Chapter 192: He’s Always Been an Obedient Child, So Don’t Let Him Off! (1 / 2)
The old emperor genuinely didn’t know.
— Even the Jinyi Guards wouldn’t investigate something like this and report it back.
Judging by Xu Yanmiao’s reaction… could there be more to foot-binding than meets the eye?
“Speak, my loyal minister.”
“First, the four smaller toes, except for the big toe, are forcefully bent downward. Then, the binding strips are wrapped tightly around the toes, over the arch, around the heel, and back across the top of the foot. Layer by layer, the strips are pulled tight, forcing the toes toward the sole. Finally, hundreds of stitches secure the fabric to hold the toes firmly in place against the foot’s center.”
Even the battle-hardened generals gasped sharply. “Isn’t that just torture?”
Xu Yanmiao hated foot-binding to his very core, but he forced himself to remain calm. Only by maintaining composure could he persuade the emperor and the officials to outlaw the practice.
“Indeed, foot-binding is torture.”
Xu Yanmiao continued, “Besides the toes, the ankle must also be bent downward. Each time the bindings are replaced, pus-ridden flesh is torn away. Broken bones, deformities, pus, and festering wounds—this is the reality hidden beneath those bindings.”