The Taijin Palace was surrounded by trees on all sides. At night, it was darker here than in other places.
Lingyin had boiled a large tub of hot water. She helped Qin Ming loosen his clothes, her face flushing red, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
"Lingyin, raise your head," Qin Ming said.
"I won't," she replied.
"Look at me, I don't mind," Qin Ming persisted.
"I won't look," Lingyin said again.
"Lingyin, look quickly, my wound on my stomach has reopened," Qin Ming said playfully.
Lingyin immediately raised her head in concern.
"Where, where has it reopened?" she asked.
Then she realized that Qin Ming was smiling at her.
"See! You looked after all!" Qin Ming teased.
"Oh, Qin Ming, you tricked me!" Lingyin grabbed his arm.
"Go soak in the bath. The long princess said that only by doing this can your internal injury heal faster."
"I won't soak."
Lingyin turned to face him, her eyes wide in surprise.
"What? You won't soak? How can you not? I've been boiling water for so long."
Qin Ming leaned in closer, gently smiling.
"Unless Lingyin Sister comes with me."
Lingyin's face instantly turned bright red.
She lowered her head, gripping the large braid of her hair in her hands.
"Th-that's not possible."
"Why not?" Qin Ming asked.
"It just isn't!" she replied.
"There's only the two of us in the palace," Qin Ming pointed out.
"That bath tub is too small for two people," she countered.
"If it's too small, then let's stay close together," Qin Ming said.
Lingyin was at a loss for words.
She clenched her fist and lightly punched Qin Ming's shoulder.
"Stop fooling around. Don't tease me."
With that, she turned and ran into the room.
Although she had refused verbally, once inside, she walked over to the bath tub to check if two people could fit. She found herself contemplating whether it was possible or not.
...
On the halfway up East Buddha Mountain, two male travelers were standing guard in a small pavilion.
"Tonight there's a ball on the mountain, and here we are standing watch. How unlucky," one of them complained.
"It's alright, let them dance. Later, I'll take you to the dungeon to enjoy it," the other said.
"You have the keys to the dungeon?"
"Of course! Three days ago, we robbed two native families and captured four women. They're fresh and ripe."
"It's fantastic! I'm going to enjoy it!"
"These natives are nothing but trash, they deserve to be humiliated," one traveler said.
"Right, they're basically beasts! It's nothing wrong with humiliating beasts."
Suddenly, a cold gust of wind blew past them.
Both travelers quickly tightened their grip on their swords.
"W-who's there?"
"Shhh—"
A streak of white sword energy passed in front of them.
The two travelers froze, unable to move.
In the next breath, the long princess, dressed in black armor and holding the Moonshadow Sword, stood before them, her killing aura radiating.
The travelers tried to scream, but no sound came from their throats.
Before they could process what had happened, their throats were cut open with a single strike.
Behind the long princess, the Mengtu and the Demon Suppression Guards rushed forward.
The cliffs on all sides were lined with guards who were swiftly climbing.
They were silent, their bodies coated in white ice, completely hidden from sight.
The long princess led the charge at the front.
Her strength was amplified in the snow with her Nine Yin Cold Ice Art.
Without making a sound, she cut off the throats of the thirteen outposts on East Buddha Mountain.
...
After his bath, Qin Ming wore a white robe.
The room was warm with a fire burning, and it wasn't cold at all.
He had just sat on the edge of the bed when Lingyin came in, carrying another bucket of hot water. She placed it beside him and reached down to grab his foot.
Qin Ming was startled.
"Lingyin, what are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm washing your feet," she replied casually.
"No need, no need," Qin Ming hurriedly waved his hand.
In modern times, he wouldn't think of accepting such services.
"It's fine, just let me do it. It'll warm you up. My mother said that washing a man's feet with hot water is good for him!"
Qin Ming wanted to refuse again, but Lingyin had already grabbed his foot and forced it into the hot water bucket.
The water was hot! It felt so good!
Lingyin's technique was even more soothing.
She gently massaged his feet while smiling.
"Lingyin, what are you smiling about?" Qin Ming asked.
"I'm not smiling about anything," she replied.
"But your face can't hide the smile. What's so funny?"
Lingyin lowered her head, her voice soft like a mosquito's buzz.
"Don't you… don't you know?"
Qin Ming's brain started to race.
What does she mean? What am I supposed to know?
Is there some special significance to a woman washing a man's feet?
Could it be some custom from her hometown?
"Lingyin, you know, my parents died early. There were some customs no one taught me."
"Oh!" Lingyin's eyes widened in realization.
"So that's it. No wonder you refused when I wanted to wash your feet."
"Lingyin, is there some special meaning behind this? I've never had a chance to learn about these things from any elders."
"Of course there's significance," Lingyin replied softly. "My mother always said that a woman can only wash her husband's feet. If you do, it means you've recognized him as your husband and you'll follow him forever."
"So that's how it is!" Qin Ming thought, relieved that he hadn't rejected her earlier.
Otherwise, would Lingyin have thought that he didn't want to marry her?
The cultural differences were huge!
Back on Earth, if he sat on a bed and asked his girlfriend to wash his feet, she might have thrown the foot basin at his face!
A quarter of an hour later.
Qin Ming pulled Lingyin to sit beside him.
"Lingyin, the water's still hot. You should wash your feet too. Let's do it together."
"How can we do that? That's not proper!" she protested.
"What's improper about it?" Qin Ming asked.
"Doing that doesn't follow the customs."
"Well, let me ask you this: don't you have the saying in your hometown that a wife follows her husband?"
"Of course we do. In our East County, that's the rule."
"Well then," Qin Ming smiled. "Since you've already washed my feet, that means you've acknowledged me as your husband, right?"
"Yes!" she replied.
"Then, now that your husband wants you to wash feet together, isn't that following your husband's lead?"
Lingyin's clear eyes shone like stars.
She hesitated, but Qin Ming suddenly pulled her close, taking off her socks and pressing her feet into the hot water bucket.
He stepped on her feet in the water.
Lingyin lowered her head, too embarrassed to look at Qin Ming.
Qin Ming kept gently stepping on her feet and then scratched the soles with his thumb.
Lingyin giggled, tickled by the sensation.
"Qin Ming, you're tickling me! I won't be polite anymore."
"Be as rude as you want. Let's see how tough you really are."
Suddenly, Lingyin's smooth feet started to tickle Qin Ming's feet in the water.
Qin Ming couldn't hold back his laughter.
They both tickled each other, their laughter echoing in the room.
Outside, the snow was falling heavily, and the cold wind howled.
But inside this room, it was warm and full of joy.
...