明朝(cháo )天启末年,朝(cháo )廷暗藏着一场(chǎng )宫变,天启皇(huáng )帝病危待亡(wáng ),却无子嗣继位(wèi ),唯一的骨肉(ròu )便是皇弟朱(zhū )由检。大内总(zǒng )管魏忠贤阴谋(móu )用宫女的婴(yīng )儿冒充太子(zǐ )承继大统,以保(bǎo )住阉党的荣(róng )华富贵。不料,那宫女却生下一个女婴。这(zhè )时(shí ),已被驱逐出(chū )京的朱由检被锦衣卫捕(bǔ )回(huí )宫中,以为自(zì )己将被殉葬,万没料到竟继(jì )位成为崇祯(zhēn )皇帝。而宫女(nǚ )带着女婴逃至(zhì )扬州,起名陈(chén )圆圆。陈圆圆(yuán )一日当中被卖(mài )了三次,落入(rù )妓院学艺。长(zhǎng )成后,成了名(míng )满天下的歌妓(jì )。崇祯即位后(hòu ),立志中兴大(dà )明。然而朝廷始(shǐ )终内忧与外(wài )患。内忧是由于天灾全国饥民过半,中原(yuán )一带以高迎祥(xiáng )、李自成为首的农民军(jun1 )蜂(fēng )起;外患是(shì )关外的后金叛军压境,皇太(tài )极登基开国(guó )虎视关内。崇(chóng )祯始终处于巨(jù )大的危机中(zhōng ),苦心竭虑地(dì )试图挽救大明(míng )。陈圆圆被大(dà )太监王承恩(ēn )选入宫中侍(shì )驾,她屡屡抗拒(jù )崇祯“圣宠”,却(què )爱上了吴三(sān )桂。中原农民军(jun1 )被朝廷官军(jun1 )围困在车厢(xiāng )峡,即将全军覆没。正当崇祯(zhēn )调兵将想一举全歼时,皇太极挥师南侵(qīn ),兵(bīng )临京城。万急(jí )时,崇祯坚持拒和迎战,率军(jun1 )民击退了皇(huáng )太极,但中原义军又逃出生(shēng )天,再度恢复(fù )生机。
崇祯把(bǎ )坚持“谋和”的蓟(jì )辽总督袁崇(chóng )焕凌迟处死(sǐ ),让吴三桂升任宁远主将,为(wéi )笼络其心,将(jiāng )陈圆圆赏赐(cì )给他,让他们奉(fèng )旨成婚,婚后(hòu )三天,吴三桂(guì )北赴边关,陈圆圆重返宫廷(tíng )沦为人质。高迎祥、李自成攻克凤阳,张(zhāng )献(xiàn )忠掘皇陵,大(dà )胜之时农民军内部发生了(le )分歧……崇(chóng )祯得知凤阳皇陵被毁,痛彻(chè )心肺,不食荤(hūn )腥,孝衣理政(zhèng )。他迅即用全国(guó )力量来剿杀(shā )农民军,闯王(wáng )高迎祥被捕,押送京城处死(sǐ ),张献忠也投(tóu )降了官军,李(lǐ )自成继承了闯(chuǎng )王之位。后金(jīn )日渐强胜,已(yǐ )完成了入关南侵的所有准(zhǔn )备,就在出兵前夕,皇太极却发脑中风而(ér )亡(wáng ),后金宫廷也(yě )随之陷入了夺位之争。勤政(zhèng )殿上亲王多(duō )尔衮与皇长子豪格领着各(gè )自的旗主横(héng )刀相向,万急(jí )时刻,庄妃在降(jiàng )臣洪承畴的(de )指点下趁势(shì )将小皇子福临推上了皇位(wèi ),是为顺治帝(dì ),而多尔衮成(chéng )为摄政王,后金(jīn )复归稳定。而(ér )庄妃为了福(fú )临的安危与后金未来,也屈(qū )身侍奉多尔衮。李自成为闯王后率农民(mín )军(jun1 )席卷全国,迅(xùn )速逼近京城……崇祯拒绝(jué )迁都,决心守(shǒu )城应战到底,但这时人心尽(jìn )丧,兵无斗志(zhì ),臣子如鸟兽(shòu )散。