During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the world seemed peaceful, but in fact there was an undercurrent in the officialdom. In Licheng County, Jinan Prefecture, Shandong Province, there was a man named Xing Chuanyin. He had read poetry and books since he was a child, and he had the ambition to govern the country and serve the people.
Xing Chuanyin was born in a poor family and was well aware of the sufferings of the people. Although his family is poor, he upholds the ancestral motto of loyalty and integrity. His parents also taught him to be an upright person and not to be greedy or possessive. With his own hard work, Xing Chuanyin worked hard on the road to the imperial examination, and finally became a Jinshi in high school and entered the official career.
When he first entered officialdom, Xing Chuanyin was sent to serve as a county magistrate somewhere in the south of the Yangtze River. As soon as he took office, he heard that there were local gentry colluding with the government to oppress the people and seize land. Xing Chuanyin was furious and determined to seek justice for the people. He paid a private visit incognito, went deep into the countryside, and collected evidence. However, this behavior touched the interests of local forces, and they began to threaten and induce Xing Chuanyin...
