Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 126 Unexpected Changes

Wu Tao frowned and asked worriedly, "But, those people are so bold, how should we deal with them?" Hu Bugui gently stroked her hair and comforted her gently, "Don't worry, I have made arrangements. They will never come back." A hint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. In order to protect Wu Tao and to guard this hard-earned happiness, he would never be merciful.

In order to cope with the impending crisis, Wu Tao decided not to be a flower in a greenhouse anymore. She began to learn martial arts. Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight shone into the yard, she began to practice swordsmanship, sweating profusely. From being clumsy at the beginning to being well-trained later, Wu Tao made rapid progress. She knew that only by becoming strong could she protect herself and Hu Bugui in times of crisis. Hu Bugui gave her the greatest support for her decision. He specially invited the most skilled guard in the palace to teach Wu Tao. Looking at Wu Tao's increasingly determined eyes, his heart was filled with relief and pride.

Time flies, and in a blink of an eye it is the day before the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony. Chang'an City is decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, presenting a festive scene. However, behind this prosperity, there is an undercurrent, waiting for an opportunity to move. Hu Bugui and Wu Tao appear calm on the surface, but secretly they have already laid a net, waiting for those rebellious people to fall into the trap.

However, just when they thought everything was under control, an unexpected change broke this seemingly peaceful situation.

A mysterious man, wearing a black cloak, suddenly appeared in the capital, as if he had fallen from the sky. He was highly skilled in martial arts, and he came and went without a trace, and he repeatedly evaded the sentries sent by Hu Bugui. What was even more frightening was that he knew everything Hu Bugui and Wu Tao did, as if he was lurking beside them, monitoring their every move.

"Your Highness, our every move is under his control. He is unfathomable. How should we deal with him?" The general reported to Hu Bugui worriedly. Hu Bugui looked solemn. He tightly grasped the teacup in his hand, and his knuckles turned white, showing his inner restlessness at the moment.

"Since he wants to play, let's play with him." Hu Bugui put down his teacup, a gleam in his eyes. He and Wu Tao looked at each other, and both saw determination and resolve in each other's eyes.

An invisible war quietly kicked off in the prosperous city of Chang'an. Hu Bugui used his familiarity with the capital to cleverly set a trap in an attempt to lure out the mysterious man. Wu Tao used his knowledge of ancient culture to decipher the code left by the mysterious man, trying to find out his true identity and purpose.

In the process of fighting wits and courage with the mysterious man, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao experienced several thrilling encounters. They were trapped in an underground secret room and passed by the mysterious man in the downtown area, and each time they narrowly escaped danger.

In a head-on confrontation with a mysterious man, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao teamed up to fight him. Despite the help of the general, the mysterious man's martial arts were too strong and they gradually fell behind. At this time, Wu Tao was captured by the mysterious man and taken away in order to protect Hu Bugui...

Hu Bugui watched Wu Tao being taken away by a mysterious man, and his heart was broken. With red eyes, he desperately wanted to chase after him, but was stopped by the general.

"Your Highness, calm down! The princess is blessed by heaven. If you chase her now, you will play into the enemy's hands!" The general urged him urgently. He knew that Hu Bugui was extremely anxious at the moment, but the more anxious he was, the more he had to stay calm.

Hu Bugui sat down on the ground dejectedly, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, but he was unaware. The scene of Wu Tao being taken away kept replaying in his mind, and his heart seemed to be torn into pieces.

"Taotao..." he murmured to himself, his voice full of pain and self-blame.

"Your Highness, our top priority now is to find out the identity and purpose of the mysterious man, and then we can formulate a plan to rescue the princess." The general said in a deep voice.

Hu Bugui raised his head abruptly, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, "You are right, I must rescue Taotao and never let her get hurt!"

He forced himself to calm down and carefully analyzed the current situation. Since the mysterious man chose to act on the eve of the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony, his purpose was probably related to the throne. And he had always known his whereabouts very well, which meant that there must be a traitor around him.

Thinking of this, a figure flashed through Hu Bugui's mind - Prime Minister Wang. Prime Minister Wang was a veteran of the previous dynasty and had always been dissatisfied with Hu Bugui. He was very likely the mastermind behind the scenes.

In order to confirm his guess, Hu Bugui decided to venture deep into the enemy camp to find out what was going on. He changed into a nightgown and sneaked into the suburban villa where the mysterious man was hiding under the cover of night.

The courtyard was heavily guarded, with archers on the walls and guards patrolling the courtyard. With his superb martial arts, Hu Bugui avoided everyone's sight and sneaked into the depths of the courtyard.

He found Wu Tao locked in a woodshed, with her hands tied behind her back and a cloth stuffed in her mouth, looking at him in horror. Hu Bugui felt so distressed when he saw this, he quickly stepped forward to untie the ropes on Wu Tao, took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from her face.

