Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 182: Night at the Prime Minister's Residence

The night in the Prime Minister's Mansion was quiet but murderous. Hu Bugui, dressed in military uniform, led an elite force and shuttled through the mansion like a ghost. They moved quickly and coordinated well, like black lightning, leaving only the enemy's terrified gasps wherever they passed. Wu Tao's plan, like an accurate compass, guided them to victory.

The maid Wu Tao was talking about was named Lu Wu. She was originally a daughter of a wealthy family. She was sold to the Prime Minister's residence because her family fell into poverty. She knew the Prime Minister's greedy and vicious nature very well. Under Wu Tao's persuasion, Lu Wu agreed to help them, and they worked together inside and outside to deal a fatal blow to the Prime Minister.

As agreed, Lvwu opened the secret passage of the Prime Minister's Mansion, allowing Hu Bugui's army to enter the mansion smoothly. She also provided the defense map of the Prime Minister's Mansion and the room where the Prime Minister rested. Hu Bugui thanked Lvwu for her help and promised to ensure her safety after the matter was accomplished.

The prime minister never dreamed that the iron wall he had carefully built would be easily broken by an inconspicuous maid. When he woke up from his sleep and found that he was surrounded, an expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

"Hu Bugui, how dare you trespass into the Prime Minister's residence? You are plotting treason!" the Prime Minister shouted in a stern voice.

"You are the one who is plotting rebellion!" Hu Bugui pointed his sword at the prime minister and said sternly, "You deceived the emperor and murdered loyal officials. Today I will enforce justice on behalf of heaven and bring you to justice!"

Although the guards of the Prime Minister's Mansion were numerous, they were quickly defeated by Hu Bugui's well-trained army. Hu Bugui did not want to fight, he led a part of his troops straight to the palace, and gave the task of capturing the Prime Minister to his deputy.

Inside the palace, the emperor was under house arrest in his own bedroom, with only a few eunuchs and maids serving him. He was worried, not knowing what the situation was like outside, and not knowing whether Hu Bugui could defeat the prime minister.

Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came, and the emperor's heart rose to his throat. He didn't know whether it was an enemy or a friend, so he could only hide behind the screen and hold his breath.

"Your Majesty, I, Hu Bugui, am late in coming to your rescue. Please forgive me!" Hu Bugui's voice rang out outside the door, like the sound of nature, which finally put the emperor at ease.

When the emperor reappeared in front of the courtiers under the escort of Hu Bugui, the whole court was shocked. The ministers who had been silent and watching the situation stood up at this moment to express their support for the emperor and condemnation of the prime minister.

When the people of Beijing learned that the emperor was safe, they took to the streets and cheered. They shouted slogans such as "Long live the emperor" and "Mighty General Hu" to celebrate this hard-won victory.

However, this was just the light before dawn, and the real challenge had just begun. The queen was in the harem, and when she heard the news from the previous dynasty, she felt mixed emotions. She knew that it was time for her to take action.

The queen was in Fengyi Palace, listening to the palace maids and eunuchs describing what happened in the previous dynasty, and finally a relieved smile appeared on her face. She stood up, slowly walked to the dressing table, looked at herself in the mirror, still elegant and graceful, and her eyes gradually became firm.

"Come here, pass on the order and summon several adults to the palace to discuss matters."

The queen knew that this struggle was far from over. Although the prime minister had been arrested, his followers were numerous and deeply rooted in the court. It would not be easy to completely eradicate them. She had to use her influence to unite all the forces that could be united to help Hu Bugui stabilize the situation and restore clarity to the court.

Several respected and loyal old ministers were soon summoned to Fengyi Palace. The queen told them the emperor's current situation and the situation in the court in detail, and begged them to step forward at this time to assist the emperor and revive the government.

The old ministers were moved by the queen's sincerity and expressed their willingness to do their best to serve the country. They drafted an edict overnight, announcing the establishment of a provisional government, with the queen acting as regent to handle state affairs until the emperor recovered and was able to take charge of government again.

With the support of the queen, Hu Bugui's actions went more smoothly. With the support of the people, his troops were greatly encouraged and won several important battles in succession, forcing the remaining forces of the prime minister into a desperate situation.

However, just as the dawn of victory began to appear, a new threat quietly arrived. The prime minister and the prince, who were in hiding, secretly colluded and prepared to gather the last of their forces for a final desperate struggle...

The prime minister and the crown prince, one is a powerful minister who has lost his power, the other is a heir to the throne who has lost his position. Both of them are full of resentment and attempt to make a comeback. However, their alliance is full of suspicion and contradictions from the beginning. The prime minister is shrewd and regards the crown prince as a chess piece, while the crown prince is young and energetic and is dissatisfied with the prime minister's control.

