The Legend of Concubine Su

Deep within the majestic and historic Prince Pingyang's Palace, sunlight filtered through the delicately carved window lattices, scattering dappled light onto the bluestone floor. But it seemed unable to penetrate the heavy haze that enveloped the entire palace, nor could it dispel the grief etched within Lin Yaqin's heart. Princess Pingyang, Lin Yaqin, a gentle and dignified woman, sat blankly before an ancient bronze mirror, her gaze vacant and lifeless, as if she had lost all focus. In her hand, tightly clutched was a letter, freshly delivered by pony, still reeking of the clatter of horse hooves and the stench of travel. The thin paper felt like a thousand pounds.

The sudden arrival of this letter was like a bolt from the blue on a summer afternoon, instantly shattering the tranquil surface of her heart and unleashing a raging wave. Every word in the letter was like a sharp blade, slicing through her heart. It was the tragic news that her beloved father, the imperial guard Lin Fei, had died heroically on a distant battlefield. The news was like icy cold, instantly plunging her into an icy abyss. Lin Yaqin's tears fell like pearls from a broken string, one by one, finally converging into a flood that burst forth. Her world, in that moment, completely collapsed, leaving only endless darkness and despair.

"Father... How could Father abandon me..." she muttered to herself, her voice trembling and hoarse, each word strained from the depths of her throat. Her face, once delicate and graceful, now twisted in sheer grief. Tears streamed freely, soaking her clothes and her heart.

The maids around her were terrified by this sudden change. Seeing Lin Yaqin's pain, they were filled with sympathy and worry, but they didn't know how to comfort her. They could only silently offer her a white silk handkerchief, hoping to wipe away her tears. However, Lin Yaqin felt as if her heart was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, the pain so severe that she could hardly breathe. She was completely unaware of the maid's actions.

Upon hearing the news, Prince Yuanchen of Pingyang immediately dropped everything he was doing and rushed over. The moment he opened the door, he was met with the sight of Lin Yaqin's grief-stricken expression, and a pang of pain pierced his heart. He quickly walked over to her and gently embraced her, trying to dispel the coldness in her heart with his warmth.

"Yaqin, don't be too sad. It's bad for your health." Yuan Chen's voice was low and full of concern. Every word seemed to come from the bottom of his heart, full of sincere emotion. However, Lin Yaqin seemed to have lost all sense at this moment. She just kept sobbing, her body shaking with grief, as if she wanted to vent all the pain.

"Father... he has always been my support. Now that he is gone, I... what is the meaning of my life?" Lin Yaqin's voice was full of despair, and every word seemed to be telling of her inner pain and confusion.

Yuan Chen hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to rub her into his body. He said firmly, "Yaqin, you still have me and our family. My father-in-law in heaven would not want to see you hurting yourself like this. You have to be strong, for me and for our child."

Lin Yaqin raised her tearful face and looked at Yuanchen. Her eyes, once full of brilliance, were now filled with pain and confusion. Her lips trembled as she whispered, "Yuanchen, I really can't stand it. I really want to go with my father."

Yuan Chen looked at her distressedly, his eyes filled with deep affection and reluctance. He gently stroked her hair, his voice choking with sobs as he said, "Yaqin, if you remain like this, wouldn't your father-in-law's sacrifice be in vain? He lived a life of loyalty and bravery, sacrificing so much for the country and its people. Now that he's gone, we should live well to make his sacrifices worthwhile. You must believe that your father-in-law will surely watch over us from Heaven."

Despite Yuanchen's repeated attempts to comfort her, Lin Yaqin's heart remained filled with pain and despair. In the days that followed, she attempted suicide several times, hoping to end her tormented life. Once, while her maidservants were not paying attention, she rushed to the garden pond and attempted to drown. Fortunately, Yuanchen arrived in time, grabbed her and rescued her from the icy water.

"Yaqin, why are you doing this!" Yuan Chen shouted loudly, his voice full of anxiety and anger, and more of his heartache and reluctance towards Lin Yaqin.

Lin Yaqin collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears, her voice filled with despair and pain: "Yuanchen, let me go. I really can't live without my father."

Yuan Chen held her in his arms again, his voice trembling but firm: "Yaqin, I know you're in pain, but if you leave, what should I do? What will happen to our child? You have to think about our child, he still needs a mother."

At the mention of her child, Lin Yaqin's body trembled slightly. She thought of her young child, her innocent eyes and tender face. She couldn't help but hesitate. Yes, she still had a child; she couldn't give up her life so easily.

Yuan Chen took the opportunity to continue persuading her, "Yaqin, for the sake of the children, for me, and for the palace, you must cheer up. Your father-in-law is a hero, and we must pass on his spirit to us. You must believe that time will dilute all the pain, and you will slowly get better."

With Yuanchen's constant comfort and encouragement, Lin Yaqin's emotions gradually stabilized. She began to accept her father's passing and gradually realized that she still had responsibilities and obligations and could not give up her life so easily. She told herself that for her children, for Yuanchen, for the palace, and most importantly, for her father's spirit in heaven, she must live on with strength.

To help Lin Yaqin overcome her grief, Yuan Chen arranged various activities to distract her. Sometimes, he invited an opera troupe to the palace, allowing her to find resonance and solace in the joys and sorrows of opera. Other times, he took her on outings to the countryside to admire the flowers, allowing her to experience the beauty of nature and the vitality of life. He also often accompanied Lin Yaqin in reminiscing about the good times she had with her father, allowing her to find warmth and strength in those memories.

As time went by, Lin Yaqin's face gradually began to smile more. Although the pain in her heart could never be erased, she learned to move forward with her father's love and expectations. She began to devote herself to the life of the palace again, caring for her children and family with all her heart, and became a strong mother and princess.

On a quiet night, moonlight streamed across the courtyard. Lin Yaqin and Yuanchen sat side by side on a stone bench, gazing up at the starry sky. Lin Yaqin whispered, "Yuanchen, thank you for giving me the courage to live again."

Yuan Chen held her hand and looked at her affectionately: "Yaqin, we will always be together, no matter what difficulties we encounter. You must believe that I will always be by your side, supporting you and loving you."

The moonlight shone on them, illuminating their figures as they leaned on each other. Lin Yaqin finally found the strength to move on from her sorrow. She understood that although life was full of pain and setbacks, as long as there was love, hope, and courage in one's heart, one would be able to overcome all difficulties and embrace a bright future.