AWB Chapter 154: Many Things in Chang'an
Chapter 154: Many Things in Chang'an
The moonlight poured down like water, the shadows of the sycamore trees outside the window swayed, and occasionally a few nightingales chirped. Wu Tao just quietly nestled in Hu Bugui's arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, as if all the troubles in the world had nothing to do with them.
But the cold gaze in the darkness was like a maggot on the tarsal bone that could not be shaken off. The man in black hiding in the dark stared at the direction of the bedroom, holding a secret letter tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white. On the envelope, a bright red word "kill" was particularly dazzling under the moonlight.
The next morning, sunlight shone into the room through the window. Wu Tao slowly opened her eyes and met Hu Bugui's gentle gaze. He had already gotten up and was now sitting by the bed, looking at her intently.
"Good morning," a shy smile appeared on Wu Tao's face, like a peach bud about to bloom.
Hu Bugui leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah," Wu Tao nodded, stood up and stretched, "I haven't slept so soundly in a long time."
Since Hu Bugui was made the crown prince, they moved into the East Palace. Although it was more luxurious and comfortable, the burden on their shoulders was also heavier. Hu Bugui was often busy until late at night with endless government affairs and court officials to deal with every day. Wu Tao saw it with her own eyes and felt pain in her heart, but she could not help.
"The weather is nice today, please accompany me to take a walk in the Imperial Garden," Hu Bugui took her hand and said softly.
In the Imperial Garden, flowers are in full bloom. Wu Tao and Hu Bugui walk side by side in the sea of flowers, recalling every detail of their acquaintance and love. From the initial misunderstandings and conflicts to the later understanding and love, they have experienced too many ups and downs together, and left countless precious memories.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" Wu Tao asked with a smile.
"Of course I remember," Hu Bugui's mouth curled up slightly, "At that time you disguised yourself as a man, sneaked into my palace, and stole my osmanthus cake."
"How dare you say that," Wu Tao glared at him coquettishly, "If you hadn't mistaken me for an assassin, how could I have..."
Having said this, Wu Tao suddenly stopped, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Hu Bugui looked at her shy appearance and couldn't help laughing. He hugged her into his arms and asked, "Why don't you say anything?"
"Nothing," Wu Tao buried her head in his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, her heart filled with happiness and sweetness.
At this time, a hearty laugh was heard, "Hahaha, it seems I came at the wrong time!"
Wu Tao and Hu Bugui looked up and saw Li Xiaoyao in white, walking towards them in a dashing manner.
"Brother Xiaoyao!" Hu Bugui greeted him with a smile, "Why are you here?"
"Why, you don't welcome me?" Li Xiaoyao said jokingly, "I'm here to tell you about the latest happenings in the martial arts world, so that you won't get moldy from staying in the palace all day."
The three of them sat down in the pavilion. Li Xiaoyao vividly described the strange stories in the martial arts world, and Wu Tao listened with great interest. Hu Bugui drank tea while observing Li Xiaoyao's expression, and seemed to sense a hint of something unusual.
"By the way, I heard..." Li Xiaoyao suddenly lowered his voice, leaned close to Hu Bugui's ear, and whispered a few words.
Hu Bugui's expression changed slightly and his brows furrowed tightly.
Seeing this, Wu Tao couldn't help but feel a little worried, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Hu Bugui shook his head, "Just some trivial matters in the underworld."
However, Wu Tao clearly felt that the atmosphere was a little unusual. Li Xiaoyao's face also seemed to be covered with a shadow... Li Xiaoyao wanted to say something but stopped. In the end, he just sighed, raised his teacup and said, "Come on, drink, let's not talk about these troubles."
Hu Bugui nodded, but did not touch the cup. He looked away, as if thinking about something. Although Wu Tao was curious, he did not ask any more questions when he saw that neither of them wanted to say more. However, the uneasiness in his heart could not be shaken off.
At this time, a general in armor strode over. He was Hu Bugui's good friend and a capable general in defending Chang'an City. He bowed and smiled from a distance, "Your Highness, Brother Xiaoyao, I'm sorry to bother you."
"General, please take a seat," Hu Bugui stood up to greet him, "How come you have time to come to the palace today?"
The general smiled and said, "Now that the world is peaceful and the people are living and working in peace, it is rare for me to have some free time. So I want to make a suggestion to Your Highness. Why don't we hold a Cuju competition to celebrate this peaceful and prosperous era and to let the soldiers stretch their muscles? What do you think?"
Hu Bugui's eyes lit up. "General, this is a good suggestion! Cuju competitions are very lively and can also allow the people to see the elegance of our Tang Dynasty soldiers."
Li Xiaoyao also clapped his hands and smiled, "Okay, I haven't exercised for a long time, I will definitely go out and try my skills when the time comes!"
The general looked at Wu Tao and asked with a smile, "What do you think, Princess?"
Wu Tao smiled and nodded, "The general's suggestion is very good, I am also looking forward to it."
Thus, a grand Cuju match was decided. When the news came out, the whole Chang'an city was in an uproar. The people rushed to tell each other, looking forward to the arrival of this grand event.
On the day of the game, the entire Cuju field was packed with people and was extremely lively. People arrived at the scene early and surrounded the entire field. There were colorful flags flying, drums and music were blaring, and the soldiers were all in high spirits, rubbing their hands, ready to show their skills.
