C55. Bigger Than You Think.
Upon arriving at the countryside estate, everyone became busy once again.
The estate had a steward from the Prince Chu's Mansion who took care of everything. The rooms where they stayed were always kept clean, though not as grand as the Prince Chu's Mansion, they had a unique charm.
The servants prepared the bedding, lit the charcoal stove, and once everything was in order, half the night had already passed.
Yuan Li and Chu Hechao's rooms were next to each other. With the night growing late, they didn't say much to each other, each preparing to rest after washing up.
Knowing they had traveled a long way and were feeling cold, the steward specially prepared hot water for them to dispel the cold. Yuan Li took a warm bath and returned to his room feeling sleepy, snuggling under the covers to coax sleep.
The countryside estate was chillier than the city estate and lacked heated beds, but with the charcoal fire burning inside, it was warm and cozy, making people sleepy.
However, Yuan Li couldn't fall asleep because his previously frozen hands felt itchy in the warmth of the covers.
Scratching at first, the itch in his hands only grew worse, keeping him awake.
Helplessly pulling his hands out from under the covers, Yuan Li saw in the dim light of the charcoal fire that his hands were swollen. Red, swollen bumps appeared where he had frostbite, making it impossible to even clench his fists, resembling pigs' trotters.
The itching was most severe on the back of his hand. Yuan Li endured it for a while but couldn't bear it any longer. He got up, dressed, and prepared to make some Sichuan pepper saltwater to wash his hands.
This homemade remedy consisted of boiling Sichuan pepper and saltwater, which had antiseptic, antibacterial, pain-relieving, and itch-relieving properties. As long as there was enough salt, Sichuan pepper saltwater could even serve as ancient disinfectant.
The downside was that it couldn't be used on broken skin as it would irritate the wound and affect healing.
Donning a heavy cloak, Yuan Li carefully closed the door behind him.
As soon as he closed the door, the adjacent door opened. Chu Hechao stood in front of the door in a thin robe, his belt loose, exposing a small section of his muscular chest.
His sharp gaze seemed wide awake, "Where are you going in the middle of the night?"
Surprised that Chu Hechao wasn't asleep yet, Yuan Li whispered, "Did I wake you up?"
Chu Hechao glanced at him and said, "Answer my question first."
"My hands are itching too much," Yuan Li admitted, "I want to go to the kitchen and make some Sichuan pepper saltwater to wash my hands."
Frowning, Chu Hechao said, "Wait."
He hurried back inside, put on his clothes, and then left with Yuan Li.
As they walked towards the kitchen together, the estate was quiet, with even the chickens and ducks asleep. The starry sky above was bright with moonlight, and a cold wind blew from the north.
Chu Hechao stepped forward, blocking the cold wind from the north, and suddenly asked, "What is Sichuan pepper saltwater?"
Yuan Li explained the benefits of Sichuan pepper saltwater to him briefly.
Chu Hechao quickly grasped the advantages of Sichuan pepper saltwater and asked directly, "Can Sichuan pepper saltwater be used in the army camp for injured soldiers?"
Yuan Li sighed and replied, "No, Sichuan pepper saltwater is used to treat eczema, soreness, foot soaks, hemorrhoids... well, it's quite useful, but it shouldn't be used to clean open wounds."
Chu Hechao was somewhat disappointed but not disheartened. His gaze shifted to Yuan Li's hands, "Can Sichuan pepper saltwater reduce the swelling in your hands?"
"It should be able to," Yuan Li replied uncertainly.
Chu Hechao said, "Let me see."
"What do you want to see?" Yuan Li asked in confusion.
Chu Hechao simply grabbed Yuan Li's hand.
The once slender fingers were now swollen and misshapen, feeling cold to the touch. Placed in Chu Hechao's long and broad hands, the contrast was striking.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Yuan Li withdrew his hand, "Don't look, it's quite ugly."
Chu Hechao didn't let go, suddenly rubbing Yuan Li's hand vigorously between his own hands. With his strong and rough hands, the rubbing made Yuan Li's hand suddenly warm, a mix of pain and relief that dispelled the itch.
Feeling so comfortable that his fingers curled up, Yuan Li automatically extended his other hand to Chu Hechao.
Chu Hechao chuckled, lifting an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"
Encouragingly, Yuan Li said, "Just rub it."
Chu Hechao smiled with a hint of mischief, "Why should I rub it for you?"
Yuan Li retracted his hand, "Well, forget it then..."
