SFS Chapter 150 Under the Leifeng Pagoda
Chapter 150 Under the Leifeng Pagoda
Cheng Yuntao's eyes flickered with thought as she slowly said, "The happy ending of 'The Legend of the White Snake' is certainly good, but besides the tragedy of 'Leifeng Pagoda', there are also many things worth pondering and savoring."
"A handsome young man, holding an umbrella, walked across the bridge, and the gentle and charming snake demon's eyes moved, gently sweeping across the young man's face. She had intended to set a love net and win him over, but she never expected that in the end, it would be herself who fell deeply in love."
"The two met by the West Lake while borrowing an umbrella. Later, White Snake used the opportunity of borrowing and returning the umbrella to host a banquet for Xu Xuan. As they met and revisited each other, their feelings for each other gradually grew."
"At first, the White Snake underestimated Xu Xuan. She was confident that she had cultivated for thousands of years, transformed herself into a stunningly beautiful woman, and even fabricated stories of a distinguished family background and substantial wealth. She thought, facing such a gentle, dull, penniless, and inexperienced young man, how could he not readily agree to be with her?"
"If she had been more patient, less impatient, or had a better understanding of the rules of love, she would have understood that in a relationship, the one who takes the initiative often ends up suffering greater harm."
For Jing Zimo, Cheng Yuntao's perspective was somewhat special. In the eyes of ordinary people, the White Snake was a thousand-year-old demon with magical powers, so Xu Xuan was the weaker party no matter how he looked at it.
"Miss Cheng, what you're saying is that, superficially, the White Snake seems to know everything about Xu Xuan, while Xu Xuan knows nothing about her true identity. But in reality, the White Snake is the one who is truly naive and innocent?"
Cheng Yuntao nodded slightly, indicating that this was exactly what she meant, and then continued speaking.
"Xu Xuan is an ordinary mortal who makes a living selling medicinal herbs. His parents died young, leaving him dependent on others, which makes him feel extremely inferior. While the White Snake happily admires the beauty of West Lake, Xu Xuan walks among the crowds with melancholy, filled with complaints about life and fears about the future."
"The scenery of the lake and mountains was as fresh as a wash, and the spring breeze gently blew through his silk robes. He dared not show the slightest disrespect in front of the beauty. It was not that he was unmoved, but that he felt he did not have the capital to be frivolous. He was penniless and did not dare to act recklessly in front of the woman, not even to speak loudly. But White Snake mistook his inferiority and restraint for the steadiness and courtesy of a gentleman."
Hearing this, Jing Zimo seemed to want to say something, but after hesitating for a moment, he chose to shut up and wait for Cheng Yuntao to continue.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, the White Snake drank realgar wine, revealing its true form and nearly frightening Xu Xuan to death. Xu Xuan was no fool. As a pharmacy clerk, he possessed a deep sense of the worldly wisdom and shrewdness of the common people. Seeking profit and avoiding harm was a natural instinct for him.
"How could he not fear that one day he would wake up and find the White Snake suddenly turning hostile and devouring him for breakfast? But faced with the immense temptation of both wealth and beauty, he found it hard to resist. He could only enjoy everything that was before him, feeling uneasy."
"For a long time after the Dragon Boat Festival, Xu Xuan lived in extreme fear and pain. The great white python kept appearing before his eyes, its bloody mouth agape. Whether it was hallucinations or nightmares, it tortured his body and mind at all times. He loved the white snake's charm, loved her snake-like body that lingered and demanded like a vine in the dark night, loved her care for him, and loved the rich life she brought him."
"But he couldn't accept the White Snake's true appearance."
Jing Zimo shook his head slightly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "Xu Xuan's sincerity is mixed with too many other things. After knowing that the white snake is a demon, his fear far exceeds his love for her. He is both cowardly and selfish."
Cheng Yuntao agreed, "Master Jing is absolutely right. Xu Xuan's behavior embodies the complexity of human nature. He's been nurtured in traditional values since childhood, and suddenly faced with something so radically different, he's inevitably panicked. It's precisely because of Xu Xuan's imperfect performance that this story feels more real."
"What's more, the White Snake in Leifeng Pagoda is not the insightful and well-behaved Bai Suzhen. Her behavior is full of innate, untamed wildness and evil spirit. She has made many mistakes and caused Xu Xuan a lot of trouble."
"At the end of the play, Xu Xuan and Fahai work together to subdue the White Snake. Fearing the White Snake would come after him, Xu Xuan becomes a monk and begs for alms. He then builds the Leifeng Pagoda into a seven-story pagoda, suppressing the White Snake forever at its base."
"Master Jing, do you think that the monk Xu Xuan can truly attain the so-called compassion?"
Seeing Cheng Yuntao's inquiring eyes, Jing Zimo was silent for a moment, then sighed and said, "Although the White Snake has been suppressed, the days and nights they spent together cannot be faked. I don't think Xu Xuan can really abandon all worldly thoughts and truly escape into Buddhism."
"Buddhism emphasizes the emptiness of the four elements and the purity of the six senses, but Xu Xuan already has a demon in his heart." Jing Zimo's eyes were firm, and his tone was filled with regret. "Whenever it's late at night and everyone is asleep, those images of him and the white snake will inevitably emerge in his mind, reminding him of his past actions."
Jiang Yu hadn't interrupted before, but now he couldn't help himself. His tone was filled with indignation, "Xu Xuan is such a piece of shit. He covets the benefits given by others, but at the same time he schemes against them. Not to mention husband and wife, even ordinary brothers wouldn't behave like this! Baishe was so sincere to him and gave so much to him, but in the end, he betrayed her."
Cheng Yuntao smiled and shook her head. "When they separated, White Snake still felt that West Lake was no different from before. But the broken bridge before her, while still intact, shattered the tenderness in her heart. The deep affection they once shared, the unwavering vows they had made as strong as the sea, have now been completely abandoned. This has caused her to grit her teeth and blame the heartless Xu Lang."
"The umbrella that brought them together foreshadowed their eventual separation; the broken bridge where they met had already foreshadowed their sorrow; even the rain seemed destined to be the tears she would shed for him."
The story of the White Snake has become a legend, a play told in passing through generations, accompanied by the beauty of West Lake. The scenery of West Lake remains the same as it was in the spring days of February, when grass grows and birds sing. How many young men in spring clothes have passed through the world? How many people, when their eyes met, became entangled in lifelong emotions?
"Before the story of the White Snake, countless poignant and beautiful love stories were already circulating in the world; and even after the story of the White Snake, such love legends continued to emerge in the world. In the long river of life, people continue to come and go, and love, hate, and vengeance will eventually fade away."
"Just like Xu Xuan and the White Snake, they eventually became passers-by in each other's lives."