Chapter 148 Bathing
Wei, Chenliu.
After leaving Qiao County, the emperor's touring team slowly moved towards the northwest.
When passing through Liang State, Cao Rui sent Xin Pi to the tomb of Qiao Xuan in Suiyang to pay some respects.
When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao, was a young man in Luoyang, he was chivalrous and unrestrained, and did not care about trivial matters. People at that time often did not think highly of him.
Only Situ Qiaoxuan in Luoyang believed that Cao Cao would be a great talent in the future, and praised him as a man who could bring peace to the people and help the world. He also introduced Cao Cao to Xu Shao, a famous scholar from Runan who founded the Yuedanping.
It was at Xu Shao's place that Cao Cao was described as "a capable minister in times of peace, and a treacherous hero in times of chaos," and thus gained fame in Luoyang City, and began to enter Yuan Shao's circle.
Qiao Xuan was more than 40 years older than Cao Cao, and was appreciated by the Three Dukes when he was young. This kindness of knowing each other when he was humble was something he would never forget no matter how high a position he held later.
Emperor Wu Cao Cao and Emperor Wen Cao Pi had come here in person and offered sacrifices to Qiao Xuan with the ritual of Tailao. Although Cao Rui did not care about this kind of favor that was separated by generations, when his attendant reminded him, he sent Xin Pi to pay homage.
Suiyang was the county seat of Liangjun, and Qiao County was the county seat of Qiaojun.
Liang County and Qiao County were actually the former Liang State and Pei State. When the late Emperor Cao Pi wanted to punish Cao Hong, Empress Dowager Bian advised him against it, saying, "If it were not for Zi Lian, there would be no such thing as the present between Liang and Pei."
The area from Suiyang to Qiao County is the place where Cao Wei started.
After passing Liang County, you will reach Chenliu County. When Cao Rui set out from Luoyang to tour the south, he only stayed in Chenliu City for one night, and immediately headed south the next day. He was in a hurry.
But now that he had returned victoriously and there was no urgent matter waiting for him at court, Cao Rui wanted to stay in Chenliu for a few more days.
After all, Wei Zhen was investigating rebellious officials in Luoyang City at that time. It would not be too late for Cao Rui to return to the capital after the results came out.
At night, in Chenliu City.
Cao Rui stayed in Chenliu City twice, and both times he lived in the former Chenliu Palace.
As early as the third year of Huangchu, Cao Jun, the son of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Lady Qin, was transferred from the title of Duke of Xiangyi to that of Chenliu.
However, thanks to Emperor Wen Cao Pi's consistent strategy of suppressing the princes of the royal family, Cao Jun moved back to Xiangyi in the fifth year of Huangchu. Although he moved away, the former royal palace remained and became the most regulated mansion in Chenliu City.
As early as when Cao Rui set out from Luoyang and began his southern tour, there were four palace maids accompanying him in the team, which was already an extremely streamlined configuration. Of course, these four palace maids stayed in the palace in Shouchun and could not go to the battlefield with the emperor.
At this time, in the side room outside the bedroom, four palace maids were preparing the emperor for bathing. They have been serving the emperor for four or five years. The girls who were sixteen years old back then are now in their early twenties.
And Sun Luban just stood aside and watched.
The maid Zhao Jie was folding the underwear that the emperor would wear later. She looked up and said, "My lady, please prepare two sets of clean robes for your majesty after he takes a bath. One set is thinner and the other is thicker. Your majesty can choose which one to wear after he takes a bath."
"These two sets of robes are made of fine linen. Remember to knead them repeatedly to soften them before helping Your Majesty bathe." Zhao Jie looked at Sun Luban: "Otherwise, they will feel hard when worn next to the skin."
"Yeah." Sun Luban nodded.
The palace maids who could follow the emperor were naturally not short-sighted people. In addition, Sun Luban's status was not ordinary, and the palace maids all knew that she was just a maid temporarily.
Therefore, the four palace maids treated Sun Luban with courtesy, and even called her "Princess". They did not let her do some daily chores, but only talked to her about the things to pay attention to when serving the emperor.
The emperor is about to take a bath today. As the leader of the four, Zhao Jie takes this opportunity to teach Sun Luban the details of how to serve the emperor in bathing.
"There are five bath towels in total, two linen and three satin. When I wipe my body and hair, I use the linen towels first, and then use the satin towels to absorb the water."
Zhao Jie smiled and said, "In the past, we all rushed to do this job. After wiping the body, drying the hair is also an important thing."
"Sister, tell the princess how to help His Majesty dry his hair." Zhao Jie looked at her sister Zhao Yuan who was arranging a bath towel next to her in the room.
Zhao Jie and Zhao Yuan are sisters who have been serving the emperor since he was still in the Eastern Palace.
"Look, here." Zhao Yuan pointed to the small round copper stove next to her.
"What is this? Why is it so exquisite?"
Sun Luban picked up the copper stove and looked at it.
Zhao Yuan covered her mouth and laughed: "This stove has two layers, the inner and outer layers. The inner layer can hold charcoal fire."
"After your majesty has bathed, he will lie on the couch. With his hair spread out behind him, this small stove can be used to dry it inch by inch."
Zhao Yuan walked over, took the small round copper stove from Sun Luban, and pulled a piece of cloth next to it to demonstrate.
"Put one hand underneath to hold up a strand of hair, and with the other hand, hold the handle outside the stove, and slowly dry it from a few inches away."
