蠻漢刁妻

洪天寶家道中落，無奈欲賣家傳寶劍以籌措盤纏上京赴考。他偶遇德如慷慨轉贈追債得來的銀兩，惜山賊竄出搶去銀兩，二人追趕之際遇朝廷重臣葛大雄之女靜娘。靜娘對天寶一見傾心，其父亦賞識天寶並招他為婿。天寶擊敗大雄旗下大將，被任命為先鋒，德如亦投效天寶。天寶成婚後兩年征戰在外，打算回朝與靜娘重聚。德如無意中偷聽大雄弒君之陰謀，即告知靜娘。為免天寶惹來殺身之禍，靜娘假裝與德如有染。天寶怒極寫下休書，靜娘亦被父親逐出家門。大雄埋伏欲謀害宋帝及皇后，天寶恰巧路過成功護駕，獲賜封高位上京就職。時靜娘及德如等人在故鄉生活潦倒，靜娘隨樵婦上山採柴，誤阻王爺的去路而被罰。貴為王爺的天寶見樵婦竟是靜娘，大怒欲重罰她及德如。後大雄落網，靜娘沉冤得雪，天寶懊悔不已，向靜娘認錯。而靜娘亦為父親向皇上求情，最後大雄獲免死罪。

Tianbao and Jingniang

Having suffered a decline in his family fortunes, Hong Tianbao decides to sell an heirloom sword to raise the money for going to the capital to take the imperial examination. He encounters Deru, who generously gives him the money. Unfortunately, the money is snatched by a bandit. In their pursuit, Hong and Derumeet Jingniang, daughter of senior minister Ge Daxiong. She falls in love with Hong at first sight. Her father also takes a liking to him and agrees that they can get married. Hong defeats a warrior subordinate toDaxiong and is appointed vanguard leader; Deru offers his service to Hong.

Having spent two years in the army away from home since he got married, Hong decides to return to his wife. Deru overhears Daxiong’s plot to assassinate the emperor and informs Jingniang. To protect Hongfrom this traitorous association, Jingniang pretends to have an affair with Deru. Infuriated, Hong writes a letter of divorce, and Jingniang is expelled by her father.

Daxiong sets up an ambush on the emperor and the empress. Hong, who happens to pass by, successfully rescues the emperor. He is awarded a high post and goes to the capital to assume office.Jingniang and Deru, on the other hand, are leading a miserable life in their hometown. When picking firewood in the mountain with woodcutters, Jingniang is punished for accidentally blocking the way of Hong, who is now a lord. Seeing that the woodcutter is Jingniang, he is so angry that he intends to severely punish her and Deru. Later, Daxiong is arrested and Jingniang’s name is cleared. Full of regrets, Hong apologizes to her. She pleads with the emperor on behalf of her father, who is eventually exempted from the death penalty.