Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 73 Turks Invasion

The news brought by the messenger was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of waves. The Turks were invading, the court was in turmoil, and Hu Bugui and Wu Tao knew that their peaceful life was about to be disrupted.

"Taotao, don't worry, I'll be back soon." Hu Bugui comforted Wu Tao, his eyes full of determination. He knew that as a member of the royal family, he had an obligation to help the country in times of crisis.

"I understand. Be careful." Although Wu Tao was worried, she resisted the urge to leave and handed the amulet she had sewn to Hu Bugui. "I'll wait for you to come back."

After watching Hu Bugui riding away, Wu Tao returned to his study, spread out the map, and carefully studied the border situation. The Turks' aggressive advance was no accident, and there must be a traitor in the court.

In the following days, Chang'an City was calm on the surface, but secretly it was turbulent. Hu Bugui went to the border to deal with the Turks, while Wu Tao stayed in Chang'an to secretly investigate the spies in the court.

After many twists and turns, Wu Tao finally found out that it was the Minister of Revenue, Lord Wang, who was secretly colluding with the Turks and plotting a rebellion. Wu Tao handed the evidence to the emperor, who was furious and ordered a thorough investigation to bring Lord Wang and his gang to justice.

After the storm subsided, Chang'an City returned to its former prosperity. After experiencing all these ups and downs, Hu Bugui cherished the time he spent with Wu Tao even more. He resigned from his official position and found a secluded house outside the city with Wu Tao, where they lived a simple and happy life.

They established a charity organization in the local area, named "Taoyuan", which specifically took in homeless elderly people and orphans. Wu Tao designed the layout of the house himself, and planted peach trees in the yard. When the peach blossoms bloom in spring, the fallen petals are colorful and beautiful.

Chuntao and the maids who were rescued by Wu Tao at the beginning also helped here. They took good care of the elderly and children, and taught the children to read, write, sing and dance. Wu Tao also invited doctors to provide free medical treatment for the elderly and check the health of the children regularly.

Hu Bugui was in charge of the daily operation of Taoyuan. He was upright and fair, and was deeply loved by the people. With their joint efforts, Taoyuan became a well-known charity organization, and many people came to seek help.

Days passed by, and in the blink of an eye, five years had passed. The children in "Taoyuan" had grown up. They were smart, diligent and studious. Under the careful teaching of Chuntao and the maids, they all grew up to be good children with good character and good academic performance.

Everything in "Taoyuan" is developing in a good direction, and Wu Tao and Hu Bugui are extremely relieved. However, they always have a little uneasiness in their hearts, because they know that the peaceful life is only temporary, and those former enemies may be waiting in the dark for the opportunity to make a comeback...

At night, with candlelight flickering in the study, Wu Tao carefully sorted out the reports sent in from various places, his brows slightly furrowed.

"What's wrong? Is it about 'Taoyuan'?" Hu Bugui walked into the study room with a cup of hot tea, and seeing Wu Tao's serious expression, he asked with concern.

Wu Tao shook his head and handed the letter in his hand to Hu Bugui, "Look, banditry seems to be on the rise in various places recently. I'm worried..."

Hu Bugui took the letter and read it carefully, his expression gradually becoming serious. "It seems that some people haven't learned their lesson from what happened back then."

The case of Lord Wang had many people implicated. Although the main accomplices had been brought to justice, there were still some who had escaped. Over the years, they had been lurking in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

"I'm worried that they will harm Taoyuan." Wu Tao said worriedly, "Taoyuan is getting bigger and bigger now, and it's inevitable that it will block some people's financial path. Will they..."

"Don't worry, I have strengthened the guards of Taoyuan and will not let them succeed." Hu Bugui held Wu Tao's hand and comforted him, "Just do your job and leave the rest to me."

Wu Tao nodded, feeling relieved. She knew that Hu Bugui was always careful and thorough in his work, so she didn't have to worry too much with him around.

In addition to the "Taoyuan" affairs, Wu Tao has always been concerned about the lives of the people. Over the years, she has used the knowledge she brought from the modern world to invent some new agricultural technologies, such as crop rotation, intercropping, fertilization, etc.

These technologies have greatly increased the yield of crops and greatly improved people's lives. However, new problems have also arisen. As food production has increased, existing granaries are no longer sufficient to store food, and much food can only be piled up in the open air, causing great waste.

