Time-Traveling Love

“I understand. You’ve been to the 21st century; you can’t accept a man you’ve never met.” Miss, have you ever considered that you are now in our time, an era a millennium away from the twenty-first century? In this age, women are destined to follow their husbands, be it a chicken, a dog, or even to run around the mountains with a monkey. “You… Yes, yes. I am Xu Caihong, so I must marry that Liu Buqun. Honestly, I’d like to meet him to see if he indeed has three heads and six arms, some extraordinary features that would make everyone admire him.” “I don’t know if he has three heads and six arms, but I heard from Cuihong, the maid in the lady’s room, that the master and mistress are quite fond of this marriage. And since he is a general, he must be an impressive person.” “Who’s impressive?” Xu Zhizhou asked as he entered the room, fanning himself with a paper fan. “You are,” Xu Caitong teased him. “Hmph, would my little sister ever praise her big brother? Not unless the sun rises from the west. I understand, she must be missing her future husband. Ah, it’s truly heartbreaking, once a sister has a husband, she forgets her brother.” Xu Zhizhou said, clutching his chest, feigning pain. “Young master, while Cuihong might be ignorant, it’s only natural for the miss to miss her future husband,” Cuihong laughed. “Oh, are you not ashamed? Wanting to get married?” “It’s probably my brother who wants to get rid of his sister, urging her to marry quickly,” Xu Caitong playfully said to Caihong. As days passed, whenever Xu Zhizhou had free time, he would come to the back garden to banter with his sister. Xu Caitong, confined to the back garden with nothing to do, was nearly bored to illness. Ancient women truly had it hard, with so many restrictions, even stepping outside was taboo. With Xu Zhizhou around to entertain them, life wasn’t as dull. One day, Xu Caitong’s sister-in-law, carrying her son Junlang and accompanied by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, came to the back garden. Xu Caitong greeted her sister-in-law with a respectful bow. The young girl also bowed to Xu Caitong, “Hello, sister-in-law.” Xu Caitong was taken aback. “Hello, Aunt.” Little Junlang slid from his mother’s arms and sweetly called out to Xu Caitong. Xu Caitong caressed the child’s face and asked Cuihong to bring sweets and snacks to the garden to entertain the guests. It was the time when the osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, making it pleasant to enjoy the flowers while chatting. Xu Caitong couldn’t take her eyes off the girl who called her sister-in-law, puzzled. Her sister-in-law, Su Lan, noticed Xu Caitong’s confusion and, holding the girl’s hand, explained, “Do you know who she is?” Xu Caitong shook her head. “She is your future sister-in-law, Miss Xianfang. She came today to visit and to meet her future sister-in-law.” Xu Caitong was speechless for a moment, overwhelmed. Her future sister-in-law? Wow! Today it’s the sister-in-law, tomorrow it might be the in-laws, and the day after, who knows, maybe even Liu Buqun himself. Liu Buqun, why is his shadow everywhere? Everyone speaks so highly of him, as if he were a haunting spirit that won’t let her go. Seeing Xu Caitong’s change in expression, Su Lan was puzzled and checked her forehead for any signs of illness. She asked, “Are you sick, sister?” “No,” Xu Caitong forced a smile and shook her head. Cuihong had already set up the snacks on a small table in the garden and invited everyone to come. “If you’re feeling unwell, you should see a doctor,” Xu Caitong responded absentmindedly, barely engaging with her sister-in-law. No, Xu Caitong thought, she had to come up with a plan. Since breaking off the engagement was out of the question, the only option was to run away. Run away? The idea flashed through Xu Caitong’s mind. Right! If she couldn’t break the engagement, why not escape? Escape was the best solution. Xianfang stared at her future sister-in-law, finding her very beautiful with her lovely eyes, delicate mouth, and smooth, clean face. She liked Xu Caitong, liked this sister-in-law. Liu Xianfang stayed at the Xu family for a few days, and on the day she left, Xu Caitong decided to leave too. Having spent over two months at Xu Family Manor, she had a good grasp of the layout. The best time to leave was during the shift change of the night watchmen at the third watch. There were several side doors, but the least guarded one was near the lake, though far from the back garden. Xu Caitong was