上冠有紅纓者,把紅纓摘下後方才點燈,漸台之宴定名為「摘纓會」。後晉國侵楚,楚王親征。晉帥先蔑驍勇善戰,楚軍被圍不解。唐狡引兵來救,巧遇玉姬,兩人相見悲喜交集。縱然情恨交錯,唐狡仍是拚命相救。
The Hatless Gathering
In the Spring and Autumn Period, General Tang Jiao of the state of Chu goes to war with the king and returns triumphant. Both he and the king’s brother-in-law, Xiang Xiang,love Yu Ji. They visit her at the same time and have a quarrel. Knowing that Xiang is wicked, Yu Ji urges Tang Jiao to marry her as soon as possible. Her brother, Yu Cheng,returns from the court and reprimands his sister for offending Xiang. When the king pays her a personal visit and chooses her as his concubine, she has no choice but to refuseTang‘s offer.?
The king invites his ministers to a banquet on Jian Terrace, where Tang tries to drown his sorrows in liquor. Suddenly a gust of wind blows out the candles. Enraged by Yu Ji’s betrayal, Tang takes out his dagger to stab her but accidentally touches the concubine sitting beside him. In the dark, the concubine takes offTang’s hat and reports the misdeed to the king. Thinking that the transgressor is drunk and has no malicious intentions, the king orders all those wearing hats with red tassels to take them off before the candles are lit again. Thus the banquet comes to be called “the Hatless Gathering.”?
When the state of Jin invades Chu, the king personally leads his troops against the enemy. General Xian Mie of Jin is such a brave and skillful warrior that he lays a tight siege to the troops of Chu. Tang leads a group of soldiers to their rescue, despite his sorrow over the encounter with Yu Ji.