破城前夕,崇(chóng )祯杀死亲生(shēng )骨肉,自尽于(yú )煤山,大难中,陈圆圆救下三(sān )岁的小皇子(zǐ )。李自成进京(jīng )后,开国大顺,登(dēng )基为帝并搜(sōu )捕小皇子,同(tóng )时他极力拉拢驻守在山海(hǎi )关的吴三桂,同时,关外的多尔衮也在劝(quàn )降(jiàng )吴三桂。李自(zì )成的部将刘宗敏爱上了陈(chén )圆圆,强行住(zhù )进吴府。吴三桂终于决定“归(guī )汉不归夷”率(lǜ )军归降李自(zì )成,但在进京路(lù )上遇见管家(jiā ),惊闻父亲被(bèi )义军杀死,爱妾被刘宗敏强(qiáng )占……吴三(sān )桂怒发冲冠(guàn ),立刻调头返回(huí )山海关。关前(qián )吴三桂又遇(yù )见亲自来劝降的庄妃与洪(hóng )承畴,同意“顺清”,并借清兵剿灭大顺军,以(yǐ )图(tú )光复大明。多(duō )尔衮为利用吴三桂,封其为(wéi )平西王,并与(yǔ )他杀马为誓,将八旗军全交(jiāo )给他指挥。京(jīng )郊,清军、吴(wú )三桂的骑兵合(hé )击大顺军,李(lǐ )自成兵败,只(zhī )得匆匆退出北京,临行前,刘(liú )宗敏不舍陈(chén )圆圆,强行带(dài )走了她,吴三桂(guì )大胜,但他想(xiǎng )进京与陈圆(yuán )圆相会时,却发现整个京城(chéng )都住满了八旗军,多尔衮甚至不准吴三(sān )桂(guì )进城祭奠崇(chóng )祯与家父,严令他继续追杀(shā )大顺军。吴三(sān )桂只得在城外遥遥拜祭,之(zhī )后立刻统兵(bīng )追杀残余的(de )大顺兵,同时寻(xún )救陈圆圆。山(shān )野,吴三桂与(yǔ )负伤的刘宗敏决斗,陈圆圆(yuán )牵着小皇子(zǐ )奔来,试图阻(zǔ )止,但苦劝无效(xiào ),她眼见着吴(wú )三桂杀死了(le )善良的刘宗敏。……也就这(zhè )时,李自成也在深山力战而亡,京城里小(xiǎo )顺(shùn )治被迎上了(le )太和殿,满清占领了天下。吴(wú )三桂与陈圆(yuán )圆破镜重圆了。首先,多尔衮(gǔn )“以汉剿汉”令(lìng )吴三桂南下(xià )追剿大明残余(yú )。在进兵路上(shàng ),天下百姓都(dōu )在唾骂吴三桂与陈圆圆,认(rèn )为这一对痴(chī )男怨女是祸(huò )水,祸国殃民导(dǎo )致了大明灭(miè )亡,这时吴三(sān )桂倍感痛苦与悲愤…… 接着,多尔衮在全国范围内搜杀“朱三太(tài )子(zǐ )”,而这个小皇(huáng )子正依偎在陈圆圆怀抱中(zhōng ),相互之间已(yǐ )亲如姐弟……最令吴三桂(guì )痛苦的是,这(zhè )时的陈圆圆(yuán )突然怀孕了,吴(wú )三桂搞不清(qīng )陈圆圆肚里(lǐ )孩子是自己的?崇祯的?还是刘宗敏(mǐn )的?……甚(shèn )至连陈圆圆也(yě )搞不清。吴三(sān )桂觉得自己(jǐ )作为一个男子汉,忍受着天(tiān )下最大屈辱!当满清密使要进军营搜查(chá )朱(zhū )三太子时,吴(wú )三桂为了避免灾难缠身,当(dāng )着陈圆圆的(de )面,竟然愤恨的摔死那个三(sān )岁的小皇子(zǐ )!……剧痛之(zhī )下,陈圆圆晕倒(dǎo )。黎明时,吴三(sān )桂命令拔营(yíng )南下,当他走进陈圆圆帐中(zhōng )时,只看见一(yī )把扯断银弦(xián )的琵琶,从此陈(chén )圆圆不知所(suǒ )终…… 至(zhì )此,崇祯年间大明、满清、大顺三方,改朝换代中的风云人物,流入(rù )历(lì )史长河……