"Hot springs?"
Qingdeng was stunned and asked quickly.
"You can't take a bath in such a shallow pool, right?"
“Although I can’t soak my whole body, I can at least soak my feet!”
The general manager argued vigorously.
"It's rare to come across a natural hot spring that is not occupied by wild monkeys. It would be a pity not to experience it...ah, no! I have been feeling a little tired since I walked here from Edo, and I was just thinking about taking a rest!
Since I happen to come across this hot spring, I might as well take a dip here and take a rest!”
——Hey, you just let it slip!
Even though he's already spilled the beans, he can still act as if nothing happened... I have to admit, this is quite a skill.
Qingden turned his head and looked at the hot spring at hand.
——Soak your feet...
To be fair, Qingdeng didn't want to stop and rest.
First of all, his body is not yet tired enough to need rest.
"Strong Muscles +1", "Iron Lung +2"...these talents that greatly enhance physical fitness are not just decorations.
However... he had to worry about Souji and Sanako's feelings.
After all, the two girls don't have many perverted talents like him.
Just because he is not tired does not mean that the two women are not tired either.
Besides, what the Director-General just said is right.
From the time they set off until now, they have rarely stopped to rest.
In line with the simple idea of "combining work with rest", it is indeed time to take a short break.
In order to respect the opinions of everyone present, Qingto asked Sanako beside him:
"Miss Sanako, what do you think?"
"I do not mind."
Sanako said without thinking.
"Whether you want to continue climbing or take a break, I don't have any opinion."
One voted in favor, one abstained...the result is clear.
At this time, Qingdeng felt a strong gaze.
He turned his head and was met by the chief executive's bright eyes.
There was a happy expression on her face.
Although Souji didn't speak, her eyes revealed her true thoughts - look! Miss Sanako is not opposed to bathing in hot springs either!
Seeing this, Qingdeng couldn't help but smile helplessly.
"Okay... let's rest here for a while."
"Great!"
The director-general cheered, then knelt down, took off his snow boots and socks, and then eagerly dipped his feet into the hot spring.
The next moment, she moaned happily:
"Haa~~"
At the same time, her entire face turned into a "(=ω=)" shape, her waist was bent, her shoulders were drooped, and her delicate body became limp as if it had melted.
After the general secretary, the second person to sit down by the spring was Qingteng.
The soft warmth enveloped Qingdeng's calves and feet like silk.
The warm feeling spreads along the soles of the feet, up to the calves, and flows along the waist into the pit of the heart.
The leg muscles that were slightly stiff from walking for a long time relaxed instantly.
Is it a psychological effect? Qingden always feels that there is a significant difference between hot spring water and ordinary hot water.
The former feels softer, gentler and more comfortable.
Qingden, who felt so comfortable all over his body, couldn't help but feel lucky that he agreed to the General Director's "application for foot soaking".
Compared to Aoto and Souji, Sanako, who was born as the eldest daughter of the Wu family, is undoubtedly much more elegant in her movements.
Sanako first gently pulled up the culottes of the women's kendo uniform, and then took off the snow boots on her feet in a hurry, revealing her delicate feet wrapped in white socks. From the white socks, you can vaguely see the slightly protruding legs. , skinny ankles.
She raised her hands to hold on to the tree trunk next to her to maintain her balance. Then she raised one foot backwards in a posture as if turning around, and took off the raised foot in one breath...that is, the cloth on her right foot. socks.
Then, she took off the socks on the other foot in the same way and put the two folded socks into the snow boots.
Sanako's feet are as natural as nature and so white that they shine.
The fat-like calves are slender and well-proportioned, the ankles are round and smooth, and the ten cute toes are crystal clear.
She is obviously a female warrior who is proficient in martial arts and diligent in martial arts, but there is no thick callus or dead skin on her feet. The soles of her feet are white and red, and the arches of her feet are beautiful.
Barefoot Sanako... This is quite rare.
Sanako, who regards etiquette as her life, pays great attention to her dressing.
Even in the summer, even when she is at home, she always wears clean and new white socks meticulously.
In the Edo period, wearing clean white socks was a status symbol.
Japan has a temperate maritime climate, which is mild and humid all year round, with annual precipitation ranging from 1,200 ml to 2,000 ml.
In short, Japan is a rainy country.
No matter how high the level of infrastructure in the feudal era was, it was just that.
The roads in the Edo period were basically loess roads, which would become particularly muddy after rain.
If you wear cloth shoes and socks, your feet will be muddy. Just brushing your shoes and washing your socks will exhaust you to death.
If you wear leather boots or leather shoes in such a humid environment, the shoes will rot over time.
In this case, it is most appropriate to wear straw sandals, clogs, or no socks, which saves money and is easy to clean. Even if you step on mud, just rinse it with water.
Because of this, everyone from samurai masters to common people have a special liking for straw sandals and wooden clogs.
