Peach Blossoms in Chang'an

Chapter 110 I would rather kill by mistake 1

In the study, the scent of sandalwood curled up, but it couldn't cover up the tense atmosphere in the air. Hu Bugui repeatedly stroked the piece of paper that said "Be careful of those around you", and every word seemed to be engraved in his heart, making him uneasy.

"Your Highness, could this be someone's prank?" Wu Tao frowned and looked at her husband worriedly.

"I hope so." Hu Bugui threw the note into the brazier beside him and watched it turn into ashes. "But we have to be on guard."

The couple carefully recalled what had happened in the mansion recently, trying to find some clues.

"Oh, right!" Wu Tao suddenly remembered something. "A few days ago, I overheard Guard Wang talking to someone in a very mysterious tone. I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. Now I think about it, could it be..."

Guard Wang is one of Hu Bugui's personal guards. He is always honest and loyal, and has never been suspicious. But the matter is of great importance, so Hu Bugui would rather kill a thousand people by mistake than let one go. Hu Bugui decided to secretly investigate Guard Wang.

In the next few days, Hu Bugui remained calm on the surface, but secretly sent people to closely monitor the every move of Guard Wang. Soon, they found that Guard Wang often sneaked out of the palace in the dead of night to meet with a man in black.

"It seems that there is really a traitor among us." Hu Bugui's face became terribly gloomy after hearing the news.

"This guard Wang looks loyal and honest on weekdays, but I didn't expect that he is a wolf in sheep's clothing!" Wu Tao was very angry.

"The Prime Minister has many followers, so we have to be on guard." Hu Bugui analyzed calmly, "The most urgent task now is to find out what their purpose is."

In order not to alert the enemy, Hu Bugui decided to keep his troops in place and secretly monitor Guard Wang, waiting for the right time to capture him. At the same time, he also sent more people to strengthen the defense of the mansion to prevent the enemy from making desperate moves.

Inside the palace, everything seems calm on the surface, but undercurrents are surging. A storm is about to sweep in...

The palace was shrouded in a depressing atmosphere of impending storm. Wu Tao was restless, always feeling that something was about to happen. In the past few days, Hu Bugui stayed with her all the time, and the number of guards in the palace increased significantly, with everyone's face showing a hint of tension. She knew that this was because of the note, because of the enemy lurking in the dark.

On this day, Wu Tao went to the garden to tend to her favorite flowers and plants as usual. She knew these flowers and plants from modern books, and then she found seeds and cultivated them by herself. In the Tang Dynasty, these exotic flowers and plants were unique, and they also added a bit of fun to her ordinary life.

She was concentrating on pruning a rose when she suddenly heard a burst of whispers coming from behind the rockery.

"The prince has become more cautious recently. We don't have much chance." This was the voice of the king's guard, low and rapid.

"What are you afraid of? The banquet will be a chaotic day with many people around. It's the best time for us to take action!" Another voice was cold and unfamiliar, with a hint of ruthlessness, "When the time comes, we will work together inside and outside to make sure Hu Bugui and that woman are dead without a burial place!"

Wu Tao was shocked. They were going to fight at the banquet! She held her breath and tried to suppress the urge to rush out. She knew that now was not the time to alert the enemy.

"Remember, the plan must not be leaked at all, otherwise..." The cold voice carried a hint of warning, and then there was no movement.

Wu Tao tried to remain calm and continued pruning the branches until he was sure they had left, then he hurried back to the study.

"Your Highness, I heard them talking!" Wu Tao couldn't wait to tell him all the plans he had heard, "They are going to do something bad to you at the banquet!"

Hu Bugui's eyebrows knitted tightly when he heard this, and his face became even gloomier. "As expected, they want to take advantage of the banquet to catch them all in one fell swoop."

"Then what should we do?" Wu Tao asked anxiously, "There will be many guests in the mansion on the day of the banquet. If something unexpected really happens..."

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Hu Bugui held Wu Tao's hand with a firm look in his eyes, "I will strengthen the security of the banquet. At the same time, I will also arrange a secret passage just in case."

Wu Tao looked at Hu Bugui and felt relieved. She believed that no matter what happened, he would protect her.

As night falls, the palace is brightly lit, preparing for the upcoming banquet. However, beneath the lively appearance, there is an undercurrent, a storm, which is about to stir up huge waves in this seemingly peaceful night...

 Storm is coming

The lights were on, and the palace was full of splendor. Guests were everywhere, well-dressed, and laughing. However, behind this seemingly lively banquet, there was a tense atmosphere of impending storm.

Wu Tao, wearing a light pink dress, stood dignifiedly beside Hu Bugui, with a proper smile on her face, but her heart was as nervous as a drum. She glanced at the guests around her from time to time, trying to find the traitors who were hiding murderous intentions from their seemingly ordinary actions.

