The Three Smiles 1969

Tang Bo Hu Ivy Ling Po is a talented and well-educated scholar, celebrated in the Jiangnan region for his wit and his love of poetry and song, even as he shuns fame and wealth and spends his days roaming the countryside in search of leisure and beauty.

One day, he finds himself at the gates of a Buddhist temple where Lady Hua Kam Man, wife of a wealthy, high-ranking official, arrives with an entourage of maids, servants, and porters. Among them is Autumn Fragrance Li Ching, a maid whose beauty is whispered about by onlookers. Unable to resist the chance to observe, Tang watches as the group moves inside. He playfully kneels beside Autumn Fragrance as she prays, flirting with her and pinning her skirt with his knee to keep her from leaving. Another maid comes to Autumn Fragrance’s aid, and the two women depart the temple, with Tang trailing behind. As Autumn Fragrance enters her palanquin, she offers him a shy, lingering smile.

Lady Hua’s party returns home by boat, and Tang hires a rower to accompany them, coaxing the rower to sing teasing songs to Autumn Fragrance. The mood lightens when she splashes a basin of river water toward him, soaking his clothes, yet she smiles softly again, showing a warmth that draws his attention even more.

Tang follows the Hua mansion and tries to make small talk with Autumn Fragrance. Her mood shifts from annoyance to amusement, and she gives him a third smile that finally captures his heart. He resolves to win her over, and adopts a disguise as a poor youth who has been robbed of all his money. The kind chief butler takes pity on him and introduces him to the Grand Tutor [Ching Miao], who recognizes potential in the newcomer. The Grand Tutor hires him as a pageboy, and Tang is renamed Hua An [Ivy Ling Po] in the household, stepping into a life that blends aspiration with secrecy and marks the beginning of a new, intricate chapter.