Su Qingyan, the legitimate matriarch of the Duke of Zhenguo's household, was framed by her stepson and his concubine, who conspired to make her a sacrificial victim in a burial ritual. After narrowly escaping death, she lived in seclusion in the wilderness for five years. Upon returning to the capital, she rescued her son and daughter-in-law, freed her imprisoned granddaughter, and purged the household of traitors, only to uncover a conspiracy to usurp the throne. Joining forces with loyal former subordinates and righteous martial heroes, she exposed the truth about the false emperor poisoning the late emperor and usurping the throne. She helped the rightful prince ascend the throne, reformed official governance, and quelled border threats, ultimately restoring peace and stability to the realm before retiring after accomplishing her mission.