Echoes of the Forgotten

The Mysterious Stranger

The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the vast expanse of the Tang Dynasty countryside. The air was thick with the scent of blooming wildflowers as Liu Wei, a 26-year-old herbalist, navigated the narrow path leading to the forest. She had spent countless hours collecting herbs, but today felt different—an inexplicable pull guided her deeper into the woods.

As she gathered her supplies, the tranquil silence was suddenly broken by a rustling sound. Liu Wei paused, her heart racing. The forest had always felt like a refuge, but the eerie quietness had turned unsettling. She took a cautious step forward, her instincts telling her something was amiss.

Then she saw him—a man, sprawled on the ground, his clothes torn and stained with blood. Panic surged through her as she rushed to his side. His face was obscured by a thick mane of dark hair, but even in his unconscious state, a sense of nobility emanated from him. Kneeling beside him, she noticed a deep gash on his arm and a bruise forming on his forehead.

"Please," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Hold on."

Drawing on her training as a healer, Liu Wei quickly set to work. She tore a strip from her own tunic to bandage his wound, her hands steady despite the urgency of the situation. As she worked, her mind raced with questions. Who was this man? How had he ended up here?

After tending to his injuries, she stepped back, wiping the sweat from her brow. He looked peaceful now, though his brow furrowed in a deep frown. She couldn’t help but feel an inexplicable connection to him, as if she were meant to find him.

Suddenly, he stirred, his eyes fluttering open. Liu Wei’s heart skipped a beat as she met his gaze—his deep-set, dark eyes filled with confusion.

“Where am I?” he croaked, his voice raspy from disuse.

“You’re safe,” she assured him, her tone soothing. “I found you in the forest. You were hurt.”

He struggled to sit up, wincing as pain shot through his body. “I… I can’t remember.” His expression shifted from confusion to concern. “Who are you?”

“I’m Liu Wei,” she replied, feeling the weight of his gaze. “I’m a herbalist. I’ve helped you.”

“Liu Wei…” he whispered, as if testing the name on his tongue. “What happened to me?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, her brow furrowing. “You were injured. Do you remember anything?”

He closed his eyes tightly, as if trying to force memories to surface. “I see... flashes. A palace, a crown... and a woman.” He opened his eyes, searching hers. “But I don’t know who they are.”

A knot formed in Liu Wei’s stomach at the mention of the palace. Could he be a nobleman? She couldn’t ignore the feeling that he was somehow important, and that danger might still lurk nearby.

“Stay here until you regain your strength,” she urged, her protective instincts flaring. “You’re safe with me.”

He nodded, though uncertainty clouded his features. “Thank you, Liu Wei. But I fear I may be a danger to you.”

“You’re not a danger to me,” she insisted, her voice firm. “We’ll figure this out together.”

As the last rays of sunlight faded, Liu Wei felt a strange sense of fate intertwining their paths. Little did she know, their journey was just beginning—and the echoes of the past were about to resurface in ways she could never have imagined.