Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui exchanged glances, and both understood that the letter came strangely, revealing a strong smell of conspiracy. There was no signature in the letter, only a brief invitation, asking them to go to the Shili Pavilion outside the city on a full moon night.

"Go! Why not?" Wu Tao's eyes flashed with determination, and his tone was decisive, "If the enemy comes, we will fight back; if the water comes, we will block it with earth. Instead of sitting and waiting to die, it is better to take the initiative to attack and find out the details of the other party."

Hu Bugui held her hand in appreciation and said firmly, "Okay! I'll go with you. Whoever is behind all this, we'll make him pay the price!"

Chun Tao was terrified when she heard this. She asked worriedly, "Miss, son-in-law, isn't this too risky? How about we report it to the police?"

Wu Tao shook his head slightly and explained, "This matter is of great importance. The contents of the letter are vague and we don't know the other party's purpose yet. If we rashly report it to the police, not only will we alert the enemy, but we may also cause greater trouble."

Hu Bugui also nodded in agreement: "Tao'er is right. Besides, we are not unprepared. We have been investigating secretly these days and have already found some clues."

Wu Tao pulled out a sheepskin map from his sleeve and unfolded it on the table. On the map, the location of Shili Pavilion outside the city was circled in red, with some marks around it, which was obviously the result of their investigation during this period.

"According to our investigation, there is an abandoned manor near Shili Pavilion. It has been uninhabited for many years. It is very likely the enemy's lair." Wu Tao pointed at the map and analyzed calmly, "Tonight, we will go to meet them and see who these cowards are!"

On the night of the full moon, the silver light was shining, and the earth seemed to be covered with a veil. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui had already changed into night clothes, quietly left the villa, and rushed towards the direction of Shili Pavilion outside the city.

They hurried along the way, and when the moon was at its zenith, they arrived at the abandoned manor marked on the map. With the faint moonlight, they could clearly see that the manor had long been in ruins, with collapsed walls, overgrown with weeds, and a desolate scene.

"This place is indeed deserted and uninhabited, perfect for hiding." Hu Bugui said in a low voice, looking around vigilantly.

Wu Tao nodded, signaling him to be careful. Under the cover of night, the two quietly sneaked into the manor.

It was eerily quiet inside the manor; only the rustling of leaves in the wind added to the eerie atmosphere.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui held their breath and walked cautiously towards the depths of the manor. Soon, they found something unusual in a room - there was a faint candlelight and voices coming from the room.

The two looked at each other, walked lightly, and slowly approached the room. Through the gap in the window, they saw a dim oil lamp lit in the room, and several figures sitting around the table, seemingly plotting something.

"This operation must succeed, not fail!" A deep voice sounded, with a fierce tone, "As long as we get rid of them, no one can stop our plan!"

"Don't worry, everything has been arranged." Another voice said flatteringly, "I have set up an ambush on the road they must pass through. I guarantee that they will never return!"

"Very good." The deep voice smiled with satisfaction, "After this is done, you will definitely get some benefits!"

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui hid outside the window and heard the conversation of several people in the room clearly. They were immediately filled with turmoil...

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui hid outside the window and heard the conversation of several people in the room clearly, and their hearts were immediately filled with shock. It turned out that their whereabouts had been exposed long ago, and the other party was obviously well prepared, and even laid a trap, waiting for them to fall into it!

"It seems that we have underestimated the strength of our opponent." Hu Bugui said in a low voice with a solemn expression, "I'm afraid that this time, we are in great danger."

Wu Tao was surprisingly calm. She took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "No, we still have a chance. Since they want to kill us, we will use their own tricks against them and catch them in a trap!"

Hu Bugui's eyes flashed with doubt, and he asked, "Tao'er, what are your plans?"

Wu Tao did not answer directly. Instead, he took out a crystal clear jade pendant from his bosom, handed it to Hu Bugui, and said, "Do you still remember this jade pendant? This is what I brought with me when I traveled through time. I have always felt that it is not simple and may be able to help us."

Hu Bugui took the jade pendant and examined it carefully. He naturally recognized this jade pendant, which was what Wu Tao wore when he traveled through time. The jade pendant felt warm and gave off a faint fragrance, but other than that, it seemed to have nothing special about it.

