Love and choices across time and space

The scorching sun scorched the earth mercilessly, as if evaporating all moisture. Dust rose from the cracked yellow earth, filling the air like a thin layer of yellow gauze. Li Yifeng and Princess Changle supported each other as they trudged through the desolate wilderness.

Li Yifeng's clothes were tattered, their once pristine appearance now ripped and ripped by branches and thorns, leaving bloodstains streaked across his exposed skin. His face was thin and gaunt, with prominent cheekbones and sunken eye sockets, yet a resolute light still shone in his eyes. Sweat streamed down his forehead, streaking across his dust-stained cheeks, leaving clear streaks.

Princess Changle's condition was no less grim. Her magnificent palace dress had long lost its former luster, its hem ripped and ripped, revealing her slender legs. Her cascading hair fell in a messy mass around her shoulders, a few strands plastered to her pale cheeks. Her once rosy lips were now chapped and bleeding, and her eyes betrayed exhaustion and fear, yet she clenched her teeth tightly, striving not to show even the slightest sign of weakness.

"Princess, hold on a little longer. There might be a place to rest ahead." Li Yifeng panted and comforted Princess Changle beside him.

Princess Changle nodded slightly and said weakly, "Yifeng, I can hold on."

The two continued to advance, one foot deep, one foot shallow, each step seeming to exhaust all their strength. Suddenly, the rapid sound of horse hooves broke the silence of the wilderness. Li Yifeng's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition instantly came over him. He raised his head warily and looked in the direction of the horse's hoofbeats.

They saw a group of bandits riding on tall horses, charging towards them with great momentum. Each of them had a ferocious face, wearing tattered leather armor, holding sharp weapons, and their eyes flashed with greed and ferocity.

"Stop! I built this road, I planted this tree. If you want to pass through here, you have to pay me for passage!" The leading bandit was a burly man with a face full of flesh and a deep scar over his left eye, looking particularly ferocious and terrifying. He brandished his sword and roared loudly.

Li Yifeng subconsciously protected Princess Changle behind him, straightened his spine, and said, "My dear friends, we are just a pair of people in trouble. We don't have much money on us. We hope you will show some mercy and let us go."

"Hmph! Stop talking nonsense!" The bandit leader snorted coldly, "Search!"

Several bandits immediately jumped off their horses and pounced on Li Yifeng and Princess Changle like wolves.

"Don't touch us!" Princess Changle screamed in horror.

Li Yifeng fought hard against the bandits' invasion, waving his fists and trying to repel these ferocious enemies. But he was outnumbered and was soon knocked to the ground by the bandits.

"Yifeng!" Princess Changle cried and wanted to help Li Yifeng up.

"Young lady, you are quite pretty. Come back with us and we will make sure you have a good time!" A bandit with a rat-like face grinned and reached out to grab Princess Changle.

"You bunch of evil thieves, forget it!" Li Yifeng found strength from nowhere, struggled to get up again, and rushed towards the bandit.

The bandit leader saw this and shouted angrily, "Beat him hard!"

The bandits rushed forward and beat Li Yifeng with punches and kicks. Li Yifeng was beaten all over his body, but he still protected Princess Changle tightly and did not let the bandits get close to her.

Princess Changle burst into tears. She desperately pulled at the bandit's arm and begged, "Please, let him go!"

At this moment, a sharp arrow shot out like lightning and hit the arm of a bandit. The bandit screamed and let go of the weapon in his hand.

"Who? How dare you ruin my good deeds!" The bandit leader opened his eyes wide and looked in the direction where the sharp arrow came from.

A group of warriors on horseback appeared not far away. Leading the group was a handsome young man, dressed in a white brocade robe intricately embroidered with patterns and a jeweled belt. He wielded a gleaming sword, his brows sharp and his eyes gleaming with a commanding presence. Behind him followed a dozen or so warriors in silver armor, each one looking majestic and impressive.

"How dare you rob innocent people in broad daylight? You bandits are truly lawless!" The young master shouted loudly, his voice as loud as a bell.

The bandit leader looked at the ill-intentioned warriors and felt a little timid, but he still said stubbornly: "Who are you? How dare you meddle in my business!"

The young master sneered, "I am Zhao Yu, and today I will bring you, a bunch of evil thieves, to justice!"

When the bandits heard Zhao Yu's name, their faces turned pale. Zhao Yu was a well-known chivalrous man in the area, a martial arts expert and a man of integrity. They knew they were no match for him.

"Boss, what should we do?" a bandit asked in a low voice.

The bandit leader gritted his teeth and said, "A brave man never suffers a loss. Retreat!"

The bandits mounted their horses and prepared to escape.

"Want to run? Not that easy!" Zhao Yu waved his sword, and the warriors behind him rushed towards the bandits like tigers descending the mountain.

