EMHTC -Chapter 95 He’s Always Been an Obedient Child, So Don’t Let Him Off!

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.”

A collective shiver of revulsion and fear swept through the crowd.

This—

Only lunatics and perverts could like such a thing!

The idea of forcefully bending someone’s toes downward, with no regard for the pain it caused the person, was unbearable for any normal human being.

Xu Yanmiao raised his voice. “Gentlemen!”

“Most of you here have daughters! Please think about this: if society starts idolizing foot-binding, praising bound feet as beautiful, and demanding small feet for marriage and concubinage, can you truly resist this trend?”

“Even as high-ranking officials, presiding over the imperial court, would you dare defy convention? Would you risk having your daughters seen as disgraces to your family for not conforming? Would you persist in going against the tide, choosing a path that society would see as rebellious and unorthodox?”

“Furthermore—”

“Do you truly wish for your daughters and granddaughters to suffer such torment? To have their toes broken, their flesh and bones decayed, and to endure a lifetime of pain whether walking or lying down?”

The young man’s words cut like a blade. His sharp brows and piercing gaze rose with each sentence, building like thunder ripping through dark clouds. Finally, with a burst of force, his words pierced through the skies, igniting a wildfire across the plains.

The officials were left pale as paper, standing frozen like statues.

They had never seen the so-called “beauty” of bound feet, nor had they any impression of the frail, willow-like elegance it supposedly embodied. Instead, they were first confronted with the grim consequences of foot-binding.

Those who cherished their daughters, from expression to movement, were visibly anxious, stepping forward to agree with Xu Yanmiao’s words.

Even those who raised their daughters with no particular care or sentiment, who bore no grudges against them and weren’t sadistic or perverse, likewise expressed that society should not evolve in such a direction.

As for the officials without daughters or those indifferent to their own, they were equally uneasy—We really don’t want to end up sleeping next to women with smelly, rotting feet!

If just a few days ago, their attitude toward banning foot-binding had been one of indifference, treating it as though they were caring for a mythical beast, now they genuinely wanted to enforce the ban.

Xu Yanmiao felt a weight lift off 】his chest.

【Thankfully, it worked…】

He was acutely aware: 【I only succeeded because it’s just the beginning, and the trend hasn’t taken hold yet.】

Had he been even a little late, and foot-binding already gained societal traction, even presenting the argument about its impact on fertility would not have achieved the same effect.

Xu Yanmiao bowed respectfully toward the emperor. “Your Majesty, this is why this minister says that Prince Fu endangers the state and disregards the welfare of the people.”

“If foot-binding becomes widespread, and one in every two or three women dies due to complications during childbirth, does this not harm the nation?”

“If countless women are forced to bind their feet, with millions suffering mutilation, does this not disregard the people?”

“To harm the vitality of life for the sake of aesthetics, to create harm while pretending it is beneficial—this is the height of corruption. Should sages of old look upon our dynasty, they would scorn us as a barbaric land!”

“Thus, this minister petitions Your Majesty to ban foot-binding and punish Prince Fu to restore proper conduct!”

A sharp summer wind swept through, lifting the hems of the officials’ robes.

On the golden dais, the emperor lowered his gaze, seemingly meeting Xu Yanmiao’s eyes.

“Approved.”

Xu Yanmiao bowed again, meticulously and upright.

But inwardly, his unrestrained thoughts slipped through:

【Wahoo!】

【I did it!】

【This disgusting and grotesque practice of foot-binding will finally disappear!】

The old emperor allowed a faint smile to cross his face and said, “Since this is the case, ministers, discuss amongst yourselves how this matter shall be executed.”

The decree to ban foot-binding was imperative to implement. Even if this trend had not yet emerged, it was a preventive measure. After all, who could say it wouldn’t spread like cockroaches—seeing one might mean there’s already a nest.

Prime Minister Dou proposed, “Why not link this matter to the performance evaluations of local officials? If cases of foot-binding are discovered—”

Xu Yanmiao interjected, “Foot-binding can be undone through unbinding.”

Prime Minister Dou nodded slightly at him and added, “If cases of foot-binding are found and officials assist women in unbinding their feet, they could receive additional credit in their evaluations.”

