Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 35 I embraced the two Qiao sisters in the southeast, and enjoyed their company day and night.

Red candles glowed with gold against the screen, silk curtains shone with amber light, sisters in wedding gowns nestled together, quietly awaiting their beloved's arrival.

Da Qiao sat upright on the side of the bed with her hands folded on her knees. Noticing something amiss beside her, she gently called to Xiao Qiao.

“Sister, have you forgotten the etiquette that Mother instructed you to follow before she left?”

"Hurry up and sit down, lest Lord Yuan come in and see us, and bring shame upon the Qiao family."

"Sister, how come you're here so quickly?"
"It's just the two of us sisters; who are you sitting there so formally for?"

Xiao Qiao leaned lazily against the red couch, her hair loosely falling onto the pillow as she sank into the brocade quilt. Through the curtains, she could vaguely see the flickering candlelight and the cool, frosty moonlight, with pastries resting on the table.

Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she lifted the red veil from her face.

The Book of Rites says: "Nothing is more visible than what is hidden, and nothing is more manifest than what is minute. Therefore, the superior man is cautious when he is alone."

"Little sister, be good. Courtesy isn't something to be performed for others; therefore, a gentleman is cautious and meticulous even when alone. Stop fooling around."

With her long, flowing crimson sleeves sweeping across the jade table, Xiao Qiao picked up a hibiscus pastry from the table and put it in her mouth, unaware that the pastry crumbs were still sticking to her lips.

Upon hearing Da Qiao's words, she couldn't help but let out a soft snort.

The Analects says: "Only petty men and women are difficult to deal with."

I am a humble person, and also a woman, unlike my elder sister.

With light, graceful steps, she arrived at the table and sat down, her fair wrist gently holding the nuptial wine, her delicate fingers picking up a pastry from the table.

Crispy pastry dipped in wine, the aftertaste is sweet and refreshing, and the eyebrows and eyes curve like the moon.

"People say that in Jiangdong and other places, it is widely believed that Lord Yuan will become the emperor."

If that day truly comes, my elder sister will be the Empress, a model of virtue and grace for the nation.

As for me, I am but a beautiful woman. I have read through thousands of lines of history, and every dynasty has written that: beautiful women bring disaster to the country and its people.

"Since she's a femme fatale, why fear his strict rules and regulations?"

Da Qiao saw that although she was smiling, there was a hint of sadness in her words, so she gently comforted her.

"That's just the words of Yu Ji Dao Ren to mislead the people. He is friends with Zhang Jiao, and now that he has come to Jiangdong to spread his teachings, he is bound to cause a lot of trouble."

I have heard that Liu Yao, the former governor of Yangzhou, has come to Chang'an to question Yuan Gong, and has since repented. They have been exchanging letters, and he has called Yuan Gong a loyal and virtuous man of the Han Dynasty.

Recently, the Emperor issued an edict, relying on Yuan Gong as a pillar of the state, and appointed him as a Grand General.

Since even Liu Yao, a former enemy and a member of the Han imperial family, deeply believed in Yuan Gong's loyalty and righteousness;

Even the emperor, who was far away in the imperial court and high above the throne, relied heavily on Yuan Gong for support.

Why should my sister care about the gossip in the streets and worry about herself?

"Perhaps? But I'm afraid there's no smoke without fire. Even if Lord Yuan wants to calm things down, how can the wind be stopped?"

"If only the people of Jianghuai, and the civil and military officials..."

Xiao Qiao's voice gradually softened, then she suddenly smiled.

"How strange! These troublesome matters should be the concern of you, the Empress, why should I, a femme fatale, worry about so much?"

"What a mischievous girl, why are you still teasing me?"

Da Qiao blushed at the words, and through her light red veil, she gave a reproachful look, pretending to be joking.

"I never imagined that my sister would be such a wise and virtuous woman who cares so much about the country. How can I, as her elder sister, not abdicate and yield my position as Empress?"

"You talk like it's no big deal."

"Someone keeps muttering about me from morning till night; it must be quite something, but I won't say who it is."

"You, elder sister, how can you harbor resentment towards your younger sister and always think the worst of her?"

"Yes, yes, how can a younger sister tease her elder sister all day long without saying anything good?" Da Qiao picked up her jade hairpin and pretended to throw it, while Xiao Qiao quickly rolled into the pile of embroidered pillows to hide.

In an instant, the red silk curtains were warm, and the tinkling of pearls and jade ornaments shone brightly. The sound of silver bells and laughter was like the golden bells of a painted boat breaking the ice of spring.

