After 250 years on ice, a prisoner returns to life in a new body with one chance to win his freedom: by solving a mind-bending murder.

Di Renjie is Tang dynasty magistrate and statesman, who investigates mysterious murders.

Meng Tian Chu returns from overseas to Ming dynasty China in search of his father and solves various difficult and at times perilous mysteries with the outwardly meek but internally resolute native adviser Duan Ping. The two of them use very different methods to solve the same cases and are constantly at odds with each other while vying for the affection of the same girl, Xia Feng Yi, a butcher's daughter.