During the Xianfeng reign of the Qing dynasty, bandits ravaged the coast of Jiangzhou, leaving the people in dire misery. County magistrate Li Wenzhang appeared to govern the region, but was in truth as cruel as a venomous scorpion. He not only ignored the people's suffering, but secretly colluded with foreigners to sell innocent locals into slavery, amassing a fortune and plunging the area into chaos.
When his playboy son, Li Shaode, tried to abduct Su Xiangcao, a young woman, she was rescued by the righteous Long Yingjie, who had returned home to reunite with his family. This became the catalyst for a series of thrilling events.
The story follows a group of unarmed Chinese men and women sold by corrupt officials onto a foreign ship. Aboard a three-masted sailing vessel on the boundless sea, they match wits with heavily armed foreign pirates, endure one brush with death after another, and ultimately make it home. It is a moving tale of courage and perseverance.
