Li Wei hopes to fail a royal marriage selection but unexpectedly becomes the wife of the overlooked sixth prince, Yin Zheng. As they build an affectionate partnership, she and the other brides challenge restrictive customs and support one another's ambitions.
Cui Shiyi, a noblewoman promised to the future crown prince, becomes the disciple of General Zhousheng Chen. Their quiet bond develops into forbidden love as political obligations and his vow never to marry constrain every choice they make.
In 1930s Beiping, businessman Cheng Fengtai becomes an ardent supporter of uncompromising opera performer Shang Xirui. Their deepening friendship helps sustain an embattled troupe as artistic rivalries and the approaching war threaten their way of life.