Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

The cell door creaked open, and dazzling light shone in. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui subconsciously squinted their eyes. The person who came was a middle-aged man in plain clothes, thin, with a sallow face, and a bit of anxiety and evasion in his eyes.

"Who is this..." Wu Tao looked at the jailer in confusion.

"This is Lord Wang. He has come to visit you two today." The jailer explained impatiently and stepped aside.

Lord Wang? Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, their hearts full of confusion. They were imprisoned here, almost isolated from the outside world, how could an official suddenly come to visit them?

"Don't panic, you two. I came here to ask for a favor." Lord Wang said in a low voice with a trembling tone.

Wu Tao motioned for him to sit down, and poured him a glass of water and handed it to him: "Master Wang, please speak."

Lord Wang took the cup with trembling hands, but did not drink a sip. He just held it tightly in his hands. He raised his head and looked at Wu Tao. There was a trace of struggle in his eyes. Finally, he seemed to have made up his mind, took a deep breath, and slowly spoke:

"Actually... I know you. To be more precise, I have met Miss Wu."

Wu Tao's heart moved, and the people he had come into contact with during this period flashed quickly in his mind, but he could not find a figure that matched the Lord Wang in front of him.

"Lord Wang, I'm afraid you've recognized the wrong person. Hu Lang and I have lived in seclusion since we came to Chang'an, and we have never seen you before."

"No, I didn't admit my mistake. I remember it very clearly. That day..." Lord Wang paused, as if recalling something painful in the past. "That day, I was ordered to go outside the city to bury the dead of the plague. I saw Miss Wu treating the patients with my own eyes. I still remember your expression at that time."

Lord Wang's words stirred up a storm in Wu Tao and Hu Bugui's hearts. They had not expected that they would find a key witness in this way. Lord Wang took a deep breath and said in a low voice: "To be honest, I was involved in the creation of the epidemic..." His voice became smaller and smaller, as if he was afraid of being heard, "...but I was just following orders. Now that I see you two being wronged and suffering, I feel really uneasy, so I want to tell you everything I know, just to clear your grievances."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, and a glimmer of hope ignited in their hearts. They knew that the evidence provided by Lord Wang was crucial, and this might be their only chance to turn things around.

"Don't worry, Lord Wang. We will find a way to make everything you said public." Hu Bugui said in a deep voice.

However, being in prison, their every move was under surveillance, and it was not easy to pass on the message. Just when they were at a loss, a white-haired old man walked into the cell under the guidance of the jailer.

"Who is this..." Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at the old man in confusion.

"My last name is Zhang, and I'm a traveling doctor." The old man smiled slightly, and his kind face made people feel good about him.

Doctor Zhang? Wu Tao's heart moved. Could it be that he was the doctor that Hu Bugui had asked someone to find before?

Doctor Zhang seemed to see Wu Tao's confusion. He walked to Wu Tao and whispered, "I have brought everything that Mr. Hu asked me to bring." After that, he took out a small bamboo tube from his arms and stuffed it into Wu Tao's hand.

Wu Tao took the bamboo tube and opened it. There was a note hidden inside. It read:

"The evidence is solid. Wait for good news."

Just a few words gave Wu Tao and Hu Bugui hope. They knew that someone outside the palace was working for them, and a battle for justice was about to begin...

At the same time, in a small village outside Chang'an City, a group of villagers were gathered in the village chief's house, talking about something.

"I heard that Miss Wu and Mr. Hu found a key witness. We must help them!"

"That's right. Miss Wu has been very kind to us. We can't just watch them suffer injustice!"

"But we are just ordinary people, how can we fight against those powerful people?"

"Don't be afraid, we still have Miss Chuntao and those who support Miss Wu and Mr. Hu. Let's work together to find a way and we will definitely be able to rescue them!"

In the crowd, a young woman in green was Wu Tao's personal maid Chun Tao. With tears in her eyes, she bowed deeply to the villagers, "Thank you all, thank you for believing in my young lady and my husband. I, Chun Tao, swear here that if I can rescue my young lady and my husband, I will work like a cow or a horse to repay your kindness!" The arrival of Dr. Zhang brought hope to Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, but also brought them greater danger. When the opposition officials learned that Lord Wang had turned against them and provided key evidence, they were furious. They secretly sent people to the Tianlao with the intention of killing them.

That day, there was a sudden commotion outside the prison. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other warily, with an ominous premonition rising in their hearts.

"What's going on?" Hu Bugui asked in a deep voice.

A jailer came running over and reported in a panic, "It's bad, Master Hu, a group of people came outside and said they were ordered to interrogate Master Wang!"

Hu Bugui's heart sank. He knew that the other party was going to kill him to silence him. He clenched his fists and whispered to Wu Tao, "It seems that they can't wait any longer."

Wu Tao held Hu Bugui's hand tightly, his eyes full of worry: "What should we do?"

Hu Bugui took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Don't be afraid, I will protect you." He said firmly, "Go and inform Dr. Zhang and ask him to send the evidence out as soon as possible!"

"But..." Wu Tao wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Hu Bugui.

"No buts, this is our only hope!" Hu Bugui pushed Wu Tao to the corner, then turned around to face the man in black who rushed in.