—Which essentially means bonus points.

Immediately, an official stood up to voice his disagreement.

“Prime Minister Dou, your suggestion is misguided,” the Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple said with a pleasant smile. “You’re encouraging His Majesty to commit an imprudent act.”

Prime Minister Dou’s face darkened. “Minister Zheng, speak your mind plainly.”

The Minister lowered his gaze slightly and spoke slowly, “Your intentions are good, but you’ve overlooked human nature. If this were made an additional merit, might some local officials, in pursuit of achievement, forcibly bind women’s feet, let them fester, and then ‘unbind’ them for the sake of claiming credit?”

Prime Minister Dou’s face grew even more severe, and he remained silent.

He, of course, understood that any policy, no matter how well-intentioned, might be distorted or exploited after implementation. But this was an issue meant to be addressed during the smaller court meetings through discussion among ministers.

To put it bluntly, this was just a draft, a preliminary version. Every decree undergoes extensive deliberation before being finalized.

The Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, however, belonged to a different faction. It had become routine for members of that faction to find faults in Prime Minister Dou’s proposals, openly and covertly criticizing him. This time, it was simply the Minister’s turn.

Still, the Minister dared to raise the issue because the concern was valid.

Implementing decrees wasn’t as simple as the court issuing an edict and local officials executing it with robotic precision.

Prime Minister Dou had no way to refute the criticism—he couldn’t exactly say, I planned to address this in the smaller court meetings.

While that reasoning was sound, saying it aloud would make him seem inattentive to the matter at hand.

Swallowing this bitter pill, Prime Minister Dou forced a smile and asked, “Does Minister Zheng have a better idea?”

The Minister of the Imperial Ancestral Temple pondered briefly and said, “First, we should send officials to disseminate the dangers of foot-binding through official notices, so the public won’t blindly pursue the practice. Then, we should stipulate that women with bound feet are prohibited from marriage or concubinage, and finally, allow local governments to inspect households…”

Before he could finish, an official from Prime Minister Dou’s faction stepped forward, countering sharply: “Minister Zheng, you’re making a similar mistake. Deception and coercion have always been common problems in local governance. If we permit household inspections, what if some officials use it to extort the people? Those who don’t offer bribes could be accused of binding their daughters’ feet. They and their families could then be publicly condemned as monsters who harm their own daughters.”

Minister Zheng: “…”

It felt like he had just been called a monster himself.

A third-party official stepped forward. “Your Majesty, this minister believes Prime Minister Dou’s proposal has merit, and Minister Zheng’s words are not without wisdom. However, both sides must proceed cautiously. Perhaps we should first publicize the harms of foot-binding and then discuss measures to prevent local officials from undermining the decree…”

Standing to the side, Xu Yanmiao was just shy of propping his chin on his hand.

After two years, he was used to this kind of debate. Every policy was argued over at length—sometimes solutions emerged from the disputes, and sometimes the matter had to be postponed.

Still, the idea of publicizing the harms of foot-binding…

【Sigh, too bad this suggestion can’t be implemented.】

【Otherwise, I’d really want to say that the best way to make people understand the harm is through real examples. But those girls have already suffered enough—it wouldn’t be right to exploit their pain further.】

【Why not bind Prince Fu’s feet and use him as an example to showcase the harm caused by foot-binding…】

【It’d be best to parade him in a bustling metropolis, somewhere that serves as a central hub or major thoroughfare.】

The emperor seated on the golden dais: “!”

Absolutely not! That’s too extreme. Although the Third Prince’s interest in foot-binding is somewhat reckless, it hasn’t caused any serious consequences. After all, he’s always been an obedient child…

【But what if I claim he’s trying to seize the throne…】

“Bang!”

Xu Yanmiao looked up in confusion.

He saw the emperor on the golden dais slam his hand on the armrest of the dragon throne. The sound was so thunderous that, exaggeratedly speaking, the very doors of the hall seemed to tremble, sending a fine layer of dust cascading down.

“I have an idea…”

Binding feet was out of the question, but Xu Yanmiao had inspired him.

—Since this vassal prince harbored improper ambitions, perhaps breaking both his legs would resolve the matter.

The emperor pondered coldly.