Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

After reading the letter, Wu Tao frowned, and the letter was deformed in her hands. She looked up at Hu Bugui and said in a heavy tone: "I didn't expect the situation to be so critical. We must make all preparations as soon as possible." Hu Bugui nodded solemnly and threw the letter into the brazier beside him. The flames greedily devoured the paper, as if to burn away the heavy atmosphere.

"Pass the order and gather all the generals to meet in the conference room in half an hour!" Hu Bugui ordered the guards outside the door in an unquestionable tone.

Wu Tao knew that a tough battle was inevitable. Although she had not experienced war, her modern knowledge and experience told her that in the face of a powerful enemy, only by being fully prepared could one survive in troubled times.

In the following days, the entire base was filled with a tense atmosphere. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui organized several mock battles to familiarize the rebels with new tactics and fortifications. The soldiers wore helmets and armor, sweated profusely on the training ground, and shouted to kill, they had to train themselves into sharp blades in the shortest possible time, ready to meet challenges at any time.

Wu Tao focused her energy on logistics support. She knew that the outcome of a war depended not only on the combat effectiveness of the soldiers, but also on the adequacy of logistical supplies. She organized the women in the base to make military uniforms, prepare dry food, and imparted the modern first aid knowledge she brought to everyone. Chun Tao and the maids also spontaneously formed a medical team to learn basic medical knowledge to deal with casualties in battle.

At night, under the stars, Wu Tao stood on a high place, overlooking the entire base. In the brightly lit tents, the soldiers were taking the time to rest, their tired faces were full of determination, in order to protect their homeland, they were willing to give everything.

"What are you thinking about?" Hu Bugui walked up to her and asked softly.

"I'm wondering, can we really win?" Wu Tao turned and looked at him with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

Hu Bugui held her in his arms and said firmly: "No matter who wins or who loses, we must do our best to protect everything we want to protect."

Wu Tao leaned her head on his shoulder, listening to his strong heartbeat, and her heart gradually calmed down.

However, they did not know that in the distance, another storm was quietly brewing. A group of men in black were rushing towards the base. Their target was the core figure of the resistance army - Hu Bugui.

The night was dark, and the occasional cries of night owls could be heard in the forest, adding a bit of solemnity. After Hu Bugui arranged all the defensive fortifications, he returned to the tent and saw Wu Tao pondering over the map. The dim candlelight reflected her beautiful profile, making her look even more heroic.

Wu Tao pointed to a spot on the map and said, "This is the stronghold we are at now. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. But if the enemy takes a detour from here, they can attack our rear directly and cut off our food and grass supply."

Hu Bugui looked in the direction of her finger, frowning slightly. "It is indeed a hidden danger. I will ask General Wang to lead people to strengthen the defense there."

Wu Tao nodded, pointed to another place and said, "This place is close to the capital, I'm worried..."

"Are you worried that the emperor will send troops to wipe us out?" Hu Bugui took over her words with a hint of coldness in his tone.

Wu Tao looked up at him, his eyes full of worry: "Now that we are confronting the imperial court, it is like hitting a rock with an egg. I am worried..."

Hu Bugui gently held her hand and comforted her: "I know what you are worried about, but we have no way out. Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you."

Wu Tao held his hand with her backhand, with a firm light in her eyes: "I'm not afraid, no matter what happens, I will stay with you."

Hu Bugui felt warm in his heart and held her in his arms. He knew that this war was a life-and-death test for both him and Wu Tao, but he would never give up easily. He wanted to protect his beloved woman and the land they both loved.

In order to cope with the upcoming battle, they must race against time to prepare. The chivalrous knights of the Jianghu have stepped up patrols in the surrounding areas to prevent the enemy's sneak attacks. They are highly skilled in light skills and can come and go without a trace, making them the best scouts.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui used their evenings to study the tactics and weaknesses of opposition officials and develop corresponding countermeasures. They knew that only by knowing both ourselves and the enemy can we win every battle.

"According to reliable information, the leader of the opposition, Zhang Ling, is a cunning man with a mastery of military strategy. We must be careful and vigilant." Hu Bugui pointed to a place on the map and said solemnly.

"I heard that this person is greedy for money and lustful. Perhaps we can take advantage of this..." Wu Tao pondered for a moment and came up with a bold idea.

After hearing her plan, Hu Bugui's eyes lit up and he praised her: "Good idea, we can..."

The two men discussed the next plan in a low voice until late at night before they blew out the lights and went to bed. However, they did not know that a bigger storm was quietly approaching. The next morning, the ministers sent by the emperor brought the latest intelligence to help them understand the enemy's movements, and also brought a shocking news...

 Chapter 67: Stormy

The morning light shone through the layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows in the tent. Wu Tao woke up from her sleep, feeling sore all over, and the fatigue from last night had not completely dissipated. She got up gently, fearing that she would wake up Hu Bugui who was sleeping beside her.

Hu Bugui was sleeping soundly, but his brows still showed lingering fatigue and solemnity. Wu Tao smoothed his frown with concern, and secretly prayed that the war would end soon so that the person he loved could get rid of this heavy burden.

Just as Wu Tao was lost in thought, there was a sudden noise outside the tent. Chun Tao opened the curtain and hurried in, her tone full of excitement: "Miss, Your Majesty! The people sent by the Emperor are here!"

"Someone sent by the emperor?" Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other and were both stunned.

