Chapter 13: The Leifeng Pagoda
The Leifeng Pagoda stood tall and silent by the shores of the West Lake, a somber reminder of Bai Suzhen's imprisonment. Beneath its heavy stones, she was trapped in darkness, unable to see the sun or feel the breeze. Her only connection to the world was her thoughts of Xu Xian and her son.
"I will wait," she promised herself, her voice echoing in the small space. "I will wait for as long as it takes. My love for them will keep me strong."
In the world above, life went on. Xu Xian had moved to a distant monastery, where he lived a life of simple devotion. He spent his days chanting sutras and his nights looking at the moon, wondering if Bai Suzhen could see it too.
Xiaoqing was left with the task of raising Mengjiao. She took him to live with Xu Xian's sister, where he would be safe and well-cared for. "He must not know the truth yet," Xiaoqing decided. "He must grow up like a normal human boy. The burden of our past is too heavy for him to carry."
Every year, on the anniversary of her sister's imprisonment, Xiaoqing would visit the Leifeng Pagoda. She would stand before the cold stone and whisper words of hope. "I am training, sister," she would say. "I am gathering my strength. One day, I will be strong enough to challenge Fahai and set you free."
The pagoda became a place of legend. People would visit it and tell the story of the white snake who loved a mortal. Some felt pity for her, while others believed she deserved her fate. But for those who knew the truth, the pagoda was a symbol of a love that was too powerful for the world to handle. The years passed, and the baby Mengjiao grew into a young boy, unaware that his mother was trapped beneath the very tower he often passed on his walks by the lake.