C135. Cupping.

Chapter 135

The banquet that night was extremely lively, with everyone drinking and having fun, laughter filling the air.

Wu Kai, Yuan Dan, and a few others were the first to get drunk and passed out on the table.

Yang Zhongfa and Yuan Congyun pointed at them and laughed heartily, then dragged each other to pour wine for Chu Hechao.

Chu Hechao glanced at them indifferently.

In this kind of situation, these two didn't show any signs of fear. Yang Zhongfa even winked at Chu Hechao and said, "Lord Yuan is right here, General, aren't you going to drink?"

Yuan Congyun burped, not knowing why Yang Zhongfa brought up Lord Yuan, but his muddled brain followed suit, "Yeah, General."

Yang Zhongfa said, "General, you can't leave without getting drunk on such a good day."

Yuan Congyun said, "That's right, General."

Yuan Li couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, supported his cheek with his hand, and watched the scene like he was enjoying the show.

His lips were stained with the moist wine, shimmering under the candlelight.

Chu Hechao said, "I won't drink, Lord Yuan doesn't like me drinking."

"Today, it's fine," Yuan Li smiled, with a hint of mischief in his eyes, "Go ahead and drink."

Yuan Congyun slowly said, "Yes, General."

Chu Hechao glanced at Yuan Li, raised his lips, and drank the wine in one gulp.

The fragrance of wine filled the air, along with the sound of laughter and joy. The Chu family celebrated for several days, and the joy gradually subsided.

Yuan Li, afraid that they might not be happy enough, also gave them the decree he had obtained.

Both he and Chu Hechao's subordinates received promotions and titles, and Yuan Li's officials like Liu Jixin, Guo Mao, Xiang Hongyun, and others would now receive double salaries. One from Yuan Li and one from the court.

Although the court could not afford salaries at the moment, there was still a significant difference in the eyes of the people between legitimate official positions and the officials under him.

Yang Zhongfa, Mi Yang, and He Lang, who had followed Chu Hechao in killing Huyan Wuzhu, were also rewarded by Yuan Li with what they should have received.

Zhou Gongdan should have received a decree as well, but Yuan Li was afraid of exposing him, so he didn't say anything in the end.

March, the time of rejuvenation for all things.

Yuan Li took Chu Hechao to inspect the farming matters and distributed the tens of thousands of people they had brought back along the counties of Youzhou and Bingzhou.

Last year's farming in May had already yielded results during their march. By the time of the autumn harvest, the yield had increased by a remarkable thirty percent.

This significant growth delighted Yuan Li, and he praised Guo Mao, instructing him to extend the farming strategy beyond Guangyang County and implement it in the counties of Youzhou and Bingzhou as well.

"Remember," Yuan Li admonished, "do not forcibly conscript the people, let them volunteer."

Guo Mao smiled, "Lord, rest assured, leave it to me."

On the way back, Yuan Li was all smiles. Upon returning, Lin Tian gave him another pleasant surprise - they had discovered hot springs at the foot of the mountain in their estate!

Yuan Li immediately sat up, "Really?"

Lin Tian nodded repeatedly.

Yuan Li had many estates, most of which belonged to the powerful landlords of Youzhou. When these landlords were killed by the rebel army or fled Youzhou, the estates rightfully became Yuan Li and Chu Hechao's.

Yuan Li distributed the land near the estate to refugees, while Guo Lin managed the estate and its servants.

During his inspection of the estate, Ding Zongguang coincidentally discovered the hot springs beneath the estate and dug out a hot spring pool.

Yuan Li had never been to this estate before and had no idea there was such a surprise hidden within.

This was a natural hot spring that didn't require firewood to heat.

- A hot spring like the one in Mr. Cui Xuan's house.

Yuan Li immediately decided to take his hard-working boyfriend and subordinates to the estate to soak in the hot springs.

Word of this quickly spread to the subordinates.

Going to the estate to soak in the hot springs?

And getting two days off to rest?

The excitement among everyone was high, especially for the officials at the Political Affairs Hall who had been busy from morning till night, they were moved to tears.

That day, they went home to pack their bags.

Yuan Li also allows subordinates to bring their families along.

Upon learning that families can also go together, all the ladies were very joyful, with smiles on their faces as they packed their bags with the help of their maids.

Since their husbands were colleagues and lived not far from each other, the ladies gathered together to figure out what to bring and what to do once they reached the estate.

"The younger children naturally have to come," joked Yang Zhongfa's wife. "I have two young children at home, and they've never been to a hot spring before. This time, thanks to the governor's blessing, we must bring them to see the world."

Liu Jixin's wife also chuckled, "Not to mention the children, I've never been to a hot spring myself. I never expected that we could all enjoy this luxury trip together. I can't wait."

Guo Mao's wife, with a bold personality, spoke directly, "Let's just go for two days, so we don't need to bring too much. If there's anything missing, we can take care of each other."

"Guo Madam is right," smiled Wu Kai's wife, Yunniang. "March is the beginning of spring, and we can even eat wild vegetables in the mountains. They are fresh, so if you don't mind, I'll take you all to pick wild vegetables later."

The rest of the ladies nodded with smiles.

Soon, it was time to leave for the estate.

Several carriages leisurely followed behind, while the men rode horses in front, chatting and laughing happily.