Of course, the only people who can afford to wear shoes are those from relatively well-off families.
The vast majority of poor families usually wear very little on their lower bodies and go barefoot when working. When they go out for a long trip, they will knit simple straw sandals that are no different from flip-flops.
As a result, over time, wearing socks...especially white socks that are not resistant to dirt, has become a status symbol.
Whenever you see someone wearing clean white socks from time to time, you can know that the person's family background must be good.
As for those who wear silk shoes, they are the ministers of the Kyoto court who are not engaged in production or work.
When officials go out to work, most of them wear white socks on their feet - Qingdeng is an outlier among them.
Because white socks don't stand up to stains, Qingdeng likes to wear black socks on weekdays.
After placing the shoes and socks, Sanako walked slowly to Qingto's side.
She did not sit down immediately, but first stretched out her right foot, tapped the surface of the pool with her toes, and then lowered her feet little by little into the depths of the hot spring.
Under the reflection of the sparkling water, Sanako's jade feet looked like hibiscus emerging from the water.
The reflection in the water reflects a calm and reserved smile. The reflection ripples in the water waves with the gentle swing of the two little feet.
It seems that Sanako is also very satisfied with this hot spring.
I don't know whether it was Sanako's intentional move or her unintentional move, but she sat impartially on Qingteng's right hand side.
The General Secretary is sitting on Qingden's left hand side.
In this way, the two of them formed a double-sided trap for Qingdeng.
Qingdeng: "..."
Director-General: "..."
Sanako: "..."
The surroundings are filled with a leisurely atmosphere and silence.
Obviously no one said anything, but no one felt embarrassed.
At this moment, Qingdeng realized belatedly: He hadn't been as relaxed as he was now for a long time, without thinking about anything.
In recent days, he has been busy investigating the "cunning drug case" and has no time to rest.
Because of the blessings of talents such as "brain +9", "strengthening muscles +1", and "strengthening essence +1", Qingden has a strong ability to resist fatigue and will not easily feel tired even if he works for a long time.
——When will the next break... be?
Thinking of this, Qingdeng's face showed a mixture of emotions.
At this time, the general manager on the side suddenly laughed out loud:
"...Haha, hahaha."
Qingto's eyes reflexively glanced at Sanako.
"Okita-kun, why are you laughing?"
"nothing."
Souji swung his feet in the pool and said with a smile:
"I just feel that this feeling of ease and ease... is really good. I hope I can be so pure and peaceful every day."
When Qingdeng heard this, he was speechless and laughed.
Sanako also smiled slightly.
The general manager, who was sentimental just a second ago, suddenly turned into a sarcastic face this second:
"Ji Jun, do you have any ideas about your future?"
"Huh? Why do you ask this suddenly?"
"We didn't do anything, we just chatted casually. It's so boring just soaking our feet like this. Let's chat!"
Chatting with the General Secretary... Qingdeng naturally welcomed this.
He thought for a moment, and then said in a joking tone:
"In the future... I plan to establish meritorious deeds, achieve great things, be granted territory, and become the master of a city and a country..."
Before he could finish his words, the director interrupted with a dissatisfied tone:
"Answer more seriously!"
After saying that, she gently moved her right foot hidden under the hot spring and stepped on Qingdeng.
Because the movements were concealed and the camera angle was blocked, Sanako was kept in the dark. She did not know that Qingto had been "attacked".
In the eyes of some people with special quirks, being kicked by a beautiful girl like Souji is not a humiliating punishment, but a wonderful reward.
Obviously, Qingdeng does not have such quirks.
He just felt so painful!
Qingdeng endured the pain and asked in a deliberately aggrieved tone:
"What? Do you think I am not capable of becoming the master of a city and a country?"
In order to maintain its dominance, the Edo shogunate always used various methods to cause trouble for the daimyo of the feudal state.
Interruption of lineage; violation of the laws of the samurai family; improper management of the territory (family riots or peasant uprisings); disorderly behavior and disorderly conduct - as long as the feudal daimyo violates any of the above, they will be miserably reformed.
[Note: Kaigoshi: A punishment for samurai in the Edo period, which is lighter than seppuku and more severe than seclusion. Those who are punished by kaiboshi will be exempted from the title of samurai and reduced to civilians, and their territory, real estate and family income will be confiscated]
The most typical example is the Ako Domain.
The feudal lord Asano attacked high-ranking officials of the shogunate and angered the general. The feudal lord was ordered to commit seppuku and the territory was transferred to the Nagai clan.
Of course, daimyo are not just sandbags who can only be beaten passively.
The reform not only involves the interests of the daimyo, but also the interests of the feudal lords. After all, no one wants to become a ronin without a job or a fixed place to live.
Especially for a large feudal lord, a single change would affect the jobs of thousands or even thousands of warriors.
Unauthorized tampering with the vassal's "cake" can easily lead to war.
