One Bad Memory
It was the day, where Zhen Ji and Cao Pi met. Both, strong in heart, fell in love and sworn to fight together. Months and months pass by; their love had not stopped. Cao Pi, giving Zhen many many love speeches.
"I swear on my life, I will protect you. If you die, I'll go with you. Because without you, my life is nothing but an empty self. You're the only one who completed my life, and I'm happy to have ever met you. God, gave you to me, and I hope God will protect us both, to live together forever in Peace and Harmony."
And Zhen Ji, giving Cao Pi, many of her Love Lullabies to let him sleep tight. With both of them, they were invincible.
One day, Zhen had to leave for an emergency on the opposite side of China. Cao Pi wanted to come along, but she said no, so he persuaded her not to go, but she had no choice for it was a family emergency. Sadly, they kissed one last time, so as for they might never see each other again. With that…she left with thousands of tears flowing down her face and same with Pi.
3 weeks from separation, Zhen had been given news that Cao Pi has been damaged badly my one of his family members, to over-rule him. Zhen cried out loud for she cannot leave Cao Pi to die or to leave her family, which is suffering disease to disease, which only she is the one to know the remedy for it.
The day passed by with a full day of tears. Next day, she has heard that Sima Yi had taken Cao Pi in to recover. Zhen, then received a letter from Cao Pi himself:
"Zhen, I am very sorry that I am in this condition. Without you by my side, I didn't have the power to fight my own family. Now, I'm being taken care of by Sima Yi, so you don't need to worry. But as the days pass by, we are thinking of a plan to fight back. I cannot allow my family to take control of this land, because we fought it for ourselves and I can't let them do this! I want you to stay with your family. I know they mean the world to you, and with me knowing that you are safe I can have enough power. I just need to rest a bit more. Zhen Ji, if anything is to happen to me, I want you to re-marry someone else, and help rule over Wei. I will try my best to stay alive. Please, if you wish to cry, please don't, for it weakens me. You made me happy, and if I die, I'll die a happy lord who married the Beautiful Princess Zhen Ji."
She indeed bursted into tears once again. That night, she wanted to go back, but at the sight of her dying family, she cannot go. Every night, she prayed to God, for Cao Pi to be safe. And everyday, her tears kept coming down and down, never ending depression…
2 Weeks Later, Zhen heard that Cao Pi was asleep in the hospital. Ji did not wish to stay with her family any longer to hear that her husband is in the hospital. So she left her family a weeks worth of medicine, enough for the family with a hired doctor.
By the time she reunited with Cao Pi in the hospital, the doctors told her that he has lost all memories due to the injuries from the battle, except his childhood. Zhen, on the floor, cursing and yelling, wept into tears once again. Her shouts had wakened up Cao Pi's long slumber. Ji got up quickly…
"My husband! Are you?…Alright?"
"Ehhh?….Husband? What husband? I'm not married…"
Still, Zhen was crying and crying, for she had lost her only true love.
"What is going on?" Pi asked.
"You…you are my Husband. You don't remember, but I am Zhen Ji, your beloved wife. We met in the battle of Guan Du….You seriously don't remember?"
"No? I never fought in a fight either? Only my father does…"
With the pain she is enduring, she ran out of the hospital. No doctors tied to stop her, for they can feel the pain in the air. Cao Pi, rushed outside to see her. The doctors tried to stop HIM but he was too quick for them.
He saw outside, Zhen weeping to the only sunset. Pi walked aside her and said, "If this is true, if you are my real wife, then you can help me by bring back my memories."
She turned around and wiped her tears, "If that is the only way I can get you back, then I will."
She talked to the doctors and took him home. The people welcomed her back and brought Cao Pi to his room. She entered to see that Cao Pi was still weak, so she took out her flute and played one of her Love Lullabies for him to sleep. He indeed fell asleep. Day by day, she helped remind Cao of the good times and any time they had together. And slowly, he gained back memories of her. By 1 month, he had remembered her, but not fully. The good thing was, he was in love with her again.
Zhen was glad that she accomplished something that seemed impossible. Happily, they lived together again.
But on one cruel day, Zhen encountered his cousin Cao Xin (I just made one up. I'm too lazy to find his real cousins)
"Why? Xin. Why would you do such a thing?"
"He's been evil to me ever since he become ruler. And for that, he shall pay!"
Zhen replied, "You are both cousins! Of course family members can get testy on others, it's all part of life!"
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
With that, Xin left. Ji could NOT stand him for what he had done to Coa Pi. She would have to get revenge back. But…something disturbed her. She needed an answer…
Later on, she headed to Cao Pi's Room.
"My Lord, I…Love you very much. And, it would mean the world for you to get revenge right? Xin? For what he had done to you?"
"Yes…there is no way that I won't kill him for that. Why do you ask?"
"Because, I will do it for you…"
Cao was going to ask why, but Zhen stopped him. She wept, probably for the last time and continued…
"…Because I love you very much. And, I want to help you in your life. I can help make a difference."
The were both silent, but Cao Pi, very grateful, gave her one last hug…
1 Week of Preparations was done. Zhen Ji, went to face Xin.
"You are NOT going to get away from me!"
"Oh? You're mad now huh? Well, it doesn't concern you!"
Zhen yelled, "ON NO? YOU TIRED TO KILL MY HUSBAND AND YOU WILL PERISH FOR THAT!"
She slowly came up to attack Xin. The both, attacked and dodged, attacked and dodged…
24 Blows, and still, no one was down…
Cao Pi came outside to see that Zhen and Xin were at fight. Cao Pi, didn't want anything to happen to Zhen so he got out an arrow to shoot Xin down. He missed the first time, got him on the right arm the second time, and shot his heart the last time.
But…
When Xin fell, Zhen had fallen too. Pi rushed up to get her…
"Why are you hurt? There is no blood on you..?"
"My Lord, I wanted to kill Xin for you. But there is a secret that I want you to know now. I am…somehow connected to Xin, and whatever happens to him, will happen to me."
"But…?"
"Yes. I wanted to kill him. But you said that you wanted revenge MORE than anything else in the world. You wanted him dead more than you would want me. So saying, if I would kill him, then…I will go too…I know deep inside, the REAL Cao Pi I married is gone, and…I want you to live a different life…alife….without….
Me….
Or..
Cao Xin…"
She had ended her speech with that….Cao Pi, still staring at her cold body, wept. He got out a knife to stab himself for Zhen Ji's death, but when he did, he didn't die…
He did it again and again and again and again…But nothing happened…
"No..No! Zhen…I DO Love you. I am the real Cao Pi! Why didn't you get it?"
He took Zhen to her fancy burial, but left Xin where he was. When he returned back to the caslte, everybody grieved for their loss. After, Cao Pi went into his quarters to find a bottle. He wondered what it was…so he sniffed it…
"Oh NO! This….this..is a bottle of Sacred Purity…That means…she must have given it to me when I was asleep. This means that…I wouldn't get killed the next year. She must have given this to her family. And brought some back, for me…OH I AM SUCH A FOOL! WHY WHY WHY?"
The next day, Cao Pi visited her grave to find that someone had dug it. He then uncovered that the body was gone.
"What!"
Then around him, he heard the cackling of Xin. He turned around…
"AHH!"…
Cao was in the bedside of Zhen Ji, sleeping soundly….He looked around. But nothing was there. So he went back to bed.
"So? It was just…
A Bad Memory…"
But when he woke up again, he was back at the grave….