The peasant son of Xue Ren-gui is fond of martial arts. Upon learning that the emperor (Tang) declared enlistment in the army, he says goodbye to his father, mother, wife Liu and leaves, promising to write.
A Korean van sends his commander on a march to China in the hope that all the famous Tang commanders are old or dead. However, the Koreans are defeated. The adviser to the commander of the Chinese army, Xu Mao-gong, is to determine who is the creator of victory. There are two candidates: the old servant Zhang Shi-gui and the unknown commander Xue Ren-gui. Between them there is a long altercation, during which Zhang Shi-gui provides increasingly absurd arguments to prove his merits. It does not help to determine the winner and the intervention of Inspector Du Zhu-hui. Finally, they hold an archery competition. Xue Ren-Gui wins - it means that his archery decided the fate of the battle. He receives the rank of commander in chief, and Zhang Shi-gui is demoted to the peasant class. To celebrate, Xue gets drunk. He dreams that he is going home.
At home, he finds a bleak picture. Parents suffer from anguish and want, they are offended by neighbors. They do not have time to prepare refreshments for the son, as Zhang Shi-gui appears with the guards.He grabs Xue as a deserter and wants to execute him. But this is just a dream. And in reality, Xu Mao-gong offers his wife a daughter and allows him to go home.
A group of peasants come with songs and jokes to celebrate Cold Food Day. They meet the commander with his retinue. He asks them about Xue Ren-gui and his family. One of the peasants answers him with trepidation, but condemns Xue for having forgotten his parents. In the end, the commander Xue Ren-gui opens up to his countrymen and hurries to the house. Inspector Du Zhu-hui goes after Xue to inform him of the highest mercies. And Xue himself is finally at the gate of the house. Mother and father hardly recognize their son in the bearded military leader. Their joy is limitless. They also remember the hero’s first wife - it turns out she saved the old from starvation. A new, noble wife agrees to become the second, but the village does not claim to be the first. Family relations are settled, and here Du Zhu-hui arrives with a decree on titles and awards.