A fierce battle was about to break out, with shouts of killing and the sound of weapons clashing resounding throughout the prison. Wu Tao hid in a corner, anxious. She knew that Hu Bugui was trying to buy her time, and she couldn't let him down.

She took a deep breath, took advantage of the chaos, sneaked out of the cell, and ran outside.

At the same time, in the palace, a debate about the fate of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui was about to begin. The emperor sat high on the dragon throne, listening to the debate of the courtiers with a solemn expression.

"Your Majesty, I believe that Wu Tao and Hu Bugui colluded with foreign parties to create the epidemic, and their crimes are unforgivable!" said an opposition official indignantly.

"Where is the evidence? What evidence do you have to prove that they are colluding with foreign parties?" An official who supported Wu Tao and Hu Bugui retorted, "If you don't have evidence, don't make irresponsible statements!"

"Humph, the evidence is irrefutable and cannot be denied!" The opposition official snorted coldly and took out a letter from his sleeve. "This is what I found from Wu Tao and Hu Bugui's residence. It clearly states their plan to collude with the foreign party!"

The emperor took the letter and read it carefully. His brows furrowed more and more, and his face became uglier and uglier.

Just when the opposition officials thought they had won, a guard hurried into the hall, knelt on the ground, and reported loudly: "Your Majesty, someone outside the palace wants to see you, saying that he wants to present key evidence about the case of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui!"

When the emperor heard this, he was moved. After a moment's silence, he said, "Announce!"

The opposition officials panicked and knelt down to advise: "Your Majesty, this must not happen! This must be a trick by Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, don't believe it!"

The emperor remained unmoved, his eyes were as sharp as torches: "I have made up my mind, no need to say more! Announce!"

Soon, an old man with a thin body and a gaunt face walked into the hall, led by the guards. He was a friend of Dr. Zhang and a key witness to the conspiracy. After he saluted the emperor, he presented the evidence in his hand.

The emperor took the evidence and read it carefully. The evidence recorded in detail how the opposition officials colluded with foreign enemies, how they created the epidemic, and how they put the blame on Wu Tao and Hu Bugui. The evidence was both human and material, and could not be denied.

When the opposition officials saw that their conspiracy had been exposed, they looked devastated.

The emperor was furious and slammed the table and stood up: "How dare you! How dare you be so bold and reckless, disregarding the lives of the people and framing loyal officials! Come, arrest these traitors!"

Outside the hall, guards filed in and surrounded the opposition officials.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were brought to the Golden Palace. They were dressed in rags, but their integrity could not be concealed.

"Wu Tao, Hu Bugui, do you admit your crime?" The emperor's majestic voice echoed in the hall.

"Your Majesty, I am innocent!" Wu Tao and Hu Bugui said in unison.

"What a not guilty claim! Do you know that now there are witnesses and evidence? What else can you say?" the emperor asked sternly.

"Your Majesty, please be clear. These so-called witnesses and evidence were only deliberately fabricated by those treacherous villains in order to frame us!" Hu Bugui replied calmly, "Miss Wu and I are dedicated to serving the people and have never done anything to let down the court or the people!"

"You..." The emperor was shocked by Hu Bugui's words and was speechless for a moment.

"Your Majesty," Wu Tao stepped forward and said calmly, "If Your Majesty does not believe me, you can interrogate Lord Hu and me separately to see if our confessions are consistent."

"Okay, I'll give you a chance!" the emperor said in a deep voice, "Come here, interrogate the two of them separately!"

The guards took orders and took Wu Tao and Hu Bugui away. The hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The emperor stared at the evidence in his hand with deep eyes and fell into deep thought.

After an unknown amount of time, two guards came back and reported: "Your Majesty, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui's confessions are completely consistent, and there is not a single falsehood."

The emperor nodded, threw the evidence in front of the opposition officials, and asked sternly: "What else do you have to say?"

The opposition officials looked pale and trembled with fear, but no one dared to speak in defense. The evidence was irrefutable and they had no way to escape.

"Come here! Take down these criminals and throw them into the prison to await your punishment!" The emperor was furious and ordered all opposition officials to be arrested.

"Your Majesty is wise!" everyone in the hall shouted in unison.

The emperor took a deep breath to calm his excitement, then turned to Wu Tao and Hu Bugui and said in a much more gentle tone: "Wu Tao, Hu Bugui, you two are acquitted."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui smiled at each other, breathed a long sigh of relief, and their hearts finally settled down.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The two men knelt down to thank the emperor for his grace, their hearts filled with gratitude.

The emperor was filled with emotion as he looked at the young couple who had gone through hardships but remained steadfast and brave. He waved his hand and motioned for them to stand up.

"You two are both rare talents. I hope you can continue to serve the court and benefit the people."

"We will do our best to live up to your majesty's expectations!" Wu Tao and Hu Bugui answered in unison.

As the sun sets, the golden afterglow fills the entire palace, illuminating the way home for Wu Tao and Hu Bugui. They walk out of the palace hand in hand, with relaxed smiles on their faces.

However, they did not know that in the dark, a pair of sinister eyes were staring at them closely, flashing a malicious light. Although the opposition officials were brought to justice, their followers were still lurking in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to act.

Are Wu Tao and Hu Bugui’s sufferings really over?