Chapter 119
He had two poached eggs in his bowl, but Chu Hechao had none in his noodle bowl.
Yuan Li pursed his lips, picked up a poached egg, and placed it in Chu Hechao's bowl, saying, "One each."
Chu Hechao refused, "You have it to supplement yourself."
Yuan Li narrowed his eyes, commanding, "Eat it quickly."
Seeing his stern expression, Chu Hechao couldn't help but laugh and teased, "Do you feel sorry for me?"
Yuan Li retorted, "Do you feel sorry for making my whole body ache?"
Yuan Li grew angrier as he spoke, his words harsh and cutting. He criticized Chu Hechao for being unbalanced and even insulted his masculinity, but as Chu Hechao listened, he suddenly burst into laughter, intimidatingly saying, "Do you want to keep cursing me? Because if you do, I might get turned on."
Yuan Li shut his mouth abruptly, staring at him in disbelief.
Chu Hechao bore nail scratches on his neck, scars on his resilient chin, he absentmindedly rubbed his fingertips, placed the empty bowl on the table, and wickedly gazed at Yuan Li, "Do you know what you look like now?"
Swallowing his noodles, Yuan Li held his chopsticks warily towards Chu Hechao, "What do I look like?"
Chu Hechao grinned, "You look like someone who's been made love by me."
Yuan Li blushed deeply, his temples throbbing in anger, "Chu... He... Chao!"
Chu Hechao smiled slyly, his eyes as if undressing Yuan Li, openly lewd.
Indeed, Yuan Li's current appearance clearly showed traces of having slept with someone.
His appearance remained the same, yet there seemed to be subtle changes in the details. The mix of innocence and the aftermath of intimacy intertwined, creating a captivating allure that Chu Hechao couldn't tear his eyes away from.
It ignited a fiery passion within him.
Yuan Li warned, "Don't look at me like that."
Chu Hechao agreed, "Alright, then you eat quickly. I'm not hungry, so both eggs are yours."
Yuan Li was truly hungry, so he picked up two chopsticks of shredded potatoes and mixed them into the noodles, lowering his head to eat heartily.
The hair at the back of his head tied up by Chu Hechao was slightly loose, falling down along his ears, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere in the dim candlelight.
As he finished a bowl of noodles with two eggs, Yuan Li started to feel drowsy after getting full.
Chu Hechao stripped the damp bedding from the bed, replacing it with fresh sheets. He cradled Yuan Li on the bed, his arm around him, gently massaging his waist, "Go to sleep."
Yuan Li gazed at the messy nail scratches on Chu Hechao's neck and slowly drifted off to sleep.
While he slept, Chu Hechao remained awake. He became increasingly energized as the night went on. Before dawn, worried about waking Yuan Li, he got out of bed and did the push-ups Yuan Li had taught him, expending some energy.
Yuan Li had intended to sleep in, but his body clock woke him up early.
After a refreshing bath and a nap, his fatigue seemed to worsen. Feeling exhausted, Yuan Li struggled to turn over, pulling the covers over himself in an attempt to go back to sleep.
Concerned about his health, Chu Hechao called a physician early in the morning to examine him. The physician's evaluation showed that Yuan Li was perfectly fine.
By the afternoon, Yuanli felt significantly better. He stretched and had Chu Hechao massage away the bruises, restoring vitality to his body. Before evening arrived, he was feeling lively once again.
Chu Hechao finally witnessed the strength of his wife's body, feeling content and intimate as he held Yuan Li, "We can have more fun next time."
Yuan Li's response?
"..."
He began to worry again.
But his worries dissipated briefly.
The autumn harvest quickly arrived, and the abundant yield was transported to the granary, filling the entire Youzhou with joy and celebration.
By the end of October, reports of the harvest in Bingzhou reached Yuan Li, and he was pleased to hear that the grain production had almost returned to pre-war levels.
In particular, the potato harvest exceeded expectations. Yuan Li praised the county officials with the highest yields in Bingzhou and used them as examples for the other counties to follow suit.
Encouraged by the praise, the county officials were elated and promised to work even harder, ensuring a better harvest next year.
Yuan Li allocated some of Bingzhou's harvest for recruiting soldiers from the stationed troops, led by Guan Zhihuai and Xinzhou.
