Love and choices across time and space

The night, like a thick, black satin, hung heavy over the palace. Though the stars twinkled, they could not penetrate the dense darkness, casting a single ray of warm light upon this magnificent palace. Princess Changle's chambers resembled a lonely island forgotten by the world, shrouded in endless silence and despair.

Inside the bedroom, the flickering candlelight cast a hazy shadow on everything inside. Princess Changle lay quietly on the spacious, opulent bed. Her once beautiful face was now as pale as paper, devoid of all life and radiance. Her eyes were tightly closed, her long lashes like fragile butterfly wings casting a faint shadow in the dim candlelight. Her once rosy lips were now bloodless, like a withered flower, exuding the scent of death.

Li Yifeng knelt beside the bed, his body trembling slightly with extreme pain and exhaustion. He tightly grasped Princess Changle's icy hand, as if this could hold onto her fading life. Li Yifeng's hair was disheveled, strands draping across his gaunt face. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with endless fear and despair. Tears flowed uncontrollably from his eyes, sliding down his thin cheeks and dripping onto the ground with a soft, dull sound.

"Princess, please wake up. Please open your eyes and look at me." Li Yifeng's voice was hoarse and broken, filled with deep pleading. His lips trembled, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his broken soul.

However, Princess Changle still lay quietly, without any response. Her breathing was so weak that it was almost imperceptible, and each breath seemed to be a final struggle with death.

A group of imperial physicians gathered around the bed, their faces solemn and anxious. Beads of sweat rolled down their foreheads, gleaming in the candlelight. Their hands were restlessly busy, trying to save the princess' life with various precious herbs and complex medical techniques, but every attempt seemed futile.

"The princess's injuries are too severe, and the treatment has been delayed for too long. We have exhausted all possible methods..." An elderly imperial physician shook his head helplessly, his voice full of powerlessness and self-blame.

Li Yifeng whipped his head around, glaring at the imperial physicians, his eyes burning with rage. "You quacks! You enjoy the royal favors on a daily basis, yet you're so incompetent at this crucial moment! If anything happens to the princess, I'll make sure you're buried with her!" His voice, sharp with anger, echoed throughout the quiet chamber.

At that moment, Emperor Taizong entered the chamber with heavy steps. His face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, and his eyes revealed deep sorrow and helplessness. He wore a golden dragon robe, a symbol of supreme authority, but even that couldn't conceal the pain within him.

"Li Yifeng, all this is your fault! If you hadn't bewitched the princess, she wouldn't have ended up like this!" Emperor Taizong shouted angrily, his voice echoing in the bedroom with irresistible majesty.

Li Yifeng slowly raised his head and looked at Emperor Taizong. His eyes held no fear, only deep despair and pain. "Your Majesty, I love the princess. Heaven and earth bear witness to my love for her. I have never intended to hurt her, only to be with her forever." Li Yifeng's voice was filled with determination and perseverance. Though his body trembled, his gaze remained unwavering.

Emperor Taizong snorted coldly, his gaze piercing Li Yifeng like a sharp sword. "Your love? Your love caused the princess to disregard the dignity of the royal family and elope with you, ultimately ending up like this? Your love pushed her into the abyss of death?" Emperor Taizong's voice was filled with anger and disappointment.

Li Yifeng lowered his head, tears welling up again, dripping onto the ground in front of him. "Your Majesty, I'm sorry, Princess, and you. But the love between the Princess and me is genuine. We've simply been misled by fate, unable to find a place in this world." His voice was filled with endless regret and self-blame.

Emperor Taizong was silent for a moment, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes before he finally sighed. "Forget it. Now that things have come to this, what's the point of saying this?" He walked to the bedside and gently took Princess Changle's hand, his eyes filled with love and sorrow.

At this moment, Princess Changle moved her hand, a subtle movement that was particularly noticeable in the quiet palace. Li Yifeng looked up in surprise, a spark of hope instantly ignited in his eyes.

"Princess, Princess, you're awake!" His voice was full of excitement and joy.

Princess Changle slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was weak and blurry, as if it was projected back from a distant place with difficulty.

"Yifeng..." Her voice was as light as the breeze, almost inaudible, but in Li Yifeng's ears, it was like the sound of nature.

Li Yifeng quickly leaned in, his ear almost touching the princess's lips, afraid to miss a word she said. "Princess, I'm here. I'm by your side, always."

Princess Changle forced a smile, a fleeting yet warm ray of winter sunshine. "Yifeng, I have no regrets in my life for loving you." Her voice was weak, yet filled with deep affection.

Li Yifeng burst into tears, his tears dripping onto the princess's hand. "Princess, please don't say such things. You will get better. We still have a long way to go."

Princess Changle shook her head slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and determination. "Yifeng, stop deceiving yourself. I know I don't have much time left."

