Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River!

Drawing on the true history of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period and Cao Zhi's celebrated poem, "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River," this story unfolds amid the turmoil of the court and on the banks of the Luo River in the third year of Huangchu. It weaves together royal power struggles, the meeting of kindred spirits, and the tragic fate of a love between human and divine, creating a historical tale rich in classical Chinese romance and gravitas. After Cao Wei replaced the Han dynasty, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, secured his hold on the throne. Still wary of his younger brother Cao Zhi, who had once competed with him for the succession, Cao Pi repeatedly sought to suppress him. After ascending the throne, Cao Pi purged Cao Zhi's closest associates, executing devoted friends including Ding Yi and Ding Yi. He also seized on accusations from court officials to repeatedly demote Cao Zhi, who was eager to serve his country. Cao Zhi was first made Marquis of Anxiang and then Prince of Juancheng, confined to a distant fief and stripped of any chance to take part in government. Once a peerless talent, deeply favored by Cao Cao and determined to make a name for himself through great deeds, Cao Zhi now found himself trapped in political failure and estranged from his own family, sinking into constant despondency.

In the third year of Huangchu, Cao Zhi received an imperial order to travel to Luoyang and pay his respects to the emperor. He observed all the proper courtesies between ruler and subject, yet was still treated coldly and obstructed at every turn. After the audience, he took leave of the capital and set out east for his fief in Juancheng. The road stretched through vast landscapes, with an uncertain future ahead. As the sun sank toward the western hills, his carriage and horses grew weary. Passing by the Luo River, Cao Zhi and his party stopped to rest on its lush grassy banks. Dusk hung in the air, the Luo flowed gently, and the mountains and woods lay quiet and ethereal. With his heart heavy and his thoughts adrift, Cao Zhi happened to glimpse an incomparable beauty standing beside a rocky outcrop.