Chen Qing, a down-and-out scholar who has traveled from another world, makes a living telling stories on the streets of Changzhou City. He only wants to keep his head down and live in peace, but a simple-minded young woman, Zhao Xueyan, insists on marrying him. A jade pendant of unknown origin and a map draw Chen Qing into a secret scheme brewing beneath the city's surface. Unable to lift a chicken, he relies entirely on his quick wits as he navigates the competing forces with his naive wife, hoping only to survive peacefully in these turbulent times. Yet hidden forces are secretly pulling the strings, gradually leading him to uncover his true identity and a mystery that someone has spent years planning.