Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

The yellow cloth was spread out in the air, revealing an imperial edict. The content on it made everyone present gasp. It was actually an abdication edict!

"You...you are plotting treason!" The emperor pointed at the prime minister, shaking with anger.

The Prime Minister was not panicked at all, but laughed out loud: "Treason? Your Majesty, this world has long been mine! Do you think you can still turn things around?"

He waved his hand suddenly, and the soldiers who had been lying in ambush outside the hall rushed in one after another and surrounded the entire hall.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, and saw solemnity in each other's eyes. It seemed that this palace coup was far from being as simple as they imagined.

At this moment, a loud voice came from outside the hall: "Stop!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a burly man in exotic clothes striding in. He was followed by several followers, each holding an exquisite box in their hands, which was obviously filled with valuable gifts.

"Who are you? How dare you trespass into the Tang Dynasty Palace!" the prime minister shouted angrily.

The man smiled and said in not very fluent Chinese: "I am Abdullah, the envoy of the Kingdom of Daqin in the Western Regions. I came here today to pay a visit to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. I didn't expect to encounter such a thing. I am really rude."

"The envoy from the Western Regions?" The emperor was stunned, and then he said hurriedly as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, "The envoy has come at the right time, come and help me capture this traitor!"

Abdullah ignored the emperor and turned his gaze to Wu Tao and Hu Bugui, with a hint of admiration in his eyes: "You two must be Miss Wu Tao and Mr. Hu Bugui, right? I have heard of your great names for a long time, and seeing you today, I find that you are indeed worthy of your reputation."

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked at each other, both confused. They didn't know this envoy from the Western Regions, so how did he know their names?

As if he could see through their confusion, Abdullah smiled and explained, "I have heard about your deeds a long time ago. I admire Miss Wu's wit and bravery, and Mr. Hu's chivalrous spirit and courage. I am very lucky to see you in person today."

"Your Excellency, you are too kind." Hu Bugui bowed and said, "I wonder what brings you here this time?"

"That's right," Abdullah said, motioning for his attendants to present the gifts. "I came here this time not only to express my country's most sincere greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty on behalf of my king, but also to ask for a favor."

He paused, and looked at Wu Tao and Hu Bugui with a burning gaze: "I have heard that you two are talented. I hope to make friends with you two. Would you do me the honor?"

Abdullah's words moved Wu Tao and Hu Bugui. They keenly realized that this was an opportunity, an opportunity to expand the influence of the Tang Dynasty and make the Tang Dynasty more prosperous!

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui exchanged glances, and both saw the same determination in each other's eyes. Abdullah's appearance was like a ray of dawn, illuminating the foggy future. The Tang Dynasty was vast, rich in resources, and splendid in culture. It should have been a prosperous scene with all nations coming to pay tribute. However, in recent years, due to the increasingly fierce party disputes in the court, the emperor was addicted to pleasure and ignored state affairs, resulting in the gradual weakening of national strength. The surrounding small countries were also ready to move, eyeing the Tang Dynasty covetously.

Abdullah's arrival is undoubtedly an opportunity, an opportunity that can allow the Tang Dynasty to return to glory.

"Your Excellency, thank you for your compliment," Wu Tao smiled, speaking gently but confidently, "Mr. Hu and I have only done some insignificant things, and we do not deserve such praise from you. On the contrary, you have come from afar and must have worked hard on the journey. Please go to the inn to rest first, and we will discuss other matters tomorrow."

Abdullah heard Wu Tao say this and stopped insisting. He smiled and said, "In that case, I will not bother you any more. I will definitely visit you tomorrow. I hope you will give me some advice."

After seeing off Abdullah and his group, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui immediately began to discuss the next plan.

"This envoy from the Western Regions has bad intentions," Hu Bugui pondered. "He seems to be just visiting, but his words reveal that he knows the political situation of the Tang Dynasty very well, and even knows our details clearly. It can be seen that there must be a powerful force behind him."

Wu Tao nodded, agreeing: "That's right, but since he didn't directly state his intentions and chose to befriend us, it means that the forces behind him don't want to be enemies with the Tang Dynasty, but have other intentions."

"No matter what, we must be fully prepared." Hu Bugui said, "We cannot let the Tang Dynasty become a pawn in the game of any power."

"Well," Wu Tao replied, "Tomorrow, we will go meet this Western Region envoy and see what he is up to."

In order to let Abdullah and his party feel the hospitality of the Tang Dynasty, Wu Tao specially arranged Chun Tao to be in charge of the reception. Although Chun Tao was born in poverty, she was born smart and clever. She also learned a lot of poetry, songs, music, chess, calligraphy and painting from Wu Tao, and now she can stand on her own.

Under Chuntao's careful arrangement, the post house was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the atmosphere was festive. The exquisite tea and snacks and elegant flower arrangements all reflected the profoundness of Tang culture. Abdullah and his party had just arrived in Tang and were a little uncomfortable at first, but when they saw such a scene, they couldn't help but praise it, and they praised Chuntao even more.

"This girl is really clever and has decorated this inn like a fairyland." Abdullah said with a smile, "I wonder if the girl could tell me her name?"

Chun Tao bowed slightly and answered gracefully, "My name is Chun Tao, and I am Miss Wu Tao's maid. The envoy is too kind. I am just trying my best to help you and your party live comfortably in the Tang Dynasty."

Abdullah heard this and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes. This girl named Chuntao was not only beautiful, but also well-spoken and elegant, which showed that her master was no ordinary person. It seemed that he had made the right decision to come to the Tang Dynasty this time...