Wu Tao saw it all and was anxious. She began to think about how to solve the problem of grain storage.

"It would be great if there was a way to preserve food for a long time." Wu Tao murmured to himself.

Seeing this, Hu Bugui hugged her in his arms and said, "Don't worry, we will find a way."

Late at night, Wu Tao lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. She tossed and turned, the problem of food storage constantly popping up in her mind.

Suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration, and a bold idea came to her mind...

Wu Tao suddenly sat up from the bed, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I figured it out! I figured it out!"

Hu Bugui was awakened by her shouting and asked sleepily, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I've figured out a way to solve the grain storage problem!" Wu Tao said excitedly, "We can build a special granary to..."

She described her idea to Hu Bugui in detail. After listening to it, Hu Bugui also showed an admiring look in his eyes. "Good idea! This is indeed a good way!"

Wu Tao immediately started designing a new granary. Combining modern architectural concepts with the actual situation of the Tang Dynasty, she designed a granary that was both practical and beautiful. This granary was built with special materials that could effectively prevent moisture, insects, and fire, greatly extending the storage time of grain.

The new granaries were soon promoted in various places, solving the problem of grain storage. People no longer had to worry about grain becoming moldy and spoiling.

In addition to "Taoyuan" and grain storage, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui also worked hard to improve people's lives. They built water conservancy projects, developed agriculture, and encouraged commerce, which led to the rapid development of the Tang Dynasty's economy and a significant improvement in people's living standards.

Hu Bugui strengthened local public security management, ensuring the safety of people's lives and property, and also strengthened military defense to prevent foreign invasion. He managed the army well, and clearly distinguished rewards and punishments. He soon built a disciplined and powerful army to defend the borders of the Tang Dynasty.

The emperor highly recognized the contributions of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui and specially invited them to the palace for a banquet. During the banquet, the emperor praised them highly and asked them if they had any wishes that needed the court's help to realize.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, and they understood that this was the emperor's trust and respect for them. They knelt down to thank him and expressed their willingness to devote themselves to the Tang Dynasty until their death.

After the banquet, the emperor summoned Hu Bugui alone and asked him about some matters concerning the border and the court. Hu Bugui answered them one by one, and his answers were highly appreciated by the emperor.

When they left the palace, night had already fallen, with stars twinkling and moonlight shining like water. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui walked side by side on the way back home, their hearts filled with emotion.

The prosperity of "Taoyuan" and the people's peaceful life are inseparable from their efforts. However, they also know that the peaceful life is only temporary, and those former enemies may be waiting in the dark for the opportunity to make a comeback...

Just then, a familiar figure flashed past them. Wu Tao's heart moved. That figure seemed to be... could it be him?

Wu Tao frowned slightly, and a sense of uneasiness rose in his heart. Wu Tao's premonition was correct. The figure that flashed by was a guard beside the opposition official. Since the failure of the last palace coup, the opposition officials disappeared. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui both knew that if the grass is not cut off at the root, it will grow again in the spring breeze. However, due to the lack of clues, they have not been able to catch them all in one fell swoop.

"Bugui, I saw him, the guard, he is still alive!" Wu Tao lowered his voice and said hurriedly.

Hu Bugui immediately understood the seriousness of the matter. He held Wu Tao's hand with a firm look in his eyes: "Don't worry, leave it to me."

They returned to the mansion calmly. In order not to alert the enemy, Hu Bugui arranged for his confidants to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the guard overnight, while Wu Tao painted portraits of opposition officials in the mansion, hoping to provide some help.

A few days later, Hu Bugui's confidant brought news that the guard was hiding in a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city, seemingly waiting for someone's instructions.

"It seems they have accomplices!" Wu Tao put down the paintbrush in her hand and frowned.

"There is no time to lose. We must act as soon as possible to catch them all in one fell swoop and eliminate this trouble forever!" A cold light flashed in Hu Bugui's eyes.

It was a dark and windy night, a good time to act. Hu Bugui led an elite force and quietly surrounded the ruined temple. Wu Tao dressed in disguise, blended into the crowd, and watched the situation.

