During the peaceful Daming Dynasty, Yuan Mo, a commoner from Changle City, encounters A Shu, a refugee from the Yanle Kingdom attempts to sneak in at the city gates. This conflict leads to Wang Kunwu being punished for failing to oversee his duties as a border general. As a consequence, Yuan Mo is inadvertently pulled into the Four Square Pavilion, where he forms a team with A Shu, Wang Kunwu, and Yuchi Hua. Together, they confront complex diplomatic challenges in their quest for justice and patriotism.
After her family is killed by her childhood sweetheart, A Mai disguises herself as a man to seek revenge. Along the way, she rescues a royal heir, joins the military, and rises to commander through her battlefield successes. As war intensifies, A Mai is torn between duty, loyalty, and the pain of her past while uncovering hidden truths that will shape the fate of the nation.
The emperor's grandson Li Ni, guards the border and is forced to take on the responsibility of quelling the rebellion. Although Li Ni is the grandson of the emperor, he was never loved by his father. He hides his identity and is content with being a carefree frontline border general who has no intention of fighting for power. During military campaigns against the rebels, he encounters the ambitious Cui Lin, who is the only daughter of General Cui Yi, the commander of the Cui family army. Cui Lin concealed her true identity and disguised herself as Lieutenant He, fighting alongside the army. They cross paths with each other many times on the battlefields. One is scheming and witty, the other is guileful and forthright. In their competitiveness with each other, from time to time they calculate and predict each other's plan and movement to fight as the winner which leads them down the path of falling in love.
In 2003, Lu Changhe, a determined official, is tasked with overseeing the restoration of the Grand Canal in Dongjiang City. He addresses pollution, manages resident relocations, and preserves historical landmarks, ultimately contributing to the canal’s inclusion on the World Heritage List in 2014.
The journey of forestry workers like Ma Yongxiang as they work to develop the Yichun forestry region, transforming it into China's largest state-owned forest. It shows their perseverance, commitment to environmental stewardship, and the delicate balance between progress and preservation.