Before he could finish his sentence, his hand was captured by Chu Hechao. The rough hands of the man rubbed Yuan Li's hand gently, dispelling both the coldness and the itch. "Kid, can you be patient?"
Curious, Yuan Li asked, "How much older are you than me?"
"Who knows," Chu Hechao casually replied, "maybe seven or eight years."
Seven or eight years?
But Chu Hechao was currently only twenty-five or twenty-six years old.
Impressive, a twenty-five or twenty-six-year-old formidable general. It was the highest military rank, comparable to the Three Excellencies in terms of status.
While Yuan Li wasn't older than Chu Hechao in his previous life, when the two lifetimes were combined, he could easily be Chu Hechao's big brother.
Amused, Yuan Li chuckled softly, "You're the kid here."
As they walked to the kitchen, both of Yuan Li's hands were warm now. He rummaged through the kitchen for a while and quickly found the Sichuan pepper and salt. "General, help me start a fire."
Without a word, Chu Hechao efficiently lifted his robe and squatted down, skillfully starting a fire in just a few quick movements.
After putting the Sichuan pepper and salt in the water and bringing it to a boil, Yuan Li poured the mixture into a wooden tub. Once the water temperature had reduced slightly, he immersed his hands in it.
As the hot water caused a slight stinging sensation, Yuan Li soaked his hands for a long time until the water started to cool. Excitedly, he looked up at Chu Hechao, "General, it seems really effective; my hands don't itch anymore."
However, Chu Hechao cautioned, "It's not a miracle cure; the itchlessness could just be temporary from the hot water." Surprised, he watched Yuan Li closely, "Wait a little longer."
Chu Hechao was right. On their way back, Yuan Li's hands began to itch again, but somehow it felt less severe than before. Just as Yuan Li was about to share this good news with Chu Hechao, he felt a tickle in his throat and a slight dizziness.
Noticing Yuan Li's flushed face, Chu Hechao swiftly pulled him in front of him, "Yuan Li?"
Lethargically, Yuan Li raised his head, "Hm?"
Alarmed, Chu Hechao realized the situation was not good as he felt the heat emanating from Yuan Li's face. His expression darkened, "You've caught a cold."
Yuan Li sneezed, his voice thick with a cold, suddenly understanding, "No wonder my head feels dizzy."
Breathing heavily, Chu Hechao quickly bent down, carrying Yuan Li on his shoulder with determination, striding towards the bedroom.
In a daze, Yuan Li lost track of time and eventually found himself laying on the bedding.
The room was warm, but Yuan Li inexplicably felt cold all over. He pulled the blanket over himself, shivering as he covered up.
A pair of hands took the blanket from him, helped him out of his coat and shoes, and tucked him in tightly.
Yuan Li closed his eyes, drifting in and out of consciousness, sensing someone moving around him.
"... Young Master Yuan has always been healthy, with daily rigorous training, never catching a cold. The onset of this cold seems quite fierce..."
"Don't worry, I'll prepare some medicine for Young Master Yuan."
The noisy voices gradually faded, and Yuan Li relaxed, realizing his condition might not be too serious.
A brazier was brought closer, casting a warm glow on Yuan Li's face. His usually alert eyes flickered dimly, normally unable to sleep with just a faint light, but he found comfort in the warmth of the fire, slowly drifting into unconsciousness.
At the final moment, he felt someone sitting beside the bed, their shadow blocking the firelight, whispering softly, "Rest."
"So impressive during the day, yet now reduced to this."
Yuan Li fell asleep.
*
When he woke up again, it was the afternoon of the next day. As he opened his eyes, Lin Tian, who had been watching over him, helped him up and handed him a cup of warm tea, saying, "Lord, you've finally awakened."
After taking a sip, feeling some strength returning to his body, Yuan Li coughed and glanced around the room, "Where are the others?"
Lin Tian replied, "Mr. Yang came to visit you and the general. The general went to meet him. Guo Lin is handling the estate fire incident, and as for Mr. Liu..."
Regretful, he continued, "Mr. Liu also caught a cold and is currently being examined by the physician."
Concerned, Yuan Li asked, "Is he okay?"
"The physician says it's not serious, but Mr. Liu's health is not as robust as yours. His condition is slightly more severe and requires good care. I apologize for not noticing your discomfort, I am at fault," Lin Tian said with regret.
Shaking his head, Yuan Li tried to stand up and take a few steps. Though still a bit weak, he was much better than he had imagined. At this rate, he estimated he would fully recover in the next day or two – his recovery ability was quite impressive.
