The Xu family of the capital was executed in its entirety for embezzling disaster relief funds. Just as the heroine, Gu Tan, was about to save them, her childhood sweetheart, Xu Zhixing, died suddenly in prison on the eve of the execution. To uncover the mastermind, she puts the hidden Splendid Merchant Guild at her disposal and enters the game herself. But she unexpectedly receives the title of county lady and is drawn into the court's succession struggle. She must navigate the arrogant Third Prince, the patient Fifth Prince, the carefree Sixth Prince, and the mysterious Qin Guan. After helping Zhou Shulan resolve a dispute within the Mingyang Marquis household, she makes several kindred spirits and close friends: the rakish but upright Xie Ling, the proud and clever Zhao Wan, and the bold-in-love, bold-in-hate Lu Qingqing. To help her elder brother reach the height of power, resolve the shortage of provisions in the north, and save her sister from peril, Gu Tan travels to Jiangnan to provide disaster relief and outwit the three major grain merchants. As the truth behind the Xu family's embezzlement gradually comes to light, the power struggle between the various factions moves from the shadows into the open, and Gu Tan finds herself in danger time and again. Meanwhile, Qin Guan's true identity is gradually revealed. Where will Gu Tan's fate ultimately lead? And who is Qin Guan really?
