During the late Eastern Han dynasty, warlords fought for power and control, and Cao Cao held the Emperor captive as a means of controlling other lords. Zhuge Liang, a talented scholar, lived through this turbulent period, but did not prioritize fame and wealth. He was asked to help rescue a monastery from disaster and discovered that there were people within the monastery who were collaborating with the Yellow Turban rebels to kidnap young boys and girls. While assisting a kidnapped girl in finding her family, Zhuge Liang met Xiao Qiao from the Eastern Wu empire, and they fell in love despite her earlier engagement to Zhou Yu. Their love was complicated by these circumstances. Meanwhile, Liu Qi, Zhuge Liang's friend, was determined to contact other like-minded figures to rebel against Cao Cao and to kill him. Upon learning of a secret decree from the Emperor, Liu Qi and Zhuge Liang joined forces to plan their next move.