During the banquet, Yuan Li appeared to be lively and cheerful, but in reality, his mind was elsewhere.
After the banquet dispersed and he returned to his room, he finally let out a sigh and sat back on the bed, tiredly rubbing his forehead.
Feeling a bit fatigued.
Eating dinner wasn't really tiring, what was tiring was... his relationship with Chu Hechao.
Throughout the entire banquet, they were polite and distant towards each other, not making eye contact more than necessary, even more formal than when they first met.
However, occasionally their eyes would meet in the air, sparking a fire-like sensation that made Yuan Li feel a slight electric shock every time. He would quickly look away, feeling a strange flutter in his heart.
Itchy and unsettling, as if there were hidden currents wrapping around them, invisible to others but clear to them.
Yuan Li felt that this state of affairs was somewhat dangerous.
Perhaps they should see each other less...
Yuan Li silently thought to himself, at least until things returned to normal, it would be best to reduce their interactions.
As predicted by Yuan Li, the heavy rain eventually stopped after continuing for several days.
Even though everyone already knew of Yuan Li's supernatural abilities, witnessing the rain stopping as he predicted once again left them in awe and admiration of him.
The rain came at the perfect time, and after the downpour, the rivers were full, and everything came back to life. The fields were already moistened, and Yuan Li was preparing to reclaim the uncultivated land.
Only a small portion of the land would be used to plant potatoes and cotton, while the rest would continue to grow grains. This was not only because seeds for potatoes and cotton were scarce, but also because grains were more essential in their diet.
While potatoes were high-yielding, they were also susceptible to late blight. If late blight occurred, the plants would weaken, and the yield would significantly decrease.
Relying solely on potatoes as a staple food could lead to disaster. That's why even though they planted potatoes, grains remained the top priority.
The ones leading the land reclamation were mainly the prisoners of war. Yuan Li wanted to start large-scale military-civilian farming to store food for potential conflicts. However, Chu Hechao's army of a hundred thousand needed to guard the northern borders and couldn't be moved.
To pursue military-civilian farming, they would need to start conscription.
As spring approached, one task led to another. Apart from tending to the fields and waterwheels, repairs were needed in the Prince Estate, and livestock required castration or grazing. After a busy period, Yuan Li realized that news of his accurate rain prediction had spread throughout Youzhou.
The rumors were filled with mystery, claiming that the Governor was worried about the lack of spring rain, observed the weather for days, and then prayed for rain in the ancestral hall for the people of Youzhou. The heavens were moved by the Governor's compassion, and rain fell on the fourth day of the fourth month.
Yuan Li knew that these were fabricated rumors, but before he could investigate, Liu Jixin and Zhou Gongdan came to him, confessing that they had spread the rumors themselves.
Liu Jixin didn't take credit, saying, "It was actually Wen Ning who reminded me to do this. Our Lord understands the laws of nature. While this news delighted me, it wouldn't be appropriate to showcase it now. In order to prevent any negative rumors from spreading after the Wumang people leave, we took the initiative to spread this news. Please punish us, my Lord."
Yuan Li raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhou Gongdan.
Zhou Gongdan, wearing the new shoes Yuanli had gifted him, bowed respectfully. His attire and grooming were immaculate, a far cry from his appearance when they first met.
Yuan Li understood that Zhou Gongdan truly wanted to pledge loyalty to him, and he had shown his sincerity and capability.
"You've done a good deed for me, how could I possibly punish you?" Yuan Li smiled slightly, "I won't hide it from you two, ever since the Wumang people left, I have been considering this matter, afraid that they might take advantage of the situation. It's just been so busy these days that I forgot about it, but your memory of it has eliminated a major worry for me."
Liu Jixin smiled and nodded towards Zhou Gongdan, "My Lord, I can't take credit for this, it's all thanks to Wen Ning."
Zhou Gongdan modestly responded, "Brother Changyue is too kind. I am a guest of the Lord's household, enjoying the Lord's food and accommodation, so naturally, I will serve the Lord wholeheartedly and devotedly."
This was his way of subtly expressing his loyalty.
Yuan Li immediately appointed Zhou Gongdan as one of his officials, and Zhou Gongdan accepted graciously, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, my Lord, I am truly grateful."
In the presence of his own people, Yuan Li was always warm and friendly, so he helped Zhou Gongdan up with a smile, "We are all on the same side, Wen Ning, there's no need to be so formal."
Zhou Gongdan was clever and had his own principles in dealing with people. The way he organized the spread of the news about "Yuan Li praying for rain for the people" throughout Youzhou showcased his potential to control public opinion.
Yuan Li needed someone like him by his side, and he was pleased to have Zhou Gongdan as a valuable asset.
After establishing the "lord and subjects" relationship, Liu Jixin and Zhou Gongdan took their leave.
Outside, Zhou Gongdan exhaled and realized he was sweating a bit. He chuckled and said to Liu Jixin, "The Lord is kind and gentle, but I was so nervous, I broke out in a cold sweat."
