C155. Sigh.

C155. Sigh.

Yuan Li finalized the character "Wen" for his fiefdom, and thus Jizhou and Bingzhou became "Wen Gongguo."

Yuan Li finally had his own principality.

Within Wen Gongguo, Yuan Li held supreme power. He could collect taxes, govern the people's land, and have his own army. His position as Duke of Wen could be inherited, he could build the Yuan clan temple within his fiefdom, and he could appoint officials and establish a small court.

At the same time, he also had obligations to fulfill, such as paying tribute to the emperor, reporting on his affairs, and raising troops to help the emperor suppress rebels when necessary.

In other respects, Yuan Li's power did not differ much from that of the two princes of different surnames, the Prince of Chen and the Prince of Chu.

The lands of Prince Chen and Prince Chu are called "kingdoms (王国)", with Yangzhou as the land of Prince Chen and Youzhou as the land of Prince Chu. Meanwhile, Yuan Li's land is known as a "duchy (公国)".

———

TNote:

Kingdom (王国): In ancient China, Kingdoms were typically semi-autonomous and enjoyed a significant degree of independence from the central government.

Duchy (公国): A duchy was a smaller and less powerful political entity than a kingdom, typically ruled by a duke or other noble.

———

In reality, there isn't much difference between a "kingdom" and a "duchy", the main distinction lies in the status of the ruler, which doesn't affect Yuan Li.

After choosing his title, Yuan Li must also decide on the capital of his duchy.

Should he choose Jizhou Ye County or Bingzhou Jinyang?

After discussions, Yuan Li decides to set the capital of his duchy in Jizhou Ye County.

One reason is that Bingzhou is already stable and does not require his presence, while Jizhou has just been acquired and needs his personal attention. Second, Jizhou is much wealthier compared to Bingzhou, and its geographical location is more advantageous in terms of military strategy.

Therefore, Yuan Li decides to establish Jizhou Ye County as his capital and begins to appoint his subordinates to various positions in his court. He replicates the system of the Political Affairs Hall, replacing the Shangshu Tai, to oversee governmental affairs as the central institution of the country. He also establishes a new organization, the Military Affairs Bureau, to manage military matters.

These two institutions, one focusing on governance and the other on military affairs, fall directly under Yuan Li's control, enabling him to handle all matters of his duchy.

Since his capital is in Jizhou, Yuan Li, as Duke Wen, needs to move to Jizhou to reside there and must transform Jizhou into his stronghold before returning to Youzhou at least. When Chu Hechao learned of this, he decided to move with Yuanli to Jizhou Ye County, considering it a change of environment.

Upon arriving in Ye County, Yuan Li, dressed in the attire bestowed upon him by the emperor as Duke Wen, solemnly presided over a grand sacrificial ceremony.

As Yuan Li gradually ascended to his seat, his officials below were moved to tears with excitement. That day, everyone joyfully participated in the banquet, drinking, dancing, and reveling in happiness.

Yuan Li's subordinates were all appointed to their respective positions, becoming officials of Wen State and receiving promotions. This marked a significant turning point, and the smiles on everyone's faces continued even after the banquet ended.

During the celebration, Yuan Li was toasted by his officials many times, and despite his decent alcohol tolerance, he couldn't help but feel a bit tipsy.

After everyone left, his high spirits persisted as he wandered around the unfamiliar Governor's Mansion with Chu Hechao.

The Governor's Mansion was where Wu Shanshi resided in the past. While appearing ordinary on the outside, it was a magnificent and luxurious place on the inside. With flowing water, small bridges, bamboo groves, artificial mountains, and precious flowers, it exuded an elegant and sophisticated charm typical of southern gardens.

The living quarters were even more extravagant, filled with antiques, jewels, and silk, all designed in imperial style. The luxury surpassed even that of the emperor residing in Yangzhou.

When Yuan Li arrived during the day, he was startled by the golden roof of the Governor's Mansion and immediately ordered it to be removed to avoid any controversy.

As construction had not yet begun, he walked from the south to the north, admiring jade carvings of mythical beasts and passing under roofs made of golden tiles. His gaze wandered from lush greenery to the clear moon in the sky, his robes fluttering in the wind as he seemed to soar on the breeze.

He was drunk.

Chu Hechao held his hand, firmly grasping it as if afraid he might actually fly away with the evening breeze carrying a refreshing coolness. Chu Hechao gaze focused on Yuanli, suddenly reaching up to remove his jade crown.

Yuan Li's black hair, coiled on top of his head, cascaded down to his back. Upon turning his head, he smiled at Chu Hechao for no apparent reason, questioning, "What are you doing?"

"You're drunk," Chu Hechao observed, "Are you this happy like this?"

Yuan Li nodded honestly, with a smile on his lips, "Happy."

Chu Hechao couldn't help but smile too, "I am happy too."

The two of them stood there, smiling foolishly for a while before slowly walking back hand in hand.

"You look good in this outfit," Chu Hechao remarked.

The traditional court attire was intricate, comprising nine layers, but each layer of fabric was lightweight and comfortable. Once dressed, Yuan Li's already handsome features seemed untouchable and exuded a noble air, capturing Chu Hechao's gaze, making him want to strip off Yuan Li's clothes.

Yuan Li chuckled, feeling elated, he dragged Chu Hechao around in circles, yet they still couldn't find the master bedroom.

The place was too vast, and they were lost.

Surveying the surroundings, Chu Hechao found everything looked the same, unable to figure out the directions, and clicked his tongue, "Look at the way you're leading."

Yuan Li proudly declared, "I will lead you out right now."

Chu Hechao chuckled.

Not one to back down, Yuan Li proposed a bet, "How about we make a wager? If I can lead you out within a quarter of an hour, I win."