Hu Bugui was dressed in a dark brocade robe and had a sword on his waist, which made him look even more heroic. He greeted the guests calmly, but his eyes were sharp and he was always alert to the movements around him. He had made plans for this day for a long time and would never allow anyone to disrupt the banquet, let alone hurt Wu Tao.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere of the banquet gradually reached its climax. At this moment, the originally noisy hall suddenly became quiet, and a sharp voice cut through the night sky.

"It's on fire! Help!"

The crowd suddenly became chaotic, and the guests stood up and fled in panic.

"Don't panic, everyone stay calm!" Hu Bugui's voice rang out in the chaos, with unquestionable majesty.

However, this sudden fire seemed to have received some kind of command and spread rapidly, enveloping the entire palace in flames.

"Protect the prince and princess!" The guards shouted loudly, trying their best to maintain order and protecting Hu Bugui and Wu Tao behind them.

"Kill!" In the chaos, several men in black suddenly rushed out from the crowd, holding sharp blades, and headed straight for Hu Bugui and Wu Tao.

"Protect the prince! Protect the princess!" The guards stepped forward fearlessly and fought a desperate battle with the men in black. With swords flashing and blood splattering, the palace instantly turned into a battlefield.

Hu Bugui was quick to protect Wu Tao from the attack, and at the same time drew his sword from his waist and joined the battle. His sword skills were sharp and his moves were deadly, and the man in black soon fell behind.

However, at this moment, a dark shadow took advantage of the chaos to bypass the guards and went straight to Wu Tao!

"Be careful!" Hu Bugui was horrified and wanted to rescue but it was too late.

At the critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared beside Wu Tao and blocked her way. With a "puff" sound, the black-clothed man's sharp blade pierced his body.

"You..." Wu Tao looked at the person in front of him in horror, but saw a strange smile on the corner of his mouth, and then he slowly fell down.

"Catch him!" Hu Bugui flew over and kicked the man in black to the ground.

However, when the guards stepped forward to capture him, they found that he had committed suicide by taking poison.

"Damn it!" Hu Bugui was furious, but there was nothing he could do.

At this moment, there was a commotion coming from another direction, and a dark shadow was seen trying desperately to break through and escape from the palace.

"Don't let him run away!" Hu Bugui recognized at a glance that it was the mastermind behind the conspiracy - the mysterious man who had been hiding in the dark!

He flew in pursuit, and together with the guards, surrounded the mysterious man.

"You...you don't come over here!" Seeing that the situation was not good, the mysterious man retreated in panic.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Hu Bugui pressed on, asking harshly.

"Hahaha... Want to know who I am? Wait until next life!" The mysterious man suddenly laughed wildly, then leaped into the blazing sea of fire behind him... The blazing fire lit up half the sky, and the flames that shot up into the sky illuminated Hu Bugui's stern face. The mysterious man finally chose to burn himself, without leaving a single word. But this did not make Hu Bugui feel at ease, as he felt that there was a bigger conspiracy behind this.

"Your Highness, we found this on the bodies of the captured assassins." A guard came hurriedly and handed over a black token. On the token was a lifelike five-clawed golden dragon, emitting a cold light.

Hu Bugui and Wu Tao looked at each other, and both saw shock in each other's eyes. This token was definitely not an ordinary object, a five-clawed golden dragon, that was a royal pattern!

"Could it be... someone from the palace?" Wu Tao covered his mouth and asked in disbelief.

Hu Bugui did not speak, but took the token with a serious expression and examined it carefully. On the back of the token was engraved the word "Xuan", with a sharp stroke and murderous aura. This word "Xuan" made him more certain of his guess that this matter was not simple.

In order to find out the truth, Hu Bugui interrogated the captured assassins overnight. However, these assassins seemed to have undergone rigorous training and knew nothing about the mastermind behind the scenes. They only knew that they obeyed the "Xuan" token.

Just when Hu Bugui and Wu Tao were at a loss, news suddenly came from the palace: the emperor was seriously ill and bedridden!

This news was like a thunderclap, exploding in the silent night sky, and instantly spread throughout the entire Chang'an City. For a time, all kinds of rumors were rampant, and people were in panic.

Hu Bugui didn't have time to think about it, and immediately prepared his horse to go to the palace to visit. Before leaving, he held Wu Tao's hand and said in a deep voice: "You wait for my news in the mansion, and don't act rashly."

Although Wu Tao was worried, he knew he couldn't help much, so he could only nod and agree.

However, when Hu Bugui arrived at the gate of the palace, he was told that the emperor was critically ill and no one was allowed to visit him.

"How dare you! I am the prince of the current dynasty and the emperor's younger brother, why can't I visit him?!" Hu Bugui was furious and shouted harshly.

However, the guard was not moved at all, and just repeated coldly: "The emperor has ordered that no one is allowed to visit!"

An ominous premonition came to Hu Bugui's mind, and he realized that a bigger storm was about to come...