Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 217 After the rain, the sky is clear

The leader of the mysterious organization was captured, and his men, who were like dogs that had lost their homes, were quickly captured by the officers and soldiers who rushed over after hearing the news. The haze that had shrouded Chang'an City finally dissipated, and the warm sunshine once again filled this ancient city.

The people spontaneously took to the streets, cheering and celebrating the hard-won peace. They looked at Wu Tao and Hu Bugui with admiration, thanking them for saving Chang'an and their lives.

"Miss Wu, Lord Hu, you are the heroes of Chang'an City!" An old man walked tremblingly to Wu Tao, tears streaming down his face, "I thank you both on behalf of the people of Chang'an!"

Wu Tao quickly supported the old man and said softly, "Old man, you are too kind. This is what we should do."

Hu Bugui stood aside, watching the people's joy and excitement, and couldn't help but smile. He turned his head and looked at Wu Tao beside him, his eyes gentle and deep.

This battle deepened the relationship between them and made them more aware of the importance of each other in their hearts.

Chang'an City has regained its former prosperity and bustle. People are coming and going in the streets, and the sounds of hawking and laughter are endless. After experiencing the baptism of wind and rain, the city seems to have a new vitality.

The names of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were passed down from mouth to mouth and became legends in Chang'an. Their stories were compiled into operas and storytelling, circulated in teahouses and taverns, and inspired generations of people.

"The peach blossoms are young and tender, and their flowers are bright and beautiful. The girl is getting married, and she is a good family man." Hu Bugui looked at the blooming peach blossoms outside the window and recited the lines from the Book of Songs in a low voice.

Wu Tao walked up to him and followed his gaze, only to see the garden full of brilliant peach blossoms, like clouds in the sky.

"These peach blossoms are so beautiful..." Wu Tao said softly.

"Yes, it's beautiful." Hu Bugui turned his head and looked at Wu Tao affectionately, "But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, it can't compare to you."

Wu Tao's cheeks turned slightly red and she lowered her head, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

"Oh, right," Wu Tao suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up at Hu Bugui, "The miracle doctor's clinic was also destroyed by those people. Should we go see him?"

Hu Bugui nodded: "Okay, let's go together."

The two smiled at each other, walked out of the house hand in hand, walked towards the street where peach blossoms were in full bloom, and walked towards the miracle doctor with superb medical skills but a tragic fate...

The two walked side by side on the streets of Chang'an City. Along the way, people were busy rebuilding their homes. The air was filled with the fresh smell of soil, mixed with the fragrance of peach blossoms, which made people feel hope and vitality. Hu Bugui turned his head and looked at Wu Tao's face, which was becoming whiter under the sunlight, and asked softly, "Taotao, what are you thinking about?"

Wu Tao came back to his senses and smiled slightly: "I was thinking that after what happened this time, the people of Chang'an City should cherish this hard-earned peace even more."

"Yes," Hu Bugui sighed, "Only after experiencing wind and rain can we understand the value of sunshine more."

As they were talking, the two had already arrived in front of the miracle doctor's clinic. The clinic, which had been destroyed beyond all recognition, was now completely renovated, with a new plaque hung at the door. The three characters "Jishitang" on it were written in a vigorous and powerful manner, and were written by Hu Bugui.

In the clinic, patients came in an endless stream. The genius doctor was lowering his head, concentrating on checking the pulse of an old man. His originally gray hair seemed to have turned a little grayer, but he was more energetic than before, and his eyes were clearer.

"Good doctor, we're here to see you." Wu Tao walked forward with a smile.

The doctor looked up and saw that it was them. A relieved smile immediately appeared on his face: "You are here, please take a seat."

"Your clinic recovered so quickly." Wu Tao looked around and said with emotion.

"Thanks to the help of the neighbors and the herbs sent by Lord Hu." The doctor said gratefully, "This incident also made me understand a lot of truths. In the future, I will definitely cherish my medical skills more and do my best to relieve more people's pain."

"I'm glad you figured it out." Hu Bugui nodded with relief, "The people of Chang'an City also need doctors like you."

When they left the clinic, it was already getting dark. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui were walking side by side on their way home. When they passed the city gate, they saw a familiar figure - the chivalrous hero who had saved them before.

He was still dressed in black, with a sword on his back, and his eyes were scanning the surroundings sharply, as if he was guarding the safety of the city.

"It seems that he has found what he wants to protect." Wu Tao said softly.

Hu Bugui held her hand tightly, his eyes gleaming with determination: "We too." He paused, turned to look at Wu Tao, and said meaningfully, "Taotao, what do you want to do next?"

Wu Tao turned to look at Hu Bugui. The afterglow of the setting sun cast a soft halo on his face. She understood what he meant. After going through so many ups and downs, they had found the most important person in each other's life, and also found what they both wanted to protect - the people of Chang'an City, and this hard-won tranquility and peace.

"I think..." Wu Tao paused, with wisdom glittering in his eyes, "Can we do something to make Chang'an City more prosperous and the lives of the people happier?"