In the dilapidated temple, the guard was pacing anxiously. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed in from the door and whispered, "My Lord has already contacted several other officials. They will take action at the Heavenly Sacrifice Ceremony in three days!"

"Good! As long as we succeed this time, we can..." Before the guard finished his words, there was a loud bang, and the door of the dilapidated temple was kicked open by someone. Flames shot up into the sky, and Hu Bugui, dressed in military uniform and holding a long sword, appeared in front of everyone like a god descending from heaven.

"You bold traitor, why don't you surrender!" Hu Bugui roared, shocking everyone.

"Kill!" The guards realized their whereabouts were exposed and without caring about anything else, they drew their swords and commanded the remaining few people to fight back.

A fierce battle began, with the firelight reflecting the flashes of swords and sabers. Wu Tao hid in the dark, watching Hu Bugui's heroic figure, feeling both worried and proud. She knew that the man she fell in love with was destined to be extraordinary.

After a fierce battle, the remnants of the opposition were finally completely eliminated. Hu Bugui was also slightly injured, but fortunately he was not seriously injured.

After the battle, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui returned home and enjoyed the hard-earned peaceful life. They knew that there would be more challenges waiting for them in the future, but they believed that as long as they worked hand in hand, nothing could stop them from moving forward.

 Chapter 73: Peaceful Years

After the battle of the temple, Chang'an City returned to its former tranquility. The people were unaware that a rebellion had been resolved quietly.

Because of his meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion, Hu Bugui was recalled to the court by the emperor and reinstated. This time, no one dared to question his ability and loyalty. Wu Tao could finally put his mind at ease and live the stable life he had always dreamed of.

The first ray of sunlight in the morning shone through the window lattice and fell into the yard. Wu Tao stretched and got up from the bed. He opened the window and the fresh air rushed in, mixed with the faint fragrance of flowers, making people feel relaxed and happy.

"Madam, are you awake?" Chuntao came in with hot water for washing, her face filled with a happy smile, "Today's breakfast is your favorite osmanthus cake and almond tea."

Wu Tao smiled and nodded: "Chun Tao, you have worked hard too. I will ask the kitchen to make some more delicious food so that you can celebrate with everyone."

"Celebrate? What are you celebrating?" Chuntao looked confused.

"Celebrate that we can finally live a peaceful life." Wu Tao looked out the window with a distant gaze.

After washing up, Wu Tao came to the front hall, where Hu Bugui had been waiting for a long time. He was wearing a moon-white robe, with long black hair tied up with a white jade hairpin. He was handsome and extraordinary, but also had a gentle temperament like jade.

"Bugui, why did you come back so early today?" Wu Tao walked up to him and straightened his collar.

"I have nothing to do today, so I'll come back early to accompany you." Hu Bugui held her hand and said softly, "I've been too tired recently, so you should make sure to rest."

"I'm fine, but you should take good care of yourself." Wu Tao looked at him with heartache. Hu Bugui's body has never fully recovered since his last injury.

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Hu Bugui smiled and comforted her, "By the way, I'm going to the palace to see the emperor today. The emperor has issued an order to hold a banquet in the palace in three days to celebrate our success."

"I have to go into the palace again..." A trace of worry flashed across Wu Tao's face. Ever since the last palace coup, she had an inexplicable fear of the imperial palace.

"What's wrong?" Hu Bugui keenly noticed her mood changes.

"Nothing, just... a bad feeling." Wu Tao shook his head, trying hard to get rid of the uneasy feeling.

Hu Bugui held her in his arms and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Three days later, Hu Bugui brought Wu Tao to the palace for a banquet. The banquet was held in the imperial garden, where hundreds of flowers were in full bloom and the fragrance was overwhelming. The emperor sat on a high platform, chatting and laughing with his ministers, and seemed to be in a very good mood.

After Wu Tao and Hu Bugui toasted the emperor, they found a secluded corner and sat down. However, Wu Tao could not relax at all. She kept looking around, always feeling that something was wrong.

"What's wrong? You look nervous." Hu Bugui asked with concern.

"I..." Wu Tao was about to speak, but suddenly she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. Her pupils suddenly shrank and her face turned pale in an instant.

"What's wrong?" Hu Bugui followed her gaze but found nothing.

"Bugui, I saw him..." Wu Tao's voice trembled, "The guard, he is still alive..."