根本作家苏童小说《罂粟之家》改编。岳虹在影片里饰演一苦命女人，年轻时嫁给在外工作长年不在家的丈夫，一肩挑起家计，后来受到从事贩卖罂粟生意的富商喜欢。枫树村地主沉草沦为吸毒者，并迷恋寡妇马氏。马氏暗恋年轻农夫陈茂，而陈茂在沉草的安排下，与七姨太翠花借种。陈茂在马氏和翠花之间难以取舍，唯有选择一走了之。

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.