Three women (and good friends) of low social status was driven to the capital of Kaifeng during the Song dynasty due to unfortunate circumstances in their love and married lives. This is a period known for high class consciousness, highly conservative values and prejudice against women, especially those from the lowly slave class. They struggled to setup and run a business, and pitted their wits against commercial bullying and political sabotages.

Zhao Pan-er's father was punished for disobeying orders as a general and was killed. As a young girl, she was branded as a lowly slave and was trained as a dancer to entertain senior government officers but was eventually freed from her slave class. Intelligent and commercially savvy, she ran a successful teahouse for a living along with San-niang. While helping a scholar to prepare for the imperial exam, they fell in love. The scholar pledged to marry her when he passed the imperial exam, and they were engaged. Unfortunately, good news came along with bad. He was ranked as the second scholar and he was matched made to marry the daughter of a high ranking officer. Not believing that he was a faithless man, she was determined to travel to the capital to confirm the truth.

Sun San-Niang formerly worked as a butcher and built great physical strength. She was also a very good cook and a good mother. Her biggest ambition was for her son to succeed in the imperial exam when he grew up, so she could be awarded a set of tiara and ceremonial gown as the mother of a scholar. Unfortunately, her husband had other plans and fostered her son to his late cousin's wife on the pretext that his son would inherit the cousin's estate. He divorced San-niang when she discovered that they were having an affair. To add salt to her wound, her son chose to take side with the foster mother as she pampered him in contrast to his mother who forced him to attend school and do well academically. Greatly hurt, she jumped into the river in a suicide attempt.

Song Yin-Zhang was the top pipa (lute) player in the Qiantang province. Being a performer, she was also regarded as from a lowly status class. Anxious to be freed from her registered status, she ran eloped with a 'wealthy' merchant, against the advice of Pan-er whom she regarded as her sister. She was unfortunately mistreated as her new husband tried to extort money from her.

Gu Qian-Fan, a commander in the Imperial Capital Bureau, was well-known for being ruthless and earned the nickname, 'Living Hades'. He was assigned to investigate rumours in the capital and to trace a painting which would reveal a great secret against the Empress who had been assisting the Emperor in court matters and was hated by the ministers fighting for power. While on this mission, he was made the scapegoat for the murder of a minister and his family.

Zhao and Gu were at loggerheads with each other as Zhao hated the Imperial Capital Bureau which arrested her father. However, along the trip to the capital, they crossed each other's path and had to help each other to get to their destination.

Would these unfortunate souls survived and eventually find they love they deserved? Who exactly was Gu? Why did the new prime minister help him?

What I like about this drama?
1. It depicted the gender prejudice during that era and how three women braved the odds in their lives to run a successful restaurant. While at the same time, there were a lot of light-hearted moments. You might expect it to be quite dark for a theme like this, but it is not. Unlike some dramas where the villain always wins throughout, this drama is the oppose.

2. The chemistry between the lead actor and actress as well as that between the secondary leads was phenomenal.

3. The dance performance at the opening of the restaurant was the best I have seen in all dramas (I have watched a lot).

4. This drama is full of good looking actors and actresses - Chen Xiao (Gu), Liu YiFei (Zhao), Xu Hai Qiao (the villain), Liu Yan (Sun) and Fei Xia (Song). Call me shallow, but good looking actors and actresses with good acting skills always make a big difference to a drama.

5. The flirtation between Gu and Zhao - subtle initially and more obvious later. The exchange of words was so poetic in episode 5 when Gu visited Zhao at the inn, if you can understand Mandarin.

6. Liu YiFei playing the seductress to hoodwink ZhouShe in the story - she was absolutely superb.

7. Excellent overall production: lovely cinematography, excellent cast, beautiful costumes, well choreographed dances, lovely opening and closing theme songs - very well executed from the beginning to the end.

8. Last and not least, it earned my empathy and tears not from a dying scene of the hero or heroine (a departure from the usual) but from the appeal against the prejudice of that age.

What I dislike of this drama? As with most dramas, it was not without questionable moments. Here is my nitpicking:

1. Gu was severely injured during one of the scenes. Zhao appeared to help him, took a flare from him and fired it for help. Wonder why Gu did not fire it earlier himself when the assassins appeared and not get himself so badly injured.

2. Song Yin-Zhang's playing of the pipa is completely out of sync with the music. It appeared she knew nothing about playing the pipa and was not even musically trained.

3. The opening and ending theme songs were lovely but I wish there were more musical moment in the drama.

The story appeared quite straightforward. But still it would keep you glued in front of the screen, trying to find out what might happen next. I am rewatching it as I write this review.

Highly recommended. This is the best drama I have watched over the last 2 years.