Meanwhile, before winter arrived, Yuan Li planned to repair the roads in Bingzhou.
Although preparing for a major battle usually takes precedence over road repairs, the situation was different. Chu Hechao led the troops to battle against Li Li, and Yuan Li was bound to accompany him.
The logic was simple - the opportunity to eliminate a traitor would not go unnoticed by all the lords. If they can get a piece of the pie, they must get a piece of the pie.
As one of the lords now and the appointed governor of Bingzhou and Marquis Yan, who were personally appointed by the "Son of Heaven", it was inconceivable for Yuan Li to stay behind in Youzhou and watch Chu Hechao go into battle.
And with them leaving, their subordinates would be in charge of the rear.
With tactical advisors in Yuan Li's command and skilled generals under Chu Hechao, Yuan Li trusted their abilities but took precautions. To prevent any mishaps in the rear, it was essential to repair a road connecting Bingzhou and Youzhou, ensuring swift support for troops and supplies between the two provinces.
Especially crucial were the roads leading to the capitals of the various counties in Bingzhou.
After the autumn harvest, road repair became a top priority. Aside from using prisoners for labor, Yuan Li also recruited local farmers, providing daily wages and meals.
The people of Youzhou were already familiar with Yuan Li's character, warmly welcoming government labor recruitment. However, the people of Bingzhou had not yet interacted with the new governor and were apprehensive about government labor recruitment.
This apprehension stemmed from Liu Quan's tenure as governor, where he frequently forced the people into labor to build government buildings and clear river sediment. The overseers were strict and harsh, instilling fear among the people.
The common folk worried if they didn't comply, would the governor become angry and force them into labor?
The people were worried about this.
However, as time passed, they realized that things were not as brutal as they feared. Observing the prisoners working, they appeared energetic and strong, showing signs of being well-fed.
Witnessing this, some impoverished villagers hesitated but eventually joined the labor force, preferring the uncertain wages over depleting their own food supplies during the idle farming season.
To their surprise, these villagers received their wages promptly and were provided with simple meals. Though lacking in variety, the meals were sufficient and filling, particularly with an abundance of salt.
Once word spread about these benefits, idle villagers flocked to participate in road repairs, significantly accelerating the progress.
Taking advantage of the impending winter, Yuan Li personally inspected Bingzhou.
He was welcomed by Xiang Hongyun, Guo Lin, and others, touring the counties of Taiyuan and assessing the road repair progress.
Yuan Li dined with the prisoners and common folk, partaking in the government-provided meal of millet rice and vegetable stew. While the taste was average, to the villagers, it was a gesture worthy of immense gratitude.
Finishing every grain on his plate and watching the villagers savor their meals, Yuan Li remarked, "Every grain on the plate is hard-earned."
Xiang Hongyun nodded in agreement, "Lord's words are profound. What seems simple often carries profound meaning."
Chuckling, Yuan Li waved off the compliment, "Oh, that wasn't my original saying. Don't pay it too much mind, just consider it food for thought."
On their way back, Chu Hechao shoved a paper-wrapped bundle into Yuan Li's hands. Yuanli opened it to find several pieces of dried meat.
"Your appetite has grown considerably. Didn't you eat enough just now?" Chu Hechao urged. "Come on, grab a few pieces of dried meat to fill your stomach."
Yuan Li indeed hadn't eaten his fill. He didn't hesitate and, taking advantage of no one watching, popped a piece of dried meat into his mouth.
He felt like he was going to grow taller. Recently, his calves had been cramping in the middle of the night.
He finished one piece and then another. Not bad, this dried meat was quite fragrant. As Yuan Li was getting hooked, he noticed that Chu Hechao's peripheral vision was glancing at him subtly.
Yuan Li couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at?"
Chu Hechao gave him another look, his gaze strange, seemingly lost in thought. Finally, he shook his head.
Yuan Li, feeling suspicious, leaned in closer on his horse. "Come on, tell me, what are you looking at?"
Chu Hechao cleared his throat and mumbled, "You're not pregnant, are you?"
With such an appetite, could there be his child in there?
Yuan Li straightened up, his smile unchanged, and returned the dried meat to his pocket. He stared at Chu Hechao silently for a moment, then suddenly pressed down on Chu Hechao's neck with a cold sneer, gritting his teeth and saying, "I'm a man!"