The two sisters were startled when the door was pushed open with a creak. Da Qiao quickly sat up straight, appearing meticulous as if nothing had happened.

This caused Xiao Qiao great distress. During the chaotic battle on the bed, the red veil she had removed earlier had vanished without a trace. Before she could find it, the person outside the door slowly walked in and met her gaze.

The two looked at each other, feeling extremely awkward.

Stumbling along the way, this was Yuan Shu's first time in two lifetimes, and he secretly plotted and planned various strategies for dealing with the situation.

How to cleverly build rapport, how to set an ambush to remove the veil, how to use a series of clever schemes to drink the nuptial cup, how to pretend to be drunk and feign defeat to lure the enemy into bed, and finally launch a surprise attack at night to defeat them in one fell swoop!

What a great victory!

However, Yuan Shu never expected that as soon as he entered the room, he would see the beauty reclining shyly on the bed, her beautiful eyes meeting his gaze.

She turned her cheek slightly to avoid his burning gaze. The flickering candlelight made her cheeks blush. She lowered her eyes and spoke in a voice barely audible.

"This humble woman, Qiao Xiao, greets Lord Yuan."

Da Qiao also got up from the side of the bed and gave a proper bow.

"Qiao Wan greets Lord Yuan."

Yuan Shu felt his heart pounding, and all the brilliant strategies in his mind seemed useless, while countless words were transformed into tender feelings in his heart.

He suppressed his nervousness and smiled at the two women, saying, "This way of addressing them is not proper. Get up quickly and perform the bow again."

And think carefully, in this situation, what should I call you?

"Your humble servant, Qiao Wan/Qiao Xiao, greets my husband."

Yuan Shu returned the greeting with a long bow, saying, "Your husband greets both ladies."

After the two exchanged formalities, Yuan Shu removed the red veil from Da Qiao. He saw a beautiful woman, as if she were a painting, who, though slightly tilting her face up to face him, lowered her eyes and dared not look at him.

Xiao Qiao was the complete opposite; she seemed shy and turned her eyes away, but her gaze was shifting, as if she were secretly observing and scrutinizing someone.

The two women remained silent, and Yuan Shu was also speechless for a moment. Fortunately, he still remembered his previous plan to "break through in one fell swoop." Although he had been preemptively defeated by the "enemy's" honey trap, he was now caught off guard.

Fortunately, he managed to regain the upper hand by appealing to the greater good in his words. All he had to do next was follow the plan, lead them to drink the nuptial wine together, and then feign defeat to lure the enemy.
Wine? Where's my nuptial wine?

Oh dear, General, you're about to share a nuptial cup, how could you die before even achieving your goal!
Seeing Yuan Shu's gaze fall on the mess of cups and plates on the table, Xiao Qiao blinked her clear eyes, quietly took half a step back, and subtly retreated behind her sister.

Noticing her sister's actions, Da Qiao felt helpless and bowed to Yuan Shu again.

"My lord, please forgive me. My sister and I have not eaten all day and were feeling very hungry. We accidentally drank some wine. Please forgive us."

"It's alright! It's just a little food and drink. It was my oversight. I should have had the servants send more."

Yuan Shu was heartbroken that the "enemy army" had laid an ambush beforehand, resulting in the loss of one of his generals.

He remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he thought that it was nothing to worry about; the nuptial wine was merely a convenient way for him to feign infidelity.

Now that we've fallen into their trap, the only option is to put on a show of acting skills and risk our lives to break through to the bedside.

Having made up his mind, the two women saw him stagger and fall towards the bed, so they quickly went to help him up.

"Husband!/Husband?"

"Perhaps it's because I'm in high spirits tonight and drank a bit too much with my ministers, but why do I feel dizzy and lightheaded?"

Yuan Shu displayed the bravery of breaking out of a siege by ten thousand troops; how could the two women possibly withstand him?

Dragged and pulled, the hairpins swayed slightly, making soft rustling sounds, and the three of them rolled onto the bed.

Hearing her drunken, hazy whispers, he seized the opportunity to strike and break through, eliciting gasps and coquettish replies. How could he not know that such a beauty, so captivating and enchanting, was a rare find?

The way is:
The fragrance of orchids and musk permeates the embroidered curtains; her silk sash is half-undone, revealing her icy skin. She is like a spring crabapple lying in soft smoke, with silver needles embroidering twin lotus blossoms!
　Thank you everyone for your monthly tickets, thank you for your love and generous donations!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)