Emperor Kangxi (played by Jing Miao) knows that his days are numbered, so he decides to pass the throne to the Fourteenth Prince (played by Mo Shaocong). However, the Fourteenth Prince is suddenly attacked by a mysterious masked assassin, and luckily, he is rescued by his confidant Zeng Jing (played by Xu Shaoqiang). It turns out that the Fourth Prince has long harbored ambitions for the throne and had sent someone to assassinate his younger brother, the Fourteenth Prince. When the Fourth Prince's plan fails, he tries to bribe Zeng Jing but is unsuccessful. Thus, he searches for talented individuals and eventually finds the capable Yan Gengyao (played by Bai Biao), and entices the anti-Qing scholar Lv Liuqiang (played by Gu Feng) and his niece Lv Si Niang (played by Liu Xuehua) to join his camp. The Fourth Prince pretends to promise that if they help him ascend the throne, he will fulfill the 'Manchu and Han unite' agreement to win over Yan Gengyao and others' support. In this political game, various forces compete and currents of intrigue swirl beneath the surface. Power plays and conspiracies intermingle, as everyone fights for their own interests.