Lin Yan, the son of a poor embroiderer from Qinghe County, sets out on a path to turn his fortunes around with the help of a System. From being humiliated at the county school and meeting a benefactor, to building a semi-automatic spinning machine that brings the embroidery workshop back to life; from passing the county-level scholar examination after overcoming deliberate obstacles, to establishing a farm-tool workshop and introducing the curved-shaft plow to help farmers; from winning first place in the provincial examination and demonstrating his practical talents, to presenting a policy for balancing scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants at the palace examination and being named second on the list. After taking office in the Ministry of Works, he repairs roads across the nation and builds water-powered textile mills. He also obtains steam engine blueprints and vows to lead the Great Yong dynasty into a new industrial era. Along the way, he allies with Zhang the Blacksmith, earns the Crown Prince’s favor, and foils the Wang family’s schemes. Through practical work, he puts his ideals of “enriching the people through industry and strengthening the nation through infrastructure” into action, writing a legendary career for a scholar of humble origins.
