Jiuzhang, a time traveler, has spent three miserable years living as a beggar in the early Ming Dynasty, finally waiting for a chance to change his fate. Holding out his broken bowl, he stops the Crown Prince's carriage and uses the last bit of energy left by his system to save Zhu Xiongying, the Emperor's eldest grandson. However, his suspicious identity leads Zhu Yuanzhang to interrogate him personally. With his silver tongue, Jiuzhang manages to gain the Emperor's initial trust and is forced into becoming a hundred-household commander of the Jinyiwei Imperial Guard. Relying on his clever tricks and good luck, he solves major cases one after another, including child kidnappings, poison in the imperial palace, and the disappearance of eight million shi of military provisions. Gradually earning the trust of Zhu Yuanzhang and the imperial princes, Jiuzhang, who firmly has no desire to become an official, nevertheless finds himself climbing higher and higher through the ranks.