Liu Jixin smiled but said nothing, thinking that a commanding figure like the Lord would naturally have an imposing presence.
As they walked towards the door, Zhou Gongdan calmed down and said to Liu Jixin, somewhat pensively, "Brother Changyue, I joined the Lord's service as a strategist, are you nervous?"
Liu Jixin replied nonchalantly with a smile, "More and more people will follow our Lord, and I am not only not dismayed by this, but rather delighted to see it happening."
Zhou Gongdan laughed, "Brother Changyue, you are magnanimous."
Liu Jixin shook his head and smiled.
Liu Jixin had long been prepared for the increasing number of strategists around Yuan Li, and despite facing some criticism and disdain due to his past disloyalty, he remained unfazed.
He believed that having more talented individuals join Yuan Li's cause would ultimately benefit their Lord.
With confidence in his abilities, Liu Jixin was certain that he could secure his position as a strategist no matter how many talented people joined.
Curiously, Zhou Gongdan asked, "I heard that when the Lord was crowned, the distinguished guest was the great scholar Cui Xuan. I didn't see him today, did he leave?"
Liu Jixin nodded, "After the Lord's coronation, Mr. Cui left, but his son Cui Yan stayed in the department of artifacts and is doing well. The Lord often consults him on classical texts. If you want to seek his advice, you can find him there."
Zhou Gongdan was delighted, "Thank you for the information, Brother Changyue."
Liu Jixin smiled, "As colleagues, we should naturally help each other."
The two of them were making an effort to strengthen their relationship, and after a few more exchanges, they were already as close as old friends.
While Liu Jixin and Zhou Gongdan were bonding, Yuan Li was actively avoiding meeting Chao Chuhe, dodging him for about ten days.
Finally, the two of them met that day.
Before the fields planned for planting potatoes were cultivated.
Yuan Li rolled up his sleeves and personally went into the field to teach the prisoners how to plant potatoes. As he was busy working, he heard someone shout, "General."
He paused for a moment and turned his head as if nothing had happened, and saw Chu Hechao striding quickly towards him from the field ridge. The tall man walked, lifting his robe and tying it around his waist, with his pants stretched over his strong, muscular legs.
He walked up to Yuan Li, casting a shadow over him, and asked in a low voice, "Have the potatoes been planted?"
Yuan Li caught a whiff of the faint soap scent on him, noticing that his clothes seemed new as if he had just showered.
He mumbled in response, turning back to continue handling the potatoes casually, "Why are you here?"
Chu Hechao's gaze swept slowly across his face, and then he crouched down, saying, "Let me see."
It was unclear whether he was referring to the situation of planting potatoes or the person planting them.
Chu Hechao was strong and when he squatted down, his body almost blocked the sunlight from reaching Yuan Li. Yuan Li's lips felt dry, he pursed them, and fell silent.
A silence lingered between them.
Chu Hechao reached for the piece of grass in Yuan Li's hair.
He moved his hand to pluck it out but stopped halfway, restraining himself and quietly said, "There's a piece of grass in your hair."
Yuan Li touched his hair, unable to find it, and then called, "Zhou Gongdan."
Zhou Gongdan walked over from a farmer's side, smiling softly, "My Lord, do you need me for something?"
"Please help me remove the grass from my hair," Yuan Li said.
Zhou Gongdan complied, bending down behind Yuan Li, and gently picked out the piece of grass from his hair, amused, "How did this grass end up on the Lord's head."
Yuan Li chuckled, "Perhaps it got stuck on my foot and wanted to come up here."
Chu Hechao stood by quietly as the two of them laughed. Something seemed to sink and rise in his eyes before he stepped back and left.
Yuan Li turned to look at his retreating figure and after a while, continued to lower his head, focusing on handling the potatoes.
The morning quickly passed, and at noon, Yuan Li had food sent for everyone to have an extra meal, and they all sat by the field to eat.
The prisoners who were planting did not expect to have lunch, so they were pleasantly surprised, grabbing their food and running to eat in the shade of the trees.
Yuan Li's meal was also placed under a tree, and everyone sat on the ground, gazing at the lush forest and the blue sky and white clouds, feeling relaxed and content.
Yuan Li and Chu Hechao were the leaders among these people, and they were given the middle seats. The shade was limited, and with many people, they ended up being crowded together.
Despite Yuan Li's efforts and attempts to avoid it, he still found himself pressed against Chu Hechao, their arms and thighs touching.
At that moment of contact, Chu Hechao's body tensed, he lowered his eyes, clenched his fists, his expression growing cold.
Yuan Li lowered his head to his bowl of food, feeling a rush of heat rising from his neck, making him uncomfortable all over.
The strong body temperature seeped through his clothes, like a burning fire, fiercely passing through his body. The intensity of the heat was overwhelming, impossible to ignore, and a strange sensation arose in his heart.
In the presence of so many people, such close proximity felt like a discreet affair, causing a sense of unease and discomfort.
Strange thoughts floated through Yuan Li's mind, causing a twitch at the corner of his mouth, which he quickly suppressed.