Wei Yao, a daughter born of a concubine in a declining noble family, schemes in secret with her exquisite painting skill to protect her mother and break free from the family's predicament. She writes letters on behalf of her elder half-sister to Xiao Xuheng, Heir of the Loyal and Brave Marquis, and uses the heir's influence to treat her mother's lingering illness. Step by step, she plans a daring escape, and finally assumes a new identity as a female clerk in the Ministry of Justice. Just as she thinks she has begun a peaceful new life, the heir recognizes her on the spot by a red mole behind her ear. Past secrets and tangled feelings resurface, and a tug-of-war between wisdom and affection quietly unfolds.