In the spring of the ninth year of Zhengde's reign, there was a discussion on "Shang Shu" policy, and everyone in the audience sang his praises. Shen Yan, a scholar from a poor family, directly interpreted the original meaning of the scriptures and vigorously demonstrated the true meaning of "people-oriented". The fellow examiner angrily dismissed him and scolded him for his wild behavior. Xu Yuanjian, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, said against everyone's opinions: "This is a true scholar!" A piece of red paper caused a storm in the court. A battle between ethics and justice, a test of character, and Shen Yan's ups and downs in officialdom and his family and country's ambitions began.
