Chapter 35: What Man Doesn’t Love a Foot Bath? The Crime of Deceiving the Emperor
Chapter 35: Chapter 35: What Man Doesn’t Love a Foot Bath? The Crime of Deceiving the Emperor
"Back from reviewing your troops, my dear husband? Why not send the elites of your Mao Camp to the capital to cleanse the court and execute the wicked consort?"
As Pei Shaoqing entered, Xie Qingwu teased him with a grin. She had already put her book away and was now lying on her side on the daybed, propping her head up with one hand.
"The Mao Camp is newly established; it’s not ready for such a major undertaking," Pei Shaoqing replied with a straight face. He sat down beside her and shouted toward the door, "Bring water! I want to wash my feet."
"Young Master." A moment later, Zhao Zilan, dressed in an emerald-green gown, pushed open the door and entered carrying a basin of water.
Xie Qingwu glanced at her coolly. She could, of course, see that the young woman had been trying her best to cozy up to Pei Shaoqing lately, but she chose to turn a blind eye.
First, she and Pei Shaoqing weren’t actually husband and wife.
Second, she figured Pei Shaoqing was getting pent-up. Having a maid around to relieve his urges would keep him from constantly getting ideas about her.
Even fending off his advances grew tiresome.
Pei Shaoqing smiled faintly. "It’s an honor to have Miss Zhao wash my feet. I’ll be in your care."
’A foot washing! Excellent.’
’What man doesn’t love a good foot washing?’
"Please lift your foot, Young Master." Zhao Zilan squatted before Pei Shaoqing, set down the basin, and began to remove his shoes.
She kept her head down, her heart filled with misery. ’After all, I’ve never even washed the feet of my master or his wife.’
’And now, I have to serve this vile official.’
Sitting on the daybed, Pei Shaoqing looked down, admiring the gentle curve of Zhao Zilan’s back and her small, pert bottom, which appeared even rounder as the fabric of her dress stretched taut from her squatting position.
Her figure was nowhere near as curvaceous or alluring as the fully developed Xie Qingwu or Liu Yuheng—and paled in comparison to Ye Hanshuang—but her charm was in her youth and innocence.
’A girl who’d been pampered her whole life, treated like a precious treasure, now forced to abandon all her dignity and pride just to please him... It’s a pretty great feeling.’
Outside the window, an uneasy Liu Yuheng peeked through a crack in the frame. Seeing her beloved disciple washing a man’s feet made her heart ache. ’Such a good girl... If only we elders weren’t so powerless, she would never have been reduced to this.’
Zhao Zilan kept her head down, eyes rimmed with red as she earnestly scrubbed Pei Shaoqing’s foot. Suddenly, she felt a cool draft on her chest. Pei Shaoqing had used his other foot to hook open her collar.
She snapped her head up, a mix of shame, panic, and fury written on her face as she glared at him.
Pei Shaoqing, however, was completely unabashed. A smirk played on his lips as he stared back at her. His toes, nimble and deft, slipped further into her robes. The skin of a girl untouched by a man was like fine cream—delicate, smooth, and flawless.
Zhao Zilan’s body trembled. Full of shame, anger, and a flicker of guilt, she glanced toward Xie Qingwu, only to see that the other woman’s back was turned, completely oblivious to what was happening.
Biting her lip, she lowered her head and pretended nothing was happening. Her body continued to tremble as she washed his feet, allowing him to take liberties with her.
’This is all my fault, a result of my own willfulness. This is the price I must pay. For the sake of the Iron Sword Sect, I can’t resist. I absolutely cannot disappoint my master.’
Due to her vantage point, Liu Yuheng, still outside the window, did not witness this sordid scene. She had no idea that her beloved disciple had already been forced to open herself to Pei Shaoqing. Believing it was just a simple foot washing, she set aside her worries and quietly departed.
"Young Master, it’s... time to dry your feet," Zhao Zilan stammered, her voice trembling. An eternity seemed to have passed, an agonizing torment that left her face flushed and her heart filled with humiliation.
Pei Shaoqing gently kicked aside the cloth she offered. "This towel is a bit too coarse," he said with a smile. "It wouldn’t do to have it scratch my ’jade feet’."
Zhao Zilan froze for a second before his meaning dawned on her. Tears welled in her eyes as she slowly untied the strap around her neck. The moment she pulled away her bodice, a chill washed over her as she realized her chest was completely bare. In an instant, even the tips of her ears turned pink.
’It was the first time a man had ever seen her body.’
She closed her eyes in shame and, using the bodice still warm from her body, dried the water from Pei Shaoqing’s feet.
"That was very relaxing. Go get some rest," Pei Shaoqing said gently, a faint smile on his lips. He looked so respectable on the outside; who would ever guess he was so depraved?
Zhao Zilan hastily pulled her robes shut, clutched her bodice, and hurried away with the basin. The moment she closed the door behind her, she could no longer hold back. She collapsed in the courtyard, curling into a ball and sobbing.
