"饥荒年，“丧门星”沈兰被婆婆折磨倒吊，后卖给凶悍哑巴张屠户。原以为落入死穴，不料张屠户面冷心慈，不仅悉心治愈其伤，更用肉换回爱子阿宁，重筑温情。 面对贪官魏差役的构陷、恶婆婆的纠缠及村民的饥荒暴乱，沈兰以柔弱之躯挡灾施救，张屠户则冲破死关恢复发声。随着张屠户骁骑大将军身份曝光，他为护沈兰断然拒绝荣华回朝，宁愿杀虎平乱守在石屋。两人历经生死考验，终使恶人伏诛。结局沈兰产下女儿“明明”，母子三人与张屠户相拥，彻底告别卑微命格，在苦尽甘来中拥抱光明新生。"

December 1924, Karl Denke fails to smite Vincenz Olivier with a pickaxe. He would have been his 31st victim. The film thus reconstructs the mind, motivation, and psyche of its main character in intense dialog between him and the inspector.