Zhao Pan-Er is the owner of a famous tea shop in Qian-Tang. She supported her fiancé, Ou-Yang Xu, for three years before he went to Eastern Capital to take the imperial exam, promising to marry her once he passed. She meets Gu Qian-Fan, an upright commander from the Imperial City, and they become entangled in a big case in Jiang-Nan where he is framed and becomes a wanted man. During that time, she finds out from Ou-Yang Xu's servant, Uncle De, that though her fiancé won third place in the imperial examination, he agreed to marry the daughter of an official, and can only take Zhao Pan-Er as a concubine instead of as his legal wife. Unwilling to accept her fate, she decides to go to the Eastern Capital and find out the truth, and seek justice. Before going, Zhao Pan-Er, helps an injured Gu Qian-Fan escape the authorities by getting him onto a ship. She also finds out that her friend, Song Yin-Zhang, was tricked into marriage by a gambler who only wanted her money, and is being abused by him. Along the way, she finds Sun San-Niang, a chef who was driven to suicide by her callous, cheating husband and ungrateful son, clinging to a large piece of driftwood. Sun San-Niang is rescued by Gu Qian-Fan. Sun San-Niang becomes ill from overwhelming grief and is nursed back to health by Zhao Pan-Er and Gu Qian-Fan. Zhao Pan-Er comes up with a plan to rescue Song Yin-Zhang and get justice for her. After successfully saving Song Yin-Zhang, the three sworn sisters decide to go to the Eastern Capital together to find the truth about Ou-Yang Xu.