It is said that a shared boat in a past life grants a shared pillow in this one. What great fortune, then, was…
It is said that a shared boat in a past life grants a shared pillow in this one. What great fortune, then, was mine to have met you, Lady Liu Si'an.
To be husband and wife for a day is to share mutual respect; for a hundred days, it is the bond of holding hands into old age. With you, I had wished to witness all of Chang'an's splendor, to sing long songs beneath the moon. To be a perfect couple, envied by others; to be true partners, celebrated by Heaven and Earth.
Alas, the passing years created a rift between us. Our lives were not our own to command, and the world is fraught with hardship and sorrow. You, Si'an, gentle as a willow, virtuous and kind, were yet unable to serve the elders above, nor manage the household below.
Today, I restore to you your freedom, hoping it brings you joy. I humbly pray that you, my lady, will find another good family. May you drink among blossoms and gaze upon the moon, with children and grandchildren gathered at your knees. May your family rejoice, and I, Shangguan, shall have no regrets.
This letter is set down as proof.
In Wannian County of Chang'an.
Respectfully,
Shangguan Ze