After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 46

since the last time he slapped himself twice, Chu Hechao had forcefully avoided recalling that incident. Whenever Yuan Li flashed in his mind, he would give himself another slap. In the past few days without seeing Yuan Li, his suppression had been quite effective. It proved that the image of Yuan Li's lips and tongue that Chu Hechao had recalled the last time was just a momentary dizziness, which relieved Chu Hechao.

He gained the confidence to face Yuan Li again.

However, when Yuan Li looked at him, Chu Hechao still felt restless.

Without Yuan Li by his side, Chu Hechao suddenly felt a lot more relaxed and able to focus on his work. He efficiently slaughtered the pig, and it didn't take long for him to finish with the one at hand.

Yuan Li went to the back, washed his face, drank some water to moisten his throat, and sat under a tree to rest for a while.

But soon, he couldn't stay idle and began wandering around. He would occasionally go and see how others were slaughtering pigs, count how many pigs had been killed, and then go to the fence and chat with the people.

Chu Hechao casually turned his head and saw Yuan Li standing by the fence, talking to the people. He furrowed his brows, handed the knife to a soldier, wiped his hands, and walked over.

Yuan Li was earnestly inquiring about the livelihoods of the common people, asking about their clothing, food, housing, and transportation. "The harvest in the fields this year is pretty good, right? Winter is coming soon. Do you have enough firewood and charcoal at home?"

Youzhou was located in the northeastern part of Northern Zhou, not only remote but also known for its harsh climate.

Winter here is characterized by biting cold winds and icy, snowy landscapes. Many impoverished commoners would freeze to death due to the extreme cold of winter.

Deep down, Yuan Li harbored a constant worry.

The origin of the system was unclear, but it was evident that each task it assigned was somehow related to what Yuan Li was experiencing. Moreover, the rewards for completing the tasks were items that Yuan Li could make use of, whether in the near or distant future.

For example, the property gained from the soap, the trade facilitated by fine salt, and the upcoming "Postnatal Care for Sows" that would be useful for birthing pigs.

Even the yet-to-be-started task of producing refined sugar carried a clear foresight. This reward was obtained upon becoming an apprentice, and after completing the apprenticeship, Ouyang Ting was sent to the south as a provincial governor. This prompted Yuan Li to write a letter to Ouyang Ting, requesting him to find an opportunity to acquire sugarcane for making refined sugar.

Therefore, Yuan Li believed that the task rewards given by the system carried implications for the future.

Among the incomplete system tasks, two items related to winter warmth had already been provided. One was "cotton," which could only be obtained after entering officialdom, and the other was the reward for pacifying the Yishan Army, a "coal mine."

These two items inevitably made Yuan Li ponder. Cotton and coal, could it be that there would be a snow disaster in Youzhou this winter?

However, upon further reflection, Yuan Li thought that perhaps it wasn't this year but rather the winters of the coming years that would face snow disasters.

Because whether it was the task of obtaining "cotton" or the task of obtaining a "coal mine," Yuan Li would not be able to complete them before this winter. If there was indeed a snow disaster this winter and the system had prepared "cotton" and "coal" to prevent such events, then there would be no need to set a task condition that currently cannot be fulfilled for Yuan Li. Otherwise, wouldn't that be playing with people?