Indeed, daily exercise was crucial.
Suddenly remembering something, he raised his hands and saw that the swelling had indeed reduced, with no more itching. "Lin Tian, does the swelling on my hands seem to have gone down?"
Surprised, Lin Tian checked and exclaimed, "Lord, it really seems to have decreased!"
Satisfied, Yuan Li nodded, deciding to wash his hands with Sichuan pepper and saltwater again that night.
As they spoke, Chu Hechao and Yang Zhong entered one after the other.
Seeing Yuan Li standing by the bed, Chu Hechao's expression darkened, and he walked over quickly, "Who told you to get up?"
Yuan Li turned to him, his face still pale.
Wanting to scold Yuan Li but deciding against it, Chu Hechao said, "Get back in bed."
Knowing he couldn't withstand the cold, Yuan Li obediently returned to bed.
Yang Zhong rubbed his hands nervously and approached, looking guilty, "I'm sorry, Young Master Yuan. I got drunk last night and passed out, not knowing about the fire at the palace. I really should be blamed."
He had been drowning his sorrows in alcohol these past few days, and who would have thought that being drunk would cause him to miss the Prince Chu Estate fire incident.
Yuan Li didn't pay any attention to it at all.
The fire from the previous day, even if Yang Zhong had been there, wouldn't have changed anything. It wasn't worth dwelling on these matters.
Seeing Yuan Li's indifference, Yang Zhong felt relieved and asked how he was feeling at the moment.
Yuan Li replied that he was fine and asked a series of other questions one after another. Chu Hechao's eyebrows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he grabbed the back of Yang Zhong's collar, throwing him out.
Yang Zhong had no idea why he had incurred the wrath of this lord, "How did I offend you, General?"
"You talk too much," Chu Hechao squinted at him, "Go talk to the pigs in the pigsty."
"What should I say to pigs, I..." Yang Zhong was dumbfounded.
Chu Hechao asked, "Are you still here?"
Yang Zhong hurriedly left in a panic.
Chu Hechao returned to the room, sending Lin Tian away as well. He sat sternly on the edge of the bed, his face grave in thought.
Yuan Li, feeling bored, struck up a conversation with him, "What are you thinking about?"
Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow teasingly, "Can you guess?"
Yuan Li tentatively suggested, "The border? The Northern tribes? The Xianbei? The Wuhuan people?"
Chu Hechao maintained a smirk, indicating Yuan Li was wrong. After a brief moment of contemplation, Yuan Li asked, "Are you thinking about the fire from last night?"
Chu Hechao replied nonchalantly, "I'm thinking about you."
"Me?" Yuan Li asked in surprise, "What about me are you thinking about?"
Chu Hechao's lips curled into a faint smile, lacking any humor, "I'm thinking about how to discipline you, to make you understand that during a fire, you don't need to personally put it out. With so many soldiers and servants, do we lack one like you? Frostbite, catching a cold - are you satisfied with yourself now, Yuan Li?"
Yuan Li sighed and admitted honestly, "But if I did nothing at that time, I would have held onto a grudge forever."
Before Chu Hechao could say anything more, Yuan Li suddenly threw back the blanket and made to get up.
"What are you doing?" Chu Hechao frowned.
Yuan Li calmly replied, "I need to go to the bathroom."
Chu Hechao pointed to a chamber pot behind the screen, "There's one behind the screen."
Yuan Li said, "I want to go outside."
The general was firm, "No."
Using the room as a lavatory was an embarrassing situation. But Yuan Li couldn't hold it any longer and eventually, wearing his shoes, he walked behind the screen, pretending Chu Hechao wasn't there. As he was about to relieve himself, Chu Hechao also approached and started undoing his belt.
Yuan Li glanced at him, realizing that the awkwardness lessened with someone else present.
Soon, another sound of water softly hitting the chamber pot filled the room. Yuan Li couldn't help but glance over at him, then at himself - his face turning green.
Chu Hechao asked from above, "What are you looking at?"
Yuan Li raised his head, his thick eyebrows raised in a teasing smile.
"General," Yuan Li matter-of-factly fastened his pants, speaking in a calm tone as if discussing what they ate that day, "you're well-endowed."
With that said, Yuan Li calmly walked out from behind the screen.
Not long after, there was a loud crash, and Yuan Li turned to see that Chu Hechao had accidentally knocked over the folding screen.