At this moment, the jade pendant suddenly emitted a dazzling light, and then an illusory figure appeared in front of the two. The figure was dressed in white, with a handsome face, but with a hint of coldness that did not belong to this era.

"You are..." Hu Bugui widened his eyes in surprise, pointing at the illusory figure, and was speechless for a long time.

"Don't be surprised, I come from the future." The figure smiled faintly and said, "I am here to help you."

It turns out that this figure is from the future world. He has been secretly observing Wu Tao and Hu Bugui and using high-tech means to help them. This time, he brought weapons developed by the future world, which can easily break through the enemy's defenses and help them turn defeat into victory.

Meanwhile, Chun Tao was not idle either. She had already realized the seriousness of the situation and secretly contacted the people in the city to tell them about the experiences of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui. After hearing the news, the people were filled with righteous indignation and expressed their willingness to help them.

Therefore, under Chuntao's organization, the people took action spontaneously, prepared a large amount of supplies and weapons for Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, and sent people to secretly send these things out of the city. At the same time, they also spread news in the city to disrupt the enemy's sight and buy time for Wu Tao and Hu Bugui.

As the night deepens, the moment of decisive battle is approaching...

As night fell, outside Chang'an City, shouts of killing shook the earth. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui led the people in a desperate fight with the enemy. The flames shot up into the sky, illuminating half of the sky red, and the sound of swords clashing, like a death note, echoed in the night sky.

Wu Tao held a long sword, and her body was flexible, shuttling through the enemy's formation like a dancing butterfly. The sword in her hand seemed to have a spirit, and every swing could take away a fresh life. Hu Bugui held a long spear, and was extremely brave, like a tiger coming down the mountain, unstoppable. Every time he attacked, he was powerful, making the enemy terrified.

The battle was extremely fierce. Although the enemy had a large number of troops, under the leadership of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, the morale of the people was high and they fought bravely. They knew that they were fighting for justice and to protect their homes, so they were not afraid even when facing a strong enemy.

"Tao'er, be careful!" Hu Bugui saw from the corner of his eye that an enemy general was quietly going around behind Wu Tao, wielding a big knife and slashing at Wu Tao's back. He was startled and didn't think much. He fought back the enemy in front of him, then flew towards Wu Tao, trying to block the knife for her.

Wu Tao felt warm at heart when she heard Hu Bugui's shout, but she did not dodge, but calmly turned around and swung her sword to meet him. With a loud "clang" sound, the sword in Wu Tao's hand collided with the enemy's sword, and dazzling sparks burst out. The enemy general obviously did not expect that Wu Tao, a weak woman, could have such great strength. He was immediately shocked to the point of numbness in his palm, and the sword in his hand almost slipped out of his hand.

Wu Tao seized this opportunity, and with a flick of his wrist, the sword in his hand turned into a flash of lightning, instantly piercing the enemy general's throat. Blood gushed out, and the enemy general opened his eyes wide and fell to the ground unwillingly.

"Tao'er, are you okay?" Hu Bugui rushed to Wu Tao and asked with concern.

"I'm fine." Wu Tao shook his head with a faint smile on his face, "Let's continue fighting."

Under the joint attack of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, the morale of the enemy army gradually declined. Finally, the enemy leader was pierced through the chest by Hu Bugui and fell in a pool of blood.

"We won!"

The people cheered and celebrated this hard-won victory.

When the news reached Chang'an, the emperor was overjoyed and personally came to the outside of the city to comfort Wu Tao and Hu Bugui. He highly praised their achievements and conferred the title of "Lady Protector of the Country" on Wu Tao and the title of "General Protector of the Country" on Hu Bugui on the spot.

However, behind this victory, there is a hint of sadness. After the battle, the mysterious man quietly left, leaving only a letter, saying that his mission had been completed and hoped that Wu Tao and Hu Bugui could continue to protect this era...

 Chapter 79: Emerging from Cocoon to Butterfly

The smoke cleared, and the tranquility outside Chang'an returned to normal. Only the devastated battlefield still told of the tragedy of last night. Wu Tao stood on the city wall, looking into the distance, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

Hu Bugui walked up to her and followed her gaze, but saw only an empty field.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.

