Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

The night wind howled through the devastated village, carrying a burning smell. The dilapidated houses and collapsed walls all told of the brutality of the battle last night. When Wu Tao woke up, she felt sore all over and her vision was blurry. She struggled to get up, but the wound on her body was affected, causing her to groan in pain.

"Taozi, don't move!" Hu Bugui's anxious voice rang in his ears. His eyes were dark and he obviously hadn't slept all night. At this moment, he was carefully helping Wu Tao lie down. "You are seriously injured and need to rest well."

Wu Tao wanted to speak, but found her throat dry and she couldn't make a sound. She could only use her eyes to ask Hu Bugui what happened last night.

Hu Bugui held her hand and said in a heavy tone, "Although we escaped, Shen Fang led people to hunt us down, and many parts of the village were burned down..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a noise outside the door. A villager stumbled in, with a panic on his face, "Oh no, Mr. Hu, Aunt Liu's house collapsed and injured several people!"

Hu Bugui stood up suddenly, without thinking too much, and turned to Wu Tao and said, "Taozi, just rest and recover, leave the things here to me."

After that, he hurriedly left with the villagers. Looking at his receding back, Wu Tao was filled with worry and anxiety. She endured the pain in her body and struggled to get out of bed, but was held down by Chun Tao beside her.

"Girl, don't move. The doctor said that your injuries are serious and you need to rest." Chuntao's eyes were red, and she was obviously frightened by this sudden disaster.

"Chun Tao, help me go take a look." Wu Tao insisted. She couldn't fall down at this time. There were so many people in the village who needed help.

With Chuntao's help, Wu Tao came to the entrance of the village. The scene before her shocked her: the once peaceful and tranquil village had now turned into a ruin. The villagers were busy in the ruins, rescuing the wounded and clearing the wreckage. The air was filled with sadness and despair.

"Miss Taozi, why are you out here?!" A villager saw Wu Tao and immediately put down his work and ran over. "You are so badly injured, go back and rest!"

"I'm fine. How's everyone?" Wu Tao asked while enduring the pain.

"Oh, don't mention it..." The villagers sighed, "Old Liu and several children were trapped under the house. I don't know if they can be rescued..."

As soon as the words fell, a burst of exclamations suddenly broke out from the crowd. Wu Tao's heart suddenly sank. As if she had a premonition of something, she forced herself to walk towards the direction where the crowd was gathering.

"Get out of the way, everyone!" an old and anxious voice came, "I'm a doctor, let me take a look!"

The crowd automatically made way for a path, and a white-haired old man carrying a medicine box walked in. He was the miraculous doctor who lived in seclusion in the mountains, and also the descendant of Hua Tuo, Shen Fang's master.

Hu Bugui tightly held Wu Tao's hand, which had lost its former warmth and was as pale as a piece of thin paper. He hated himself for not protecting her and causing her to be so seriously injured in this catastrophe. The doctor's words echoed in his ears, "If your heart meridian is injured, I can't do anything. I can only do my best and leave it to fate..."

He had never thought that the woman who always smiled and called him "Don't come back" would now be lying on the bed so weakly, her breath as weak as a candle in the wind. He wanted to bear all the pain for her, even if it cost him his life.

"Taozi, you must hold on. I will find a way to cure you, definitely!" He whispered to Wu Tao, his tone full of determination and despair.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened, and the villagers spontaneously gathered outside Wu Tao's house. They lit candles, and the candlelight reflected their anxious and worried faces. They were all simple and kind villagers who had received a lot of favors from Wu Tao on weekdays. Now seeing her in danger, they were very sad.

"God, you must bless Miss Taozi!" An old woman clasped her hands together and prayed devoutly to the sky, with turbid tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Miss Taozi is kind-hearted and helpful. She will be fine!" A young mother held her child, her eyes full of hope.

The children also followed the adults’ example, closing their eyes and praying in baby voices: "Sister Taozi, please get well soon!"

Prayers and blessings gathered into a powerful force, echoing in the night sky, as if to break through the darkness and bring a ray of light and hope to Wu Tao.

