An aging opera singer facing retirement and a divorce. An energetic young woman seeking to escape her mundane life with her boyfriend. A young teacher obsessed with a new and rebellious student from Shanghai. All of them have one thing in common: their lives are intertwined with Xi Shi's, one of ancient China's legendary beauties.

Shanghai, China, 1930. When young Shuisheng arrives from the countryside, his uncle Liushu puts him at the service of Bijou, the mistress of Laoda, supreme boss of the Tang Triad, constantly threatened by his enemies, both those he knows and those lurking in the shadows.