In "The Orphan of Zhao," Duke Ling of Jin dislikes the powerful minister Tu'an Jia (played by Wang Xueqi) and is also annoyed by the arrogant Prime Minister Zhao Dun (played by Bao Guoan). Zhao Dun's son Zhao Shuo (played by Zhao Wenzhuo) has double joy, not only achieving great military success but also having his wife Zhuang Ji (played by Fan Bingbing) expecting a child. Tu'an Jia sees them as a significant threat and plots to poison them in the court, using the Duke's mouth to annihilate the Zhao clan. When Zhuang Ji witnesses her husband Zhao Shuo's death during the physician Cheng Ying’s (played by Ge You) diagnosis, she decides to give birth to the baby in her grief. At this moment, Tu'an Jia's subordinate Han Jue (played by Huang Xiaoming) comes to eliminate the Zhao lineage. In a critical situation, Zhuang Ji entrusts the baby to Cheng Ying, asking him to hand it over to Gongsun Choujiu (played by Zhang Fengyi), and then she commits suicide. Consequently, Han Jue is injured by Tu'an Jia, who then orders the city to be sealed off and searches every household for the baby. In desperation, Cheng Ying's wife (played by Hai Qing) hands over Zhao Gu (the orphan). Cheng Ying goes to claim Zhao Gu while his wife goes to meet Gongsun Choujiu. Due to the city lockdown, she and her son are hidden inside a shadow wall. Tu'an Jia uses a cruel scheme to force Cheng Ying to disclose the baby’s whereabouts, subsequently executing Gongsun Choujiu and Cheng Ying’s wife and child. Cheng Ying bears the grief and raises Zhao Gu alone. Han Jue learns the truth while seeking medical help, forming a life-and-death alliance with Cheng Ying. Cheng Ying and Zhao Gu seek refuge under Tu'an Jia and persuade him to adopt Zhao Gu as his foster son. From then on, they embark on a 15-year revenge plan...
