Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 191: King Hu and his wife played an indispensable role in suppressing the rebellion

The golden sunlight shone on the palace, coating the glazed tiles with a layer of dazzling light. Inside the palace, there was singing and dancing, and the sound of stringed instruments was endless, creating a peaceful and festive scene. The emperor sat high on the dragon throne, his eyes fell on Hu Bugui and Wu Tao who were standing side by side below, full of admiration.

"King Hu and the princess have made great contributions to suppressing the rebellion!" The emperor laughed loudly and raised his glass, "This glass of wine is for you!"

Hu Bugui and Wu Tao stood up and raised their glasses in response: "Protecting our country is our duty."

After three rounds of drinking, the singing and dancing gradually stopped. The emperor and Hu Bugui discussed state affairs, while Wu Tao and the queen chatted about family matters. The atmosphere was harmonious. But Wu Tao always felt a little uneasy. She always felt that something was being overlooked, but she couldn't figure it out.

After the banquet, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao walked side by side on the way back home. As night fell and the lights came on, the night in Chang'an City was still very lively. Looking at the bustling crowds on the street, Wu Tao's uneasiness became stronger.

"Your Highness, do you feel that...something is not right?" Wu Tao stopped and asked softly.

Hu Bugui also stopped and turned to look at Wu Tao with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Although the rebellion has been quelled, those remnants..." Wu Tao hesitated to speak, for she was worried that she was worrying too much.

"Are you worried about those fish that slipped through the net?" Hu Bugui frowned slightly and instantly understood Wu Tao's concerns.

"Yes." Wu Tao nodded. "If you don't remove the roots, they will grow again in the spring breeze. Those people hate you, Your Majesty, so there's no guarantee that they won't..."

"You have a point." Hu Bugui pondered for a moment, "I will strengthen the city's defenses and conduct a secret investigation. I will never let them take advantage of the situation."

In the following days, the capital seemed calm on the surface, but something strange began to happen secretly. First, several shops were vandalized and their goods were looted, and then several officials were attacked on their way back to their homes and were seriously injured.

Although these things are not big, they are like stones that cause ripples on the calm lake and cannot be ignored.

Hu Bugui and Wu Tao went to the scene of the crime in person and found that the criminal method was ruthless and the target was clear, which was definitely not the work of ordinary thieves.

"It seems that the remnants have begun to act." Hu Bugui's face was solemn, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"They are provoking us and testing our bottom line." Wu Tao clenched his fists, his heart filled with anger.

In order to bring these remnants to justice as soon as possible, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao strengthened the security patrols in the capital and secretly sent people to investigate clues. However, the remnants were very cunning, they were familiar with every street and every corner of the capital, and they could always escape at the critical moment, as if they had merged into the darkness, without a trace.

It was late at night and the room was quiet. Hu Bugui and Wu Tao stood in front of the study window, looking at the dark night sky outside, their hearts filled with worry.

"As long as those people are not eliminated, the capital will never have peace." Hu Bugui said in a deep voice.

"Your Highness, we will definitely find them." Wu Tao held Hu Bugui's hand and said firmly.

However, they didn't know that a bigger crisis was waiting for them...

In order to bring these remnants to justice as soon as possible, Hu Bugui sent more people to strengthen the security patrols in the capital, and also strengthened the inspections at each city gate. However, the remnants were like cunning foxes, always able to smell the danger in advance. They knew the streets and alleys of the capital like the back of their hands, and often when the officers and soldiers arrived, the scene was left in a mess.

"This is not a solution. We are like trying to catch fish in the sand. We will never catch them." Wu Tao frowned as she looked at the files of the latest case. She recalled the criminal investigation dramas she had watched before. Those modern technologies seemed to be able to help.

"It would be nice if we had some surveillance equipment. We could record their whereabouts or extract their fingerprints..." Wu Tao muttered to himself, but then smiled bitterly and shook his head. In this era, these ideas are undoubtedly fantasy.

Hu Bugui looked at Wu Tao's distressed expression, and his heart was heavy. He knew that Wu Tao came from an era of advanced technology, and those things that seemed commonplace to her were unheard of in this era. He gently held Wu Tao's hand and comforted her: "Don't worry, we will find a way."

In the dead of night, Hu Bugui and Wu Tao stood in front of the window of the study, looking at the dark night sky outside, their hearts filled with worry. Those shadows lurking in the dark were like a thorn in their flesh, making them unable to sleep or eat. How could they completely eliminate these tumors and restore peace to the capital?

