Hao men jin zhi (2011)

In reign of Xianfeng during the Qing Dynasty, wars breaks out frequently in Huainan and Huaibei areas. Therefore, salt business in Chu area is severely undermined. In order to recover salt supply in Chu area and expand the Qing Dynasty's revenue, Emperor Xian Feng introduces a special policy which encourages merchants to ship Sichuan's salt to Chu area. This is an amazing opportunity for many people. Li Youtang, the richest landlord in Fujing Town, seizes this opportunity to rent his salterns out. While local merchants Wang Zhengyun and Qin Rilang choose to dig salt well in full speed so that they can make more money, which is against the law. In this process, Wang Zhengyun and Qin Rilang developed serious vendetta against each other. Apart from these merchants mentioned above, Mei Zhenqing, whose family has been practicing medicine for generations, also gets involved in salt business. To avoid the war in Chu area, salt merchant Zhao Baye from Yangzhou also comes to Sichuan. When Li Youtang is strong-armed to lower rents, Zhao Baye gives Li a big hand, by which he earns the trust of Li's concubine Su Liuqing. At that time, insurrectionary Shi Dakai and his army are about to enter Sichuan. In order to protect his salterns, Mei Zhenqing makes a request to a leader of the insurrectionary army. Caught by the county magistrate Lu Ji, most of Mei's families are executed because of that.