In This Life, I Guard My Jade; In the Next, I Await Your Carving

As a boy, Zi Gang fell in love with Jin’er, the granddaughter of a renowned musician of the time.

Childhood sweethearts, a perfect match, their love grew stronger with each passing year, sealed by solemn vows.

But things did not go as they had hoped. Just as they reached marriageable age, Jin’er caught the eye of a eunuch sent by the palace to select female musicians. The very next day, she was to be sent to the capital.

With no choice but to leave, Jin’er hurriedly wrote in the study, “In this life, I’ll keep myself pure as jade, and wait for you to shape me in the next.” Then she departed in tears.

What really happened before and after? History never recorded it, so let’s take a look…