I am not Yuan Shu

Chapter 314 The night of flowers and candles in the bridal chamber

When Yuan Shu entered the new house, he found Du Ning still reading. After he came in, Du Ning put down the book, stood up, stared at him for a while, and didn't say anything.

She hadn't gotten a clear look at Yuan Shu before, but now that she was looking at him up close, she realized that Yuan Shu's appearance was much more pleasing to the eye than she had just caught a glimpse of him. He was inexplicably attractive, and once she looked at him, she found it hard to look away.

At that moment, Du Ning realized that she seemed to have been chosen by the right person.

Since Yuan Shu is so handsome and dashing, then...

Will their future children also be very cute?
Du Ning began to imagine what their future child would look like.

This was the first time Yuan Shu had seen Du Ning up close. He felt that Du Ning was even more beautiful than the big-breasted girl he remembered. Her figure was indeed more proud, showing excellent development.

At that moment, Yuan Shu realized that he had made the right choice in selecting the right people, and the quality of the meals would probably be even better than he had imagined.

Perhaps because the two only looked at each other without saying a word, after a while, when Du Ning snapped out of her endless fantasies about the future, she suddenly felt a little awkward.

So she quickly bowed to Yuan Shu.

"This concubine...this concubine greets my husband."

Yuan Shu blinked, his mind instantly snapping out of his fantasies of feasting and drinking. He patted his cheeks, letting his wisdom regain its place in his thoughts, and then took a few steps forward to gently help Du Ning up.

"Madam, please rise. There is no need for such formalities between husband and wife."

Du Ning straightened up but didn't say anything.

Du Ning remained silent, and Yuan Shu was at a loss for words. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became very awkward, which made Yuan Shu feel somewhat depressed about the unreasonable marriage model of this era.

Strictly speaking, the first time they spend alone together is their wedding night, and they should soon do more intimate things. But the two of them aren't even acquaintances. What if they were both strangers? How awkward would it be for them to be together?

Wouldn't that mean we'd have to awkwardly break through the ground?

Fortunately, Yuan Shu is not an ordinary person. Someone like him, who is the leader of a large group and has a lot of experience in physical contact with his subordinates, would not lack basic social skills.

So Yuan Shu decided to find a topic to talk about, but just as he was about to speak, he glanced to the side and immediately noticed the book that Du Ning was reading, which was his own work, "On Knowledge and Action".

He immediately remembered that Du Yue had mentioned yesterday that Du Ning had read the Treatise on Knowledge and Action, and he instantly knew how to break the ice in this situation.

Yuan Shu reached out and picked up the bamboo scroll on the table. After flipping through it briefly, he laughed.

"Yesterday, Madam sent Xiaoyue to find me, and I took the opportunity to ask her some questions about Madam. I learned that Madam likes to read and has even read my treatise on knowledge and action, and has some understanding of the philosophy of mind. I was quite surprised by this, as I did not expect that Madam could read my book while living in seclusion."

Yuan Shu's topic was very natural and ordinary, as if it were just a simple chat, which surprised Du Ning a little. However, the quick-witted girl immediately realized that this was a good opportunity to break the awkward situation.

So she immediately followed up on Yuan Shu's topic.

"My husband's reputation is widespread and his fame resounds throughout the world. I don't know about other places, but in Guanzhong and Luoyang, his works, Mencius' Commentary and On Knowledge and Action, are widely circulated. Almost every scholar knows them, and even common people know them. Even a lowly woman like me knows a little about them."

"That's quite something, after all, obtaining this book is no easy feat. You've put in a lot of effort, Madam."

Yuan Shu naturally took Du Ning's hand, walked to the bedside and sat down together, then asked, "I heard that Madam has read the Treatise on Knowledge and Action several times. I wonder what insights you have gained? Do you think there is anything noteworthy about my thoughts?"

Du Ning looked up and glanced at Yuan Shu with a hint of surprise.

Yuan Shu blinked and touched his face.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Du Ning shook her head.

"No, there's nothing on your face, my husband. I just never expected that a master like you would discuss academic matters with a woman like me."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu couldn't help but chuckle.

“I believe that anyone who has read my book can discuss its contents with me. Books are meant to be read by people, and people will naturally draw their own conclusions after reading them. Whether they are scholars from prestigious families or ordinary people, as long as they are willing to talk to me, I am willing to talk to them. Many people have talked to me before, including my disciples. They have all talked to me.”

A glint of light appeared in Du Ning's eyes, but then she couldn't help but frown, seemingly puzzled.

Yuan Shu was curious.

"Does Madam seem to have some problem?"

Du Ning hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.

“Previously, I heard rumors in Luoyang that my husband was a vengeful person who would utterly crush anyone who offended him without mercy. But now it seems that my husband is not such a vengeful person at all. Instead, he seems to be a magnanimous person. It seems that the rumors in Luoyang may be wrong.”

After listening, Yuan Shu pondered for a moment, then smiled.

"You can't say that. Those who spread such rumors are probably people who dislike me or have been my enemies. I certainly don't show any mercy to my adversaries. In my view, enemies should be completely eliminated, the more decisive and thorough the better, so that more people will be warned and not to be my enemies. But for ordinary people or those who are friendly to me, I have no need to do anything bad to them. We can just treat each other normally according to our different relationships. If they just want to discuss academic matters or national affairs with me and have no ill intentions, why should I make things difficult for them?"

After listening, Du Ning pondered for a moment and slowly nodded.

"I see……"

"That's how it is."