Before daybreak, the sound of hurried horse hooves came from afar, breaking the tranquility of the village. A tall figure dismounted from his horse. He was wearing a black cloak and carrying a long sword. Although he was exhausted, he still looked chivalrous. The villagers recognized him as Ling Yun, the famous "Fast Sword" in the martial arts world. They were all surprised and speculated about the purpose of his trip. Ling Yun did not bother to say more. He walked straight to Hu Bugui, took out an exquisite wooden box from his arms, and said in a deep voice: "Brother Hu, I rushed here day and night after I got the news. The snow lotus in this is a holy medicine for healing. I hope it can help you, my sister-in-law."

Hu Bugui took the wooden box, opened it, and saw a crystal clear snow lotus inside, emitting a faint fragrance. A glimmer of hope ignited in his heart, and he hurriedly thanked him: "Thank you, Brother Ling! I will never forget this kindness!" Ling Yun patted his shoulder and comforted him: "There is no need to say these things between you and me. As long as my sister-in-law can get better, it is better than anything else."

The doctor carefully examined the snow lotus and showed a look of joy on his face. "This snow lotus is very old and has excellent medicinal effects. With it, there is hope for Miss Wu's injury!" He immediately began to prepare the medicinal materials and boil the medicine. The room was filled with a strong aroma of medicine, which also brought a breath of hope.

Under the combined effect of snow lotus and other precious medicinal materials, Wu Tao's face gradually became rosy and her breathing became steady and strong. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Hu Bugui's haggard face. The bloodshot in his eyes was clearly visible and his beard was showing. It was obvious that he had not had a good rest for many days. Wu Tao felt warm in her heart and said weakly: "Bugui, what happened to me?"

Hu Bugui held her hand, suppressed his excitement, and said softly: "You're fine, have a good rest, and we'll talk about other things after you get better." He gently embraced Wu Tao in his arms, feeling her weak breathing, his heart filled with joy of regaining what he had lost.

Although Wu Tao's condition had stabilized under the careful treatment of the miracle doctor, the doctor said that she had injured her heart and needed a long period of rest to fully recover. Hu Bugui stayed by her side all the time, serving her tea and water, taking care of her meticulously, fearing that she would have another accident. Wu Tao saw it with her own eyes and felt warm in her heart. She knew that this man really put her at the top of his heart.

He looked at Wu Tao's sleeping face, with mixed feelings in his heart. Giving up the throne and living in seclusion in the mountains was a choice he had never thought of before. But now, for Wu Tao, he was willing to do it. However, he knew that the court would not let him go easily. The power of the prince and the prime minister was intertwined, and he had to be fully prepared to protect Wu Tao and this quiet little village.

"Bugui, what are you thinking about?" Wu Tao's voice was weak but gentle, pulling Hu Bugui back from his thoughts.

"Nothing," Hu Bugui smiled to cover it up, "I was just thinking that when you feel better, we can go to the peach blossom forest behind the village. The scenery there is so beautiful."

A sly look flashed across Wu Tao's eyes. "Are you kidding me? This is deep in the mountains, how can there be a peach blossom forest?"

Hu Bugui pretended to be mysterious, "You don't know this, right? This peach blossom forest is the secret of our village. Only kind-hearted people can see it."

Wu Tao was amused by him, and her tired face became more lively. The two of them snuggled together, enjoying this moment of tranquility and warmth.

However, behind the seemingly calm situation, there is a greater crisis. One day, an uninvited guest quietly came to the village. He was dressed in ordinary people's clothes, but he could not hide the shrewdness and sharpness in his eyes. He walked into the village chief's house and whispered a few words, and the village chief's face suddenly turned pale.

"Are you serious?" The village chief's voice trembled.

"It's absolutely true. The Lord wants us to find Hu Bugui at all costs, otherwise..." The man didn't say anything else, but the threat in his words was self-evident.

In the evening, Hu Bugui was making medicine for Wu Tao when he suddenly heard a hasty knock on the door. He was startled and had an ominous premonition. He put down the medicine bowl, stood up, walked to the door, and gently opened it.

"Who?"

Standing outside the door was the village chief, his face pale and his forehead covered with sweat. Seeing Hu Bugui, he grabbed his hand as if he had seen a savior, and said in a trembling voice: "Oh no, Bugui, something has happened..."