Shim Chong has been a beggar her entire life. Her father is blind, and her mother died when Chong was only one week old. Every day is a bitter struggle to survive, and Chong sees no future for herself—until one night, she rescues a beautiful young woman floating in the river. The woman is the new bride of Chancellor Jang, a nobleman twice her age. To Chong’s surprise, Lady Jang warmly welcomes her to the chancellor’s estate. Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the two form an unusual bond . . . but will the classist and patriarchal society they live in ultimately break them apart?