Wu Tao retracted her gaze, turned to look at him, and smiled slightly: "I was wondering, are we dreaming? A dream that is too real."

Hu Bugui held her hand, interlocking their fingers, conveying warmth and strength: "This is not a dream, Taoer, we have truly experienced all of this."

"I mean..." Wu Tao paused and looked at Hu Bugui, "And him, that mysterious man, does he really exist?"

Hu Bugui remained silent.

The mysterious man, just like his name, was full of mystery. He seemed to have descended from the sky, appeared when they needed help the most, and gave them support and guidance. When the crisis was resolved, he left quietly, leaving only a letter. The letter did not mention his identity, but only said that his mission had been completed, and hoped that Wu Tao and Hu Bugui could continue to protect this era.

"Perhaps, he is really just a passer-by." Hu Bugui sighed softly, "But we can't forget everything he did for us."

Wu Tao nodded, took out the letter from his bosom, and read it carefully. The handwriting on the letter was vigorous and powerful, revealing an indescribable calmness and determination.

"Taoer, have you ever thought about where we should go?" Hu Bugui asked.

Wu Tao pondered for a moment, his eyes determined: "I want to stay here, with you."

"Stay here?" Hu Bugui was a little surprised.

"Yes," Wu Tao nodded, "We have been through so much, we can no longer stand aside. Although this era has its limitations, it is also full of hope. I want to use my knowledge and my strength to bring some changes here and let the people live a better life."

Hu Bugui looked at Wu Tao, his eyes full of admiration and love: "Okay, let's go together."

They smiled at each other, held hands tightly, and their hearts were filled with longing and hope for the future.

However, just as they were preparing to meet new challenges, an unexpected person appeared in front of them, bringing a new turn for their future...

 Chapter 80: Emerging from Cocoon to Butterfly

The gate of Chang'an slowly opened, and a group of people and horses walked in. The leader was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a crown with twelve tassels on his head. He was majestic without even being angry. It was the current emperor.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other in shock. They had never expected that the emperor would come to Chang'an at this time.

"Your humble servant pays homage to His Majesty. Long live the emperor!" Wu Tao and Hu Bugui knelt down hurriedly to salute.

The emperor dismounted, walked quickly to them, and helped them up personally. "Please stand up quickly, my dear ministers. It is thanks to you two that we were able to put down the rebellion this time!"

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were flattered and quickly spoke a few humble words.

"I heard that both of you are rare talents, especially Miss Wu," the emperor looked at Wu Tao with some admiration in his eyes, "your wonderful ideas have helped me a lot!"

Wu Tao smiled slightly and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner: "Your Majesty is too kind. I am just doing my best."

"Good, you are doing your best!" The emperor laughed. "I came here today, firstly to see the two heroes with my own eyes, and secondly..."

He paused, looked around, and said in a low voice, "I would like to ask you two for a favor."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, both confused, wondering what the emperor was up to.

"Your Majesty, please tell me. I will do my best!"

The emperor nodded, motioned for them to come closer, and whispered, "I want... the art of immortality!"

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were both stunned when they heard this. They thought the emperor might make various requests, but they never thought he would make such an absurd request.

"Your Majesty, this..." Hu Bugui hesitated to speak.

"I know this sounds a bit absurd." The emperor laughed bitterly, "But I am also a human being. I also want to live forever, rule this country forever, and protect this land."

He looked at Wu Tao, his eyes full of expectation: "Miss Wu, you are knowledgeable and experienced, you must have a way, right?"

Wu Tao was silent. She didn't know how to answer the emperor. Immortality is an unattainable dream for modern medicine, let alone in this ancient time with backward technology?

"Your Majesty, your servant..."

At this moment, a voice suddenly interrupted: "Your Majesty, I have a memorial to report!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a middle-aged man in official uniform walking out. It was the prime minister of the current dynasty and the mastermind behind the rebellion.

"Prime Minister, you are not..." The emperor looked at him in surprise, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.

The Prime Minister sneered, took out a roll of bright yellow cloth from his bosom, and held it high: "Your Majesty, look at what this is for yourself!"

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were startled, and an ominous premonition came to their minds...