However, whereas Yongzheng Dynasty closely followed historical events, Li Wei the Magistrate is almost completely fictional and includes a significant amount of comedy.

In the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, censor Yue Zifeng is attacked and murdered by order of the Crown Prince Yinreng when he begins exposing corrupt magistrates with ties to him for embezzling several million taels of relief funds.

When his mother is arrested and sentenced to be executed for stealing rice, Li impersonates an imperial censor and dupes the presiding magistrates there into setting her free.

His actions are witnessed by the emperor's sons, Yinzhen and Yinxiang, and their retainer, Nian Gengyao, the real censors sent to Jiangnan by imperial decree.

However, he struggles due to his illiteracy and lack of court knowledge, as well as his powerlessness in investigating the magistrates whose powerful political ties allow them to evade questioning and continue exploiting with impunity, resulting in Siying and Xiaoman employing the assistance of a reclusive scholar, Ren Nanpo.