衛花愁在青樓賣藝以供養弟郎衛玉成,衛玉成與楊天保之妹玉娥已到論婚之時,花愁將魯貴客所送之珠寶予弟作聘禮,天保自愧家窮,決定盜之贈妹作嫁妝。天保來到青樓巧遇花愁,說出為妹作賊之苦,花愁有同是天涯之悲,乃將魯貴客之子大鵬所送金飾贈予天保,成婚之日,魯貴客亦來道賀,見兩家禮物都出自魯家,笑這是父子成婚,衛玉成始知姐為青樓女,氣憤出走。
戰禍四起,魯家被洗劫一空,大鵬從戎為國,楊天保與衛花愁成婚,花愁賣唱持家,有一浪蕩子巫壽暗戀花愁,冒寫二人通姦情書,命丫環交予天保,天保氣走,巫壽調戲花愁,與花愁糾纏之際,誤殺天保之妹玉娥,巫壽買通師爺狀告花愁殺人。天保出走後與大鵬、玉成分別救駕有功,封官回鄉,會審花愁殺人一案,最後幸有丫環手持玉娥死前血書一封,真相大白,花愁脫冤,與弟重逢,與天保重續前緣。
The Story of a Sing-song Girl /Story of an Almah
Wei Huachou earns money as a songstress in a brothel in order to provide for her younger brother, Wei Yucheng. When Yucheng is to marry Yu’e, Yang Tianbao’s younger sister, Huachou gives him jewelry for a betrothal gift, which was given to her by a patron, Lu Guike. Tianbao is ashamed of his poor family and decides to steal some valuables for his sister’s dowry. He comes to the brothel, meets Huachou, and pours out his story. The two feel sympathy and pity for each other. Huachou gives Tianbao some gold jewelry, a gift from Dapeng, Guike’s son. On the wedding day, Lu Guike comes to congratulate the couple and sees the gifts; he jokes that this is a marriage of father and son. Huachou and Tianbao are duly exposed.Yucheng storms away in a rage.
War breaks out and the Lu house is ransacked. Lu Dapeng joins the army to defend the state. The sympathy Huachou and Tianbao share blossoms into romance and marriage. After the marriage, Huachoustill sings for living. A ruffian, Wu Shou, has secret love for Huachou and writes a love letter to her, but has his servant deliver it to her husband. Tianbao flies into a rage and leaves home. The ruffian forces himself on Huachou; and during the scuffle,Yu’e is killed. Wu Shou bribes the official clerk and accuses Huachou of murder. Tianbao, Dapeng and Yucheng return as feudal lords after they heroically save the emperor. The case reopens, redressing the grievances of the wrongly accused with a letter written by Yu’e in blood before her death and presented by a timely servant to the court. The truth finally surfaces. Huachou is acquitted and returns to her husband and brother.