Yun Si, the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor and a woman renowned for her beauty and virtue, is betrothed to Xie Changze, the young Commandery Prince and her maternal cousin. The marriage, arranged by the Empress Dowager and blessed by both families, appears to be a perfect union of status and affection. However, on the night before the betrothal ceremony, Yun Si experiences a vivid and intimate dream involving a stranger. The man in the dream possesses an aggressive demeanor and a physique far more imposing than her gentle cousin, leaving Yun Si deeply disturbed upon waking. Despite her distress, she maintains her composure during the formal engagements, hiding her turmoil from her family and fiancé.
The dreams continue with increasing intensity, each night bringing Yun Si closer to physical arousal and emotional confusion. She discovers that the man in her dreams bears a striking resemblance to figures in erotic paintings she secretly purchases for verification. Simultaneously, the Emperor Xie Yan, known as a tyrant who has never consummated his marriage or produced an heir, begins experiencing the same dreams. Xie Yan, who has long suffered from mysterious headaches and a deep aversion to touch, finds that these dreams are the first source of peace and desire he has ever known. Driven by a compulsive need to find the woman in his dreams, he issues an edict for a nationwide selection of consorts, specifying only two criteria: skin as white as snow and a red mole on the waist.
Yun Si’s family is thrown into panic by the Emperor’s decree, as Yun Si possesses the exact physical traits described. However, her prior engagement to Xie Changze provides temporary protection, as an already betrothed woman is exempt from the selection. Despite this reprieve, Yun Si’s psychological state deteriorates. She suffers from insomnia, weight loss, and an inability to escape the recurring dreams. Her attempts to seek medical help yield no results, as the imperial physician prescribes the same treatment he gave the Emperor, noting the identical symptoms.
The conflict escalates when Yun Si attends a birthday banquet hosted by Princess Yong Jia. After consuming lotus wine, she falls asleep in a pavilion and dreams of the man again, this time with a heightened sense of boldness. Upon waking, she realizes that the physical sensations from the dream have carried over into reality, causing her immense shame and fear. She spots her cousin Xie Changze across the stream, winning an archery contest, and feels a profound sense of guilt and alienation from her intended husband. Meanwhile, Xie Yan, also present at the temple and the banquet, feels an inexplicable pull toward a woman in a water-green skirt, unaware that it is Yun Si.
Yun Si turns to Buddhism, copying scriptures and praying for deliverance, but the dreams persist. She decides to take matters into her own hands, resolving to identify the man in her dreams to break the cycle. Her investigation leads her to suspect that the man is real and that he may be connected to the Emperor’s sudden interest in consorts. As the wedding date approaches, Yun Si finds herself trapped between her duty to her fiancé and the irresistible, terrifying pull of the stranger who haunts her nights. The story concludes with Yun Si determined to uncover the identity of the man, while Xie Yan closes in on the woman who has captivated his dreams, setting the stage for a collision between their two worlds.