"Yes, he said he brought the latest intelligence, and... and..." Chuntao seemed to find it difficult to speak.

"Anything else?" Hu Bugui asked.

"She also said...she wanted to see you, young lady..." Chuntao's voice became lower and lower, almost inaudible.

Wu Tao's heart tightened, and an inexplicable sense of uneasiness surged into her heart. She had never met the emperor before, so why would the emperor suddenly want to see her? Could it be...

Hu Bugui also noticed something was wrong. He held Wu Tao's hand and whispered to comfort her, "Don't worry. I'll go meet them and see what's going on."

After saying that, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao walked out of the tent together. They saw that many people had gathered in the center of the camp, led by an old man in official uniform who looked energetic. He must be the minister sent by the emperor.

"I'm Hu Bugui, a humble commoner. Nice to meet you, sir." Hu Bugui stepped forward and bowed.

"This must be Mr. Hu," the old man looked Hu Bugui up and down, with a hint of admiration in his eyes, "He is indeed a handsome man with great potential at a young age!"

"I don't deserve it. Thank you for your praise, sir." Hu Bugui said modestly.

"Who is this..." The old man turned his gaze to Wu Tao, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"This is my wife." Hu Bugui introduced briefly without revealing Wu Tao's true identity.

The old man nodded slightly, without further investigation, but took out a secret letter from his bosom, handed it to Hu Bugui, and said: "This is the emperor's order for me to pass it on to Mr. Hu, please take a look."

Hu Bugui took the secret letter, opened it, and his face suddenly became solemn. The letter described in detail the movements of the opposition army and their next plan.

"It seems that a war is inevitable." Hu Bugui put down the secret letter and said in a deep voice.

"The emperor has ordered the mobilization of 100,000 troops to come to support us. I believe they will arrive soon." The old man said, "The emperor also said that he hopes Mr. Hu can unite all the forces that can be united to fight against the rebels and defend the Tang Dynasty!"

Hu Bugui's heart was ablaze with anger when he heard this. He looked around at the determined faces and said loudly: "Heroes, the country is in danger now, and it is time for us to step forward! As men, we should dedicate ourselves to the country and defend it to the death!"

"We will defend our country to the death!" Everyone shouted in unison, shaking the valley.

In order to boost morale, Hu Bugui decided to hold a unity meeting.

As the sun sets, a fiery red cloud burns in the sky, as if foreshadowing the coming war. The rebels gather in the valley, each with a look of determination on their face.

"Brothers! We are all here for a common goal!" Hu Bugui stood on the high platform and spoke in a loud voice, "That is to fight for justice! Fight for the peace of the people! Fight for the future of the Tang Dynasty!"

"Fight! Fight! Fight!" The soldiers were excited. They waved their weapons and made deafening roars.

Wu Tao stood in the crowd, looking at the scene of blood boiling in front of her, with a lot of emotion in her heart. She knew that a war was about to begin, and the fate of her and Hu Bugui would also be judged in the final battle... Chapter 68 The rainstorm is coming

After the unity meeting, the entire rebel camp was filled with a tense and orderly atmosphere. Soldiers sweated profusely on the drill ground and stepped up their training; craftsmen worked day and night to make weapons and fortifications, and everyone was making final preparations for the upcoming decisive battle.

Although Wu Tao did not have the ability to fight in battle, she also worked hard to contribute to the war. She applied her modern knowledge and experience to real life and helped improve the logistics support of the army. She taught everyone how to build stronger tents, how to store food and water, how to prevent diseases, etc. These seemingly insignificant things actually improved the living conditions of the soldiers and increased the combat effectiveness of the army.

Hu Bugui was busy integrating the forces of all parties and formulating battle plans. He rushed between the various camps day and night, discussing military intelligence with the generals, calming the soldiers' emotions, and coordinating the interests of all parties. Although it was hard work, he enjoyed it because he knew that he was carrying everyone's hopes and he could not let everyone down.

In their busy lives, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui never forget to care for each other. Whenever it is late at night, they will snuggle together, whispering and sharing their feelings. The shadow of war does not seem to affect their relationship, but makes them closer.

"Taotao, you've worked hard." Hu Bugui gently stroked Wu Tao's hair, his eyes full of heartache, "Following me, you've suffered."

"It's not hard. As long as I can be with you, I'm willing to endure any hardship or fatigue." Wu Tao raised her head, looked into Hu Bugui's deep eyes, and said softly, "I believe that we can overcome all difficulties."

Hu Bugui held Wu Tao's hand tightly and nodded solemnly. He knew that as long as Wu Tao was by his side, he would have the power to overcome everything.

However, just when everything seemed to be on track, a sudden rainstorm hit the base. The heavy rain mixed with deafening thunder seemed to swallow up the whole world.

The rainstorm came suddenly and without warning, catching the soldiers off guard and causing chaos in the camp. The tents were blown down by the strong wind, the food and grass were soaked by the rain, and the already muddy roads became even muddier, making them almost impassable.

"Oh no, Your Majesty! The granary is flooded!"

"Report to the general! A section of the western wall has collapsed due to the rain!"

"Oh no, many brothers have gonorrhea!"

As bad news came one after another, Hu Bugui's face became more and more solemn. This sudden rainstorm not only disrupted their deployment, but also seriously affected the morale of the army.

Faced with such a severe situation, can Wu Tao and Hu Bugui lead everyone to overcome difficulties and complete the preparations on time? What will be waiting for them after the rainstorm?