In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, political corruption and people's livelihood were in dire straits. Gu Yunzhi, a student from a poor family, has a family feud and is determined to become an official to change the status quo. With his extraordinary intelligence and skill, he rose step by step in the turbulent officialdom and gradually gained power. However, the temptation of power and the cruel reality made him gradually lose himself, break with his former close friends, and drift away from the people he loved. In the end, can he realize his ideal, and what price will he pay? The story centers on Gu Yunzhi, interspersed with the intrigues among the emperor, concubines, and powerful officials, showing a magnificent political picture of the late Ming Dynasty.
