乾隆八年(🌠),一场(chǎng )(🆓)“金殿验鸟(niǎo )”引出匿灾不报(bào )、贪(😘)绩(jì )婪财(cái )的惊天(tiān )巨案,暴(bào )露大清国粮田(tián )萎(wěi )缩(suō )(🍖)、(🔬)粮(liáng )仓空匮的(de )危(😧)机(🎾)。因(yīn )病归(guī )乡(🎲)的(de )刘统勋奉(fèng )命出(chū )山,带领谷山、杜霄(🤷)等(🗄)新上(shàng )任的年(nián )(👁)轻干(gàn )臣,冲(🥄)出重(🚉)围(🏐),以颅为典,执(🎫)行(🥞)乾隆的(🍮)开荒增田大策。苦干两年后(🐖),粮田(tián )转危为安(📎),国家经济逐渐恢复(⏯)元气。然而,以铁公南(nán )、(🥎)宋五楼为首的贪腐势力(🙌),公然(🌞)挑战新(xīn )修的“禁丈(zhàng )”法(fǎ )(🈴)律,借开荒(huāng )之名(🔔),升(shēng )科收税(shuì ),残酷(⛳)盘剥垦民,使乾(🧟)隆的垦(kěn )(🤖)殖(zhí )大(🕯)业(🌮)功亏(🗳)一篑。此时,全国(🥊)十八省中(💍),逾(🐾)半遭遇(yù )百年未遇天灾,全国性粮食危机再度爆发,国(🔈)本动(🙎)摇,引发朝野激(jī )烈动(dòng )荡。刘、谷众臣又临危受命,以浙江(🔞)重灾区为(wéi )突破口(🌱),坚持(🆙)以(🖍)法治田(tián ),与朝野恶势力展开生死较量,终保住大清国的耕地(dì )红(hóng )线(xiàn ),粮(liáng )食(shí )安(ān )全被(💑)确立为国家(🍹)第一要务。可新(🧥)政甫出,却又面(miàn )临(lín )更尖锐挑(tiāo )战,因(💛)开荒过度(⛅)而引发的生态灾难随之浮(fú )现,刘、谷众臣(chén )再(🗒)次赴(fù )汤蹈(🎁)火(huǒ )。