The Wooden Man’s Bride

A procession carrying the Young Mistress is attacked by sword-wielding bandits in the desert, and she is kidnapped. Kui, a reckless servant, chases after the bandits to their lair. He reaches the bandits' hideout and earns the chief's respect, who allows him to take the Young Mistress back.

Kui arrives at the bandits' lair and impresses the chief, who grants him permission to bring the Young Mistress back. This sets the stage for a fragile reunion inside the bandit's world. The Young Mistress begins her uneasy return toward her former life.

News reaches the Young Mistress's fiancé that she has been captured. He prepares to rescue her, but his attempt triggers an explosion that kills him. The fiancé's death removes the barrier to the arranged path forward.

Upon the Young Mistress's arrival, Madame Liu subjects her to arcane tests of purity to determine worthiness. After passing the tests, she is forced to marry the wooden man, a life-sized statue of her late fiancé. The ceremony demonstrates the lack of agency she has over her own fate.

The Young Mistress is trapped in a life she did not choose, confined to the mill with the wooden man. She makes attempts to escape but fails, deepening her sense of confinement. Her longing for freedom grows with each passing day.

Inside the oppressive setting, the Young Mistress finds solace in a growing friendship with Kui, the former hero who had rescued her. Their bond slowly deepens into a secret romance despite social barriers. The romance complicates loyalties among captors and captives.

The illicit romance between the Young Mistress and Kui is discovered, leading Madame Liu to banish Kui from the mill. In a brutal bid to prevent escape, she has the Young Mistress's legs broken. The power struggle tightens around the heroine.

Determined to rescue his love again, Kui leaves the mill and reconnects with the bandits. When he returns, he finds the chief dead and is proclaimed the new leader, gaining the resources to mount a larger plan to claim the Young Mistress.

A year after leaving the mill, Kui returns with the bandits to reclaim the Young Mistress. He moves to secure the escape route and confront the household that imprisons her. The tense standoff foreshadows a drastic act to come.

Upon Kui's arrival, Madame Liu commits suicide by hanging, removing a key obstacle to the rescue. Her death eliminates a brutal guardian and signals the climactic moment of the plan. The Young Mistress watches as power shifts away from the mill's dominion.

Kui seizes the moment and burns the house to force the Young Mistress's escape from captivity. The conflagration cloaks their departure as Kui physically carries her away from the burning site. The act marks the turning point from captivity toward perilous freedom.

The film ends with the Young Mistress and Kui riding away together, leaving the ruins behind. Their future is unclear, but they are bound by a dangerous, passionate love. The conclusion emphasizes resilience over social rules.