Love and choices across time and space

This small, remote border town seemed lost in time. The afternoon sun shone obliquely on the narrow streets, and dust danced lazily in the golden light. Shops dotted the streets, their wooden signs creaking in the breeze.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle supported each other as they entered this unfamiliar land. Princess Changle, once a pampered princess, now looked haggard. Her cascading hair had lost its former luster, strands tangled in her forehead. Her once vibrant face was now as pale as paper, her lips chapped with fatigue. Her embroidered gown was already tattered, its hem stained with dust and dirt, the delicate embroidery blurred. But her bright eyes still shone with a resilient light.

Li Yifeng wasn't much better off. His clothes were ragged, patched, and several rips from branches at the corners. His face was covered in dust and sweat, and his hair was messy and draped over his shoulders. However, his eyes were firm and alert, and he always kept a close eye on Princess Changle.

They walked plodding along, passing a bustling tavern where noises, shouts, and laughter mingled. Suddenly, a piercing voice broke through the cacophony.

"Hey, where did this beauty come from?" A burly man with a face full of flesh stood up from the corner of the tavern. This man was none other than Wang Hu, the town's notorious bully. He wore a black leather coat, the chest open, revealing a hairy, tattooed chest. The sharp dagger at his waist gleamed with a chilling coldness in the dim light.

Wang Hu's small, yet sinister eyes stared intently at Princess Changle, a malicious smile playing on his lips. He swayed, reeking of alcohol, as he staggered towards her.

Princess Changle was frightened by this sudden gaze and her face turned pale. Her delicate body trembled uncontrollably. She clutched Li Yifeng's sleeve tightly, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness.

Li Yifeng immediately protected Princess Changle behind him, glared at her, and shouted, "You scoundrel, stop being rude!" Although his voice was a little tired, the anger and determination in it were as sharp as a sword.

Wang Hu, hearing Li Yifeng's scolding, not only didn't hold back, but instead burst into laughter. "Haha, you brat, how dare you act so arrogantly in front of me?" He said as he stretched out his arms, thick as tree trunks, attempting to pull Princess Changle out from behind Li Yifeng.

Li Yifeng was quick-witted and quick-handed. He grabbed Wang Hu's outstretched wrist and swung it hard. Wang Hu staggered and almost fell to the ground.

"Oh!" Wang Hu was furious, his face instantly darkening. He shouted at his equally drunken friends behind him, "Come on, give this brat a good beating!"

The lackeys immediately surrounded him. One of them, a tall and thin man, holding a thick wooden stick, hit Li Yifeng on the head without saying a word. Li Yifeng dodged to the side, and the stick grazed his shoulder.

Another short, fat guy took the opportunity to attack from behind, swinging his fist at Li Yifeng's back. Li Yifeng felt a sharp pain, but he gritted his teeth, turned around and kicked the short, fat lackey in the abdomen. The short, fat lackey screamed and fell to the ground, holding his stomach and rolling around.

Princess Changle shouted anxiously, "Yifeng, be careful!" Her voice was tearful, her hands were twisted together nervously, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

Li Yifeng didn't bother to respond and punched a running lackey in the face. Blood gushed out of the man's nose, and he covered his face and groaned in pain.

Wang Hu, seeing his men unable to capture the city, grew even more enraged. Taking advantage of the chaos, he lunged at Princess Changle again, muttering obscenely, "Little beauty, come with me. I promise you a life of luxury!"

"Princess!" Li Yifeng roared, spun around, and kicked Wang Hu in the chest. Wang Hu fell heavily to the ground like a sandbag, raising a cloud of dust.

"Get out of here!" Li Yifeng was panting, his eyes red, like an angry lion. His chest was heaving violently, and sweat was streaming down his cheeks.

Wang Hu got up from the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and glared at Li Yifeng fiercely: "Boy, just wait! We haven't settled this account yet!" After that, he fled in embarrassment with that group of lackeys.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle didn't dare stay where they were and hurriedly left the town. They walked along a winding mountain road. The trees on both sides of the mountain road were tall and dense. The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting fine shadows.

Princess Changle's steps grew heavier, each step seeming to exhaust all her strength. Her breathing became rapid, beads of sweat covered her forehead, and her pale face now looked even more bloodless.

"Yifeng, I... I really can't walk anymore." Princess Changle's voice was weak and trembling, like a candle in the wind that could go out at any time.

Li Yifeng stopped and looked back at her, his eyes filled with heartache. He gently wiped the sweat off Princess Changle's forehead and said softly, "Princess, hold on a little longer. There may be a place to rest up ahead."