Emperor Taizong stepped forward, his voice choked with sobs. "Daughter, I'm sorry for not protecting you."

Princess Changle looked at Emperor Taizong, her eyes filled with understanding and tolerance. "Father, don't blame Yifeng. This is my daughter's choice. I am unfilial and cannot accompany you any longer."

Emperor Taizong's eyes were filled with tears. He held the princess's hand tightly, as if this could save her life. "Daughter, don't worry. Your father will take good care of you."

Princess Changle turned her gaze towards Li Yifeng again, her eyes filled with attachment and reluctance. "Yifeng, promise me that you will live well."

Li Yifeng shook his head desperately, his voice filled with despair. "Princess, without you, what's the point of living? I'm willing to go with you."

Princess Changle used up her last bit of strength to say, "Yifeng, remember our love. In the next life... we will continue our past relationship." After she finished speaking, her eyes slowly closed and her hand slipped from Li Yifeng's.

"Princess!" Li Yifeng let out a heart-wrenching cry, the sound seemed to break through the roof of the bedroom and reach the sky.

The entire bedroom was suddenly filled with crying, and Emperor Taizong was heartbroken. His body was trembling slightly, as if he had aged a lot in an instant.

In the days that followed, Li Yifeng was imprisoned like a walking corpse in a remote room in the imperial palace. The room was dark and damp, reeking of decay. The plaster on the walls had peeled away, revealing the mottled brickwork. The single window was small and shabby, letting in a faint, dim light.

Li Yifeng huddled in a corner, his eyes blank as he stared blankly ahead. His hair was a mess, his clothes filthy, stained with blood and dirt. He hadn't eaten in days, his lips chapped and his face gaunt, but he seemed to feel neither hunger nor fatigue, only endless pain and despair.

The good times he spent with Princess Changle kept emerging in his mind. Those sweet smiles, gentle eyes, and affectionate hugs have now become sharp blades that pierce his heart.

"Why? Why can't we be together? Why is fate so cruel?" Li Yifeng murmured to himself, his voice hoarse and low, full of accusations and unwillingness against fate.

Outside the window, the wind and rain were raging. The wind howled, and the branches swayed violently in the wind, as if struggling in pain. Raindrops pounded against the window, making a crackling sound, as if the heavens were weeping for this tragic love.

People in the palace were talking about the death of Princess Changle. Some sympathized with their plight and felt sorry for this love that was strangled by fate; some accused Li Yifeng of being the culprit, believing that his appearance had destroyed the princess's originally peaceful and noble life; others were angry about the challenge to the royal dignity and authority, and believed that Li Yifeng should be executed.

But Li Yifeng turned a deaf ear to these discussions. His heart had died with the departure of Princess Changle, and everything in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

One day, Li Yifeng was brought before Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong sat on the dragon throne in the imperial study, his face still gloomy, his eyes revealing majesty and determination.

"Li Yifeng, the princess is gone, and you should pay the price for what you have done." Emperor Taizong's voice was cold and ruthless.

Li Yifeng's face was ashen. He slowly raised his head and looked at Emperor Taizong, without a trace of fear or pleading for mercy in his eyes. "Your Majesty, I will leave it to you."

Emperor Taizong pondered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Li Yifeng for a long moment before he finally sighed. "I originally wanted to kill you to vent my hatred, but because of the princess's deep affection for you, I will spare your life. From now on, you are not allowed to set foot in the palace again. If you disobey, you will be executed without mercy!"

Expelled from the palace, Li Yifeng walked alone on the streets of Chang'an. The streets were still bustling with activity. The cries of vendors, the laughter of pedestrians, and the rumble of carriages blended together to create a bustling scene. But all this prosperity had nothing to do with Li Yifeng. He moved like a ghost among the crowds, sensing no warmth or vitality.

He came to the lake where they had been together. The water was rippling in the breeze, reflecting the weeping willows on the shore and the mountains in the distance. He remembered that sunny day when he and the princess walked here, and the princess's laughter was as clear as a silver bell, echoing in the air.

"Princess, do you still remember this place? We once said that we would be together forever, but now..." Li Yifeng looked at the lake, tears blurred his eyes again.

He came to the small shop where they had once tasted delicious food together. The aroma in the shop was still fragrant, but the princess was no longer there.

"Princess, you loved the snacks here the most, but now you can never taste them again." Li Yifeng sat in the seat where they used to sit, and the princess's satisfied smile appeared in front of him.

Li Yifeng walked through every corner of Chang'an, recalling every moment they had spent together. Those beautiful moments had now become an indelible pain in his heart, but he could not stop recalling them, as if only in this way could the princess live forever in his heart.

"Princess, are you okay in heaven? I miss you so much..." Li Yifeng looked at the sky and let his tears flow freely.