In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty, the world seemed peaceful, but beneath the surface, the officialdom was rife with intrigue. In Licheng County, Jinan Prefecture, Shandong, lived a man named Xing Chuanyin. He had been well-read since childhood and dreamed of governing the country, bringing peace to the land, and speaking up for the people.
Born into a poor family, Xing Chuanyin knew the hardships ordinary people faced. Though his family had little, they upheld their ancestral teachings of honesty and integrity. His parents taught him to be upright and never take what did not belong to him. Through sheer hard work, Xing Chuanyin made steady progress in the imperial examinations, eventually passing the highest level and entering officialdom.
Soon after beginning his career, Xing Chuanyin was sent to serve as county magistrate somewhere in Jiangnan. On arriving, he heard that local gentry had colluded with officials to oppress the people and seize their land. Burning with anger, Xing Chuanyin resolved to seek justice for the people. He went undercover into the countryside to gather evidence, but this threatened the local powers’ interests, and they began to intimidate and bribe him...
