Heaven Official's Blessing by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu is a series of historical Chinese fantasy novels about the once-prosperous crown prince of Xianle, Xie Lian. He is banished from the heavens and becomes a "scrap-collecting God," only to ascend to the heavens again to a laughing-stock. The novels also follow Xie Lian's most devoted believer, Hua Cheng, also known as "The Crimson Rain Sought Flower," who is the most feared of the Four Ghost Calamities. Set 800 years after the fall of the kingdom of Xianle, the now-unlucky Xie Lian meets up with the mysterious Hua Cheng at a "ghost marriage."
I really like these novels and especially the main characters Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. I really enjoy that Mo Xiang Tong Xiu uses Hua Cheng to show respect to Xie Lian even though no one else does. Xie Lian is shown as a character who cares for both the heavens and normal people whoever they are, and yet never gets anything in return for it, apart from the love and care of Hua Cheng: "If your dream is to save the common people, then my dream is only you." Hua Cheng waits 800 years just to speak to Xie Lian, and I find the novels really heart-warming in their representation of love.
Some of my favourite scenes include "The Gamblers Den" story arc, which follows Xie Lian meeting Hua Cheng in the Ghost City. It shows how much Hua Cheng cares and that he would make any sacrifice for Xie Lian. Another favourite scene is one in which Hua Cheng gives Xie Lian 3,000 lanterns in the "Battle of the Lanterns" arc, again which demonstrates to the reader how fond Hua Cheng is of Xie Lian. I really like Xie Lian and Hua Cheng interacting across the story and how they communicate with each other.
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