Starry River of the Sky

The group returns to the village for the night, deciding to leave the moon on the Stone Pancake. Mr. Shan will stay with it, and when the others voice their concern, he promises that “it will not disappear again” (248).

The next day, Peiyi is upset because Jiming plans to take the moon to the king on the villagers’ behalf , which means that she’ll lose him again. She doesn’t know why people keep leaving her, but Madam Chang explains that this is just a part of life. Madam Chang promises that Jiming won’t leave again and that she, too, will never leave Peiyi. She promises the girl, “Every night of your life, I will be there for you” (252).

Madam Chang interrupts the discussion of moving the moon to announce that the king cannot help, because only a mountain can hold up the moon. The innkeeper argues that his ancestor once moved a mountain, and Madam Chang tells the true story of how the mountain moved.