Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 124 We face it together

The news brought by General Li swept through the room like a cold winter wind. He spoke in a hurried tone, with a serious expression, "My Lord, Madam, an army suddenly appeared outside the city. They are numerous, well-equipped, and aggressive, and are heading straight for the capital!"

Wu Tao's heart sank suddenly. Could it be that the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince had made a comeback? She struggled to get up, but Hu Bugui held her tightly, "Don't worry, I'll go take a look."

Hu Bugui patted her hand soothingly and turned to leave, but Wu Tao grabbed her clothes. "I'll go with you." She said firmly, her eyes burning, "We'll face it together."

Hu Bugui looked at the weak yet strong woman in front of him, and a warm feeling surged in his heart. He held her hand with his backhand, interlocking their fingers, "Okay."

However, before the two of them walked out of the door, they were stopped by an old man with white hair and beard. The old man had an immortal look and was holding a whisk. He was a famous doctor who lived in seclusion in the mountains and was also Hu Bugui's master. "Why are you two running around instead of taking care of your injuries?"

"Master, the capital is in danger..." Hu Bugui explained anxiously.

The old man waved his hand, "Why are you panicking? Since I'm here, I'll naturally keep you safe." He took out an exquisite porcelain bottle from his arms and poured out two pills, "This is the 'Returning Pill' I developed, which can quickly restore your physical strength. Take it."

After taking the pill, Wu Tao clearly felt that the pain in her body was relieved a lot, and her weak hands and feet gradually regained their strength. She looked at the old man in surprise, "Old sir, your medical skills are amazing!"

The old man stroked his beard and smiled proudly, "Of course, I have been in the martial arts world for many years, what kind of difficult and complicated diseases have I not seen?"

Under the old man's meticulous treatment and the miraculous effect of the "Huitian Pill", Hu Bugui and Wu Tao's injuries improved at a visible speed. A few days later, the two were able to walk and speak with the same vigor as before.

"Taotao, you finally woke up." Hu Bugui looked at Wu Tao, whose face was rosy, with his eyes full of heartache and love. He gently held her in his arms, as if he wanted to rub her into his bones and blood.

Wu Tao also hugged him tightly, buried her head in his chest, listened to his strong heartbeat, and felt his warmth and love. The two hugged each other tightly, unwilling to separate for a long time.

The life-and-death test of just a few days has deepened their relationship and made them cherish each other more. They know that the road ahead is still long and they will encounter various challenges and difficulties, but they will work hand in hand to face them together.

At this moment, General Li hurried in, breaking the warm atmosphere. His face was solemn, "Your Majesty, Madam, although the troops outside the city have withdrawn, according to the spies' report, the remnants of the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince are still operating in secret, we have to be on guard!"

Hu Bugui and Wu Tao looked at each other, their eyes full of determination. They knew that this struggle was far from over, and what they had to do was to cheer up, regain control of the situation, and bring peace and prosperity to the people!

General Li's words were like a stone dropped into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. Wu Tao's heart was lifted again. She struggled to get up, but Hu Bugui held her hand tightly, signaling her to rest assured.

"Tell me in detail, what is going on with that army outside the city?" Hu Bugui asked in a deep voice, his brows furrowed and a hint of sharpness flashing in his eyes.

General Li bowed and said, "Your Highness, that army came with such force, but suddenly withdrew less than fifty miles away from the capital, as if they had never appeared. I have sent people to investigate, but have not found any clues yet."

"If we can't find any clues, it means that the other party is hiding very deeply. We must not take it lightly." Hu Bugui pondered for a moment, "As long as the prime minister and the prince are not removed, the world will never be at peace."

He looked up at General Li and said firmly, "Pass the order to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince. If you find any trace, report it immediately!"

"Yes!" General Li took the order and left, leaving only Hu Bugui and Wu Tao in the room.

Wu Tao looked at the man in front of her who was in control of the situation with great admiration. Although he was seriously injured, he still cared about the world. This sense of responsibility and commitment deeply moved her.

"What are you thinking about?" Hu Bugui asked gently when he saw Wu Tao staring at him in a daze.

"I was wondering, why did those people suddenly retreat? What was their purpose?" Wu Tao frowned slightly, puzzled.

Hu Bugui stroked her hair and said softly, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

He knew that this invisible war had just begun. The Prime Minister and the Crown Prince were shrewd and would never give up easily. They were lurking in the dark, and they must have some agenda.

In the next few days, while Hu Bugui was recovering from his injuries, he secretly summoned his confidants to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the prime minister and the prince. He used his influence in the court to gather information everywhere, hoping to find clues.

Wu Tao was not to be outdone. Although she was in the back house, she was concerned about the overall situation of the world. With her knowledge and wisdom in modern society, she provided Hu Bugui with many valuable clues.

Late at night, Wu Tao sat in front of the window, using the faint candlelight to carefully read the books he brought out from the palace. These books recorded various aspects of the history, politics, and economy of the Tang Dynasty, hoping to find some useful information in them.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on one of the books, and on the page were written the words "Carrier Pigeon Letter". She was moved, could it be...

