The story is set on the eve of the liberation of Beiping (present day Beijing) 22 days before the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It follows three best friends who are like brothers during the events of 1949 in China and the many different events they face. Xu Tian is a policeman and works to investigate the murder of his fiancée. He eventually gets involved in the liberation of Beiping. At the same time, his friendship with the other brothers are strained when they each go on different paths and make different decisions. Xu Tian meets and falls in love with Tian Dan eventually as well. The story revolves around their choices, whether to stay in Beijing to strive for the Communist Party's New China or flee to the South with the defeated Kuomintang troops.