While growing up in a textile mill, Huang developed a close bond with the neighboring dyehouse owner's son, Fang Ning (Edwin Siu), who fell in love with her.

Lin also rejects the princess' affections, due to his despise against imperial family members' corruption, and in spite of his vows to defend the Song dynasty.

After going through a series of personal misfortunes and tragedies, Lin is traumatized and decides to focus on protecting Zhao Jiayi, and her surviving clan members, as well as liberating China from the Mongols' tyranny.

While fleeing from the Mongols' oppression, Huang has a chance encounter with an extraordinary woodwork instructor, Feng Jiujin (Damian Lau), and becomes his apprentice.

She ultimately wanders to Yazhou (present day Hainan), where she learns the arts of cotton farming and weaving and helps the natives improve their textile technology.

Years after Fang Ning's death, Huang finally resolves the entanglement with Lin and Zhao, by reuniting with them in the city of Hangzhou (former Song capital Lin'an).

Regretting her mistakes, she makes amends by giving her blessing to Lin and Zhao of their newfound love for each other and accepts her fate as a widow, dedicating herself to her crafts.

By this time, the Splendid Mill and Fang Family Dyehouse have brought in many apprentices and achieved business success, with Huang Qiao'er fulfilling her purpose in life.

Originally considered for the part of Huang Qiao'er by the casting department, Cecilia Liu expressed her interest to portray Zhao Jiayi instead, after reading the script.

The screenwriters were unwilling to write Zhao as the daughter of Duzong due to his well-known corrupted reputations that contributed of fall of the Song dynasty.