At the mention of "betting", Chuhé Chao became wary, "What are we betting on?"

Having walked for some time, Yuan Li, now mostly sober, mischievously suggested, "Let's bet three taels of silver."

Three taels of silver equated to Chu Hechao monthly allowance.

Chu Hechao hesitated, "...I won't bet."

Struggling to contain his amusement, Yuan Li pretended to look disappointed, shaking his head, "The mighty General of the Northern Zhou, too scared to even bet three taels of silver, how disappointing."

Chu Hechao remained impassive, refusing to speak.

The more taciturn Chu Hechao remained, the more Yuan Li wanted to tease him. Resting his chin on his hand, Yuan Li suggested, "How about this? You propose a reward if you win?"

"Anything?" Chu Hechao asked.

Yuan Li, not naive, replied, "You go first."

Speaking vaguely, Chu Hechao's voice was too low for Yuan Li to hear clearly.

Furrowing his brows, Yuan Li requested, "Speak louder."

"I want to undress you," Chu Hechao raised his voice, his ears turning red.

Initially, Yuan Li wasn't bothered, as his clothes had been torn by Chu Hechao countless times before. But now, with Chu Hechao's ears flushing red and that statement, Yuan

Li's face turned crimson, coughing several times in embarrassment, trying to play it off casually, "If you want to undress me, then go ahead."

Chu Hechao wanted Yuanli to kiss him as well, he saw that Yuanli was being accommodating, so he climbed up the pole and hugged Yuan Li, burying his head in Yuan Li's shoulder and acting coquettishly like a big dog, "You haven't kissed it in a long time."

Yuan Li didn't give in at all, "No."

He held up a finger against the man pressed to his body, "Either take off my clothes or kiss me, choose one."

Chu Hechao sighed and left a mark on his neck, "Take off your clothes, take off your clothes."

"Are you sure you want to bet with me?" Yuan Li asked again, "If you lose, I won't give you money next month."

"I'll bet," Chu Hechao said boldly, "I love this reward. Even if I have to bet thirty thousand taels with you, I'm willing."

So, when it came to this matter, he was truly willing, without any hesitation.

Yuan Li twitched his lips, looked around, and then turned back.

But as the quarter of an hour passed, Yuan Li still hadn't found the way back. Not only that, it seemed like they were going even deeper and found themselves in a deserted grove.

Feeling tired, Yuan Li flopped on the ground, gazing at the stars in the sky, "I give up, too tired to continue searching."

Chu Hechao chuckled at his surrender, "It's better to admit defeat early. Let me teach you, sometimes one can't be too stubborn."

Yuan Li turned over, "I don't want to hear you speak, you're so annoying."

Amused, Chu Hechao leaned over and held Yuanli's hands, "I was originally planning to undress you in the room, but now I'll do it here."

Wide-eyed, Yuan Li was shocked, "Here?!"

Whether it was a joke or serious, Chu Hechao's hand reached Yuan Li's belt, effortlessly restraining Yuan Li's struggle as if subduing a flipped turtle. With a meaningful smile on his handsome face, he whispered, "There's no one here. Don't you want to give it a try?"

Yuan Li swallowed hard, never having experienced such excitement before.

The wind outside blew gently but Yuan Li, wearing multiple layers of clothing, felt hot. The alcohol he drank earlier was getting to his head, making him feel a bit restless.

Pretending to resist for a moment, Yuan Li relaxed, letting Chu Hechao deftly undo his belt.

With nine layers of clothing, one by one, Chu Hechao undressed him. After removing three pieces, Chu Hechao could see Yuan Li's clothes covering the entire grassy field.

The young man with splayed black hair lay among the clothes, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"...Damn," Chu Hechao cursed, his nose itching, before lifting Yuan Li and quickly heading back to the main bedroom.

Caught off guard, Yuan Li questioned, "Aren't you going to finish undressing me?"

"Forget it!" Chu Hechao scolded, "Continue undressing when we get back!"

Yuan Li felt a bit of regret, "Oh."

Chu Hechao's forehead vein pulsed as he smacked Yuan Li's buttocks, muttering under his breath, "There are bugs on the ground, do you really want to be naked outside and let me have my way with you?"

Yuan Li's curiosity about outdoor antics immediately faded, "No, let's go back."

A few days later, two familiar individuals arrived in Jizhou — the weary but capable Xiang Hongyun and Jian Shaoning.

Having performed exceptionally well in Bingzhou, they were summoned by Yuan Li to aid in Jizhou.

Upon their arrival in Yexian, they paid a visit to Yuan Li. With a smile, Yuan Li invited them to sit down and engaged in lengthy discussions with them.

However, their conversation was noticeably more guarded than before. Xiang Hongyun was particularly respectful, while Jian Shaoning, who used to be at ease with Yuan Li, no longer dared to use Yuan Li's courtesy name.

"Shaoning, I heard your wife is already five months pregnant," Yuan Li inquired.

Two years ago, Jian Shaoning had gotten married.

Standing up, Jian Shaoning bowed politely, "You have heard, Governor, my wife is indeed five months pregnant."

Yuan Li paused, then swallowed his sigh, putting on a nonchalant smile, "When your child is born, be sure to bring them to show me. Your child is bound to be charming and appealing."

Relaxing slightly, Jian Shaoning replied, "It is the child's good fortune to receive your praise, Governor."

After a moment of silence, Yuan Li suddenly felt like ending the conversation and waved his hand, "I have prepared a mansion for you. Rest well today, and we'll discuss official matters tomorrow."

The two men got up, bowed respectfully, and left the Governor's Mansion.

Once they were gone, Yuan Li sat alone, sipping his tea and contemplating.

After a while, the room gradually darkened, and a soft sigh could be heard.