Starting in the eighteenth year of Shun'an, Wen Zongji takes charge of government residential construction at the Ministry of Revenue. He introduces an innovative sales model and earns a promotion to Deputy Prefect of Shuntian through his achievements. He organizes a grand legal knowledge competition, using the event to educate ordinary people about the law and break through restrictions of birth when selecting talented individuals. At home, his son, Rui Ge'er, is born and grows up, while his younger sister, Wen Shuyu, meets the top-ranked palace examination graduate, Jiao Yansong. The two gradually learn to accommodate one another and build a marriage founded on mutual respect and devotion. When time permits, Wen Zongji takes Pei Rujing and the rest of his family on a journey through the beautiful landscapes of Jiangnan. Upon returning to the capital, he is promoted to Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, where he reforms the system for reviewing cases and attempts to create a path for junior clerks to advance in their careers, stirring debate throughout the court and the country. Meanwhile, imperial power changes hands: the old emperor abdicates, and a new emperor ascends the throne.