The story takes place during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty. The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the lifeline on which the empire depends, is at a junction of glory and hidden worries. Every year, millions of grain cans are transported northward here, maintaining the stability of the capital and Jiubian, but also nourishing an intricate network of interests. The Cao Gang, local officials, Cangchang subordinates, and even the forces in the DPRK all regarded the canal as a source of profit, and corruption, fraud, and losses emerged one after another. At the same time, the Yellow River repeatedly invaded the Huaihe River from the north, the canals and rivers were blocked, floods occurred frequently, and natural and man-made disasters occurred simultaneously. The protagonist, Shen Yan, is a young bookseller who grew up by the canal and is well versed in the canal and water conditions. It is against this background that with a pair of discerning eyes and a pure heart to protect the mountains and rivers and people's livelihood, he starts from the documents at Chaoguan in Yangzhou and gets involved in this water transport chess game related to the national destiny and people's livelihood. On the three thousand miles of canal, he writes a growth legend that combines market wisdom and family and country feelings.
