중국 청나라 시기의 거대 자본과 절대권력의 다툼을 그린 드라마

　　巍巍大清进入康乾盛世，一代君主乾隆皇帝（倪大红 饰）坐享祖父辈创下的基业，并将其推向更为辉煌同时也更为浮华的巅峰。是时国泰民安，府库充盈，鱼米之乡扬州富甲天下，两淮盐业更支撑起朝廷财政收入的四分之一。为支持战事军资，皇帝命令两淮盐政催饷，谁知却遭到盐商百般推诿，甚至连与皇家堪称故交的汪朝宗（张嘉译 饰）也不予合作。新任盐政阿克占（张志坚 饰）临危受命，来到当地后发现盐商库银亏空，他察觉到盐商手中有一个秘密账本，而这也正是这些鬼点子多多的商人敢于违抗皇命的王牌。性格刚毅的阿克占雷厉风行，两淮盐商则想方设法，计谋频出，身处漩涡中心的汪朝宗则不得不承担起斡旋的危险任务。

　　账本所隐藏的黑幕渐渐大白天下，所有的利益关系者都被卷入其中……

以乾隆皇帝第五次南巡前後為時代背景，描寫以汪朝宗為代表的揚州鹽商與乾隆、官僚、文人、鹽工、戲子乃至江湖之間錯綜複雜的關係。乾隆時期揚州幾個鹽商大家族在生活、經商...

In 1776, the 41st year of the reign of Qianlong (Ni Dahong), the court is in urgent need of money for war, and official Akezhan (Zhang Zhijian) is sent to Yangzhou to collect donations from wealthy salt merchants. Instead, Akezhan uncovers a massive case of corruption that shakes the very core of the nation. Fortunately, merchant Wang Chaozong (Zhang Jiayi) appears to help deliver funds to the frontline and propose reforms to combat corruption. The fallout of the salt corruption case, however, is far-reaching and far from over, touching off a deadly power struggle that plays out amid the danger and excitement of Qianlong's southern inspection tour.