梅根(芭芭拉·斯坦威克 Barbara Stanwyck 饰)和未婚夫琼斯(沃尔特·康诺利 Walter Connolly 饰)即将携手步入婚姻的殿堂。琼斯是一名虔诚的基督教徒,为了传教,梅根跟随琼斯来到了中国。一场意外中,两人在误打误撞之下闯入了军事禁区,就此解释了颜将军(尼尔斯·阿斯瑟 Nils Asther 饰),三人之间结下了深厚的友谊。 随着时间的推移,颜将军渐渐爱上了天真烂漫的梅根,两人之间的距离越来越近。颜将军在事业上受到了重创,导致了众叛亲离的下场,在这危机时刻,梅根选择不离不弃的陪伴在颜将军的身旁。可是,颜将军误以为梅根这么做是为了自己的未婚夫,这误会导致两人的感情产生了裂痕。The American missionary Megan Davis arrives in Shanghai during the Chinese Civil War to marry the missionary Dr. Robert Strife. However, Robert postpones their wedding to rescue some orphans in an orphanage in Chapei section that is burning in the middle of a battlefield. While returning to Shanghai with the children, they are separated in the crowd, Megan is hit in the head and knocked out, but is saved by General Yen and brought by train to his palace. As the days go by, the General's mistress Mah-Li becomes close to Megan and when she is accused of betrayal for giving classified information to the enemies, Megan asks for her life. The cruel General Yen falls in love for the naive and pure Megan and accepts her request to spare the life of Mah-Li against the will of his financial advisor Jones. Meanwhile Megan feels attracted by the powerful and gentle General Yen, but resists to his flirtation. When Mah-Li betrays General Yen and destroys his empire, Megan realizes that to be able ...