▁rom ance ▁written ▁by ▁Pe i ▁X ing ▁( <0xE8> <0xA3> <0xB4> <0xE9> <0x93> <0x8F> , ▁ 8 2 5 – 8 8 0 ) ▁during ▁the ▁Tang ▁D ynast y . ▁The ▁hero ▁of ▁the ▁tale ▁is ▁a ▁Neg rito ▁slave ▁that ▁uses ▁his ▁extraordinary ▁physical ▁ab ilities ▁to ▁save ▁his ▁master ' s ▁lo ver ▁from ▁the ▁ha rem ▁of ▁a ▁court ▁official . ▁ ▁Plot ▁It ▁takes ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁D ali ▁reign ▁era ▁( 7 6 6 - 8 0 ) ▁of ▁Emperor ▁Da iz ong ▁and ▁follows ▁the ▁tale ▁of ▁a ▁young ▁man ▁named ▁C ui ▁who ▁en lists ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁Mo - l ê , ▁his ▁neg rito ▁slave , ▁to ▁help ▁free ▁his ▁bel oved ▁who ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁ha rem ▁of ▁a ▁court ▁official . ▁At ▁mid night , ▁Mo - l ê ▁k ills ▁the ▁guard ▁dogs ▁around ▁the ▁comp ound ▁and ▁car ries ▁C ui ▁on ▁his ▁back ▁while ▁easily ▁jump ing ▁to ▁the ▁to ps ▁of ▁walls ▁and ▁bound ing ▁from ▁roof ▁to ▁roof . ▁With ▁the ▁lo vers ▁reun ited , ▁Mo - l ê ▁le aps ▁over ▁ten ▁tall ▁walls ▁with ▁both ▁of ▁them ▁on ▁his ▁back . ▁C ui ▁and ▁his ▁bel oved ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁live ▁happ ily ▁together ▁in ▁peace ▁because ▁the ▁official ▁bel ieves ▁she ▁was ▁kid n apped ▁by ▁you x ia ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁to ▁make ▁trouble ▁for ▁himself ▁by ▁purs uing ▁them . ▁However , ▁two ▁years ▁later ,