A storm in the sea of officialdom suddenly erupts, and a distinguished Hanlin Academy family collapses overnight.
The once-grand residence, renowned for its scholarly heritage, is reduced in an instant to a destitute household from humble beginnings.
Young Gu Chengfeng was born into a respected family of scholars, but his father was framed and the family’s fortunes plummeted. Forced to shoulder the burden of supporting his family at a young age, he chops wood and works the fields by day just to make ends meet, then studies through the cold nights, using the ground as his paper and the moon as his lamp. Amid the warmth and cruelty of human nature, he endures and grows.
Though mired in hardship, he never abandons his lofty ambitions. Though he has suffered poverty, he remains true to a scholar’s integrity. Starting with the county-level exam, he rises above the mockery and disdain of silk-clad young talents. He advances step by step through the provincial and metropolitan exams, overcoming every hurdle of the imperial examination system with his vast learning and steady resolve.
The road ahead is fraught with exclusion by powerful families and factional struggles in officialdom, hidden truths behind an old case and the unfathomable depths of human nature, as well as family ties and the companionship of confidants. As he steadily builds his career and plots his moves, he gradually clears away the layers of mystery surrounding the conspiracy that framed his father. All the while, he stays true to himself and sets right the ills of the age. From a poor young scholar, he rides the waves all the way to the pinnacle of the court, becoming chief minister.
A record of the rise and fall of one who sought the clouds, and half a lifetime of storms in service to the emperor.
See how this fallen son of a once-great family rises from the dust, judges the ways of the world, commands the tides of power, becomes a renowned statesman, and earns his place in the annals of history.
