The setting of the Black Brick Castle that harvests poppy seed. But times are tough as the wait for a ship that is picking up the latest batches has either been intercepted by robbers or won't come at all and the boss of the castle, Chen Tsao, once was part of the robbing gang before inheriting the family business slowly loses his mind. Despite the copious amount of concubines around him, he is not able to impregnate a woman. and he made Chen Mao, a worker impregnate a concubine to have a heir. His father's outgoing ways with several concubines and opium smoking, seems to somewhat stop at him. But worldly circumstances possibly having to do with poverty and famine outside of the castle walls doesn't make matters stop at him to turn around in a positive way. On the other hand Chen Mao, has an eye for one of the female workers who is married to abusive Kui Kong who thinks she brings bad luck to him, although she struggles to raise her two children with this curse she's said to carry..