"Taotao, don't be afraid, I'm here to save you."

When Wu Tao saw Hu Bugui, she could no longer control the tears she had been holding back and she threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.

"If I don't come back, I'm so scared..."

Hu Bugui hugged Wu Tao tightly and comforted her softly, "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here and I will never let you suffer any grievances again."

Just then, footsteps were heard outside the door, and Hu Bugui and Wu Tao quickly hid.

"My lord, what you want is ready." A familiar voice came from outside the door. It was Prime Minister Wang!

Hu Bugui was shocked. It seemed that his guess was correct. Prime Minister Wang was indeed the mastermind behind the scenes!

He looked through the crack in the door and saw a figure in a black cloak with his back to him. He couldn't see his face clearly, but from the voice and tone of his voice, Hu Bugui could be sure that he was the mysterious man.

"Very good, you did a great job." The mysterious man said calmly, "On the day of the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony, it will be the day for me to regain control of the country!"

"Yes, my lord!" Prime Minister Wang responded respectfully.

Hu Bugui was filled with shock. He never expected that this mysterious man would

Hu Bugui's heart was filled with turmoil. He never expected that this mysterious man would want to rebel! He clenched his fists and tried to restrain the urge to rush out. Now is not the time yet. He needs to stay calm and get Taotao out safely first!

"Taotao, wait for me here and don't go anywhere. I will definitely come back to save you!" Hu Bugui said in a low voice, his eyes firm and gentle.

Wu Tao held his hand tightly, her eyes full of worry and reluctance, "Bugui, you have to be careful!"

Hu Bugui patted her hand gently, signaling her not to worry, then turned and quietly left the woodshed. He walked around to the outside of the main hall, hid in the shadows, and listened carefully to the movements in the house.

"My lord, why do you have to wait until the day of the heavenly sacrifice ceremony? In my opinion, it would be better to..." Prime Minister Wang said in a low voice, but was interrupted by a mysterious man.

"You don't understand! On the day of the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, all officials will gather and people will worship. It will be the best time for me to ascend the throne and become emperor!" The mysterious man's voice was filled with undisguised ambition and madness.

Hu Bugui sneered in his heart. It turned out that this mysterious man was a remnant of the previous dynasty, trying to restore the monarchy! He took a deep breath and decided to take a gamble. He pushed open the door and strode in.

"Shut up! Have you forgotten how your dynasty collapsed? The people are tired of war and what they long for is peace and tranquility! If you insist on doing what you want, you will only plunge the people into dire straits!"

The mysterious man and Prime Minister Wang were both stunned by this sudden change. When they saw that the person was Hu Bugui, Prime Minister Wang's face changed drastically. He pointed at Hu Bugui and shouted angrily, "How dare you! How dare you trespass into the courtyard? Come on, arrest him!"

However, before the guards could react, Hu Bugui had already flashed in front of the mysterious man and put the sword in his hand against his neck.

“Stop it!” The mysterious man stopped the guards who were about to step forward. He looked at Hu Bugui with interest, “Are you Hu Bugui? You have quite some courage!”

Hu Bugui did not let down his guard because of the mysterious man's praise. He turned the tip of his sword and pointed it directly at the mysterious man's heart. "Who are you? Why did you take my wife away?"

The mysterious man laughed loudly, "I am the crown prince of the previous dynasty. Your father took away my kingdom and killed my relatives. This hatred is irreconcilable! I will make you also taste the feeling of losing everything!"

Hu Bugui felt mixed emotions after hearing this. He had never thought that the man in front of him would bear such a deep hatred. He looked at the man who was blinded by hatred, and suddenly felt a little sympathy in his heart. He slowly said, "When will the cycle of revenge end? Do you think you can really restore the throne? Even if you succeed, what can you do? You will only make more people suffer!"

The mysterious man obviously didn't expect Hu Bugui to say such a thing. He was stunned for a moment, and his tone was a little more confused. "Could it be... Am I wrong?"

Hu Bugui struck while the iron was hot and continued, "Look at the people now. They live and work in peace and contentment. Is this what you want to see? Instead of dwelling on the hatred of the past, it is better to put down the burden and do something practical for the people. This is the true way of a king!"

The mysterious man fell into deep thought, as if he was touched by Hu Bugui's words. He looked at Hu Bugui's sincere eyes, and the last line of defense in his heart finally collapsed. He sighed and dropped his hands weakly, "You are right, I have been wrong for too long..."

Hu Bugui was relieved to see that he had finally figured it out. He put away his sword and extended his hand to the mysterious man. "From now on, you and I will be together forever."

From now on, all our grudges are written off, and you don't have to be obsessed with revenge anymore."

