- **A Rise from Humble Beginnings**: After his mentor is murdered, Ning Yuan, a poor scholar from Yunzhou, takes a mysterious wooden box to the capital and is swept into the turbulent conflicts of the court and the martial world. The box holds a secret powerful enough to shake the foundations of the state.
- **A Mystery of Identity**: As he investigates, Ning Yuan discovers that his origins are tied to the Ning family, wiped out twenty years ago. Several powerful ministers at court seem to have taken part in the massacre, including the current Grand Secretariat.
- **Rival Forces**: The Third Prince tries to recruit Ning Yuan to oppose the Crown Prince's faction. The jianghu organization Qingming conspires with foreign forces to rebel, while the emperor secretly sets plans in motion to test his sons' abilities.
- **Wits and Political Intrigue**: By cracking the cipher in the Map of Mountains and Rivers, Ning Yuan uncovers a network smuggling iron ore. At a poetry gathering, he exposes the crimes of the Vice Minister of Revenue, demonstrating exceptional intelligence and courage.
- **The Truth of His Origins**: Ning Yuan eventually discovers that he is of royal blood, the orphaned son of the Crown Prince who was deposed during the previous emperor's reign. This identity will completely change his place in the game of power.
This story focuses on Ning Yuan's first arrival in the capital and his entanglement in court intrigues. The poetry-gathering incident showcases his intelligence, while the mystery of his origins is gradually revealed, laying the groundwork for even greater conspiracies to come.
I like the storyline so much, it's unexpected