On the second day, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui went to the palace to meet the emperor. In the imperial study, the emperor looked much more relaxed than the last time they met. It seemed that the news brought by Abdullah made him temporarily put down the heavy stone in his heart. After listening to Wu Tao and Hu Bugui about the purpose of the Western Regions envoys and their next plan, the emperor was very pleased and praised their courage and strategy.

"I knew it. I was right about you!" The emperor laughed heartily. "Don't worry and do it boldly. I will support you from behind!"

With the emperor's support, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui became more confident. They knew that if they wanted to revive the Tang Dynasty, it was not enough to rely on force alone. They needed to open up the country and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with other countries. The Western Regions was an important hub connecting Eastern and Western civilizations.

Therefore, under the emperor's instruction, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui began to prepare for trade with the Western Regions. They recruited skilled craftsmen to create exquisite silk, porcelain and other Tang Dynasty specialty products, ready to be shipped to the Western Regions for trade. At the same time, they also sent out invitations to heroes to recruit talents who were proficient in the Western Regions' languages and familiar with the Western Regions' customs, in preparation for their future plans.

When the news came out, the city of Chang'an was in an uproar. People were talking about the rare treasures of the Western Regions, and merchants were ready to make a big splash. For a time, the Tang Dynasty seemed to have been injected with new vitality and was full of vitality.

Wu Tao and Hu Bugui knew that this was just the beginning. What they had to do was not only to trade with the Western Regions, but also to take this opportunity to spread the advanced culture and technology of the Tang Dynasty, and at the same time introduce the excellent culture and technology of the Western Regions to promote the exchange and integration of Eastern and Western civilizations.

Late at night, Wu Tao stood in front of the window, looking at the bright moon in the sky, her heart full of expectations and longings. She knew that the road ahead was still long, full of challenges and unknowns, but she believed that as long as they had firm beliefs and worked together, they would be able to overcome all difficulties and create their own glory. In the process, they would not only consolidate the position of Datang in the world, but also make many like-minded friends and jointly write a magnificent chapter of history...

 Chapter 80: Clouds Clear and the Moon Shines

Wu Tao's premonition was correct. Caravans from the Western Regions came to Chang'an in an endless stream, bringing with them all kinds of spices, gemstones, and exquisite handicrafts, as well as the customs and culture of the Western Regions. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui specially opened a "Western Region Street" in the west of the city for merchants from the Western Regions to trade. For a time, the street was crowded with people and bustling.

"Madam, look at this Persian brocade. The pattern is so exquisite and it feels soft and comfortable. It is perfect for making clothes!" Chuntao said excitedly to Wu Tao, holding a piece of brightly colored cloth.

Wu Tao took the cloth, stroked it carefully, and praised: "It is indeed top-grade. It seems that our Tang Dynasty silk and porcelain are also very popular with our friends in the Western Regions. They brought a lot of good things this time."

Hu Bugui smiled and nodded, pointing to a Western Region merchant who was gesturing with a Tang Dynasty merchant not far away and said, "That's Amir from Tocharia. He's an expert in jade and brought a lot of fine Hetian jade this time. I was planning to have a good chat with him."

"Well, I trust you to do your job." Wu Tao smiled gently, "Look, this Western Region Street is so lively, people of different skin colors and languages come and go, but they can understand each other and conduct business. This scene is really great."

"Yes," Hu Bugui was deeply touched, "All this is inseparable from the decision you and your Majesty made. Now that the Tang Dynasty is growing stronger and stronger, and the people are living and working in peace and contentment, who dares to say that our Tang Dynasty is on the decline?"

Wu Tao smiled slightly, looking at the busy streets, her heart filled with pride and satisfaction. She also contributed to this prosperity.

As time went by, trade in the Western Regions brought great wealth to the Tang Dynasty, as well as many new ideas and cultures. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui seized the opportunity to actively learn advanced technologies from the Western Regions, such as glass manufacturing and grape cultivation, and promoted these technologies to the people, greatly promoting the economic development and scientific and technological progress of the Tang Dynasty.

The people's living standards have improved, and their faces are filled with happy smiles. Seeing all this, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui feel extremely gratified. Their efforts have not been in vain, and the future of Datang will definitely be better.

However, behind the prosperity, new challenges also quietly emerged, waiting for Wu Tao and Hu Bugui to face...

However, behind the prosperity, new challenges are quietly emerging.

On this day, Chang'an City welcomed a special guest - an envoy from the distant Roman Empire. The envoy, dressed in gorgeous clothes and carrying many rare treasures, came to the Tang Dynasty all the way to meet the emperor.

"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty, I am Marcus, the envoy who came to visit your country on the orders of the Emperor of the Roman Empire." Marcus performed a Roman etiquette and said in not very fluent Chinese, "We in the Roman Empire have long heard of the great reputation of the Tang Dynasty. We hope to establish friendly diplomatic relations with your country and exchange what we have with you."

After hearing the translator's message, the emperor was very pleased and immediately expressed a warm welcome.

After the grand banquet, Marcus made a request: "Your Majesty, our Roman Empire has long admired the culture of the Tang Dynasty and hopes to send some scholars to study here. What do you think?"

The emperor naturally agreed. However, Marcus' next words changed the expressions of everyone present.

"In addition, we also hope to marry a Tang princess to show the friendship between our two countries." Marcus said, but his eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept over Wu Tao who was sitting next to the emperor, and a barely perceptible surprise flashed in his eyes.

Hearing this, Wu Tao's heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition came to his mind.