Flirting Scholar

In Ming Dynasty China, Tong Pak Fu is famed as an unmatched artist, poet, and calligrapher. His personal life includes eight wives who are gambling addicts and fail to appreciate his talents. He longs to find a woman who truly recognizes his strengths.

After meeting Chow Heung, Tong decides to pose as a lowly servant named 9527 to gain employment at the House of Wah. The deception allows him to enter a world of power and romance while hiding his true status. He hopes to win Chow Heung's affection and showcase his talents.

One night, Tong saves Chow Heung from rape by the Wolf gang, proving his courage. Madame Wah discovers that Tong is educated, which surprises her and signals his true potential. This incident marks Tong's transition from covert servant to a valued figure in the household.

Chow Heung's persuasion leads Madame Wah to hire Tong as an assistant tutor for her two young sons. Tong asks to be called Wah On while Madame Wah nicknames him Washington, establishing his new status. He begins teaching and gradually grows closer to Chow Heung.

After the accidental death of the main tutor, Tong is promoted to senior tutor. The promotion increases his influence within the Wah household and brings him closer to Chow Heung. He continues to maintain his disguise while advancing in status.

Chancellor Wah's rival, Prince Ning, visits to stage a coup and shows off a painting of Tong Pak Fu. The Evil Scholar, now under Ning, fights and injures Madam Wah, escalating the confrontation. Tong steps in to intervene but ends up destroying the painting, worsening the political tension.

In the ensuing chaos, Tong grabs Chow Heung and tells Ning that the painting they possess is fake, claiming the real one is in Wah House. Chow Heung tries to recreate the painting in the study to placate Ning, while Tong completes a convincing recreation himself. Ning's scholar verifies the work as genuine Tong Pak Fu, embarrassing Ning and his faction.

Madame Wah, having deduced Tong's true identity, poisons him, stripping him of his strength. She reveals a long-standing grievance: she was the former love rival of Tong's mother and still resents his father. Tong is left powerless and imprisoned in the Wah's tinder room.

Several days pass as the Evil Scholar returns to annihilate the House of Wah. Madame Wah defends the family but is nearly killed in the confrontation. Tong reappears in time to engage and kill the Evil Scholar in a fierce battle.

As a reward for his valor, the House of Wah offers Tong Chow Heung's hand in marriage. Tong accepts the arrangement and begins planning their future together. He soon discovers that Chow Heung is just as gambling-addicted as his other eight wives.

The marriage reveals that Chow Heung is as much a gambling addict as Tong's other wives. The discovery underscores the irony of Tong's search for genuine appreciation and hints at the fragile nature of his happiness. The dynamic foreshadows continued personal turmoil.

Tong Pak Fu marries Chow Heung, but the story closes with the sense that happiness may be elusive due to the gambling obsession. Tong's artistry remains unmatched, yet his personal life is entangled in the same compulsions that affected his eight wives. The ending leaves the audience questioning whether true fulfillment is possible within this world.