Twelve years ago, the Liang’s Commanding General LIN XIE alongside his only son LIN SHU led his troops to fight the Yu armies. Court official XIA JIANG (Wang Yongquan) conspired with the others to present fabricated evidence to Emperor of Liang (Ding Yongdai) and falsely accused LIN XIE of treason, resulting in the death of seventy thousand soldiers in Meiling. Though LIN SHU is rescued by the master of Langya Hall, LIN CHEN (Jin Dong), he suffered from severe poisoning, which ultimately led to his altered facial features. Renaming himself as MEI CHANGSU (Hu Ge), he took shelter in the Jiang Zuo Alliance, eventually rising to the leader of the pugilist world. Twelves years later, MEI CHANGSU, as a reputed genius, gets recruited by the Crown Prince (Gao Xin) and Prince YU (Victor Huang), instead, he turns to served the unfavored Prince JING (Wang Kai). On the surface, he helps his childhood friend Prince JING become Emperor, yet he is seeking vengeance on the sly, during which he also re-encounters his financee, Princess NIHUANG (Liu Tao), and other familiar yet estranged people and things. Frail as he is, MEI CHANGSU conceals his suffering to inflict ominous turmoil and help the rightful ruler ascend the throne, restoring the honor of those wronged……

十二年前，大元帅林燮携独生爱子林殊率军出征抗击大渝，悬镜司夏江（王永泉饰）勾结朝臣捏造伪证，向大梁皇帝（丁勇岱饰）告密林燮有谋逆之心，令七万赤焰将士枉死梅岭，林殊幸得琅琊阁阁主蔺晨（靳东饰）所救，但因身中奇毒，需忍受削皮挫骨椎心之痛以致容貌大变，化名梅长苏（胡歌饰），投奔天下第一大帮江左盟，并列琅琊公子榜的榜首。十二年后，梅长苏凭麒麟之才入宫成为太子（高鑫饰）与誉王（黄维德饰）延揽的对象，但他却转投默默无闻的靖王（王凯饰）。表面为扶植靖王夺取皇位，暗里展开复仇之路的梅长苏，重遇曾有婚约的霓凰郡主（刘涛饰）、儿时挚友的靖王、以及既熟悉又陌生的人与物，只能竭力隐藏一切屈辱，以病弱之躯掀起连翻血影惊涛，辅佐明君登上皇位，为赤焰忠魂沉冤昭雪……