In ancient China, during the late Han dynasty, Confucian teachings divided society into two categories: the Han Chinese, considered fully human, and all other ethnic groups, dismissed as beasts. This is the world into which Jiang Wei is born as the heir of a prestigious Han family, raised to believe unwaveringly in this rigid hierarchy. His convictions are challenged when he encounters Yao Yu, a non-Han boy brought into his household as a servant by his father. Initially looking down on Yao Yu, Jiang Wei gradually finds his certainties eroding the more time they spend together. The tension between them reaches a breaking point when Yao Yu kills Jiang Wei's father, creating an irreparable rift. Driven by a desire to avenge his father, Jiang Wei leaves his homeland and defects to the rival state of Shu, where he comes under the tutelage of the legendary strategist Zhuge Liang. There, he strikes a deal: in exchange for information about Yao Yu's whereabouts, Jiang Wei agrees to lead non-Han forces on Shu's behalf. His journey takes him to the lands of the Qiang people, where he faces a shocking reunion with Yao Yu. Forced into an uneasy alliance with his father's killer, Jiang Wei must navigate the gulf between his Confucian upbringing and the reality of the people he once scorned. As Zhuge Liang's health declines and the political landscape grows more treacherous, Jiang Wei's mission shifts from personal vengeance to a broader vision: building a better China for all its people, regardless of ethnicity. The story follows him through the twilight of the Three Kingdoms era, from his youth through his service under Zhuge Liang's北伐 campaigns and into the chaotic years after the great strategist's death. Notable narrative arcs include his early confrontation with Confucian orthodoxy, the fracturing of his family due to Yao Yu's actions, his defection to Shu and uneasy collaboration with his enemy, and the final stretch where he must lead Shu's people in a desperate struggle against the encroaching forces of Wei. The manga spans four volumes and thirty chapters, concluding with Jiang Wei standing alone against overwhelming odds, driven by loyalty to the memory of his comrades and a steadfast commitment to protect the ordinary people of Shu. The central characters include Jiang Wei, the principled and increasingly disillusioned protagonist; Yao Yu, the non-Han youth whose actions upend Jiang Wei's worldview; and Zhuge Liang, the aging tactician who recognizes Jiang Wei's potential and becomes his mentor. Together, they form the core of a story that asks whether people of different birth and culture can ever truly understand one another, and what justice means in a time of collapsing empires and shifting allegiances.