Yuan Shu smiled, then sighed, "If one cannot be vengeful and ruthless towards enemies, one will not be able to deter petty villains; if one cannot be magnanimous and generous towards friends, one will not be able to unite people's hearts. After all, I am not just a scholar now, but also a general and a court official. What I possess is not only the legacy my mentor gave me, but also a responsibility. There are quite a few people watching me..."

Yuan Shu's long sigh suddenly reminded Du Ning of her husband's multiple identities.

Although he was young, he was already an important official in the court. In addition to being a teacher of classics, he also shouldered many responsibilities. He was so outstanding that people always forgot that he was actually very young.

Upon realizing this, Du Ning felt a surge of pity, and her gaze towards Yuan Shu softened, leaving Yuan Shu somewhat bewildered.

Why is my wife looking at me like that?

Yuan Shu didn't understand for a moment, but fortunately Du Ning quickly reacted. She then shook off her previous shyness and actually took the initiative to bring up questions, discussing the contents of the Treatise on Knowledge and Action with Yuan Shu, such as whether the Yuan family's ancestor was really Emperor Shun, and whether the things that happened to Emperor Shun were all true.

This kind of topic is naturally Yuan Shu's forte. He is extremely skilled at chatting and witty banter. Once he starts talking, he can talk a mile a minute and easily attract Du Ning's attention. Du Ning quickly becomes surprised and impressed by Yuan Shu's extensive knowledge.

It seems that Yuan Shu knows everything. She knows when the historical stories of the past happened, and she also knows all the vague contents recorded in the books she used to read.

Du Ning suddenly became talkative and chatted with Yuan Shu about all sorts of things for more than half an hour.

Yuan Shu was indiscriminate in his conversations, mixing serious and inappropriate topics, which made Du Ning feel both shy and happy, and her heart was filled with joy. She felt that the man in front of her was full of fun and she was extremely happy.

It wasn't until a candle beside their bed suddenly went out that Du Ning realized the wick hadn't been trimmed. She picked up a small pair of scissors and cut off the overly long wick before relighting the candle.

When Du Ning turned around again, she saw Yuan Shu's expression was completely different from before.

It was a gaze full of aggression.

Before Du Ning could react, Yuan Shu reached out and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, and immediately beamed with joy.

"We were having such a great time chatting that I almost forgot the most important thing tonight isn't chatting, but something else entirely. What do you say, my lady?"

Du Ning was a little taken aback by Yuan Shu's hug until Yuan Shu's suggestive voice rang in her ears. Only then did Du Ning realize what Yuan Shu was talking about and remember what time it was.

A surge of indescribable excitement and unease swept over Du Ning's normally clear mind, making her head malfunction and leaving her unsure of what to say or do.

Even though I was mentally prepared for it, when the moment finally came, my mind was still completely blank...

But Yuan Shu didn't care about any of that.

The experienced battlefield general Yuan Zijia immediately took action, using his unique skill, Flying Dragon Cloud-Piercing Hand, on Du Ning. He easily disarmed the defenseless Du Ning, so much so that Du Ning didn't even realize what had happened.

Everything happened so fast, as if in an instant. Her defenses crumbled and disappeared, and even the candles around her went out one by one. Only a few candles remained burning in the distance, their faint flames flickering and adding a unique charm to the bridal chamber.

As a seasoned general, Yuan Shu certainly knew that the key to warfare lay in speed and efficiency. Once an attack was launched, it had to be decisive and carried through to the end. There was no room for hesitation or indecision, which would give the enemy time to react.

The saying goes, "A newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger." While the enemy on their first battlefield may be inexperienced, they often possess a lethality that veteran soldiers lack. If you are not careful, you may be caught off guard and suffer a crushing defeat.

As the saying goes, the older one gets in the martial arts world, the more timid one becomes. Yuan Shu was well aware of this, so he took advantage of Du Ning's lack of reaction time to strike directly, accurately and quickly seizing two key points and launching a swift attack on the remaining center. In no time, he had Du Ning utterly defeated and routed.

Then Yuan Shu went straight to the heart of the enemy and achieved final victory.

Du Ning felt as if everything was in a dream, in the water, in the clouds, in the sky, floating like an immortal, but not in the human world.

Of course, Du Ning, being a strong-willed woman who dislikes admitting defeat, was extremely unhappy about losing her first battle.

After the battle, she fully realized that she was no match for Yuan Shu in a one-on-one fight, but fortunately, she was not alone.

So, before Yuan Shu even remembered, she took it upon herself to bring Du Yue over as reinforcements, preparing for a two-pronged attack to fight against Yuan Shu.

But she never expected that Du Yue had already been defeated by Yuan Shu and was now in a state of being loyal to one side but not to the other, no longer being Du Ning's loyal servant.

Seeing Du Ning plead for help and Yuan Shu smile, Du Ning wavered slightly between Yuan Shu and Du Ning before decisively defecting to the enemy. He actually joined forces with Yuan Shu to deal with Du Ning, catching Du Ning off guard and making her exclaim, "It's hard to guard against a traitor even if you guard against him day and night!"

Thus, in this battle of the newlyweds, Yuan Shu and his traitorous family emerged victorious, while Du Ning suffered a crushing defeat.

That night, Yuan Shu and Du Ning engaged in a fierce battle, exchanging blows and flashing swords, fighting with great enthusiasm.

On the same night, Yuan Ji and Yuan Shao tacitly rejected the challenge from their wives, left the battlefield, and chose to meet in private.

(End of this chapter)