Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Wu Tao crumpled the letter into a ball and said resolutely: "No, I'm not going anywhere! We finally have a few days of peace and tranquility..."

Hu Bugui held her hand tightly, his eyes gentle but firm: "Tao'er, I know you are afraid, but I can't hide. This letter is not only about you and me, but also about the fate of more people."

He paused, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness: "Besides, the emperor's order is difficult to disobey, and we have no choice."

Wu Tao wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by the sound of hurried horse hooves.

Several soldiers in official uniforms dismounted and walked straight to them. The leading soldier had a stern look on his face, holding a golden token high in his hand: "By the will of Heaven, the Emperor decrees that if Wu Tao and Hu do not return, they must come to the capital immediately, without delay! This is my decree!"

The scene and unquestionable tone brought by the soldiers made Wu Tao and Hu Bugui realize that they had no way to retreat.

On this day, the tranquility of the originally peaceful village was broken. Amid the worried and puzzled eyes of the villagers, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui boarded the carriage bound for the capital.

Looking at the village going away, Wu Tao felt mixed emotions. She didn't know what was waiting for them, but she knew that this time, they would face new challenges.

The journey back to Beijing was long and dangerous.

In order to avoid being seen, they chose a remote path. The rugged mountain road was bumpy and the atmosphere in the carriage was extremely solemn. Wu Tao's heart was always hanging. She had a premonition that returning to Beijing this time would not be easy, but she did not expect that danger would come so quickly.

As soon as they entered a dense forest, a burst of rapid air-piercing sounds whizzed past their ears. Several sharp arrows were nailed to the tree trunks beside the carriage, and the tails of the arrows were still trembling slightly. Wu Tao screamed and subconsciously hid in Hu Bugui's arms. Hu Bugui hugged her tightly, his eyes swept around fiercely, and said in a deep voice: "Be careful, there are assassins!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of men in black rushed out of the dense forest, brandishing swords and launching a fierce attack on the carriage. Hu Bugui drew out the dagger he carried with him and responded calmly, with each move being ruthless and merciless. However, the men in black were obviously well prepared, with a large number of people and each of them was highly skilled in martial arts. Hu Bugui was outnumbered and gradually fell behind.

Wu Tao hid in the carriage, anxious. Although she didn't know martial arts, she couldn't stand by and watch Hu Bugui get hurt. She looked around, hoping to find something to help Hu Bugui. Suddenly, her eyes fell on the medicine box beside her. It was the one she usually used to collect herbs for treatment, and it contained various herbs.

In a flash, Wu Tao grabbed a handful of herbs, rushed to the front of the carriage, and threw them at the men in black. Most of the herbs were plants with pungent smells, and when Wu Tao threw them, they immediately filled the air, choking the men in black and causing them to cough, and their attacks came to a halt.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Hu Bugui seized the opportunity and kicked a man in black away, then took Wu Tao's hand and quickly evacuated the encirclement. The two ran all the way until they were far away from the dense forest, and then stopped to catch their breath.

"Tao'er, are you okay?" Hu Bugui asked worriedly, looking at Wu Tao's cheeks which had turned red from running.

Wu Tao shook his head and said with lingering fear: "I'm fine, it's just those men in black..."

"Don't worry, they can't hurt us." A deep voice came from behind.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked back and saw an old man wearing a coarse linen shirt and carrying a medicine basket walking slowly towards them. His hair and beard were all white, but he looked energetic and his eyes were as sharp as torches, as if he could see through everything.

"Old man, you are..." Wu Tao asked puzzledly.

"I am just an ordinary person who passed by here and happened to see you two in danger, so I helped you." The old man said calmly, "Don't panic, I know a thing or two about those men in black, they will not give up, I will escort you two to the capital safely."

In this way, under the old man's secret protection, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui escaped wave after wave of pursuit and finally arrived at the prosperous Chang'an City. However, what awaited them was a more complicated and unpredictable court struggle.

After several months of absence, the palace was still as magnificent and majestic as ever. However, Wu Tao was keenly aware that beneath the seemingly calm surface, there was an undercurrent. The eunuchs and palace maids were in a hurry and whispering to each other. Even the palace that was familiar to him in the past seemed to be shrouded in a layer of haze.

Wu Tao's heart beat violently as he stepped into the familiar palace gate. The palace was still magnificent, but the air was filled with a dull atmosphere that made people feel suffocated. The eunuchs and palace maids lowered their heads and walked hurriedly. When they occasionally talked, they lowered their voices and looked panicked.

"Tao'er, what's wrong?" Hu Bugui noticed that Wu Tao was acting strangely, held her hand tightly, and asked in a low voice.

Wu Tao shook her head and forced a smile: "It's okay, I just haven't been home for a long time and I feel a little dazed."

As they were talking, they were taken to a side hall. An old eunuch stepped forward, and his shrill voice revealed a hint of anxiety: "Your Majesty, Princess, His Majesty and the Queen are waiting inside."