Hu Bugui's eyes lit up, and he smiled with satisfaction: "Great minds think alike. I already have some preliminary ideas in mind. Why don't we go back and discuss it in detail?"

Wu Tao readily agreed.

After returning to the mansion, the two couldn't wait to go to the study, spread out the rice paper, grind the ink and picked up the pen, and began a brainstorming session about the future of Chang'an City.

"First, we need to solve the problem of food and clothing for the people." Hu Bugui pondered, "I plan to reclaim wasteland outside the city, promote new farming techniques, and increase food production."

"Well, I've seen a new type of farm tool called 'curved plow' in a book before. It is said to greatly improve farming efficiency. We can find someone to make it for trial." Wu Tao added.

"Good idea!" Hu Bugui gave her an appreciative look. "In addition, we can also build water conservancy projects and develop irrigation. This way, even if we encounter droughts or floods, we can still ensure a good harvest."

"In addition to agriculture, we can also develop commerce." Wu Tao suddenly had an idea. "Chang'an City is located on a major transportation route. We can encourage merchants to trade here and open more shops. This will not only enrich the market supply, but also increase tax revenue."

"That makes sense." Hu Bugui nodded in agreement. "I can also suggest to the emperor that we reduce taxes for merchants to attract more people to do business in Chang'an."

The two of them discussed and developed a series of detailed and thorough plans covering all aspects, from agriculture and commerce to education, medical care, culture, etc.

In the days that followed, Wu Tao and Hu Bugui devoted themselves to the construction and development of Chang'an City. They went deep into the fields and worked with farmers to study new farming techniques; they visited shops to understand market demand and formulated preferential policies to attract merchants to invest; they built schools to popularize education so that more children would have the opportunity to read and learn to read...

Thanks to their efforts, Chang'an City has undergone earth-shaking changes. In the fields, the golden wheat waves are rolling, heralding the joy of a good harvest; on the streets, shops are lined up, people are coming and going, a prosperous scene; in the school, the children's clear reading voices are full of hope and vitality...

"Taotao, look, we did it." Standing on the city wall and overlooking the brand new city, Hu Bugui's eyes were filled with pride and satisfaction.

Wu Tao's face was also filled with a happy smile. She leaned lightly on Hu Bugui's shoulder, feeling this rare peace and beauty.

"Yes, we did it," she said softly, "but this is just the beginning..."

 Chapter 217 The sky clears after the rain

Outside Chang'an, the peach trees are like a sea, and the flowers are in full bloom. The warm spring breeze blows, and the petals fall like rain, covering the bluestone road and dyeing the lapels of Wu Tao and Hu Bugui red.

"The peach blossoms are blooming again." Wu Tao sniffed the light fragrance of flowers in the air, with a happy smile on his face. This time last year, they were still busy with the conspiracy of the mysterious organization. Now, Chang'an City has restored its former peace and prosperity, and the people live and work in peace and contentment, just like the peach blossoms all over the mountains, full of vitality and hope.

"Yes, another year has passed." Hu Bugui looked at the sea of flowers in front of him, his deep eyes full of tenderness, "Do you still remember the place where we first met?"

"Of course I remember." Wu Tao turned to look at him, a sweet smile on her lips, "The peach blossoms were in full bloom that year, and you fell off your horse and hit me..."

"It wasn't a romantic encounter." Hu Bugui smiled and shook his head, but still couldn't help but hold her hand tightly, "But I'm very lucky to have met you that day."

"Me too." Wu Tao snuggled up to him, feeling the tranquility and beauty. After going through so many ups and downs, the feelings between them became stronger and deeper, just like the everlasting peach blossoms.

However, just when they thought everything was over, a letter from afar broke the peace. The letter was sent by Hu Bugui's old acquaintance in Jiangnan. In addition to greetings, the letter also mentioned a strange thing.

"A strange man appeared in Jiangnan, claiming to be from another world, proficient in the art of Qimen Dunjia, and able to predict the future..." Hu Bugui read the contents of the letter in a low voice, frowning slightly, "Do you think there is really such a person in this world?"

Wu Tao's heart was shaken, and an incredible thought flashed through her mind. Could it be that... there are other travelers like her in this world?

"Maybe it's just a trick of a quack." Wu Tao pretended to be calm, but she couldn't calm down. If there really was another time traveler, would he know how to return to the present? Would he... know her secret?

Hu Bugui saw that she looked strange, so he put down the letter and asked with concern, "Taotao, what's wrong with you?"

Wu Tao took a deep breath, tried to suppress the uneasiness in his heart, and forced a smile: "Nothing, I just feel a little curious. If there really is such a person, we can invite him to Chang'an City to pray for the people."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Hu Bugui nodded, but did not notice the complex emotions that flashed across Wu Tao's eyes.

This letter, like a stone, plunged into their originally peaceful life, causing ripples. Wu Tao's heart was filled with anxiety and expectation. She didn't know who this "strange man" from Jiangnan was, nor did she know what kind of changes his appearance would bring to their lives, but she had a premonition that their fate might be rewritten again...