Zhou Yan, a modern microchip researcher, transmigrates into the body of Hong Yan, the five-year-old eldest grandson of the Kangxi Emperor and the firstborn son of Crown Prince Yinreng. Aware of the tragic historical fate awaiting his father—who was deposed twice and died in imprisonment—Hong Yan dedicates his early childhood to securing his father’s position. He adopts a dual strategy of publicly competing for the Emperor’s favor through charm and privately studying relentlessly to appear sagacious. His efforts initially yield results, as the Emperor dotes on him and the Crown Prince’s status appears secure. However, Hong Yan’s careful planning is upended when he accidentally overhears the Kangxi Emperor discussing the possibility of sending the Crown Prince to his country estate, revealing a deep, hidden vulnerability in the Emperor’s stance toward his heir.
Believing he has uncovered the key to his father’s safety, Hong Yan decides to abandon his strenuous efforts and live as a carefree slacker. At that exact moment, a mechanical voice announces the activation of the Monthly Ability System. The system binds him with a beginner’s gift pack, automatically selecting the ability [Good at Confiscating Homes] for a duration of one month, with the ability holder designated as Yinzhen, the Fourth Prince. Hong Yan is horrified, as this ability compels him to detect and confiscate illicit wealth. The system’s influence is immediate and uncontrollable; it drives Hong Yan to confront his father, who has secretly accepted a bribe of one hundred thousand taels of silver from the official Suo’etu. Under the system’s compulsion, Hong Yan forces his father to return the money, publicly humiliating the Crown Prince in front of the Fourth Prince.
After turning the silver over to the public treasury, Hong Yan attempts to resist the system’s influence, vowing to avoid all sources of wealth. However, the system’s reach extends beyond physical objects. While walking in the palace, Hong Yan feels a sudden, intense resonance with the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen. He discovers that the ability also connects him to the holder’s mindset regarding corruption. Yinzhen, who is deeply frustrated by the pervasive corruption in the Qing bureaucracy and his own uncle’s gambling debts, finds in Hong Yan a kindred spirit. The boy’s forced agreement with his anti-corruption views deepens Yinzhen’s belief that Hong Yan is his soulmate, leading to an intense, unwanted bond between the two.
Meanwhile, political tensions rise within the imperial family. The Crown Princess announces her pregnancy, which delights the Emperor but threatens the position of Noble Consort Tong Jia and other concubines. Li Jia, a former favorite of the Crown Prince who was once imprisoned for attempting to harm the Crown Princess’s unborn child, harbors deep resentment. She secretly allies with Consort De, who is jealous of the attention Hong Yan receives, plotting to undermine the Crown Princess. In the court, the Kangxi Emperor announces a financial crisis due to the costs of the Mongolian expedition. He orders the imperial princes to audit the Six Ministries and recover debts from corrupt officials and imperial relatives. The Crown Prince is assigned to this dangerous task alongside the Fourth Prince, placing him directly in the path of the very corruption his son’s system has exposed. Hong Yan realizes that despite his desire for a quiet life, the system and the political turmoil are dragging him back into the center of the succession struggle.
