In the nineteenth year of the Tian De era of the Great Liang dynasty, fifteen-year-old Xia Ren is sold into a merchant household in Suzhou to serve as a young attendant. Meanwhile, His Highness the Prince of Wei, ordered to inspect Jiangnan, secretly arrives in Suzhou under an assumed identity. Faced with a difficult situation, he follows his mother's instructions and visits three great sages in succession, only to receive recommendations for three talented young men. Three days later, outside the residence where the Prince of Wei is staying, the prince and his entourage wait eagerly. Yet the only person who appears is Xia Ren. Amid the sudden shouts of reprimand from those around him, Xia Ren slowly takes three invitation cards from his robe, each delivered to him through a different channel.