The plot follows Shangguan Chengming (Li Xian), whose family is destroyed in a con, as he assumes a new identity, trains under a disabled mentor (Wu Gang), and battles wits with his con-artist wife Jiang Feiyan (Li Yitong), exposing frauds such as 'Divine Child descending' schemes. All elements align with traditional genre storytelling of wits, betrayal, and justice without any overlay of contemporary Western progressive frameworks. The series draws from a novel adaptation whose creators focus exclusively on scam-exposing entertainment and character-driven deception battles set in a historical Chinese context.

Casting uses only Chinese actors in roles that match the Republican-era setting, with no race or gender swaps of established characters. No activist intent or modern social themes appear in the source material or production, keeping the narrative free of identity politics or systemic oppression narratives and preserving its focus on straightforward revenge and intrigue.