Chapter 13: A Long Sigh to Veil the Tears (Please continue reading!)

From the crowd stepped forward a general—none other than Zhang Fei. Today, he was in exceptionally high spirits, carrying a large jar of wine as he approached Li Yi with a smile and said, “Sir, your talents are immense; there’s no need for modesty.”

“We are truly grateful to you,” he added sincerely.

Without waiting for a reply, he lifted the jar and drained it in one hearty gulp. The soldiers around him all praised General Zhang for his heroic spirit and boldness.

To show his sincerity, Li Yi immediately poured himself a full cup in return. Soon after, the other soldiers came forward one by one to offer their toasts to Li Yi. This was a customary ritual in the workplace, after all, and Li Yi had ample experience with such occasions.

Having risen to a senior executive position in a major corporation in his early twenties, Li Yi’s success was no stroke of luck. It was earned through steady, diligent effort, enduring hardship without complaint, and eventually returning to inherit his father’s business. He had devoted countless hours to study and learning the nuances of social etiquette, especially the culture of drinking gatherings, which he knew intimately.

Handling this rough group of men was no challenge for him.

After several rounds of drinking, Li Yi found himself pleasantly tipsy. Everyone was quite taken with this handsome young man who spoke so eloquently. Fortunately, the alcohol in ancient times was far weaker than the modern spirits Li Yi was used to; drinking this rustic wine felt more like sipping a soft drink.

Even after circulating among the guests, Li Yi remained clear-headed enough to settle down and enjoy the meal. Despite his mastery of the workplace drinking game, he actually preferred drinking and eating quietly by himself.

Just as he sat down, a servant hurried in from outside, his expression anxious. He quickly approached Liu Bei, bent low to whisper a few words in his ear. The smile that had been on Liu Bei’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a serious expression, his brow furrowed deeply.

“I understand. You may go,” Liu Bei said, waving his hand as if not wanting to dampen the mood.

Because the room was filled with noise and many people, no one paid attention to this brief exchange, assuming it was some trivial matter.

Li Yi, ever attentive to small details, sensed something amiss with Liu Bei. Setting down his chopsticks, he stepped forward and asked, “Commander, is something the matter?”

“Oh,” Liu Bei said upon seeing Li Yi, smiling once again. “We’ve been busy all evening. Sir, you must be tired. The guest chambers are ready—please, go rest.”

Li Yi was taken aback. After a day spent fighting alongside old Liu and then organizing this victory banquet at night, it was he who ended up being told, “You’ve worked hard.”

This scene stirred a memory within Li Yi.

It was a stormy night, pouring rain in the dead of night. Li Yi had ordered a delivery, and when the courier arrived, he asked Li Yi to meet him at the security booth because the rain was so heavy.

Li Yi took an umbrella and went out. He clearly remembered how the rain soaked his shoes through. Not far from the house, at the security booth, the courier handed over the food and said the first thing: “Thank you for your hard work.”

Li Yi was stunned. He thought: you braved the torrential rain at two in the morning to deliver my food—who is really the one working hard?

That moment felt much like this one now.

Liu Bei’s words today echoed what that courier had said, stirring a similar feeling inside him. It was hard to describe in words, like a sudden prick at the heart.

He couldn’t quite name the feeling.

Of course, Liu Bei was no courier.

But Li Yi firmly believed that sincerity was the ultimate weapon.

He saw that sincerity in Liu Bei. Otherwise, how could a man who had spent his early life wandering and struggling still inspire such unwavering loyalty from so many?

Perhaps this was part of the answer.

“Ha, in that case, I thank you, Commander,” Li Yi replied, choosing not to press further. If Liu Bei was unwilling to speak, there was no reason for him to be pushy.

...

Before going to bed, Li Yi decided to take a bath to wash away the day’s fatigue.

He undressed and stepped into the wooden tub, steam rising in gentle wisps.

Ah, how refreshing...

Li Yi lay back in the tub and exhaled deeply.

This was his first bath since arriving in this world.

He actually enjoyed bathing very much, for hot water relaxed the body and allowed him to think calmly, to reflect and summarize after a busy day.

Beside the tub lay the bathing supplies.

Though this era lacked soaps and shower gels, this was the residence of a city’s top official, so the bath items were the finest available at the time.

There were soap nuts, wash beans, wormwood-infused water, and wood ash...

Though these were far less effective than modern soap, being able to bathe in hot water at all was a luxury worth savoring.

These wash beans, for instance, were only affordable for the scholarly elite and noble families. Ordinary households couldn’t bear the cost.

They were made by grinding pig pancreas into a paste and mixing it with bean flour and fragrant spices.

Once dried naturally, they formed an early version of soap.

Though the idea sounded unappetizing, they cleaned quite well.

Li Yi was satisfied with that.

The only regret was that powerful nobles typically had maids or servants to help them bathe.

Even many county magistrates had such attendants. Here he was, soaking alone in a wooden tub—wouldn’t it be fitting for someone to help scrub his back?

Was there perhaps “special service”?

Just then, a soft knock came at the door, accompanied by a gentle feminine voice.

“Sir, have you finished bathing? May I come in?”

Oh?

Could there really be special service?

“Come in,” Li Yi replied.

Moments later, a young girl dressed in green entered gracefully.

She appeared about fourteen or fifteen years old, carrying a wooden tray. She bowed slightly and greeted Li Yi with a hint of nervousness in her tone.

“I am here to assist you with your bath.”

A faint blush colored her cheeks; she seemed to have mustered her courage—it was probably her first time performing such a task.

In fact, for women of this era, being allowed to do such service was already a rare blessing.

This was a peculiar feature of the times, one not to be overlooked.

Li Yi waved his hand, signaling her to proceed.

He said nothing, so as not to increase her anxiety.

The girl carefully stepped forward, took the scrubbing stone, applied the wash beans, and began to scrub Li Yi’s back.

Her hands were delicate and cool, obviously inexperienced.

The wash beans felt grainy and not entirely comfortable.

Still, her touch was gentle. After spreading the paste evenly, she used the ceramic scrubbing stone to softly scrape off the residue.

“...Sir, please, please lift your leg,” she said, cheeks flushed, summoning courage.

Li Yi raised his legs, resting them on the edge of the tub.

Throughout, he remained calm and unfazed, his face serene as still water.

The girl’s confidence grew, and she meticulously washed his feet.

Taking the opportunity, Li Yi studied her features.

Though her face was still youthful and not fully matured, her features were neat and delicate.

After finishing the bath, the girl helped Li Yi dress.

Li Yi intended to return to his room to sleep, but after only a few steps, he noticed the girl quietly following behind him...

...