Fan Xian (Zhang Ruo Yun) is the adopted son of the head of a royal agency that operates in the government of the despotic Emperor of the Qing (Chen Dao Ming). Despite the Emperor’s tyrannical ways, Fan Xian remains devoted to the imperial cause. However, during the course of his studies, Fan Xian’s loyalty is shaken when he discovers that the Emperor secretly ordered assassins to kill Fan Xian’s mother – fearing that she had become too influential at court. Things get even more complicated when he discovers that he is actually the natural son of the Emperor. Fan Xian vows to take revenge upon his biological father – and a bitter power struggle ensues, with the very future of the Qing Dynasty at stake. But who will prevail as Fan Xian seeks vengeance and his father tries to maintain his grip on the Imperial throne?