Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

In the palace, Shangguan Yu led a group of guards on patrol. They walked steadily through the palace. Unknowingly, they came to the vicinity of the East Palace.

At this time, the moonlight fell on the palace like water, and the silver light illuminated the entire courtyard. At this moment, Shangguan Yu caught a glimpse of a light figure walking out of the East Palace. When he looked closely, he found that it was Xiaowan.

Shangguan Yu recognized Xiaowan as Yunxi's former maid and current good sister. He was moved, and asked his guards to patrol ahead, and then he walked forward, smiling and saying hello: "Miss Wan'er, it's late at night and the dew is heavy, haven't you rested yet?"

Xiao Wan raised her head and saw clearly in the moonlight that the person coming was Shangguan Yu. She raised her lips slightly, revealing a sweet smile, and replied softly: "General Shangguan, you came at the right time. I just served His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and had some free time. It's still early, and the moonlight is so intoxicating tonight. I really can't bear to miss this beautiful scenery, so I'll enjoy the moon here."

Shangguan Yu smiled slightly when he heard it, and looked up at the night sky. Sure enough, he saw a bright moon hanging high in the sky, casting silver light all over the ground.

He couldn't help but sigh, "Such a beautiful scenery is indeed intoxicating. However, Miss Wan'er is alone here, which makes her feel a little lonely. How about walking with me in the palace?" Xiao Wan hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently, "I am very happy to enjoy the moon with General Shangguan."

The two walked side by side through the palace corridors. On the way, Shangguan Yu and Xiaowan chatted about trivial matters in the palace and what they saw and heard outside the palace.

Xiaowan listened with great interest and laughed from time to time. Her laughter was as clear and pleasant as a silver bell, which made people feel happy. As they walked, they came to a beautiful garden. In the garden, flowers of various colors bloomed and exuded charming fragrance, as if they had entered a dreamlike world.

Xiaowan walked into the flowers ecstatically, as if she was in a sea of ​​flowers. She bent down lightly, approached the flowers, sniffed the fragrance, and felt the beauty and magic of nature. Shangguan Yu stood quietly by, silently admiring Xiaowan's joyful look. His eyes were full of tenderness and love, as if Xiaowan was the only one in the world.

Xiaowan plucked a bright flower and carefully inserted it into Shangguan Yu's hair, then smiled playfully: "General Shangguan, you are more beautiful than flowers." There was a hint of sarcasm in her words, but more of it was praise for Shangguan Yu.

Shangguan Yu's face flashed with shyness. He lowered his head slightly and said softly, "Miss Wan'er, please don't tease me. I am a tall man, how can I compare to this beautiful flower."

However, he was secretly happy in his heart because this sentence made him feel Xiaowan's special attention to him.

The two strolled in the garden, enjoying this peaceful and beautiful time. They talked about each other's preferences, dreams and future, and the distance between them became closer and closer. In this beautiful garden, their hearts were nourished, and their feelings deepened unconsciously. Perhaps, this is the beginning of love...

The two of them strolled in the garden in a harmonious atmosphere. The breeze blew gently, bringing bursts of flower and grass fragrance, making people feel relaxed and happy. Suddenly, a crisp "chi, chi..." sound came into their ears, breaking the quiet atmosphere.

Shangguan Yu was curious and looked in the direction of the sound. He found that the sound came from the grass on the side of the road. He carefully parted the grass and a small and exquisite cricket appeared in front of him. The cricket was shiny black, and its antennae were trembling slightly, as if it was vigilantly observing the surrounding environment.

Shangguan Yu quickly grabbed the cricket and placed it in his palm, then showed it to Xiaowan. Xiaowan's eyes were attracted, and with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes, she came forward to observe the tiny insect carefully. The cricket jumped in Shangguan Yu's palm, as if showing its vitality and liveliness.

"This cricket is really lively, jumping non-stop." Xiaowan chuckled, her voice as sweet as a silver bell.

Shangguan Yu smiled and replied, "Yes, it seems to like playing with us." Then he blew gently on the cricket in his hand to make it more active. Seeing the cricket jumping happily in his palm, both of them couldn't help laughing and had a lot of fun.

After a while, Shangguan Yu suddenly asked, "Miss Wan'er, do you know that crickets have a special use among the people?"

Xiao Wan shook her head, a hint of doubt flashing in her beautiful eyes. She asked softly, "Oh? What is it for? I've never heard of it."

Shangguan Yu smiled and explained, "Among the people, crickets are often used as a form of entertainment. They hold cricket fighting competitions, and participants select strong crickets to fight. These crickets have been carefully raised and trained, and have strong fighting power. During the competition, two crickets are placed in a special container, and they will use their antennae to test each other, and then start a fierce battle. Spectators sit around and cheer for the crickets they support. The shouts are one after another, and the scene is very lively. This cricket fighting competition is not only a form of entertainment, but also a manifestation of traditional culture."

Xiao Wan was so engrossed in listening that she couldn't help but exclaim, "I see. This cricket fighting competition sounds really interesting! I didn't expect that this tiny cricket could have such great charm."

Shangguan Yu nodded and continued, "That's right. Cricket fighting competitions not only test the strength of the crickets, but also the skills and experience of the cricket breeders. In order to cultivate excellent crickets, some people spend a lot of time and energy studying the habits and characteristics of crickets. They will provide the crickets with a suitable living environment, feed them carefully, and even give them names and treat them like pets."

Xiaowan listened with great interest and was full of longing for the cricket fighting competition. She imagined herself in the lively arena, feeling the tense and exciting atmosphere, and a feeling of excitement welled up in her heart.

Shangguan Yu saw Xiaowan's thoughts and suggested with a smile: "If you are interested, how about I take you to watch the cricket fighting competition next time?"

Xiao Wan agreed happily, with a happy smile on her face. She looked at Shangguan Yu gratefully and said, "Thank you, General, for explaining such an interesting cricket."

The two smiled at each other and continued to stroll in the garden, enjoying this wonderful time. The moonlight shone on them, reflecting a warm and harmonious picture...

Just as the two were immersed in the romantic night, they heard the voices of other guards calling Shangguan Yu in the distance.

"It seems I have to go back." Shangguan Yu said helplessly.

Xiaowan felt a little disappointed, but still said goodbye with a smile: "Thank you General Shangguan for your company today, good night."

Shangguan Yu nodded, turned and left, but in his heart he was looking forward to meeting Xiaowan next time.