They didn't rush, and if they came across any beautiful sights along the way, they would call on their wives and children to come and take a look.

Today was a beautiful day with clear skies and gentle winds.

Swallows stood on the tree tops by the roadside, building nests with blades of grass in their beaks. Occasionally, they flew by, casting shadows with their wings on the horses.

The weather was neither hot nor cold, and Yuan Li felt a comfortable laziness deep within his bones.

Halfway through the journey, Yang Zhongfa lifted his young son onto his horse.

Xuan'er was cautiously touching the horse's mane, eyes shining with joy as he asked, "Dad, will the horse feel that Xuan'er is heavy?"

"No, with your weight, the horse can carry five of you!" Yang Zhongfa chuckled.

Xuan'er exclaimed in surprise.

Yang Zhongfa patted his head with pride, "Come on, sing your favorite nursery rhyme for your uncles and aunts, show them your talent."

Blushing, Xuan'er timidly sang along the road, his childlike voice drifting through the green trees and into the calm white clouds.

"Reeds are tall, the flute's sound is long, herding cattle and sheep on the grass for thousands of miles..."

Yuan Li listened with a smile, humming along to the tune.

Chu Hechao looked ahead and slowly smiled.

They took their time on the journey and arrived at the estate after noon.

The servants at the estate had already prepared the rooms, and everyone busily packed their bags. By the time they finished, the sun was setting in the west.

In pairs, the group changed into their clothes and headed to the hot springs together.

The spring water was diverted into two pools, separated by a large bamboo forest. To ensure the comfort of the women, the servants at the estate had erected a bamboo fence around the pool for the female guests, ensuring their privacy.

The pool was dug large, lined with solid stones, and adorned with a beautifully crafted artificial mountain. The white mist swirling around added to the beauty of the scene.

The water was a bit hot but very comfortable. Yuan Li, wearing his square-bottomed trousers, joined Chu Hechao in the pool, who was also dressed similarly.

Yuan Dan, already in the pool, curiously looked at their pants and asked, "My Lord, General, what are these clothes you're wearing? I've never seen them before."

The bottom of the pool was slippery, and Chu Hechao held Yuan Li's wrist to prevent him from slipping. With a grin, he replied, "Pants."

"..."

Yuan Dan thought to himself, "I know they're pants..."

He scratched his head and didn't dare to ask further.

The pool was indeed quite large, and Yuan Li felt like he could swim around for a while. He dived into the water, arms outstretched, smoothly gliding like a fish to the other side in an instant.

Amidst the misty spring water, Yuan Li's slim yet powerful figure was faintly visible. Emerging from the pool, with hot water cascading down his face, his eyes gleamed brightly as he smiled and waved at Chu Hechao.

Chu Hechao's heart melted, and he grabbed a towel to go over and offer to wipe Yuan Li's back.

Thinking of his strength, Yuan Li's face turned slightly pale, and he decisively shook his head, declining, "No, it'll dirty the water if we wipe each other's backs in the hot spring."

Disappointed at being rejected, Chu Hechao clicked his tongue, saying, "Just showered, what could dirty the water?"

Nevertheless, he left the towel aside, leaned against the pool's edge, and remarked, "Water is water; soaking in the hot spring is more comfortable than the water heated in the manor."

"Because of the minerals in the spring," Yuan Li explained.

Frowning, Chu Hechao asked awkwardly, "Minerals?"

"You won't understand even if I explain," Yuan Li sighed, "I've told you to read more, but you never want to."

"You're just trying to fool me, Yuan Lejun," Chu Hechao looked at Yuanli with a half-smile, "Tell me, which book mentions these 'minerals'?"

After a moment's thought, Yuan Li said, "Chemistry textbooks."

Chu Hechao's mouth twitched, "And what on earth is that?"

Yuan Li attempted to explain what "chemistry" was, but he wasn't sure how to. Eventually, he gave up without changing his expression and concluded, "Forget it, no point mentioning it. You won't understand even if I explain, and you don't like reading."

This remark made Chu Hechao burst into laughter.

After the hot springs, Yuan Li arranged for a doctor to perform cupping therapy for them.

At this moment, the method of cupping was available, using cow horns or ceramic jars, but this practice was not commonly known.

Before doing it, there was a subtle sense of reluctance among the group. If Yuan Li had not taken the lead to lie down and enthusiastically invited them to join, some people might have already declined.

Watching the skilled doctor deftly insert the fire rod into the jars, Cui Yan anxiously grabbed the bed frame, feeling like he might flee if it weren't for the fear of embarrassment.

Soon, the warm jars were placed on their backs.

Interestingly, although the jars were hot, they felt a bone-chilling coldness, as if ice were placed on their backs. Not only cold, some even felt a sharp tingling sensation.

The intensity of the sensation varied - those with more flesh on their backs felt less discomfort, while those with tighter skin and less flesh experienced more pain.

Chu Hechao had thick flesh on his shoulders, so the discomfort barely affected him. Turning his head, he saw that Yuan Li was also doing fine, effortlessly allowing the doctor to place another row of jars on his legs.

Fifteen minutes later, the ceramic jars were removed. The group breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the sweat off their foreheads, rubbed their shoulders, and stood up.