Zhao Yuan stared into Sun Luban's eyes and said, "Remember, don't be anxious. Use your hands to warm the skin. If you burn Your Majesty, no one can save you."
Sun Luban nodded quickly: "I've made a note of it. It will definitely not burn me."
However, Sun Luban noticed that several palace maids were smiling, and asked in confusion: "Why are you so happy? Is there any good news?"
"There is good news, of course there is good news." Zhao Yuan replied with a smile.
"Don't listen to him." Zhao Jie rolled her eyes at her sister, then turned around and laughed: "Well, serving His Majesty in the bath is indeed a good job." The maids in the room all laughed knowingly. Sun Luban was stunned at first, then her face turned slightly red, and she suddenly remembered the moment when the emperor personally untied the rope on her wrist in the hall of Shouchun Palace that day.
That extremely handsome face just couldn't be erased from my mind.
The eunuch Bi Jin pushed the door open and walked in, frowning and whispering, "Don't make any noise. Keep your voice down when you're getting ready, so as not to disturb His Majesty."
"Yes." The four palace maids bowed.
Bi Jin saw Sun Luban in the house and couldn't help asking, "What is Lady Sun doing here?"
Sun Luban blushed and said awkwardly: "I...I will learn from Zhao Jie how to help His Majesty bathe."
Bi Jin's old face showed a hint of smile. He squinted his eyes and looked at Sun Luban's whole body. Then he nodded slightly and said, "Zhao Jie, take good care of Princess Sun. Don't let anything go wrong."
"Don't worry, eunuch, nothing will go wrong." Zhao Jie said quickly.
……
State affairs are complicated, but we still need to relax appropriately. For example, taking a bath is an activity worth relaxing.
With the help of two palace maids, Zhao Jie and Zhao Yuan, Cao Rui took off his inner and outer robes and underwear one by one and stepped into the bathtub.
The hot water spreads from the legs to the whole body. You need to endure the heat for a few moments at first. After you sweat a little after a while, you will feel relaxed from the inside out.
Cao Rui was half lying in the oval bathtub, with Zhao Jie and Zhao Yuan, one on the left and one on the right, gently massaging the emperor's arms.
The looks of these two women were only considered above average. According to the eunuch Bi Jin, this tradition has been around for a long time. They had to look pleasing to the eye, but not too pretty to distract the emperor.
Cao Rui closed his eyes, feeling the relaxation of his muscles and the warmth of the water, and began to think about what he would do tomorrow.
Now we have arrived in Chenliu, getting closer to Luoyang. Today, I met an envoy sent by Wei Zhen in Chenliu City, who said that Guanqiu Jian would arrive in Chenliu tomorrow to report to me in person about the rumor in Luoyang City.
An envoy has been sent to Yongqiu City to summon Cao Zhi today. Even if Cao Zhi sets out early tomorrow morning, he should arrive in Chenliu by the afternoon at the latest.
Cao Zhi...How should I face Cao Zhi?
Didn't he have a poem called "The Goddess of Luo River"? I wonder if he had written it at this time? How was his work on annotating the Five Classics going?
As he was thinking, Cao Rui, lying in the bathtub with his eyes closed, gradually felt a little tired in the hot water.
Zhao Jie on the left gently kneaded the emperor's fingers while looking at the emperor's profile. It was just right from every angle, as if it was designed by the world's top painter.
As for the body beneath the water, even though she had served the emperor countless times, Zhao Jie only dared to glance at it occasionally, as if looking at it any more would bring bad luck.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty." Zhao Jie called softly.
Cao Rui didn't open his eyes: "What's the matter?"
Zhao Jie said softly, "When we were preparing bathing supplies for His Majesty today, Princess Sun was also learning beside him, and she was learning quite seriously."
"Do you want me to call Lady Sun over to serve her?" Zhao Jie asked seriously.
Cao Rui gently opened his eyes and glanced at Zhao Jie's face: "Did Da Hu ask you to say it? Or was it Bi Jin's or your idea?"
Zhao Jie pursed her lips and said, "How dare I? It was Lady Sun who said that I am now a maid and should do some things to serve His Majesty, otherwise I would be terrified."
Cao Rui smiled and snorted: "In that case, call her in. I will see how she serves me."
Zhao Jie said yes softly, and then looked at another palace maid who was kneeling in the corner waiting to be called. After the palace maid understood, she went to the outer room to call Sun Luban in.
Sun Luban walked to the side of the emperor's bathtub with a shy look on her face, leaned over and saluted: "Your Majesty, I am here."
Cao Rui opened his eyes and looked at Sun Luban's face. After looking for a few moments, he said "OK" softly, and then continued to close his eyes and rest.
Zhao Jie whispered, "Hurry up and come over to give His Majesty a massage."
"Yes." Sun Luban blushed and stood up, but after she stood up, she saw the emperor's closed eyes. She only took a glance and turned her head away, not daring to look again, and was at a loss as to what to do.
Zhao Jie said softly, "Come over here and massage your Majesty's head."
Sun Luban said nothing. She walked behind the emperor in small steps, knelt on the ground, and whispered behind his ear, "Your Majesty, please stand up a little. I can't reach you."
Cao Rui held his hands on both sides and lay a little higher. Before his body could relax, his head was caught by the hands waiting behind him and then rested on a soft spot.
A pair of slender hands were gently pressing on the forehead.
Cao Rui nodded in satisfaction and continued to think about what was in his mind.
As the Son of Heaven, he can still enjoy this bit of wealth and honor.
(End of this chapter)
