Love and choices across time and space

The Tang Dynasty's imperial palace appeared exceptionally majestic in the morning light. Its red walls, yellow tiles, and soaring eaves and brackets evoked the majesty and opulence of the imperial family. In the imperial gardens, a hundred flowers clashed in vibrant glory, their fragrance overflowing. Glistening dewdrops clung to their vibrant petals, like pearls gifted by nature. Yet, this beautiful scene could not dispel the gloom that lingered within Princess Changle.

A gloomy atmosphere permeated Princess Changle's chambers. She wore a gorgeous brocade palace dress, woven from the finest silk and embroidered with lifelike phoenixes and vibrant flowers. The threads shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. But at that moment, the princess's face was as pale as paper. Her eyes were red and swollen, tears welling in them, and her once delicate makeup was matted by the weeping.

The princess clutched the handkerchief tightly, the mandarin duck pattern embroidered on it seeming to mock her misfortune. "Why is my father so cruel? Yifeng and I are truly in love, why can't he help us?" She threw herself on the brocade couch, her delicate body trembling constantly, her voice filled with despair and pain.

The maids around her lowered their heads, afraid to confront the princess's grief. They wore pale pink palace gowns, their hair neatly and delicately combed, and their faces wore cautious expressions. One of them tried to comfort the princess, but she didn't dare to speak. She could only stand by silently, her eyes filled with sympathy and helplessness.

At this moment, Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin, sat in his imperial study, a spacious and bright room surrounded by precious paintings, calligraphy, and antiques. Taizong wore a bright yellow dragon robe, embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon, so lifelike it seemed ready to take flight at any moment. His face was solemn and majestic, his thick brows furrowed, his eyes piercing, revealing the emperor's dominance and decisiveness.

"How could my daughter be secretly engaged to a man of lowly status? This is a disgrace to the royal family!" Taizong angrily slammed the dragon table, shaking the pens, inkstones, and brushes on it. His voice, resonant like a bell, echoed through the room, filled with anger and dissatisfaction.

The ministers knelt on the side. They were dressed in gorgeous court robes and official hats, their faces tense and respectful. "Your Majesty, please calm down!" They said in unison, their voices trembling in unison, fearing that they would anger Taizong.

"Pass on my decree, expel Li Yifeng from the palace and never let him set foot inside again!" Taizong's voice was cold and ruthless, like an imperial decree that could not be disobeyed.

When the princess heard the news, she stood up suddenly as if struck by lightning and rushed to the imperial study without hesitation. Her skirt fluttered in the wind and the jewels on her hair swayed in her haste.

"Father, please take back your order!" The princess rushed into the imperial study and knelt before Emperor Taizong. Her voice was trembling and urgent, her eyes filled with pleading.

Seeing his daughter like this, Taizong felt both angry and distressed. His eyes flashed with complex emotions, a mixture of fatherly love and the majesty of an emperor.

"Changle, as a princess, you should consider the interests of the Tang Dynasty first. How can you be so disrespectful to your children for their personal affairs?" Taizong shouted loudly, with an imperceptible tremor in his voice.

The princess raised her head, her eyes firm and resolute. "Father, if I can't be with Yifeng, I would rather die!" Her voice was firm and loud, as if she was ready to die.

Taizong was so angry that he was shaking all over. He pointed at the princess and was speechless for a long time. "You... are you trying to piss me off to death?" His voice was filled with helplessness and anger.

At this moment, Li Yifeng was led outside the imperial study by guards. He was dressed in a simple yet neat white gown. His face was haggard, and his eyes were filled with anxiety and uneasiness.

"Your Majesty, the princess and I are truly in love. I beg Your Majesty to grant our blessing!" Li Yifeng shouted loudly, his voice full of desire and determination.

Taizong walked out of the imperial study and glared at Li Yifeng. He looked Li Yifeng up and down, his eyes full of disdain and disgust.

"You, an ignorant boy, are you worthy of my daughter?" Taizong's voice was so cold that it seemed to freeze people.

Li Yifeng met Taizong's gaze fearlessly, his eyes filled with sincerity and determination. "Your Majesty, although I am humble, my love for the princess is sincere and I am willing to give everything for her!"

Taizong sneered, "Hmph, sincerity? Do you think I can change your fate with just a few sweet words? I will never let Changle suffer with you!" After that, Taizong turned and walked into the imperial study, no longer paying attention to the princess and Li Yifeng.

