Amidst thunder and lightning, a torrential downpour arrived unexpectedly.
Through the raging wind and rain.
The woman's vision was filled with images of her and her husband together in the past.
Back then, they were a harmonious couple, enjoying the idyllic scenery of Jiangnan together.
Unconcerned about the chaos of war in the outside world, they lived a happy life as a couple.
The husband wields swords and spears, while the wife excels in literature and art.
The two do not interfere with each other, yet they blend together perfectly.
In my spare time after a busy day, I would prepare a table of dishes.
He drank heartily, his bare chest slightly flushed from the alcohol.
She sat to the side, cupping her cheeks in her hands, watching her handsome man chuckle, feeling sweet and content.
However.
The Xiongnu, a nomadic tribe, were pressing in from the north, their armies threatening the country. The emperor mobilized his troops and called upon overseas Chinese to fight for the nation.
Her husband, Zuo Lan, felt obligated to enlist in the army and became one of the most dangerous soldiers.
They were responsible for charging to the front lines and gathering intelligence on the enemy.
That night.
The woman's world had collapsed.
But she knew how to choose between national righteousness and flying together as a couple.
That night, the woman packed her husband's bags without hesitation and personally saw him off to join the army.
"Unrelated to romance, I'll inscribe this preface and await your reply."
"A masterpiece of calligraphy, with waves cascading down the shore."
"How can I interpret the word 'love'? No matter how I try to write it, it just doesn't feel right..."
The stage scene returns to the pavilion amidst the raging wind and rain.
The woman in the white dress, holding a calligraphy brush, looked up again.
In the dim light of the sky.
In the distance, the towering peaks pierce the dark clouds, resembling colossal demons rising from the shadows.
The river water, whipped by a fierce wind, crashed violently against the cliffs.
Just like a woman's longing for her husband.
It gave her endless courage to conquer these inner demons.
She was faced with her husband, who had vanished without a trace.
No matter how the woman writes those familiar Chinese characters.
But I can never recreate the handwriting I used to have when he was with me…
The woman then sadly realized this.
I still don't know enough about my husband.
I spend far too little time with him.
How she wished she could be by her husband's side at this moment, giving him the courage to charge into battle and offering comfort as he licked his wounds when he was exhausted...
The woman in white, her hair disheveled, looked sorrowful amidst the howling wind.
Finally, she threw the brush and ink in her hand into the river in front of her, staining the water black.
The companionship of loved ones has been lost.
Even the most beautiful poems and articles lose their meaning.
The woman turned and left.
The paper, pressed down on the stone table by the inkstone, only had the title "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion" remaining.
The rest are all blank.
The river water stained with ink was quickly broken up and churned by the rain, returning to its original state.
It seems to be telling everyone.
The joys and sorrows of an ordinary person cannot be changed in the context of a broken country.
"Boom!"
The scene depicts lightning, thunder, and heavy rain.
Dr. Knoxland's widow, Zheng Shuangmei, who was sitting at the scene, felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and was extremely shocked.
I suddenly heard a story told in a theatrical style.
Tears blurred the middle-aged woman's vision.
In her youth, wasn't she just as respectful and loving towards her husband as depicted in the picture?
Until her husband received a mission from his distant homeland, he had to put aside his family ties and rush to the battlefield...
This poem, "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion," is like a chronicle of her destiny.
To express untold sorrow and longing...
————
Note: The original singer of "Preface to the Orchid Pavilion" was Jay Chou; the lyrics were written by Vincent Fang; and the music was composed by Jay Chou.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com