The story takes place in a certain area of Jiangnan during the Republic of China period. The Su family is the wealthiest household in the area, where Mr. Su (played by Liu Songren) has four wives. Ever since the arrival of the fifth wife, Zitao (played by Hu Jing), the Su mansion, filled with wives, concubines, and children, experiences indescribable changes. The hidden secrets of both men and women in the family are slowly unraveled one by one, as if peeling layers of an onion. It turns out that Zitao, the last to enter the family, is well-versed in psychology; her seemingly casual words and actions reveal her intelligent schemes. To punish the Su family for their past sins and to uncover the hidden treasures of gold and silver, Zitao engages in a battle of wits with the second concubine (played by Weng Hong), the third concubine (played by Bai Shan), and the eldest son. After several rounds, Zitao becomes the head of the Su family. The selflessness of the second young master, Mingyuan (played by Chen Chuhe), gradually touches Zitao's heart, and she opens up to him about her initial intentions...