Therefore, even when the Tokugawa family was at its peak, the Edo shogunate had always been very cautious in dealing with the issue of changes in the name of the daimyo.
The reason why most daimyo changes are due to the loss of heirs.
Most of the people who were changed were small and famous.
However, in any case, the feudal daimyo who occupied the highest position in the political ecology of the Edo period and ate the most "cake" were not always the same group of people - this can be regarded as providing a channel for class advancement in disguise.
As long as you can accomplish commendable feats, it is really not impossible to be granted a territory and become a lord!
Qingdeng's current family fortune is more than 1,000 shi. When his family fortune reaches more than 1,000 shi, he will automatically be promoted to a daimyo.
At that time, not only will they have their own land and people, but they will also be able to start a farming life of developing the economy, researching science and technology, recruiting talents, and forming an army.
"I'm not doubting your ability."
The director-general put his hands on his hips, pretending to be displeased.
"I just feel that what you just said was not true."
Qingden shrugged,
"To be honest, I don't have anything that can be called a 'goal'. If I had to say it, it would be 'one step at a time' and 'one day as a monk means one day's clockwork.'"
The commander-in-chief curled his lips when he heard this.
"What? The way you are muddling along is just like Harada-kun!"
Qingdeng smiled and said nothing and stopped answering.
…
at the same time--
Edo, Koishikawa Kohinagayanagicho, Shoeikan, among the diners——
"Haqiu!"
Nagakura: "What a big sneeze, Harada, are you catching a cold?"
Harada Sanosuke blew his nose and said:
"My body is so good! It's impossible to catch a cold! It's probably dust that got into my nose. Forget it, never mind."
After finishing speaking, Harada changed to a more comfortable lying position and continued to eat oranges "ah ah ah ah".
“It’s so delicious~~ I wish I could eat such delicious oranges every day~~”
…
In fact, Qingdeng lied.
He still has a goal for the time being.
That is to marry Sanako, Kinoshita Mai and Souji, and live a peaceful life of one husband and three wives, sleeping together.
Because Sanako doesn't know Souji's true gender yet, it's not convenient for Qingto to express his grand wish at the moment.
No one would have thought that the ideal of a famous benevolent king who killed countless people would be so ordinary. It was neither to achieve great achievements nor to become an unparalleled swordsman in the world, but to marry many wives...
At this moment, the commander-in-chief suddenly raised his eyes and looked ahead.
"Huh?"
Attracted by Souji's exclamation, Qingto raised his eyes and followed her line of sight - he saw a beautiful purple butterfly standing on the treetop opposite the hot spring.
"What a beautiful butterfly!"
The director-general's eyes shone brightly, with little crystal stars twinkling in his eyes.
Qingdeng nodded slightly and agreed:
"Well, it is indeed beautiful."
While he was busy, two sounds of splashing water came to Qingdeng's ears.
Souji withdrew his feet from the hot spring, took out the pocket paper he carried with him, and randomly wiped off the remaining water drops on his feet.
Upon seeing this, Qingdeng immediately asked:
"Okita-kun, aren't you going to have sex?"
"I'm going to catch that butterfly!"
"Are you a child?"
Faced with Qingto's dumbfounded remarks, Souji, who was putting on his shoes and socks, raised his head and made a face.
"Do you know what my sister most often says to me? 'How come you kid always looks like he won't grow up?'"
After finishing speaking, Souji, who had just finished putting on his shoes and socks, stood up and happily chased the purple butterfly.
Two "butterflies", one big and one small, passed through the forest.
"Hey! Don't go too far! Be careful of getting lost!"
Qingden raised his head and shouted loudly.
Souji's footsteps were getting farther and farther... I don't know if she heard Qingto's reminder.
"It's really... just a butterfly. As for being so excited..."
Qingdeng's expression was dominated by a strong look of helplessness.
Souji went to catch the butterflies, leaving Aintō and Sanako alone by the spring.
This is not the first time Qingto has been alone with Sanako, so he does not find the current atmosphere embarrassing or uncomfortable.
Qingden originally wanted to find a topic to chat with Sanako to relieve his boredom.
But unexpectedly, before he could speak, Sanako took the initiative and said:
"Tachibana-kun, the relationship between you and Okita-kun... is so good."
Because Sanako's tone was neither sad nor happy, Qingden didn't pay much attention to it and replied casually:
"Huh? Oh, yes. After all, we are senior brothers living under the same roof."
"...just senior brothers?"
Sanako's tone revealed a sharp edge.
******
******
The title of this chapter was originally "Sanako's Bare Feet and Jealous Sanako".
But considering that this book is for all ages, let’s forget it. Players of Arknights must be very excited after reading this chapter! (Passerby, a certain bar suddenly appeared on the homepage.jpg).
Please give me monthly votes! Please vote for recommendations! (Leopard Head Cries.jpg)
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This chapter has been completed!