Xiqu

Cao Zhi and Zhen Mi are in love. However, Cao Cao wants to make Zhi his successor, so he chooses Chen Dezhu to be Zhi’s wife. He further marries Mi to Cao Pi. Mi falls into Pi’s trap by asking Zhi to meet her in private. As a result, Zhi is exiled to Linzi.

After Cao Cao has died, Pi becomes the king. He begins to purge his brothers to secure his rule. Pi forces Mi to write to urge Zhi to return with the excuse that the Queen Dowager misses him.On the Copper Bird Terrace, Pi orders Zhi to compose a poem within ten steps, and will kill him if he fails. Zhi accomplishes in seven steps with Mi’s encouragement. After hacking a foot off a tripod cauldron to illustrate Pi the importance of his brothers, Mi drowns herself into the Luo River. Mourning her by the River, Zhi dreams of Mi ascending to the heaven and becomes the Goddess of the Luo River.