Wu Tao slammed the book shut, his eyes gleaming. Yes, pigeon messaging! In ancient times, information transmission was inconvenient, and if someone wanted to communicate secretly, pigeon messaging was undoubtedly an excellent choice.

She immediately stood up, found Hu Bugui, and told him all her thoughts. After listening, Hu Bugui pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, "That makes sense. If we can find their contact information, we may be able to follow the clues and find their hiding place."

So, the two gathered their confidants overnight and secretly started an investigation. They visited various pigeon houses in Beijing and carefully inquired whether there were any suspicious people who had come to rent pigeons recently. Finally, they found a clue in a remote pigeon house.

The owner of the pigeon house recalled that a few days ago, a suspicious man came to rent a pigeon, and he was generous and paid several times the usual amount. More importantly, the man required the pigeon to deliver the letter to the destination within three days, otherwise he would double the compensation.

"Delivered within three days..." Hu Bugui muttered to himself, with a gleam in his eyes, "It seems that their hiding place should be within 300 miles of the capital."

He immediately ordered people to draw a map, marking all the towns, mountains, and rivers within 300 miles of the capital, and then gradually narrowed the scope based on the flying speed and direction of the carrier pigeons.

At the same time, Wu Tao was also carefully analyzing the known information. Based on historical records and modern geographical knowledge, she speculated that the most likely place for the prime minister and the prince to hide was a valley in the northeast of the capital that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.

"The terrain there is steep, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it's neither too far nor too close to the capital, making it convenient for them to keep track of the capital's movements at any time. It's indeed a perfect place to hide." Wu Tao pointed to the valley on the map and said affirmatively.

Hu Bugui looked at Wu Tao's serious expression, with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He reached out and took Wu Tao into his arms, saying softly: "Tao'er, you are really my good wife."

With a target in mind, the next action would be much easier. Hu Bugui mobilized his troops overnight and divided them into two groups. One group, led by General Li, headed straight for the valley to capture the prime minister and the prince. The other group, led by him personally, was responsible for blocking the remaining forces of the prime minister and the prince to prevent them from escaping.

The night is dark and full of murderous intent. A decisive battle that will determine the fate of the Tang Dynasty is about to begin...

 Survive a desperate situation

The darkness before dawn is always especially long.

When Hu Bugui woke up, he met Wu Tao's worried eyes. He struggled to get up, but the wound on his body was agitated, and he couldn't help but groan.

"Don't move," Wu Tao quickly held him down, his tone filled with heartache, "Your injuries haven't healed yet, lie still."

Hu Bugui shook his head and said in a hoarse voice: "How long have I been unconscious? How is the war going?"

"You have been unconscious for two days and two nights," Wu Tao's eyes were slightly red, "General Li has led his army to wipe out the remaining forces of the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince, and the situation has now stabilized."

Hearing this, Hu Bugui finally felt relieved. He turned to look at the famous doctor who had been waiting by the bed and said gratefully, "Thank you for saving my life, sir."

The famous doctor stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Your Highness, you are too kind. I am just doing my best."

"Sir, you are a superb doctor and you can bring people back to health with your magic hands. I will never forget this kindness." Hu Bugui said solemnly.

"Your Highness, there is no need to be polite. The most important thing is to rest and recover." The famous doctor said, and then looked at Wu Tao and said meaningfully, "With the princess taking good care of you, I believe your Highness will recover soon."

Wu Tao's cheeks blushed slightly, but she nodded firmly.

In the following days, Wu Tao took care of Hu Bugui without taking off her clothes. She wiped his body, fed him medicine, talked with him to relieve his boredom, and played the role of a wife with all her heart. Although Hu Bugui was physically weak, his mood was exceptionally calm. With Wu Tao by his side, he seemed to feel no pain, only endless warmth and happiness.

Under Wu Tao's careful care, Hu Bugui's condition improved day by day. Half a month later, he was able to get out of bed and walk. He looked at the bright sunshine outside the window, his heart full of hope.

"Tao'er, let's go out for a walk." Hu Bugui took Wu Tao's hand, his eyes full of tenderness.

The two strolled in the garden, feeling the long-lost tranquility.

"Taoer, thank you." Hu Bugui suddenly stopped and looked at Wu Tao affectionately.

"Thank me for what?" Wu Tao asked puzzledly.

"Thank you for always being by my side and never leaving me." Hu Bugui held Wu Tao in his arms, his voice low and emotional, "If it weren't for you, I don't know if I could have survived this."

Wu Tao gently stroked Hu Bugui's back and said softly, "We are husband and wife. We should support each other and share honor and disgrace."

Hu Bugui hugged Wu Tao tightly, his heart full of gratitude and love. He knew that he would never let go of this woman in his life.

However, just as the two were immersed in happiness, General Li suddenly rushed over with a serious expression.

"Your Highness, Princess, something happened..."