A Moonshadow's Blessing

Once in the newly established Northern Wei Dynasty, the sprawling gardens of the imperial palace were surrounded by crystalline waters, lush foliage, and stone pathways. The landscape was illuminated in an array of colours, reflecting off of the grand pavilion at the far end of the garden.

Amid the tranquil scenery, Queen Kuang Lingxuan was striding regally, her robes of satin and silk rustling quietly with every step. A loyal eunuch attendant followed her, bowing his head as she passed.

Suddenly, without warning, the grand pavilion shook and trembled, and then collapsed, rocks and rocks of its structure showering the Queen and her attendant. In a flurry of movement, the dutiful attendant shielded her majesty from the falling debris. Before the attendant could react, Princess Kuang Yufei emerged from the shadows, her gown fluttering majestically about her.

The attendant was amazed as she extended her arm to save Her Majesty with great skill and agility. In a moment, the Queen was safe in the arms of the Princess.

The Queen was relieved, her attendant astonished, and all present bowed in reverence to the Princess. Consulting with her ministers, Queen Kuang Lingxuan thus named Princess Yufei as the crown princess.

Since the Princess had reached the rip age of getting married, the Queen took the crown princess to the temple of the goddess of the Moon, thus the Queen and her entourage marched from the capital Qingyang's gates to the temple of the goddess of the moon.

The Temple of Goddess of Moon stood tall and proud on the banks of the mighty river, its gleaming gold roof reflecting the light of the sliver moon in the night sky. Its walls were protected by two giant stone dragons, their eyes burning with a fierce determination to protect all who enter.

Inside, the temple was filled with intricate carvings and ivy-covered columns that frame the entrance of the inner sanctum. In the centre of the temple lay an altar to the Goddess of the Moon, surrounded by vivid tapestries depicting her many mythical feats and stories from Chinese history. With its serenity and beauty, the temple was a place of solace and respite for those who seek her wisdom and guidance.

As the crown princess enjoyed the temple's immense scenery after her arrival, she gazed into the eyes of the Goddess of the moon —who sat behind the curtains.

Crown Princess Kuang Yufei was overtaken by the Goddess's unparallel beauty, watching her daughter stare at the goddess, Queen Kuang Lingxuan smiled as she patted her daughter's shoulder and said, ''My daughter, your beauty surpasses even that of the Goddess of the Moon, for you are the one who lights up my sky each night with a stunning display of light and grace''.

Even the minister Tan Ruogang approached the Queen and asked her to pledge an apology but the Queen simply brushed him away saying she did nothing and then praising her daughter's beauty.

Standing inside the temple of the Goddess of the moon herself and comparing her beauty to a mere mortal, the attendants of the goddess of the moon were enraged.

After the Queen and her entourage had returned to the capital, the goddess of the moon noticed the remarks made and immediately vow to end the Northern Wei Dynasty with the crown Princess Kuang Yufei being the last ruler due to the former's rude remarks.

Once she had arrived at Qingyang atop her Kui, the Goddess of the moon realized that the Queen had two years left and the crown princess Kuang Yufei possessed twenty years of reign — and would thus live with lustful rage.

The goddess of the Moon received the news of the Queen looking for a perfect match for her daughter to get married. She called forth the evil spirits, Zhu Ren evil spirit that cause great misfortune and calamities, Gui a giant, nine-tailed fox spirit and Bixie a shape-shifting fairy that possesses the power of flight and ordered them to transform into handsome men with Bixie being the attendant and enter the royal palace howsoever, kill Queen Kuang Lingxuan, distract the crown princess and cause tyranny and destroy the dynasty.

It was a beautiful day in the palace courtyard, the sun shining brilliantly as food, decoration and crowds gathered excitedly. The Queen was dressed in her finest red silk robes, and her daughter, the Crown Princess Kuang Yufei, was arrayed in a similarly coloured dress of fine silk.

The Queen surveyed the crowd with a critical eye, looking for signs of a suitable match for her daughter. She sighed as she noticed the young men gathered. Most of them were the sons of wealthy aristocrats, but none of them caught her daughter's eye.

The Princess sat silently, her graceful features giving no hint of her thoughts. The Queen turned away, her heart heavy with worry. She knew that her daughter's happiness depended upon finding the right man to be her husband. A perfect match could be difficult to find, and time was slipping away. As she considered her options, she whispered silent prayers for a miracle.