Su Qingyan, the legitimate matriarch of the Duke of Zhenguo's household, was framed by her concubine-born son and his allies and nearly buried alive as a sacrificial victim. After narrowly escaping death, she lived in seclusion in the wilderness for five years. Upon returning to the capital, she rescues her son and daughter-in-law, frees her imprisoned granddaughter, and purges the household of traitors, only to uncover a conspiracy to usurp the throne. Joining forces with loyal former retainers and righteous martial heroes, she exposes the false emperor's murder of the late emperor by poison and his seizure of the throne. She helps the rightful prince ascend the throne, reforms corrupt government officials, and brings peace to the troubled borders, ultimately restoring stability to the empire before retiring after completing her mission.