Princess Changle bit her lip, nodded, and tried to keep up with Li Yifeng's pace. However, her legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and every step she took required great courage and perseverance.

Suddenly, the sky was covered with dark clouds, and a strong wind howled, making the branches creak. The originally peaceful forest instantly became eerie and terrifying.

"Oh no, it's going to rain." Li Yifeng looked up at the sky, his expression becoming even more solemn. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry.

Before he could finish his words, bean-sized raindrops began to fall, hitting their bodies and faces. The rain was icy cold, like countless ice needles, stinging their skin.

"Princess, find a place to shelter from the rain!" Li Yifeng took Princess Changle's hand and ran towards a large tree not far away. They ran wildly in the rain, and the mud under their feet made their steps even more difficult.

The rain quickly soaked their clothes, and Princess Changle shivered with cold, her lips turning purple, her teeth chattering constantly, and her body trembling uncontrollably.

Li Yifeng took off his coat without hesitation and gently draped it over Princess Changle. His movements were gentle yet firm, as if he was protecting the most precious treasure in the world.

"Princess, put it on first, don't catch a cold." Li Yifeng's voice was gentle but firm, full of concern and love. His eyes were full of pity, and he wished he could block all the wind and rain in front of him.

Princess Changle looked at Li Yifeng, her eyes full of emotion: "Yifeng, what are you going to do?" Her voice trembled, and her heart was filled with gratitude and distress.

Li Yifeng smiled and said, "Princess, I'm not cold, don't worry about me." However, his body trembled slightly in the wind and rain, and his lips turned purple due to the cold.

The rain was getting heavier, with no sign of stopping. There was limited shelter under the tree, and the rain dripped through the gaps in the leaves and hit them.

"This isn't going to work. We need to find a place to shelter from the wind and rain." Li Yifeng stared at the rain outside, his brow furrowed. His eyes were anxious and eager, as he scanned the surroundings, searching for a place to take shelter.

They trudged forward in the rain, their shoes making a puffing sound on the muddy mountain road. Every step required immense effort, as if they were engaged in a difficult tug-of-war with nature.

Finally, they found a cave. The entrance to the cave was covered by weeds and vines, and if Li Yifeng hadn't been careful, it would have been easy to miss it.

Li Yifeng walked into the cave cautiously, using the branch in his hand to poke the ground to check for any dangers such as snakes or insects. His movements were cautious and careful, fearing that any mishap would endanger Princess Changle's safety.

"Princess, come in. It's safe for now." Li Yifeng turned around and said to Princess Changle. His voice echoed in the cave, carrying a hint of comfort and hope.

Princess Changle walked into the cave and found a dry rock to sit on. Her hair was wet and stuck to her face, making her look particularly disheveled. Her eyes revealed fatigue and fear, like a wounded fawn.

Li Yifeng stood at the cave entrance, vigilantly observing the movements outside. Rain streamed down his cheeks, but he was oblivious. His eyes were firm and focused, always ready to deal with any possible danger.

The rain fell for a long time, and finally it stopped. The sky began to clear up, and the sun shone through the clouds, forming beautiful rainbows.

"Princess, the rain has stopped. Let's go," Li Yifeng said. There was a hint of fatigue in his voice, but more of determination and hope.

Princess Changle stood up. Her legs were numb from sitting for so long. She frowned slightly and tried to move her legs.

Li Yifeng quickly supported her: "Princess, be careful." His hand tightly held Princess Changle's arm, giving her strength and support.

They walked out of the cave and continued on their way. As night fell, the mountain road became more difficult to walk on. It was pitch black all around, with only the faint moonlight illuminating their path.

"Yifeng, I'm so scared." Princess Changle clutched Li Yifeng's arm tightly, her voice filled with fear. Her body involuntarily moved closer to Li Yifeng, as if he was her only support in the darkness.

Li Yifeng comforted her, "Princess, don't be afraid. I'm here." His voice echoed in the silent night sky, bringing a sense of comfort to Princess Changle. He held Princess Changle's hand tightly, giving her warmth and courage.

They walked slowly, one step deep and one step shallow, when suddenly a turbulent river appeared in front of them. The river roared and the white waves hit the rocks on the shore, making a huge noise.

"What should I do?" Princess Changle looked at the river, her eyes filled with helplessness. Her face was pale, her lips trembled slightly, and her heart was filled with fear and anxiety.

Li Yifeng looked around and found a fallen tree not far away.

"Princess, we can use that tree to cross the river," Li Yifeng said. His voice was firm and confident, trying to give Princess Changle a sense of security.

