Pei Zheng, a military officer in the Zhenbei Army, is falsely accused of embezzling military provisions, stripped of his military status, and sentenced to exile. His wife abandons him, leaving him with only his six-year-old son and eight-month-old daughter. When his older brother and sister-in-law refuse to take them in, he takes his children to live in a cave on a barren hillside. While trying to save his children, he unexpectedly awakens superhuman strength. Using his bare hands, he builds a house and climbs cliffs to gather medicinal herbs. With the help of Su Wantang, the village headman's daughter, he raises his children and earns money to pay off his debts. But when the missing military provisions are discovered, he faces the death penalty once again. The newly appointed county magistrate turns out to be Gu Tingjun, the very man who convicted him years ago. Sentenced to death and thrown into prison, Pei Zheng pretends to escape, only to uncover the traitor Lu An's secret dealings in military provisions with the barbarian tribes. He captures them all and clears his name. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, as his family celebrates their reunion, an imperial decree arrives ordering him to travel to the capital and appear before the emperor.