Wu Tao also changed into a light Hu costume, stood in the crowd, and watched the game with great interest. Although she lived in ancient times, she always maintained a modern heart that loved life and was positive. At this moment, seeing the players on the field fighting hard, she couldn't help but get nervous, sometimes cheering and sometimes shaking her head with regret, completely blending into this warm atmosphere.
The game was in full swing, with both sides going back and forth, neither side giving in, and there were endless wonderful scenes, which dazzled the audience and the cheers were endless. Wu Tao also watched intently and even couldn't help wanting to try his hand at the game himself.
At this moment, one of the players seemed to accidentally sprain his ankle and fell to the ground in pain.
Seeing the player injured, the game had to be suspended. The team doctor immediately came in to check the injury and confirmed that it was just a slight sprain and nothing serious. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Wu Tao watched the injured player being helped down, and secretly sweated for him.
The game soon resumed. Perhaps inspired by their teammates' injuries, the players fought harder and scored one goal after another, pushing the game to a climax. In the end, the team led by Hu Bugui was superior and won the game.
After the competition, Hu Bugui personally presented awards to the winners and expressed his gratitude and encouragement to all the participating soldiers. He raised his glass and said loudly: "Today's competition was wonderful, showing the elegance of our Tang soldiers and bringing joy to the people. I hope everyone will continue to work hard in the future to defend the country and contribute to the prosperity of our Tang Dynasty!"
"Defend our country! Defend our country!"
The soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the sky, and the entire Cuju field was immersed in a sea of joy.
As night fell, everyone moved to the Imperial Garden and sat around a blazing bonfire, enjoying fine wine and delicious food while chatting and laughing. Li Xiaoyao was in high spirits, telling anecdotes about his travels in the martial arts world, which made everyone laugh and listen attentively.
The general also relaxed for a rare time and reported some interesting things in the army to Hu Bugui, which made Wu Tao smile.
Hu Bugui always had a smile on his face. He listened quietly to everyone's stories, occasionally interjecting a word or two. The atmosphere was relaxed and harmonious.
"Your Highness, I heard that you have been learning to write poetry recently. Do you have any good works that we can see?" Li Xiaoyao suddenly asked with a smile.
Hu Bugui was slightly stunned, then smiled and shook his head, "Brother Xiaoyao, please stop making fun of me. My little knowledge is not worthy of your attention."
"Your Highness is too modest," the general also said with a smile, "but I heard that the princess is proficient in poetry and songs, so why not ask the princess to give Your Highness some pointers."
Everyone's eyes were focused on Wu Tao. Wu Tao smiled slightly, but her heart was moved, and an inexplicable premonition came to her mind...
Wu Tao was a little embarrassed by the general's sudden teasing. She coughed lightly and cleverly avoided the topic. "Your Highness is busy with affairs of state, how can you have the leisure to compose poetry? General, if you have some free time, why don't you write a poem so that we can appreciate it?"
The general blushed when Wu Tao teased him, and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Princess, you are joking. I am good at wielding swords and spears, but I'll leave the elegant work of reciting poems and composing couplets to you scholars!"
Everyone burst into laughter again, and the atmosphere became more and more lively.
It was late at night, and everyone dispersed after having fun. Hu Bugui took Wu Tao's hand and walked back to the palace. The moonlight was like silver, making their figures look particularly slender.
"Taotao, thank you." Hu Bugui said softly, his tone full of gratitude and tenderness.
"What are you thanking me for?" Wu Tao raised his head and looked at Hu Bugui's handsome profile, his eyes full of confusion.
"Thank you for coming to my side, thank you for everything you have done for me." Hu Bugui stopped and gazed at Wu Tao affectionately, "It is you who made me understand what true love is, and it is you who filled my life with sunshine and hope."
Wu Tao's heart was deeply touched by Hu Bugui's words. She took the initiative to snuggle into Hu Bugui's arms, feeling his warmth and love. Under the moonlight, the two hugged each other tightly, as if everything in the world had nothing to do with them, and only the sound of each other's heartbeats echoed in their ears.
That night, Wu Tao slept very soundly, and her dreams were filled with happy scenes of her and Hu Bugui. She seemed to see their future, full of laughter, warmth and sweetness.
However, just as they were immersed in happiness, a secret letter broke the tranquility.
Before dawn, a man in black sneaked into the Prince's Mansion quietly and handed a letter to Hu Bugui's trusted guard.
"It must be delivered to His Highness personally, without any mistakes!" the man in black said in a low voice, with a barely perceptible hint of anxiety in his tone.
The guard took the letter, nodded solemnly, and watched the man in black disappear into the night.
Hu Bugui was still sleeping soundly, and Wu Tao was leaning against him with a happy smile on her face. The guard didn't have the heart to disturb their sweet dreams, but as part of his duty, he stepped forward and gently woke Hu Bugui up.
"Your Highness, there is an urgent letter!"
Hu Bugui suddenly opened his eyes, and his sleepiness instantly disappeared. He took the letter, opened it, and his face suddenly became solemn.
Wu Tao was also awakened. She looked at Hu Bugui's uncertain expression and had an ominous premonition in her heart...