本剧讲述了年逾古稀的东阁大学士兼工部尚书陈宏谋告老还乡途中，转到陕西，想偿还一笔积压心底的苦情账，不想引出一场谋杀，牵出一桩公案，荡出一个冤魂，爆出一件因他而起，已经皇帝嘉定却坑农、害农的假政绩“秦绢”工程，使他痛切反思，悍然犯颜，演绎出一场天、地、军、亲、师的剧烈大碰撞。

Chen Hongmou, a Second Grade Grand Secretary of the State and Secretary of Works of the Qing Dynasty, returns home on account of old age. On the way home, he goes by way of Shaanxi where he owes bitterly to someone for years. Unexpectedly, a murder exposes to him one of his post achievement projects which has won the emperor’s praise but done great harm to local peasants. He endures pangs of contrition and stands up to defy authority in a charter of conflicts concerning heaven, earth, army, relatives and masters.