The Moon at Its Zenith

In the final years of the dynasty, the Hu people eyed the south, and war spread throughout the Central Plains. To recruit soldiers and build up his forces, General Wenren arranged for his legitimate son, Wenren Po, to marry Xiao Yueyue, the twelve-year-old daughter of a wealthy horse merchant in Pingcheng.

Xiao Yueyue brought a dowry large enough to support an army, along with her fierce retinue, and left the harsh, frigid borderlands for the prosperous city of Ye. Everything she saw was novel to her, including her flower-like, jade-faced... no, her handsome as jade, more beautiful than Pan An husband. He was as fresh and tempting as a tender bamboo shoot just emerging in spring, making her want to reach out and pluck him.

But a dazzling array of temptations can be blinding, and worldly affairs wear a person down. After that initial excitement faded, she compromised with the bigger picture on one hand and fought her way through the obstacles on the other, eventually ascending to the empress's throne and sharing the realm.

Theme: Yin and yang each have their own merits