During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a wealthy household in Huaxian County, Guangdong. The head of the household Chen Hong's wife died early, and his son was not filial, so Chen Hong placed his hopes on his new wife to birth him a son. Jing and Xu Yanxia, a couple, assisted Chen Hong's wife during her labor and Ji was born. Although, Ji was smart since childhood, he was also mischievous. One day, Ji played tricks on his teacher, Jing, again, but he became injured. Jing was scared that he had severely injured Ji and left. Since then, Ji became silent and autistic, his mother sent him to a private school. Ji met a little girl named Liu Mei in the school. For more than ten years, Ji, who felt extremely happy, gradually recovered. At the same time, Jing and Xu Yanxia also returned to Huaxian. Jing knew that Ji had recovered, and finally felt relieved. The adventure begins!

清道光年间，广东花县有一富户，户主陈鸿妻早亡，子至贤不孝，陈鸿便将希望寄托在继室缪兰身上。皇天不负有心人，兰生子梦吉（张卫健饰），自幼聪敏。方唐镜（吴孟达饰）虽是他的授业老师，但却经常被他戏弄。一天，梦吉又作弄老师，却自食其果而受伤，镜以为是自己把梦吉弄伤，遂一走了之。梦吉自此变得沉默自闭，鸿乃将梦吉送进私塾读书。

　　梦吉在书塾内认识了名叫柳媚(张茜饰)的小女孩。十几年间，感到无比幸福的梦吉渐渐痊愈。同时，镜与徐艳霞也重返花县，镜知道梦吉已痊愈，总算放心。至贤设计抢夺家产，鸿因而一病不起，临终时将产业尽归梦吉所有。

　　时洋人因贩卖鸦片，屡侵中国国境，梦吉被朝廷拉去当兵。相反，深感清廷腐败无能的民间组织[更多信息...]小刀会把镜强抢去当师爷，两人只好各为其主。

　　一次，梦吉与英兵对阵不幸受伤，幸得一医疗医生杨玛莉相救，二人从此结识，却惹来玛莉表哥刘华东（郑瑞晓饰）的妒忌。

　　经过几场大战，梦吉、镜相遇，两人都对中国人打中国人感到厌倦，梦吉于是私自脱离军队住进贼窝黑风寨救柳媚。这时玛莉亦被困山寨，华东上山营救，见梦吉即妒火中烧，暗中嫁祸他杀人，幸得镜带了小刀会的人来救。

　　华东、梦吉的仇怨闹上京城，道光皇帝命二人比剑作决定，不料日期定在八月十五媚生日当天。梦吉只好声称被人掳走，实乃前往花县与媚庆祝生日。梦吉在媚的鼓励下，终将华东打败，成为状元，得道光即席赐婚。

　　大婚期间，一帮黑衣人到陈家大举搜索。原来先前与镜结怨的敖威与华东、至贤设计陷害梦吉、镜，暗中将一块胡乱写上道光乃妃嫔所生的玉佩放在陈家，欲指二人企图要挟皇上。梦吉、镜陷狱，被斩当天，二人被下了药，导致口不能言、手不能动……

　　到底一代状王能否安然渡过生死关头？