The mysterious man raised his head, a trace of relief flashed in his eyes, he held Hu Bugui's hand and nodded solemnly. Seeing this, Prime Minister Wang knew that the situation was hopeless, his face turned pale and he collapsed to the ground.

After Hu Bugui calmed the mysterious man, he immediately rushed to the woodshed and saw that Wu Tao was safe and sound. He finally let go of his worries. The two hugged each other tightly, and everything was said without words.

After returning to the capital, the story of Hu Bugui and Wu Tao spread throughout the streets and alleys. People praised Hu Bugui's bravery and wisdom, and also lamented Wu Tao's wit and kindness. This pair of lovers who had experienced ups and downs became a good story among the people.

When the emperor heard about this, he was very pleased and held a grand celebration banquet for Hu Bugui and Wu Tao. In the magnificent palace, there were singing and dancing, and the tables were filled with wine and delicacies. All the civil and military officials gathered together to celebrate the victory.

"Hu Bugui, you have made great contributions this time, and I am very pleased!" The emperor sat high on the dragon throne and said loudly, "I will make you the crown prince, and you will inherit the throne in the future!"

When these words came out, all the civil and military officials in the court were shocked and knelt down to congratulate him. However, Hu Bugui was calm and thanked him neither humbly nor arrogantly. He knew very well that the position of the crown prince meant greater responsibility, and he would do his best to protect the country and the people of the Tang Dynasty.

"Wu Tao, you are as brave as any man, and you have made an invaluable contribution this time!" The emperor turned his gaze to Wu Tao, his eyes full of admiration, "I will grant you a thousand taels of gold and a hundred pieces of silk and satin as a reward!"

Wu Tao bowed and thanked the emperor for his grace. She knew that her story with Hu Bugui had just begun and there was still a long way to go, but they would go hand in hand and face all challenges together.

However, just as the atmosphere of the banquet reached its climax, a dark shadow suddenly flew in from outside the hall. As light as a swallow, he nimbly avoided the guards' interception, threw a letter onto the desk in front of the emperor, and then disappeared into the night like a ghost.

The emperor opened the letter and his expression suddenly became solemn. The content of the letter was concise and clear, but it was chilling:

"Hu Bugui, do you think you have won? This game has just begun, I will be back!"

A shadow of uneasiness loomed over everyone's heart, and the originally festive atmosphere disappeared in an instant. A new storm seemed to be brewing quietly...

In the magnificent hall, the sound of stringed instruments was melodious, and the elegant ladies were drinking and toasting, in a joyous atmosphere. Hu Bugui, wearing the crown and clothes of the crown prince, stood tall in the center of the hall, accepting congratulations from all sides. Although he had a decent smile on his face, his eyes were as calm as water, without any ripples.

Wu Tao, dressed in a gorgeous palace dress, stood dignifiedly beside Hu Bugui, accepting compliments from the ladies of various families. She smiled, but her eyes drifted outside the palace from time to time, seeming a little absent-minded.

"What's wrong, Taotao? This party is too noisy, don't you like it?" Hu Bugui noticed Wu Tao's abnormality and asked in a low voice.

Wu Tao shook her head and said softly, "Nothing, I just feel that everything is going too smoothly, and it's a little... unreal."

Hu Bugui held her hand, and the warmth passed to her, as if it could dispel all the anxiety in her heart. "Everything will be fine. From now on, I will protect you and the Tang Dynasty. No one can separate us anymore."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a commotion at the entrance of the hall. A figure dressed in black and wearing a bamboo hat appeared like a ghost, evaded the guards' obstruction at lightning speed, threw a letter onto the imperial desk, and then disappeared into the night.

The sudden change caused the originally noisy hall to become quiet instantly. Everyone stared blankly at the letter lying on the imperial desk, not daring to make a sound.

The emperor picked up the letter with a gloomy face and read it carefully. As his eyes scanned the lines, his face became more and more solemn and his brows furrowed tightly.

Hu Bugui sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere, and stepped forward and asked, "Father, what happened?"

The emperor handed him the letter and said in a deep voice, "Take a look for yourself."

Hu Bugui took the letter, quickly glanced through it, and his face turned ugly. The content of the letter was very simple, with only a few short sentences:

Just a few words were full of provocation and threat, like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing a thousand waves.

The atmosphere in the hall dropped to freezing point in an instant. The original laughter and joy disappeared completely, replaced by depression and uneasiness.

Hu Bugui handed the letter to Wu Tao beside him, held her hand tightly, and said in a deep voice: "Don't be afraid, I'll take care of everything."

Wu Tao held his hand with her backhand and gave him a firm look.

Although she was filled with anxiety, she knew that at this moment, she could not panic, let alone retreat.

The storm is coming, and they can only overcome the difficulties by working together.