A modern man, Brian Carter, dies with grievances, his heroic soul lingering, and unexpectedly returns to a strange historical era, becoming Edward Sullivan, a collateral member of the Lin family in Dongyang Prefecture who has just passed the imperial examination, known for his timid character and somewhat looked down upon by others.

Before he even has a chance to fulfill his idle dreams of being a carefree scholar—walking dogs, raising birds, teasing young married women—Edward Sullivan is swept into a whirlpool of desire and power struggles because of his infatuation with the famed courtesan of Jiangning, Grace Bennett. This vortex involves renowned scholars, local tyrants, powerful eunuchs at court, ambitious warlords, and ruthless pirates from the East Sea.

Unwilling to be a mere dog in peaceful times, and refusing to become a victim of chaos, let us see how Edward Sullivan, a man who has lived two lives, starts from the very bottom of the power pyramid and stirs up storms. Amidst a life of sensual pleasures—“where the scent lingers in the folds of a skirt, and ecstasy hides a unique fragrance”—he completes a magnificent transformation from “a capable minister in times of peace” to “a formidable hero in troubled times.”