Coming from a very humble background, POON MUK HING (Ma Tak Chung) nevertheless is content with his lot. , He works for the POONs of Dongshan as driver. His true identity of the eldest son of the family comes to light when he saves POON CHEUK WAH (Wong Ho Yin), the young master, in an accident. CHONG FUNG YEE (Wang Ming Chun, Liza), the first daughter-in-law in the family, has to admit unwillingly the fact that when she married into the family she was already pregnant. His true identity revealed, HING changes his name to POON CHEUK HING according to the genealogical table of the clan. The mother and son have since been locked in a seesaw struggle.

YIP HEUNG CHING (Sheh Charmaine) came from an influential family in Xiguan. She starts selling congee on a boat for a living with her elder brother after their family has fallen into decline. CHING and WAH used to go out but YEE did all she could to separate them. Later, CHING opens a teahouse with the help and support of HING. Spontaneously, love blossoms between them. Not long afterwards, the Poon family runs into a lot of troubles. YEE and WAH are unable to handle them at all. HING seizes the opportunity to restore the prestige of the family. For the sake of the benefit of POONs, he is prepared to sacrifice his relationships with other family members, his love as well as his friends. By doing so, he also involves himself in a never-ending bloody battle of power.

出身寒微、安分守己的潘穆兴（马德钟饰）被东山潘家收留任司机，在一次意外中勇救少爷潘卓华（黄浩然饰）而揭发自己原是潘家长子的身份，潘家二少奶庄凤仪 （汪明荃饰）虽设法掩饰当年未婚生子的秽史，现今却要无奈相认，穆兴因而随族谱改名为潘卓兴，正式成为东山大少爷，而母子关系亦从此陷入一种矛盾的拉锯状 态。

原为西关小姐的叶向晴（佘诗曼饰）因家道中落，与哥哥相依为命并经营粥艇维生。她与华本为一对，但仪却对小情人处处阻挠，甚至严施手段捧打鸳鸯。晴与华分 手后幸得兴扶持及帮助，自立门户经营茶室，兴亦因此与晴渐生感情。不久，潘家陷入多事之秋，仪及华无力应对，兴就趁势大展拳脚为潘家重建声威，兴为求保护 家族利益，不惜牺牲亲情、爱情和友情，同时更展开了一幕又一幕腥风血雨的权力斗争……