One night, Kim Cha-eon begins the coup which sees the King, all his men and allies ruthlessly murdered, including Yi-seo's father.

Yul automatically assumes the title of Crown Prince, and is further shocked on the coronation day with the news of his mother's "accidental death".

Sixteen years later, Yul has grown up to be a cold and unlikable Crown Prince, due to the trauma of his past.

At the same time, a drought occurs in Joseon and people begin to blame Yul and his refusal to consummate the marriage as the reason.

While en route to a rain ritual, Yul and his followers are ambushed by assassins arranged by Cha-eon, and he is almost killed.

His childhood friend and guardian, Dong-joo, forces them to switch their garments, essentially luring the attackers away from Yul.

Yi-seo, who managed to escape unscathed in the coup years ago, has been adopted by a commoner man and now lives undercover as a peasant girl named Hong-shim in Songjoo Village.

While Yi-seo goes to the bridge as promised without fail, it has been sixteen years since the separation and she is beginning to lose hope that her brother is still alive.

Hong-shim refuses because she says that she is already betrothed to a man named Won-deuk who is serving in the military and has no intention of being the nobleman's fifth wife.

The rest of the story follows how the prince seems very strange to the commoner's lifestyle and is initially considered a good-for-nothing-husband by the villagers.