生逢乱世的古平原（陈晓饰）因蒙受冤屈而遭流放宁古塔，他在夹缝中生存却又逆风翻盘，从文弱书生到茶叶发家、以盐立业，再到团结各地商帮力量联手救国救民，完成了从流犯到商界巨擘的逆袭。在成为“商王”的热血奋斗过程中，古平原与常玉儿（孙千饰）、李钦（罗一舟饰）、常四（成泰燊饰）、李万堂（黄志忠饰）、苏紫轩（李纯饰）、李成（朱亚文饰）、白依梅（向涵之饰）、王天贵（吴樾饰）等人相识，共同塑造出了一群复杂立体、有血有肉的晚清传奇群像。
佛山赞先生名伶李文茂（黄日华）刺杀两广总督事败逃亡， 遇上梁赞（关海山）徒弟陈华顺(吕良伟)，得以脱险。顺却受牵连，为密探首领巴颜喇嘛(刘丹)拘捕，颜用欲擒先纵计把他释放，图谋追捕茂。 太平天国领袖洪秀全发起义密牒，马五利用顺助其追查密牒，茂误会顺是清廷密探而生冲突。顺为表清白，追回密牒交与茂，二人冰释前嫌，更依照密牒指示，筹备起义。起义之日，旗人被赶尽杀绝。满族少女帖燕秋忙中逃往《赞生堂》，知道其父为义军所杀，对茂痛恨不已。顺安慰秋，朝夕相伴。茂率军攻打广州却被击溃，遂负伤逃返《赞生堂》，经顺调解，茂与秋言归于好。 颜将顺等拘捕；茂从莫阿南(杨盼盼)处得悉一切，唯自动投降以救顺等。顺苦练武杀颜报仇。秋却厌倦尘世，遁迹空门，惟宁静的寺院外，又传来阵阵起义之声。
In an inaccessible place between the mountains and isolated from the world, a school is located next to an old monastery. The students are rebellious and problematic young people who live under the strict and severe discipline imposed by the center to reintegrate them into society. The surrounding forest is home to ancient legends, threats that are still valid and that will immerse them in terrifying adventures.