This suspicion and contradiction broke out completely during a discussion on strategic deployment. The prince advocated a strong attack to recapture the capital with lightning speed, while the prime minister insisted on taking it slow, believing that they should first accumulate strength and wait for the opportunity.

"Hu Bugui's morale is high now. A strong attack will only cause unnecessary casualties!" The prime minister scolded the prince, "Do you understand the art of war?"

"Are we just going to sit there and wait for death?" The prince refused to give in. "When Hu Bugui becomes fully grown, we will have no chance of turning the tables!"

The two quarreled endlessly, neither of them gave in, and finally parted unhappily. This scene was seen by a counselor under the prime minister, who secretly informed the spy Hu Bugui who was lurking in the prime minister's power.

When Wu Tao heard the news, she suddenly had an idea and said to Hu Bugui: "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We can take advantage of their contradictions and disintegrate their alliance."

At the same time, the emperor met Wu Tao in the Yangxin Palace. Although he was physically weak, he was in good spirits. Wu Tao made a series of suggestions on state governance, including developing agriculture, building water conservancy projects, reducing taxes, and paying attention to education. These suggestions were made by Wu Tao based on his understanding of history and the actual situation of the Tang Dynasty. They were both forward-looking and feasible.

The emperor listened very carefully and nodded in praise from time to time. He knew that he was old and the prince was not capable of great things. Only Hu Bugui could turn the tide and save the country. The appearance of Wu Tao gave Hu Bugui a pair of wings, allowing him to fly higher and see farther.

"Miss Wu, I deeply admire your knowledge and talent." The emperor said with emotion, "I believe that with you and General Hu, the future of the Tang Dynasty will be even better."

Wu Tao humbly stated that he was only doing his best and everything was for the people of the Tang Dynasty.

Outside the capital, in the dead of night, Hu Bugui and a general were having a secret conversation in a tent. The map in front of them was filled with flags representing the military strength of both sides.

"The alliance between the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince has been broken. This is the best time for us to fight back." The general pointed at the map and said, "We can..."

The general's voice was deep and powerful, detailing his battle plan. If successful, it would be the final blow to the prime minister and the prince, and the Tang Dynasty would usher in true peace. However, will the road to victory be smooth? What challenges will Hu Bugui and Wu Tao face in the future?

 Chapter 182: Dawn

The flickering candlelight in the tent illuminated Hu Bugui's resolute face. He stared at the map, tapping the table with his fingers, producing a steady and powerful rhythm.

"The prime minister and the crown prince appear to be on good terms with each other, but they are actually at odds with each other. This is a good opportunity for us to defeat them one by one." Hu Bugui's voice was low and firm. "Pass the order down. The army will rest for three days. After three days, we will attack the prime minister's lair!"

"General, you are wise!" The generals in the tent responded in unison, their eyes sparkling with excitement. They have been looking forward to this day for too long, and now that victory is in sight, how can they not be extremely excited?

Three days later, before dawn, Hu Bugui's army had assembled and was marching towards the prime minister's stronghold. Flags were flying, drums were thundering, and the deafening shouts of killing resounded through the sky, foreshadowing that a decisive battle was about to come.

Although the prime minister and the crown prince received news that Hu Bugui was about to attack, before they had time to discuss a countermeasure, Hu Bugui's vanguard troops had arrived at the city.

"kill--"

Amid the deafening shouts of killing, Hu Bugui led the army to attack the city. He was like a sharp knife, piercing the heart of the enemy, and was invincible.

On the city wall, the prime minister and the prince looked at the Hu family army, their faces pale and their hands and feet cold. They never expected that Hu Bugui would act so quickly and decisively.

"It's over, everything is over!" The prince collapsed on the ground, his eyes full of despair.

Although the prime minister was also frightened, he was a veteran after all, and soon calmed down. He commanded his soldiers to fight desperately, hoping to withstand the attack of the Hu family army and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

However, the offensive of the Hu family army was too fierce, and the prime minister's resistance was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and was unable to stop the advance of the Hu family army.

The city gate was breached, and the Hu family army poured into the city like a tide. After a fierce street battle, the prime minister and the prince's army were finally completely defeated, and the two were captured alive.

When the news reached the capital, the emperor and empress cried with joy. The rebellion that had lasted for months was finally quelled, and the Tang Dynasty finally ushered in the long-awaited peace.

In the Yangxin Palace, the emperor held Wu Tao's hand and said excitedly: "Miss Wu, thanks to you and General Hu, the Tang Dynasty was able to turn danger into safety!"

Wu Tao smiled modestly and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. This is what General Hu and I should do."

Although they had won, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao did not look relaxed at all. They knew that although the capital had returned to peace, it would take time and effort to consolidate true peace.

The remnants of the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince have not been completely eliminated, and there are still many problems to be solved in the court. More importantly, this rebellion has exposed many contradictions and hidden dangers within the Tang Dynasty. If they are not resolved, new storms may emerge in the future...