Set during the Jinghe era of the Great Jing dynasty, the story follows Su Jin, a scholar from a poor family whose father was falsely accused by a powerful minister and died of illness under the weight of injustice. After ten years of diligent study, Su Jin passes the imperial examination and enters officialdom as a county magistrate, embarking on a journey to overturn his father's wrongful conviction. He investigates corruption in grain storage, salt administration, and river engineering, while reforming local governance and steadily rising through the ranks. Eventually, he brings down Liang Shicheng, the Minister of Personnel, and clears his family's name after ten years of injustice. He later becomes the Grand Secretary and chief minister, ushering in a prosperous era. Having fulfilled his ambitions, he retires to the countryside. Throughout his life, he remains honest and incorruptible, earning a lasting reputation as a wise and virtuous statesman.