determined to try, knowing she might not get another chance. That night, at the third watch, Xu Caitong quietly got up, packed a few essentials, and placed a bag of silver in her undergarments. She gently opened the door to see Cuihong sleeping with a faint smile. Xu Caitong felt reluctant to leave, thinking about the trouble she might cause Cuihong, she sighed, then turned to leave. Cuihong, woken by the sigh, sleepily opened her eyes to see a figure by the door and was instantly alert. Rubbing her eyes, she recognized it was the miss. “Miss, where are you going?” Cuihong asked in panic. The door creaked open, and moonlight spilled into the room. Cuihong rushed to the door, grabbing Xu Caitong. Xu Caitong hadn’t expected to wake Cuihong; she sighed, “Cuihong, our time as master and servant is at an end. I must leave the Xu family. You know I am not Xu Caihong, but Xu Caitong, a person from the twenty-first century who has been lost in time, so I cannot marry General Liu Buqun. I hope you understand my plight.” “Miss, if you’re leaving, take me with you. I will follow you wherever you go, even back to the twenty-first century, to see that world.” “Cuihong, leaving with me now means facing many hardships, with an uncertain future.” “If the miss can endure hardship, why can’t I? I’m not some pampered girl.” “Alright then, let’s go together.” With Xu Caitong’s consent, Cuihong quickly packed some clothes and grabbed some dry provisions from the kitchen to avoid hunger on the road. The two then evaded the patrolling watchmen and the guards at the gate, leaving the Xu family estate. Following Xu Caitong, Cuihong couldn’t keep up as well. Xu Caitong, having undergone military training and learned race walking, was always worried about being caught and urged Cuihong to travel day and night, eating in the open and sleeping under the stars. Xu Caitong had no specific destination in mind; she just wanted to get away from Xu Family Manor as fast as possible, avoiding the forced marriage to Liu Buqun. After about ten days, the two arrived at the bustling town of Shiba Pu, where the market was crowded and lively. A group of street performers were playing drums and gongs, selling their acts, while a young girl about ten or so was performing martial arts in the center, drawing a large crowd. Xu Caitong had no interest in watching these street shows; she found nothing impressive in them. Both of them, looking weary, hurried through the market. Ahead came several men, one of whom, dressed in brocade and fanning himself with a folding fan, had a sleazy appearance; this was the local ruffian Yang Kun, who relied on his aunt’s husband, Guo Wei, being the current emperor, to do all sorts of evil deeds, terrorizing the locals. He had built a mansion in the city named “Garden of Appreciation,” where he didn’t actually grow flowers but would abduct any woman he fancied for his own pleasure. People on the road avoided him like the plague. Unaware of the impending disaster, Xu Caitong and Cuilian continued their urgent journey. Yang Kun spotted Xu Caitong and felt a spark of interest. This girl was stunningly beautiful, like a fairy. He leered at her and swaggered over to Xu Caitong. Seeing a group of men blocking their path, with the leader having a lascivious look, Xu Caitong was filled with disgust. She knew they had encountered scoundrels; such scenes were familiar from movies and TV. “Please, let us pass,” Xu Caitong said softly, aware of the trouble they had stumbled into. The men blocking their way clearly had ill intentions. “You want me to let you pass?” Yang Kun said flippantly, “I’ll let you pass if you let me kiss you.” “Don’t insult my young mistress,” Cuilian stepped forward, sensing the danger. “So she’s your young mistress? Ha, the little girl is quite protective. Take her away, but leave her maid behind,” Yang Kun ordered his men. His thugs, like wolves and tigers, pounced on them, pushing Cuilian to the ground and abducting Xu Caitong. Cuilian grabbed passersby, shouting for help, but no one came to their aid. She chased after them for several blocks, but the villains were too fast, soon leaving her behind. Cuilian tripped and fell, heartbroken, crying on the ground. Passersby shook their heads and sighed as they walked by. An old woman helped Cuilian up and said, “Girl, you must be from out of town, not knowing the local situation to venture out with your mistress. That scoundrel is Yang Kun, nephew of the current emperor, known for his misdeeds. Your mistress is in for a bad