 Chapter 191: Shadows in the Dark (Continued)

After several days of investigation without any progress, Hu Bugui decided to change his mindset and look for a breakthrough from within. He ordered the previously captured rebels to be gathered together and interrogated one by one. Most of these rebels were stubborn, but under Hu Bugui's majesty and the skills of the interrogator, some of them still revealed their true colors.

"Tell me, what other plans do you have? Where are your accomplices hiding?" In the interrogation room, Hu Bugui stared at the trembling rebels in front of him with sharp eyes.

The rebel's eyes flickered and his lips trembled, but he refused to speak.

"It seems that you won't cry until you see the coffin!" Hu Bugui snorted coldly and slammed the table, scaring the rebel so much that he trembled all over.

"Your Highness, please spare my life! I... I really don't know anything!" The rebel fell to his knees and begged bitterly.

"Do you think I will believe you?" Hu Bugui said in a cold tone, "If you don't tell the truth again, don't blame me for being rude!"

At this moment, a guard hurried into the interrogation room and whispered something in Hu Bugui's ear. After hearing this, Hu Bugui's eyes flashed with a gleam, and then he waved his hand, signaling the guard to leave.

"It seems that someone wants to live more than you do." Hu Bugui looked at the rebel and sneered, "Tell me, what do you want to tell me?"

The rebel hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't resist the desire to survive, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty... I do know something, but... but I'm afraid..."

"Don't worry, as long as you tell the truth, I will protect your life." Hu Bugui softened his tone and gave him a reassurance.

The rebel took a deep breath and said, as if he had made up his mind, "We...we have a secret base outside the city, where..."

Before he could finish his words, his face suddenly changed, he covered his chest in pain, foamed at the mouth, and fell to the ground and died.

"Oh no! He committed suicide by taking poison!" a guard exclaimed.

Hu Bugui went forward to check and found that the rebel had died, with a bitten poison pill tightly grasped in his hand.

"Damn it! I'm still one step too late!" Hu Bugui was furious and slammed his fist on the table.

Although he failed to stop the rebel from committing suicide, his words revealed an important piece of information - there was a secret base outside the city.

Hu Bugui immediately summoned his confidants, told them the interrogation situation, and ordered them to investigate all suspicious places outside the city overnight to find the secret base.

Wu Tao also participated in the operation. She used her knowledge from the modern world to help Hu Bugui analyze intelligence and check clues. After several days of investigation, they finally locked the specific location of the secret base - an abandoned temple thirty miles outside the city.

In order not to alert the enemy, Hu Bugui decided to lead a team of elite soldiers personally and secretly go to the stronghold to catch them all in one fell swoop.

The night was as dark as ink. A group of people left the capital quietly and galloped towards the outside of the city.

However, just as they were about to approach the stronghold, they discovered some strange traces on the road ahead.

"Your Highness, look!" a guard pointed at the marks on the ground and said, "These look like..."

Hu Bugui carefully observed the traces on the ground, and his expression gradually became solemn.

"It's a trap!" he said in a deep voice, "It seems that we have been discovered!"

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a sound of breaking through the air from the surrounding woods, and countless sharp arrows shot towards them like raindrops...

The sharp arrow flew through the air. Hu Bugui was quick to block it with his sword and shouted, "Everyone, beware of the traps and form a defensive formation!"

The well-trained soldiers reacted quickly, drawing their weapons to block the attack. The sound of arrows hitting metal was heard. Wu Tao hid behind Hu Bugui, her heart in her throat. Although she knew some martial arts, she was still a little scared in the face of such a dangerous scene.

"It seems that we underestimated these remnants." Hu Bugui said in a deep voice while resisting the rain of arrows, "They are well prepared."

"Your Highness, what should we do now?" asked a guard.

"We must first find a way to break out. These traps are just to delay time. Their main force should still be in the stronghold." Hu Bugui analyzed calmly, scanning the surrounding terrain.

"Follow me!" He looked in a direction and stepped on a seemingly flat ground, but suddenly there was a slight "click" sound.

"Oh no, it's a trap!" the guard exclaimed.

Hu Bugui was prepared and jumped up, barely avoiding the sudden collapse of the ground beneath his feet, but the other guards were not so lucky. With a scream, they fell into the trap.

"Damn it!" Hu Bugui cursed inwardly, but he had no time to care about anything else and could only continue to rush forward. Wu Tao followed closely behind him, relying on his agility to barely avoid one deadly trap after another.

"Your Highness, there is a small path ahead, which may be able to bypass this trap area!" said a sharp-eyed guard, pointing ahead.

"Let's go!" Hu Bugui made a prompt decision and led everyone towards the path.

However, just as they were about to rush out of the trap area, a group of men in black suddenly appeared at the exit of the path ahead, each holding a sharp blade and staring at them fiercely. A fierce battle was about to break out...