Duan Hongyu was confined to her own quarters. She neither wept nor made a scene, yet Chu Hengchuan was frazzled. One moment he had to console Consort Lin, who was grieving the loss of her child; the next, he had to visit Noble Consort Su, who had regained consciousness and was making a spectacle of her distress. Then there were his parents-in-law, who had come knocking to demand justice for their daughters.
Chu Hengchuan began to harbor resentment toward Duan Hongyu, thinking he must have lost his mind when he chose to take this woman. Yet, he would then smile to himself; if not for the sake of power, why would he have bothered marrying so many women? Moreover, Duan Hongyu had truly been his beloved once—she was a woman he had spent a great deal of effort to win.
"A beauty I once saw, never to be forgotten.
A day without sight of her, my longing turns to madness.
The phoenix spreads its wings, soaring the four seas to seek its mate.
Alas, the fair one is not behind the eastern wall.
I use the zither in place of speech, to write out my hidden heart.
When will you grant me your favor, to soothe my wavering soul?
I wish to be matched by virtue, to walk hand in hand with you.
If we cannot fly together, I shall wither and perish.
Oh Phoenix, Phoenix, return to your home; I travel the four seas seeking my mate.
The time was not yet right, so I had nowhere to turn; who knew that today I would ascend to this hall!
The beautiful lady is in her boudoir, though near, she is far, poiso…
Chapter 93