After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 106

Yuan Li looked at Chu Hechao's cheerful expression and couldn't help but smile, "This is a birthday gift for you."

Chu Hechao raised an eyebrow, "A birthday gift just a letter?"

Yuan Li became cautious, "Then what else do you want?"

Chu Hechao wanted to say something lewd, but the words got stuck in his throat, and he swallowed them back. He sighed, and his Adam's apple and chest trembled slightly as he spoke, "I'm afraid it would scare you if I said it now. Let's talk about it in two years. Let you grow up a bit more, little one."

He still had two more years left in his mourning period.

Yuan Li immediately understood his meaning and asked directly, "Do you want to sleep with me?"

Chu Hechao was suddenly choked by his saliva and coughed several times. After he recovered, he looked at Yuan Li in disbelief. His face turned red, feeling that even thinking about such things while still in mourning was too immoral. He blushed and argued, "I never said that. You're just imagining things. Look at what you're thinking."

Seeing him embarrassed like this, Yuan Li sighed, "You've endured a lot, elder brother."

Chu Hechao was filled with question marks, "What?"

"You're already thirty after your mourning period," Yuan Li said with pity, "and you still haven't experienced physical intimacy."

Chu Hechao: "..."

Yuan Li reached out to touch his head and consoled, "It's okay, you don't look old. At first glance, you still look like a young man in his twenties."

Chu Hechao's temple veins throbbed, "...Could you please shut up?"

After this exchange, Chu Hechao completely lost his mood for that matter.

He held Yuan Li in his arms and talked to him about the events during the attack on Bingzhou and the current situation there. "Some of the officials in Bingzhou are still there, but I'm not sure if they're reliable. We'll have to make do for now since we can't bring in so many officials to fill the vacancies. It doesn't matter for minor officials, but we must send our own trusted people to serve as governors in various commanderies."

Yuan Li nodded, "You're right."

Youzhou needed people, and Bingzhou also needed people. Especially Bingzhou, as a newly conquered territory, the garrison forces needed to be replaced with their troops, and the upper-level officials had to be appointed by their trusted aides to firmly control Bingzhou.

The people of Bingzhou also needed to be properly settled. The winter snow disaster, combined with the uprisings, had made the common people fearful, leading to numerous cases of freezing and starvation.

Fortunately, there were no epidemics in Youzhou or Bingzhou.

The medical book that the system had rewarded was now in Yuan Li's hands, and he had ordered people to study these medical skills systematically, preparing to train skilled doctors.

Yuan Li scratched his arm and asked, "Who will be appointed as the Governor of Bingzhou?"

Chu Hechao massaged his earlobe, "Who else but you?"

They spoke casually, as if they could appoint anyone as the Governor of Bingzhou. In fact, that was the case. Since they now controlled Bingzhou, the power to appoint officials naturally rested in their hands. After arranging someone, they only needed to superficially present the matter to the emperor, claiming that they recommended someone as the Governor of Bingzhou.

In such chaotic times, the act of "recommending someone for an official position" held a unique charm.

In the territories they already controlled, the appointments were genuine. However, in the territories they had yet to control, the appointments were merely symbolic gestures. For instance, if Li Li recommended his subordinates as the Governors of Bingzhou, Jizhou, and Yanzhou, would his subordinates really be able to govern those places? It was all just for show.