A woman's struggle for equality in Japan in the 1880s. Eiko Hirayama leaves Okayama for Tokyo, where she helps the fledgling Liberal Party and falls in love with its leader Kentaro Omoi, just as the party is being disbanded by the government. Eiko and Omoi are jailed because of a fire at a factory instigated by Chiyo, a servant girl from Eiko's home in Okayama, who was sold to slavery. A few years later the 1889 constitution is proclaimed, Eiko, Omoi, and Chiyo are pardoned, and the Liberal Party is reinaugurated. However Omoi does not campaign for women's rights.

富家子弟张荣日（何家劲 饰）因冲动犯事儿进入劳役中心服刑，他老实内向，对道上规矩更是一窍不通，因此饱受虾毛等人欺负，在此期间他结识了颇讲义气的阿豪（刘德华 饰），二人成为莫逆之交。此后他们洗心革面，齐心向学，更通过了中学会考。出狱后，身份不同的两个人也自然走上不同的人生路。荣日飞赴英国，研读法律；阿豪则因家境贫苦，终日为生计奔波，却当年的仇家马超追杀，最终被迫随虾毛遁入黑道。日光荏苒，转眼6年过去。荣日学业有成，顺利归国。阿豪也在腥风血雨中拚杀出自己的一片天空。适值此时，马超设计陷害阿豪，这也促使分处黑白两个世界荣日和阿豪站在同一法庭上。只是时过境迁，个中滋味谁人知……

学警陈志超虽成绩名列前茅，但因得罪探长刘福而被调守梅窝，却因一次缉获当地黑社会头子而获派担任便衣，更与江湖大姐义结金兰。福无法摆平英军强奸村女一案，听侄儿刘和奸计欲陷害志超，幸志超化险为夷，同时亦使刘福威名大增，此后官运亨通，引来同僚林光及雷洛妒忌。志超生性风流，除有妻何玉珠及妾白素芬外，更有女友姚卿，引起素芬不满，在自杀及偷汉后，终弄致分手。志超因懂得奉承刘福，遂成为刘福退休后的继任人，誓言除暴安良。时刘和把小歌女郭秋菊卖身给夏爵士，之后更逼死她，志超便抓来刘和替秋菊报仇，更不惜与刘和的老板雷洛再结梁子。最后刘福在临终前来求情，志超才饶刘和一命。志超在五十年代多次社会暴乱中均有突出的表现，故最后获升为新部门“三支旗”（香港、九龙、新界俗称三支旗）的总舵主，拥有无上警力，成为警界神话。

抗日战争时期，一匹叫飞飞的白马在战场上为了救负伤的主人骑兵军官戚念兵，毅然引开搜捕的敌骑兵而不幸被俘。敌人至终都未能训服飞飞，最后飞飞绝食而亡。