The story is set in the troubled times of the late Ming Dynasty. Zhang Sanben was selling snacks in the market, but he got involved in a major court case and was regarded as the leader of the thieves. He began his escape career, being hunted by both the government and local gangsters. He formed a temporary "Troubled Times Cooperation Team" with his best friend Li Ergou, the heroine He Xiaomei, the mysterious Zhao Banxian and others, making laughter and getting into trouble all the way, turning and jumping around the gate of hell many times. The three volumes respectively describe the process of their survival in troubled times, being forced to expose the government's conspiracy, and finally "turning against the guests" in troubled times, and growing from little people to heroes in troubled times. The story has constant climaxes, with comedy, embarrassment, tragedy and absurdity appearing alternately, achieving a perfect transformation from a gangster in the city to a hero in troubled times.