They struggled to push the tree to the riverside. Li Yifeng carefully walked to the other side of the river, then stretched out his hand to Princess Changle and said, "Princess, don't be afraid. Come over slowly."

Princess Changle gritted her teeth and stepped onto the tree. Halfway up, she slipped, lost her balance, and was about to fall into the river.

"Princess!" Li Yifeng was quick to act. He grabbed Princess Changle's hand and pulled her up. His heartbeat quickened rapidly, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Princess Changle turned pale with fright and threw herself into Li Yifeng's arms and burst into tears.

"Princess, it's okay. It's over." Li Yifeng patted Princess Changle's back gently, comforting her. His voice was gentle and soothing, like a spring breeze blowing across the lake.

After crossing the river, they continued on their way. After an unknown amount of time, they finally came upon a dilapidated temple. The temple's gate was half-closed, surrounded by weeds and peeling paint, giving it a desolate appearance.

Li Yifeng pushed open the door, and a stale atmosphere filled the air. The Buddha statue was covered with dust and cobwebs, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves.

Li Yifeng found some hay, spread it on the ground, and said to Princess Changle, "Princess, please rest for a while." His voice was full of concern and fatigue.

Princess Changle sat on the hay and closed her eyes tiredly, while Li Yifeng walked out of the temple and looked for food in the nearby woods.

The woods were filled with mist, and water droplets from the leaves dripped onto Li Yifeng's body. He searched carefully and finally found some wild fruits.

Back at the temple, he handed the wild fruit to Princess Changle and said, "Princess, eat something to fill your stomach first."

Princess Changle took the wild fruit and took a bite: "Yifeng, you eat it too." Her eyes were full of tenderness and gratitude.

At this moment, there was a loud noise outside. Li Yifeng stood up vigilantly and walked to the door to check.

It turned out to be Wang Hu who had brought more people with him. Wang Hu was riding on a tall horse, waving a whip in his hand, and his men behind him were all holding sharp blades, looking very aggressive.

"Boy, today is the day you die!" Wang Hu said viciously. His eyes were filled with hatred and a desire for revenge.

Li Yifeng's heart tightened, but he still did not back down: "As long as I am here, you can't hurt the princess!" His voice was firm and powerful, full of determination and courage.

A fierce fight ensued between the two sides. Li Yifeng fought hard, but was outnumbered and suffered multiple wounds, his clothes stained with blood.

Just when he was about to collapse, he heard the sound of horse hooves. It turned out to be a group of passing knights. The knights were dressed in black cloaks, holding long swords, and looked very heroic.

“How dare you commit murder in broad daylight!” The knights drew their swords to help, and soon defeated Wang Hu and his men.

"Thank you all for your help," Li Yifeng said gratefully. His body was shaky, but he still managed to salute the knights.

"When you see injustice, draw your sword and help. You should leave here quickly to avoid any more accidents." said the knights.

Li Yifeng and Princess Changle once again embarked on their escape. They crossed mountains and ridges, sleeping in the open air. Princess Changle's shoes had long been worn out, her feet were bleeding, and every step was excruciatingly painful.

Li Yifeng was so distressed that he tore off the corner of his clothes to bandage Princess Changle's wound.

"Princess, hold on a little longer. We'll find a safe place soon." Li Yifeng encouraged. His eyes were filled with determination and hope.

Princess Changle nodded firmly: "Yifeng, I can do it." Tears flashed in her eyes, but more of it was expectation and belief in the future.

Finally, they arrived at a remote village. Houses were scattered about, and smoke rose from chimneys. A kind old woman saw their miserable state and asked with concern, "Children, what's wrong with you?"

Li Yifeng briefly recounted their experiences.

The old woman sighed and said, "Poor child, go inside and rest first."

Although the old lady's room was simple, it was very warm. Li Yifeng and Princess Changle finally got a moment of peace under the old lady's care.

However, the good times did not last long. The imperial army finally found the village.

"Li Yifeng, Princess Changle, you can't escape!" The voices of the pursuers echoed over the village.

Li Yifeng took Princess Changle's hand and said, "Princess, come with me."

They ran desperately, but found a cliff in front of them. The cliff was bottomless and shrouded in clouds and mist.

"Princess, I won't let them catch you." Li Yifeng looked at Princess Changle affectionately.

Princess Changle burst into tears: "Yifeng, we will live and die together, I am not afraid."

Just as the pursuers were about to catch up, Li Yifeng and Princess Changle hugged each other tightly and jumped off the cliff...