"What is this thing? Let me see, what good stuff can come from a small barbarian country like the Western Regions?" Lu Ying’er exhaled, pointing at her servant and ordering. Yun Shang did not retort, and with both hands offered the mirror. Lu Ying’er’s personal maid came forward to take it, turning around to hand it to her as she sat on horseback. The first time Yun Shang saw the young mistress playing with the mirror at home, she was startled. How could such a precious thing be given to a child to play with so casually? If it got bumped, it would be heartbreaking. Glassware is the least resistant to being dropped. But her own mistress appeared completely indifferent, casually saying it was a little trinket given by her senior brother in childhood, nothing critical, and she even had several more hidden away. Later, Lin Wanwan indeed took out two more mirrors, one large and one small, placing one on her dressing table and carrying one with her, which was much more portable than the heavy copper mirrors. Though copper mirrors crafted by artisans were initially bright and reflective, they were difficult to maintain and needed constant polishing, making them far less practical than glass mirrors. This matter also filled Yun Shang with admiration for the legendary ranger senior brother of her mistress. With such a powerful figure, both like a brother and a father, it was no wonder her mistress carried a constant air of confidence in everything she did. As Lu Ying’er held the double-sided mirror, she was amazed to find that the two sides of the mirror were actually different: one side reflected every detail clearly, while the other seemed to magnify the image, quite magical. The world’s first intricately complex glass mirror was made in 1507 by Venetian Italians Andrea and Gero. It caused a sensation throughout Europe as soon as it appeared on the market, becoming a fashionable item pursued and bought by nobles and aristocrats of the time. The most update n0vels are published on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⚑𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖⚑𝕟𝕖𝕥 Italy even enacted laws forbidding the secret recipe for making mirrors from being transmitted abroad, threatening instant execution for anyone who leaked it. Because of these harsh laws, Italy monopolized the mirror market for one hundred and fifty to sixty years until finally, a French ambassador in Italy managed, with great effort, to smuggle mirror craftsmen back to France, successfully stealing the secret. The mirror Yun Shang brought out at this moment was far more exquisite than the ones Italy made with tin foil and mercury back then. Such a thing showing up under the nose of young people in the fourth year of Zhenguan in the Great Tang, would certainly cause a commotion. A nearby young girl noticed Lu Ying’er’s changing expressions and curiously said, "Ying’er, let me also see this glass mirror." With a complex expression, Lu Ying’er passed the mirror around in a circle, and everyone looked at Lin Wanwan with changed eyes. Initially, when the other party’s maid mentioned that this item came from the Western Regions Palace, everyone dismissed it as boasting by a country girl. But having seen the true face of the glass mirror, they were all convinced. Such a fine treasure, apart from the noble people in the Imperial Palace, how could anyone outside own it? But how did this country girl manage to get it, and how could she afford such wealth? Moreover, she brought it out so casually as a prize for horse polo! It was too extravagant, unmatched by anyone present. Who exactly was the reclusive sage who adopted her? Lu Ying’er was silent for a long time, then gritted her teeth and reached for the pearl and jade Yingluo hanging around her neck, startling her personal maid into exclaiming, "Mistress, don’t!" "Shut up!" Lu Ying’er shot her a glare, finally removing the Yingluo, and raising it high towards Lin Wanwan, saying, "While your Western Glass Mirror is indeed rare, my Yingluo is no ordinary item, let’s compete." "Alright," Lin Wanwan smiled faintly, sitting leisurely in the pavilion. Xiao Ronghua and the others were anxious, feeling this gamble was too big, as they couldn’t afford it whether they won or lost. Lin Wanwan said to Xiao Xianghua, "Dear cousins, don’t feel burdened, compete freely, I support you all." Xianghua turned to look at Lin Wanwan in the pavilion, pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly, "I will give it my all." "Us too," Xiao Ronghua and the others quickly agreed. Because the prize was invaluable, this originally unremarkable eight-women horse polo match became captivating. In the two teams, the red team was led by Lu Ying’er, with a daughter of a County Magistrate’s family and two noble girls from local gentry in Qiantang; while the blue team was led by Xiao Xianghua, with the rest being sisters from Xiao Mansion. Lin Wanwan and little Qingyu sat in the pavilion, while Yun Shang and Hua Nong peeled walnuts for them. While eating, the two watched the competition on the field with keen interest. Using a mirror worth about a hundred to lure a Yingluo made of mutton fat jade and large pearls, by any calculation, it seemed profitable, so Lin Wanwan’s mindset was very relaxed. The two teams alternated back and forth in a lively manner, each having their victories and defeats. After watching for a while, Lin Wanwan suddenly said, "Why do Lu Ying’er and her team’s horses appear much taller than our cousins’? It puts us at a disadvantage." Xiao Xianghua’s maid covered her mouth with a chuckle, "Miss Lin, our young ladies are riding donkeys, not horses, so naturally, they are shorter." "Ah?" Lin Wanwan was surprised and paused for a moment before suddenly understanding, "So that’s how it is." Indeed, records show that Tang Dynasty women playing horse polo mostly rode donkeys instead of horses. Compared to tall horses, donkeys had a gentle temperament, small size, and were easier to maneuver. A tomb of Lady Cui from the Boling Commandery unearthed many relics, including lead stirrups and donkey bones. Researchers found that the donkeys in Cui’s tomb were smaller in size, had unusual movement patterns, and were well-fed, supporting the hypothesis that noble women of the Tang Dynasty rode donkeys for horse polo. Lin Wanwan hadn’t been able to distinguish between horses and donkeys before, but now, reminded by the maid, she could finally tell the difference. The height and size contrast was quite apparent, yet tall horses weren’t necessarily better than short donkeys. In terms of maneuverability and coordination with their riders, the donkeys on the field were even superior. Half the time of an incense stick passed, and indeed, the Xiao family sisters riding donkeys slightly edged out, with the score now being red team three points, blue team four points. "The Great Tang women aren’t bad at all, with such youthful exuberance, just delightful to watch," Lin Wanwan leisurely remarked. At their age, she was buried in books every day, sacrificing sleep for studies and battling countless problems, even doing sports aiming for grades. Just then, a sudden change occurred; a noble girl from the red team suddenly pulled her horse’s reins and charged straight at Xiao Xianghua. Lin Wanwan abruptly stood up, her heart rising in her chest. In a split second, Xiao Xianghua made a swift maneuver, avoiding the crash at the last moment. But the turn was too sharp, she couldn’t halt her momentum in time, and ended up stumbling a few steps, falling with the donkey. The crowd around the boundary rushed inwards immediately, while on the other side, with a "bang!" sound, the red team took the opportunity to score another point, as if the accident hadn’t happened at all.