Lament at Long Gate Palace

Seven

Disclaimer: This is a translation of the Chinese novel 长门怨 by Qiao Xi/乔夕 and not my own work.

Translated by: Catharcity
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The 4th year of the Yuanguang era of the Han Dynasty. Snowfall.

I stood at the terrace of Changmen Palace and watched as the snow accumulated on the grounds. Even as I held the lute within my hands, somehow, I was unable to play a single tune.

One day, I met Zhuo Wenjun, the daughter of Zhuo Wangsun.

Zhuo Wenjun was a beautiful and elegant woman. Though her face blossomed with happiness, it did not conceal the sorrow within her eyes.

She played a song of Two Phoenixes. I had never heard such a melodious song before, as though it were a gift from the Heavens.

Zhuo Wenjun told me the stories about Sima Xiangru.

She said that there will never be a person who would be able to move her heart the way he had. When she said these words, there was no trace of bashfulness within her demeanour. She was a confident and stubborn woman.

She said to me, Your Majesty, I envy you. The Emperor really treasures you – for you, he built a golden palace.

I told her that love was like a beautiful piece of cloth. When you wanted to treasure it by hiding it away, it would only hasten its crumple into innumerable folds.

The more you tried to hold onto love, the faster it slipped through your grasp.

Liu Che, I only knew all of these, because it was a lesson you taught to me.