fate.” “Grandma, where is the magistrate’s office? I want to report this crime. How can he abduct women in broad daylight?” Cuilian cried. “Yang Kun is the law here. Never go to the officials; they protect each other, and the office has become Yang’s own,” a passerby advised. “Ah, another girl ruined,” another sighed. Cuilian burst into tears again, regretting their escape which led to such misfortune. She thought it would have been better to stay home and marry Liu Buqun than to be defiled by such a man. Cuilian pounded her chest, blaming herself for not stopping her mistress’s reckless actions. She should have informed the master and mistress on the day of escape to prevent this disaster. Now, how could she face them upon returning? “Little girl, go home, crying here won’t help,” the old woman advised. A group of riders approached swiftly from the east. The old woman pulled Cuilian aside, but she was too late, and a horse knocked her down. Cuilian, already bruised and battered, felt utterly cursed today. She had lost her mistress and now was knocked down by a horse. Crying out loud, she lifted her head and was shocked to silence. The one who knocked her down was none other than Xu Fuzhuang’s chief steward, Xu Fu. Xu Caitong had run away from home with Cuilian, leaving only a letter behind. When Xu Pucan found out, he was furious, almost going mad, and sent servants to find his lost daughter. Xu Fu tightened his reins, seeing the maid Cuilian on the ground, and threw his whip around her neck, shouting, “You insolent servant, how dare you abduct the young mistress. Bring her back immediately.” “Chief steward, I didn’t abduct the mistress, please go save her now,” Cuilian pleaded. “Hand over the mistress quickly,” Xu Fu tightened the whip, ignoring her pleas. “Chief steward, no, no, Cuilian…” Cuilian struggled as the whip tightened, gasping for air. “Oh dear, this man, the young lady’s mistress has been abducted by thugs, you must hurry to save her,” the old woman, unaware of what was happening, saw Cuilian nearly choked. “What did you say?” Xu Fu turned to the old woman. “Your mistress was taken by the local ruffian, you must hurry or she’ll be in grave danger,” a bystander chimed in. “Really?” Xu Fu loosened the whip, and Cuilian fell to the ground, gasping for air and nodding. Xu Fu lifted Cuilian onto the horse, asked for directions to Yang Kun’s mansion, and with a kick, the horse galloped towards it with his men following. At a grand mansion with ornate carvings, Xu Fu dismounted, pounded on the door, and shouted, “Yang Kun, you scoundrel, release my young mistress at once!” The gatekeeper, frightened, ran inside to report to Yang Kun. Yang Kun, still reveling in his capture of Xu Caitong, was annoyed by the commotion outside. He was used to getting his way and having women submit to him; no one had ever dared to confront him at his doorstep. He was determined to teach these intruders a lesson. “Who dares to be so bold?” Yang Kun, with a group of his fighters, approached the door, saw Xu Fu and his men, and the girl who had resisted him earlier pointing at him. He ordered, “Beat them.” The fighters, used to intimidating others, attacked Xu Fu and his men, who were no match for the ruffians and were soon beaten to the ground. Yang Kun walked up to Xu Fu, stepping on his face. Blood trickled from the corner of Xu Fu’s mouth, and he couldn’t move. “I’ve taken your young mistress. What can you do about it? I plan to marry her. What then? If you dare interfere again, I’ll beat you to death. Go back to your master and tell him she’s mine now. I’ll choose a date to make her my bride.” With that, Yang Kun kicked Xu Fu, who rolled on the ground in pain. “Get out of my sight, or I’ll use your blood to baptize my blade.” Yang Kun then left with a group of martial artists, roaring away. Cuilian helped the butler onto his horse, Xu Fu in agony. Struggling to sit on the horse, Xu Fu led the household servants away from Yang Mansion, seeking temporary lodging at an inn. Xu Fu felt utterly unlucky; although he knew where the young mistress was, he hadn’t managed to rescue her. How could he explain this to the master? Despite his pain, Xu Fu managed to write a letter and handed it to Xu Lu, instructing him to rush back to the mansion and report everything to the master. Xu Lu, with the letter in hand, galloped out of the city. After about twenty miles, he saw a large group of soldiers approaching. The leading general was young, handsome, and imposing, with the flag bearing the character “Liu.”