Shen Qingci, a commoner boy from the south of the Yangtze River, went to Chang'an to seek the truth due to a family injustice. He started out as a small businessman and met righteous men, literati, frustrated officials, and foreign merchants. He made a living in the market, court games, and disputes in the rivers and lakes, and cleared up his family's grievances. He eventually became a key figure influencing the direction of the Tang Dynasty, and witnessed the prosperity and undercurrent behind the prosperous age.
