Chapter 13: The Leifeng Pagoda
Bab 13: Pagoda Leifeng
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.
Pada hari Xu Mengjiao berusia satu bulan, saat keluarga sedang merayakan, Fahai menerobos masuk ke rumah dengan mangkuk emas di tangannya.
"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."
"Bai Suzhen! Sudah waktunya bagimu untuk membayar harganya!" Fahai mengumumkan.
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.
Bai Suzhen tahu dia tidak bisa lolos dari takdir ini. Dia menatap suami dan putranya untuk terakhir kalinya dengan air mata mengalir di pipi.
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."
"Suamiku, jaga anak kita baik-baik... Xiaoqing, tolong jaga mereka..." kata Bai Suzhen sebagai kata-kata terakhirnya.
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."
Tiba-tiba, mangkuk emas memancarkan cahaya menyilaukan, menyedot Bai Suzhen ke dalamnya. Xu Xian mencoba lari untuk menyelamatkannya, tetapi didorong oleh kekuatan tak terlihat.
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.
Fahai memenjarakan Bai Suzhen di bawah Pagoda Leifeng, di tepi Danau Barat, dan mengutuk: "Sampai air Danau Barat mengering, atau Pagoda Leifeng runtuh, kau tidak akan pernah keluar ke dunia luar lagi!"
Hati Xu Xian hancur. Setiap hari dia membawa putranya untuk berdoa di depan pagoda, menangis karena merindukan istrinya. Perpisahan ini sangat menyakitkan dan kejam.