A fierce battle erupted instantly. Zhao Yu, a master of swordsmanship, flashed with his figure, his sword dancing like a snake, instantly knocking several bandits off their horses. His warriors also fought bravely and skillfully, engaging in a desperate struggle with the bandits.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the bandit leader wanted to escape alone, but Zhao Yu shot an arrow in the back and he fell off his horse.

"Mercy! Mercy!" The bandit leader lay on the ground, begging for mercy.

Zhao Yu glanced at him and said coldly, "Tie them all up and hand them over to the authorities!"

The warriors acted quickly and tied up the bandits tightly.

Zhao Yu dismounted and came before Li Yifeng and Princess Changle.

"I'm sorry you two were frightened." Zhao Yu said, his voice gentle and concerned.

Li Yifeng struggled to get up from the ground and said, "Thank you for saving me, sir. If you hadn't intervened in time, we would have been..."

Zhao Yu waved his hand and said, "When we see injustice, we should help."

Princess Changle stepped forward and bowed, "Thank you so much, sir, for saving my life."

Zhao Yu looked at Princess Changle, a flash of surprise in his eyes, but he quickly returned to normal: "Miss, there is no need to be so polite."

"I wonder how you two encountered bandits here?" Zhao Yu asked.

Li Yifeng sighed and briefly recounted their experience.

Zhao Yu showed sympathy after hearing this: "I see. If you two don't mind, you can come with me to my house to rest."

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle looked at each other, hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.

Zhao Yu led them to a magnificent mansion. Two enormous stone lions squatted majestically in front of the gate. The vermilion door stood open, revealing a spacious courtyard with pavilions and towers scattered throughout. Rockeries and ponds complemented each other, and the flowers, plants, and trees were lush and green, creating a prosperous scene.

"Please come in, both of you." Zhao Yu said.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle followed Zhao Yu into the mansion. Seeing Zhao Yu's return, the servants in the mansion saluted one after another.

"Hurry up and prepare the rooms and food to entertain the two guests." Zhao Yu ordered.

"Yes, sir." The servant took the order and left.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle were brought to an elegantly furnished room. Inside, a soft brocade quilt covered a carved bed, an exquisite screen was embroidered with lifelike floral and bird patterns, a sandalwood desk was laid out with brushes, inkstones, paper, and inkstones, and bookshelves were filled with books.

Soon, servants brought hot water and food. Princess Changle washed and changed into clean clothes. Although the clothes were simple, they still couldn't hide her natural beauty.

Li Yifeng also simply treated the wound and changed his clothes.

At this time, Zhao Yu came to visit.

"Are you two satisfied?" Zhao Yu asked.

"Thank you very much, sir. We are very grateful." Li Yifeng said.

"May I know your name, sir?" asked Princess Changle.

"My last name is Zhao Yu, and I'm a local squire." Zhao Yu said.

"Mr. Zhao, we will always remember your kindness today." Li Yifeng said.

Zhao Yu smiled and said, "It's just a small favor. You two don't need to worry about it. You can just rest at home for the next few days."

Over the next few days, Li Yifeng and Princess Changle were well cared for in the Zhao residence. Princess Changle's face gradually regained its color, and Li Yifeng's wounds gradually healed.

However, Li Yifeng's heart was always full of worries.

"Princess, we can't stay here for long. If we are discovered by the pursuers, the consequences will be unimaginable." Li Yifeng said.

Princess Changle nodded and said, "But Master Zhao has done us a favor. It seems inappropriate for us to leave without saying goodbye."

Li Yifeng pondered for a moment and said, "Princess, what you said makes sense. Then we will go and say goodbye to Master Zhao."

They arrived at Zhao Yu's study. Inside, the shelves were filled with books, and the walls were decorated with famous calligraphy and paintings. Zhao Yu was at his desk, painting a landscape painting.

"What brings you two here?" Zhao Yu put down the brush in his hand and asked.

Li Yifeng bowed and said, "Mr. Zhao, we are very grateful for your care these days. But we have important matters to attend to, so we have to take our leave."

Zhao Yu was slightly stunned: "Leaving so soon?"

Princess Changle said, "Master Zhao, we have no way to repay your kindness. We only hope to have the opportunity to repay you in the future."

Zhao Yu looked at them, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes. "Since you two have decided to leave, I won't force you to stay. But the journey ahead is difficult and dangerous, so I hope you will be careful."

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle thanked him again and left the Zhao Mansion.

They continued on their escape, being extremely cautious along the way, fearing they would be discovered.

One day, they came to a busy town with people coming and going and shouting.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle walked into an inn.

"Waiter, bring me two rooms upstairs." Li Yifeng said.

"I'm sorry, sir, there's only one room left," said the waiter.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle looked at each other, and had no choice but to take that room.

As she entered the room, Princess Changle's face flushed slightly.

"Princess, you sleep on the bed and I'll just stay on the chair for one night." Li Yifeng said.

Princess Changle nodded slightly.

