The film has undergone a non-linear editing in terms of its visual
and audio aspects and is played on quality video projection.

LI Yi the young scholar picks up a purple hairpin on the 15th Night of the Chinese New year, thereby starting a romance with HUO Xiao-yu the famed courtesan who has long admired LI’s talent.  They hastily get married that very night.  On the next day, with the nuptial bed still warm, the bridegroom as newly appointed Champion Scholar in the Civil Service Examination has to leave his bride for posting at the frontiers, to be parted for three years.  There is a plot afoot because LI Yi had made another conquest in picking up a handkerchief moments before picking up the hairpin.  The Marshal’s daughter also has eyes for ‘him’ alone.

LI and HUO are after all an illicit match of the brothel despised in the eyes of high society.  In the original story “Legend of HUO Xiao-yu” also dies in grief, and as a ghost sabotages LI Yi’s marriage. TONG Tik-sang’s HUO Xiao-yu played by PAK Suet-sin is quite another story…

“This is fate, predestination”
YAM Kim-fai‧LI Yi

“Shock and shyness knit my brows”
PAK Suet-sin‧HUO Xiao-yu

“This is fate, predestination
Blushing as red peach blossom”

“The nameless in this world
Are the ones who have hearts”
LEUNG Sing-por‧Fellow-in-Yellow

“I die in Marshal’s Mansion
Tiger roars in Hades”

“Life and death hang on a thread”
LAN Chi-pat‧Marshal LO