A thousand years have passed and you’ve been through many forms since we first met. Rotating between male and female from life to life. The moment we crossed paths on that mountain, our destinies intertwined. You, the shepherd boy that saved my life. Me, the hundred year old serpent. Fahai, the hunter long ago that tried to steal my gallbladder. Mortals say everything was predestined by the heavens, is this what they planned for us from the start? For us to fail, for us to break the rules and fall in love, for Fahai to interfere and destroy our marriage. A cruel joke.
A thousand years has passed since you’ve been the little shepherd boy. I had forgotten I had a life debt to pay when Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, reminded me. Amidst the rain on Tomb Sweeping Day you will find him. Lovers are drawn together. Search for him high above West Lake. I remember that day Xiaoqing and I searched for hours until I saw you on Broken Bridge. You, my young shepherd are now Xu Xian Hawen. I wasn’t sure you were you yet. We saw so many men high above West Lake that day. I tested each of them, looking into their past; the nobleman was once a butcher, the scholar a farmer and the pharmacist a eunuch. Something about you caught my eye that day. Xiaoqing, she tested your integrity; dropping my pearl hairpin, a man’s money, a lady’s earring. You returned it all. I liked you before we confirmed who you were. But I was afraid. Afraid what would happen if you weren’t the one I was looking for. We tried again anyways. To meet you she made it rain. Pretending to be caught in the downpour we shared a boat home, the umbrella and hairpin our matchmaker.
A thousand years of Tao cultivation was not enough to separate myself from human emotions. I was confident after providing an heir for the Xu family I could leave and return to study in the heavens but that was not the case. Our wedding a fairytale, but unconventional. It was my fault that shortly after our marriage you were sentenced to be exiled to SuZhou for a year. I had asked Xiaoqing to “borrow” the gold from the government. I only meant well, as a serpent spirit I had little use for money before. You had suspicions but you never asked me. Never blamed me for your misery. We were secretly protecting you in SuZhou and saw everything. The girl, you, her parents. They took a liking to you. Xiaoqing didn’t believe but I had faith. If I were Ngưu Lang, I would already have my Chức Nữ. If I were Lương Sơn Bạc, I would already have my Chúc Anh Đài. Those words made me smile. I knew then I couldn’t part from you even if I wanted to. For a short time we were happy, we opened Bao An Emporium to help the sick.. A year into our marriage I bore you a son, Xu Shilin. Our Shilin, the scholar god incarnate.
A thousand years ago I never would’ve believed that I would become so enamored with the human world. You wouldn’t remember but I had nearly killed you. It was the first time you saw my true form. During the Dragon Boat Festival, we drank realgar wine it caused me to lose control of my human form. You stepped back into our room after running to get vinegar to “sober” me up, believing that was why I kicked you out. It was eerily quiet; the room was filled with mist. You lifted the curtain to find a massive white serpent in place of your pregnant wife. It scared you to death. Luckily you held on to your last breath. Alone I broke into Heaven to steal medicine to revive you, was nearly put to death. Your body was saved but your soul was taken away. Quickly I journeyed to the Underworld and bartered with the King of Hell for your soul back. You realized then I wasn’t human. You called me a demon, a monster and refused to return with me. You won’t remember but I forgive you.
A thousand years of immortality couldn’t compare to you and Shilin. I vowed to return after I had repaid my life debt, if not I would be buried between the rocks and destroyed by thunder. One month after Shilin was born, our time together expired. By then you knew who I really was, why I was here with you and you still loved me despite it all. I pleaded with the Goddess of Mercy to let me stay. Sever your earthly ties. But I lingered, Fahai trapped me under Leifeng Pagoda to atone for my sins, killing innocent bystanders during my battle with him. To continue my Tao cultivation. You will only be released when all the water has dried from West Lake and Leifeng Pagoda has turned to dust. Merciful Guanyin negotiated my freedom with the heavens. Shilin will save me she says; it is his destiny to suffer as well. To have a mother who is imprisoned, a father who abandoned him to be a monk. To be raised by his aunt and uncle, not knowing his true identity the offspring of a serpent spirit and mortal. Shilin, become the Premiere scholar my son. Move the Emperor with your filial piety and set me free. Then will be reunited, like a tree blossoming in the spring.