Wu Tao took a deep breath, looked at Hu Bugui, and walked in.

Inside the hall, the emperor was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, his brows furrowed, his former majesty now revealed a hint of fatigue. The queen was reclining on the couch, her face pale, her breath weak, her once elegant and graceful appearance no longer existed.

"Your humble servant (your humble servant) pays homage to His Majesty (Your Majesty the Empress)." Hu Bugui and Wu Tao both knelt down and saluted.

"Royal brother, royal sister, please stand up quickly." There was a hint of joy in the emperor's weak voice, and he quickly signaled them to stand up.

"The Emperor's sister-in-law's illness..." Hu Bugui hesitated to speak, his eyes full of worry.

"The imperial physician said that it was a recurrence of an old illness, coupled with excessive worry. Now there is no cure..." When he said this, the emperor's voice choked.

Wu Tao noticed that when the emperor said the four words "there is no cure", his eyes swept over him intentionally or unintentionally, and he suddenly understood something in his heart.

"Your Majesty, I have some knowledge of medicine. Could you please allow me to treat the Empress?" Wu Tao stepped forward and said in a firm tone.

When the emperor heard this, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes: "Royal brother and sister, do you really have a solution?"

Wu Tao did not answer directly, but walked to the queen and carefully took her pulse.

The Queen's pulse was worse than Wu Tao had imagined. It was weak and intermittent, and it was obvious that she was terminally ill.

However, Wu Tao's brows did not frown because of this. Instead, they relaxed and a confident smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

This is a huge challenge, but it is also an opportunity. An opportunity that can help her and Hu Bugui get out of trouble!

After Wu Tao finished checking the pulse, she paused for a moment and said solemnly, "I am sure I can cure the Queen's illness, but..." She paused and looked at the Emperor, "The treatment process may be risky. Please allow me to go to the palace with the Prince to take care of her."

The emperor agreed without hesitation when he heard that there was hope: "Okay, okay, as long as you can cure the queen, I will agree to any conditions you ask!" He stood up excitedly, paced back and forth for a few steps, and then said, "Royal brother, you will stay in the palace to accompany Tao girl during this period of time and protect her every step of the way, understand?"

Hu Bugui bowed and accepted the order: "Your Highness obeys your order."

In this way, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui once again stepped into the dangerous palace. In the first few days, the emperor took great care of Wu Tao, asking about her well-being every day, giving her constant rewards, and the palace people were also respectful to her. However, as time went by, Wu Tao keenly realized that there were pairs of eyes staring at her in the dark, full of malice and calculation.

One day, Wu Tao was walking in the Imperial Garden when suddenly several men in black rushed out from behind the rockery, holding sharp blades and attacking her. Although Wu Tao had learned some self-defense skills, she was still outnumbered by these well-trained killers and was about to die. At the critical moment, a figure rushed over like lightning, blocked her in front of her, and fought with the men in black.

"Bugui!" Wu Tao exclaimed, only to find that the person coming was Hu Bugui.

Hu Bugui was a skilled martial artist, and the man in black soon fell into a disadvantage. However, at this moment, a hidden arrow flew through the air and hit Wu Tao in the face...

Hu Bugui was quick to pull Wu Tao into his arms. The hidden arrow almost brushed past his ear and was deeply nailed into the tree trunk behind him. He didn't have time to think about it. He protected Wu Tao and fought and retreated, finally getting rid of the entanglement of the man in black.

"How are you? Are you hurt?" Hu Bugui asked anxiously, holding Wu Tao's shoulders.

Wu Tao was still in shock and shook his head: "I'm fine, how about you? Were you injured by the hidden arrow?"

Hu Bugui patted the back of her hand gently and comforted her, "I'm fine, don't worry."

However, Wu Tao noticed that Hu Bugui's face was a little pale, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. Her heart tightened, and she pulled up his hand, and sure enough, she saw a bloodstain on his arm.

"You are injured!" Wu Tao exclaimed and quickly took out a handkerchief from his sleeve, trying to help him stop the bleeding.

Hu Bugui held her hand and shook his head: "This little injury is nothing. The most urgent thing is to leave here quickly."

He knew that this assassination was no accident, and the person behind it must be very powerful, and his purpose was to kill them. The only way to save his life now was to escape from the palace as soon as possible.

The two were about to leave when they saw a group of guards rushing over from a distance and surrounding them. The head guard stepped forward and said in a cold voice: "In compliance with the Emperor's order, Your Majesty and Princess please move to the Imperial Study."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, their hearts sinking. They knew that this time they were doomed.

In the imperial study, the emperor sat on the dragon throne with a gloomy face, holding a secret letter in his hand, with complex light flashing in his eyes.

"Royal brother, what is the matter that you called us here?" Hu Bugui stepped forward and asked in a deep voice.

The emperor did not answer his question, but threw the secret letter in front of him: "Look for yourself!"

Hu Bugui unfolded the secret letter and his face turned pale. The content of this secret letter was...