The story begins in the 33rd year of Qianlong's reign. When the new Lianghuai Salt Administrator You Bashi checked old files, he discovered that since the 11th year of Qianlong's reign, the huge amount of "Yu Gongyin" generated by the "preliminary salt withdrawal" method in the Lianghuai Salt District had never been reported to the public. This discovery uncovered a systemic corruption scandal that lasted for more than two decades. As Jiangsu Governor Zhang Bao was ordered to intervene in the investigation, layers of fog were gradually cleared up - the business circle of general merchant Huang Yuantai and officials such as former salt administration Gao Heng, Pu Fu, and former salt transport envoy Lu Jianzeng had formed a huge network of interests.