............
The next morning, Pei Shaoqing woke in a daze. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of an enormous cat head.
"My Lord," said General Li, who was squatting on the pillow, "I went to check on that suspicious person my beloved consort mentioned last night. It’s the Kaiyang Saint Heir of the Profound Yellow Sect."
Pei Shaoqing raised an eyebrow. "The Kaiyang Saint Heir?"
’Who’s that? I’ve never heard of him!’
Xie Qingwu, who was combing her hair before a mirror nearby, commented nonchalantly, "He’s one of the seven disciples of the Profound Yellow Sect’s leader. They’re named after the seven stars of the Big Dipper—the men are called Saint Heirs, the women Saintesses. They hold a very high status within the sect."
"Goes to show you the importance of reading," Pei Shaoqing remarked before turning back to General Li. "Is there more?"
"He’s here to hunt down a traitor from the Profound Sect named Zhou Shunqing. The traitor possesses a Spirit Pill and knows a blood-sucking Evil Skill." General Li’s whiskers twitched as he laid out all the details.
’Could Zhou Shunqing be the murderer behind the dried corpse case?’ Pei Shaoqing felt that as a Standard-Bearer of the Jing’an Guard, it was his duty and responsibility to capture the man and bring him to justice.
’It’s definitely not because of the Spirit Pill he’s carrying.’
’It’s purely for the sake of upholding justice.’
’Of course, the Spirit Pill could be seen as a reward for my efforts. A man has to reward himself.’
Wait a minute! Something wasn’t right. He eyed General Li suspiciously. "How do you know all these details so clearly? It’s as if you saw it happen yourself."
"Er... well... you see..." General Li’s eyes darted about, his mind racing. He stammered, "Last night, County Magistrate Wang happened to be visiting the Kaiyang Saint Heir. I overheard their conversation myself."
"My dear minister Li, deceiving your lord is a capital offense," Pei Shaoqing said. His intuition told him the fat cat was hiding something.
The fat on General Li’s face trembled. "I would not dare!"
"You still dare say that!" Pei Shaoqing’s hand shot out, grabbing the cat by the throat and lifting him into the air. A cold smile played on his lips. "If you really had nothing to hide, you would have immediately jumped up and denounced me for suspecting a loyal minister."
He knew the cat’s personality all too well.
"Let go! I’ll talk! I’ll talk!" General Li’s tongue lolled out as he struggled, his paws flailing wildly.
Pei Shaoqing snorted and released him. "Speak!"
"COUGH! COUGH-COUGH!" After hitting the floor, General Li coughed and gasped for air. Once he’d recovered, he looked up at Pei Shaoqing with a guilty expression and began to confess.
"Inside the Jade Pendant... there was also a vial of Elixirs for awakening the minds of beasts. I bestowed them upon several of my beloved consorts. While they cannot speak, they can now understand human speech. One of my consorts happened to be present when the Kaiyang Saint Heir and County Magistrate Wang were speaking."
’No wonder the damn cat ran off with the Jade Pendant so quickly. There really was something else inside.’ Pei Shaoqing’s expression darkened. "Was there anything else in the Jade Pendant?"
"Nothing! There’s really nothing else this time!" General Li shook his head so fast it looked like a blur. To make his words more believable, he even explained his motive for hiding the Elixirs. "As both Military Advisor and Grand General, wouldn’t it be pathetic if I didn’t have a single soldier to command?
The only reason I held back that vial of Elixirs was to enlighten a few clever subordinates, the better to contribute to my Lord’s grand ambitions of conquest. I swear I have no ulterior motives!"
’He remembered how he had granted official and general titles to all the bandits in the mountain stronghold, yet not a single one of them had listened to the orders of their Military Advisor and Grand General. He was just a figurehead!’
’From that moment on, he realized he needed a core group of trusted followers who would look only to him for guidance.’
Pei Shaoqing watched General Li quietly. Based on his understanding of the cat, he could tell it wasn’t lying this time.
’Which, conversely, made him a little disappointed.’
’So it’s really all gone!’
"So, you’re saying you now have several demons under your command?" Xie Qingwu asked, recovering from her shock.
General Li quickly explained, "No, no, no! They’re just beasts with heightened intelligence. They’re a long way from being called demons. At least, they don’t have a demonic aura like I do."
"How many are there in total?" Pei Shaoqing asked.
General Li answered obediently, "Four. There were only four Spirit Awakening Pills left in the vial."
"I’ll let it slide this time," Pei Shaoqing said calmly. "Have your cats keep a close watch on the Kaiyang Saint Heir and County Magistrate Wang. And have them search the entire city for Zhou Shunqing."
’This actually works out well for me,’ he thought. ’General Li really does need some smart subordinates.’
General Li immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Beaming, he patted his chest and declared, "Rest assured, My Lord! My elite forces and I will not disappoint you!"
’It was time for him and his Mao Camp to redeem themselves through meritorious service!’