The film chronicles the political factionalism of the Northern Song Dynasty through the relationship between Su Shi and Zhang Dun, portraying Su Shi's journey from a celebrated figure in the capital to a life of resilience and enlightenment through hardships. Along the way, he finds companionship with friends and family while clashing with his political rival, Zhang Dun, reflecting the vicissitudes of personal fate and the complexities of human nature against the backdrop of a grand era.