In the year of 1762, when King Yeong Jo of the Joseon dynasty's been ruling for 35 years already, Crown prince Sa Do is accused of plotting treason by his biological mother lady Yi. King Yeong Jo falls into a dilemma since he could not penalize his own son as a traitor as it would mean that he would become the father of a traitor threatening his throne, and ends up ordering Sa Do to take his own life. As Sa Do’s lieges oppose King Yeong Jo’s decision by putting their own lives at risk, King Yeong Jo locks Sa Do in a wooden rice chest to kill him.