In the middle of the night, Princess Changle was suddenly awakened by a loud noise.

"Yifeng, what's going on outside?" Princess Changle asked.

Li Yifeng stood up and walked to the window to check: "Princess, it seems that the government officials are searching."

Princess Changle's face turned pale instantly: "Could it be pursuers?"

Li Yifeng pulled Princess Changle and said, "Princess, let's go out the back door."

They quietly opened the back door and were about to leave when they were discovered by a soldier.

"Stop! Who are you?" the officers and soldiers shouted.

Li Yifeng pulled Princess Changle and ran desperately, with the officers and soldiers chasing closely behind.

They ran into an alley, but found it was a dead end.

"What should we do? Yifeng." Princess Changle said anxiously.

Li Yifeng looked around and found an abandoned woodshed next to him.

"Princess, let's hide inside." Li Yifeng said.

They hid in the woodshed, not daring to make a sound.

The footsteps of the officers and soldiers were getting closer and closer, and Li Yifeng's heart was in his throat.

"There's no one here, let's go over there and check." Finally, the officers and soldiers left.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle breathed a sigh of relief.

"Princess, we can't stay here for long. Let's leave quickly." Li Yifeng said.

Princess Changle nodded.

They left the town and continued on their journey, enduring hardships and sleeping in the open air.

One evening, they came to the foot of a mountain.

"Princess, if we cross this mountain, maybe we can escape the pursuers." Li Yifeng said.

Princess Changle looked at the towering mountain and felt a little scared, but she nodded and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

They began to climb the mountain. The road was rugged and difficult to walk on, and Princess Changle almost fell several times.

"Princess, be careful!" Li Yifeng held Princess Changle's hand tightly.

Finally, they reached the top of the mountain. The sun was setting, and its afterglow dyed the entire earth golden.

"Princess, look, how beautiful it is." Li Yifeng said.

Princess Changle looked into the distance, her heart filled with emotion: "Yifeng, how wonderful it would be if I could stay here with you forever."

Li Yifeng embraced Princess Changle in his arms: "Princess, that day will come."

However, they didn't know that on the other side of the mountain, a group of pursuers were heading towards them.

The pursuers rode fast horses, led by a man who looked like a general. He had a stern look in his eyes, a long sword in his hand, and his armor gleamed coldly in the afterglow of the setting sun.

"Speed ​​up! We must find the princess!" the general shouted.

The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, echoing in the valley.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle were immersed in a moment of tranquility, unaware of the approaching danger.

Suddenly, a flying bird was startled and Li Yifeng felt an ominous premonition in his heart.

"Princess, this is not good. Something might have happened." Li Yifeng said vigilantly.

Before he could finish his words, the pursuers appeared at the foot of the mountain.

"There!" a soldier shouted, pointing to the top of the mountain.

The general waved his hand and said, "Charge!"

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle's faces changed drastically, and they turned and ran to the other side of the mountain.

The slope was steep and they slipped and almost rolled down.

"Princess, be careful!" Li Yifeng struggled to hold Princess Changle back.

The pursuers were getting closer and closer, and the shouts and cries were deafening.

Li Yifeng looked at Princess Changle, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes: "Princess, you go first, I will stop them!"

Princess Changle held Li Yifeng's hand tightly: "No, I want to be with you!"

"Princess, be obedient! I can only feel at ease when you are safe." Li Yifeng pushed Princess Changle away with force.

Princess Changle burst into tears and turned to run down the mountain.

Li Yifeng picked up a stone and threw it at the pursuers.

"Stop!" The pursuers rushed towards Li Yifeng, waving their weapons.

Li Yifeng fought a desperate battle with the pursuers, but he was ultimately outnumbered and suffered multiple injuries.

Just when he was about to collapse, an arrow flew through the air and hit one of the pursuers.

It turned out that Zhao Yu had arrived with his warriors.

"How dare you, you bold lunatic, hurt innocent people!" Zhao Yu shouted loudly.

The pursuers felt a little scared when they saw another group of powerful enemies coming.

The general saw this and shouted, "Don't be afraid, they are few in number, attack them!"

A fierce battle ensued between the two sides. Zhao Yu's swordsmanship was fierce, instantly killing several pursuers. His warriors, unafraid, fought the pursuers desperately.

Li Yifeng took the opportunity to get rid of the pursuers and chased in the direction Princess Changle left.

Finally, he found Princess Changle at the foot of the mountain.

"Princess, are you okay?" Li Yifeng asked breathlessly.

Princess Changle threw herself into Li Yifeng's arms and burst into tears.

At this time, Zhao Yu also dealt with the pursuers and walked over.

"You two, it's not advisable to stay here for long. Come with me." Zhao Yu said.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle looked at each other and nodded.

With Zhao Yu's help, Li Yifeng and Princess Changle escaped danger temporarily. But they knew that the road ahead was still full of hardships and challenges...