The princess collapsed to the ground in despair, tears pouring out like a flood. Her hands drooped limply at her sides, as if she had lost all strength. Li Yifeng tried to step forward to support her, but was held tightly by the guards, unable to move.

"Princess, it's all my fault. I've implicated you..." Li Yifeng's eyes were filled with pain and helplessness, and his voice was filled with deep self-blame.

The princess burst into tears, "Yifeng, don't say such things, fate is unfair to us..." Her voice was weak and trembling, like a candle in the wind.

At night, the lights in the princess's bedroom were dim. She sat alone by the window, gazing at the bright moon outside, her heart filled with sorrow. The moonlight shone on her face, illuminating her beautiful silhouette.

"Yifeng, what should we do..." She whispered softly, her voice filled with helplessness and confusion. The breeze blew, and her hair fluttered gently, adding a bit of pitiful charm.

Li Yifeng, who was expelled from the palace, drank to drown his sorrows in a simple inn in the capital. The inn was noisy and filled with smoke, but Li Yifeng seemed to be in a lonely world.

"Why? Why does God do this to us?" He muttered to himself, his eyes blurry. The wine glass in his hand kept shaking, and the wine spilled, soaking his clothes.

At this time, Li Yifeng's good friend Zhang San hurried to the inn. Zhang San was wearing a blue gown and looked anxious.

"Brother Li, don't be so depressed." Zhang San advised, snatching the wine glass from Li Yifeng's hand.

Li Yifeng raised his head and looked at Zhang San with a wry smile, "Zhang San, what do you think I should do?" His eyes were empty, as if he had lost his soul.

Zhang San pondered for a moment, "Brother Li, why don't we think of a way to see if we can impress His Majesty."

Li Yifeng shook his head, "Your Majesty has made up his mind, how can we easily change it..." His voice was full of despair and helplessness.

Meanwhile, Taizong was lost in thought in the palace. He paced back and forth in his bedroom, holding a scroll of memorials in his hand, but he had no intention of reviewing them.

"Is it right or wrong for me to do this? Will Changle hate me for the rest of her life..." He muttered to himself with a painful expression on his face.

However, as the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, he knew that he had to put the overall situation first and not let the dignity and interests of the royal family be shaken by his children's personal affairs.

As the days passed, the princess grew increasingly haggard. She stopped dressing herself and spent the whole day locked in her room, not wanting to eat or drink. Her once rosy face became thinner, and her eyes lost their former brilliance.

"Princess, please eat something. Your body can't take it if you continue like this." The palace maids begged desperately, but the princess remained unmoved.

Li Yifeng was also suffering. He asked around for news about the princess but found nothing. He could only wander the streets like a beggar every day.

One day, the princess decided to ask the emperor for mercy again. She dressed up in the most gorgeous palace clothes and the most precious jewelry.

"Your Majesty, I know you are thinking about the Tang Dynasty, but my love for Yifeng is also sincere. Please give us another chance." The princess knelt in front of Taizong's bedroom, her voice firm and sincere.

Taizong looked at his daughter and felt a little hesitant, but the voices of opposition from the ministers in the court rang in his ears.

"Changle, do you know that as a princess, your marriage concerns the country and the people of the Tang Dynasty?" Taizong said with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

The princess raised her head, her eyes firm, "Father, I am willing to give everything for the Tang Dynasty, as long as I can be with Yifeng."

Taizong sighed, "Forget it, forget it. I'll think about it again..."

A glimmer of hope ignited in the princess's heart. She knew that as long as Taizong was still willing to consider it, there was still a chance.

However, things did not go as smoothly as the princess had hoped. When the ministers in the court learned that Taizong was wavering, they wrote letters to persuade him and firmly opposed the princess's marriage to Li Yifeng.

"Your Majesty, the rules of the Tang Dynasty must not be broken because of the princess's private affair!" a minister said passionately.

"Your Majesty, if you grant the princess' wish, it will probably cause criticism from people all over the world!" Another minister echoed.

Taizong was once again caught in a dilemma. He sat in the court, listening to the ministers' advice and remonstrations, feeling very upset.

After learning about the ministers' attitude, the princess felt disheartened and felt that she had no way out and was in a dark abyss.

"Is this our fate..." the princess murmured to herself, tears welling up in her eyes again.

After learning all this, Li Yifeng decided to leave the capital and go far away. Standing at the city gate, he looked back at this prosperous city, his heart filled with reluctance and sadness.

"Princess, we are not destined to be together in this life. I wish you happiness..." Li Yifeng looked in the direction of the imperial palace with eyes full of attachment, then turned around and embarked on an unknown journey.