Chapter 456: bathing in the open

Yet everyone was working together without complaint.

Well, almost everyone.

Prince Liang was sitting on a folded blanket, holding his knees.

"I would like to know why I am the only person in this group who understands the importance of conserving energy."

Lady Chen looked at him.

"Because you have not carried a single bundle of wood."

"I have been supervising."

"From a seated position?"

"An excellent supervisor does not need to stand."

The Emperor glanced over.

"Liang."

Prince Liang immediately rose.

"Yes, Brother?"

"Bring those empty basins."

Prince Liang looked at the basins.

Then at his brother.

Then at the sky.

"Of course."

He picked them up.

"I am surrounded by people who do not appreciate my talents."

### A Proper Bath at Last

By the time the water had heated, the eastern horizon had begun to brighten.

The fire crackled steadily beneath the pot.

General Guo Han carefully poured hot water into several smaller containers, while the Empress added cool water and tested the temperature.

"Not too hot," she instructed. "We must be careful."

Princess Zhi touched the side of a basin.

"That feels wonderful."

Lady Chen smiled in relief.

"I never thought I would be so happy to see warm water."

The Empress laughed.

"Travel teaches us to appreciate ordinary things."

She carried the first basin toward the bathing tent.

Princess Zhi took it from her.

"I’ll go first."

She disappeared behind the curtain.

The others waited outside, keeping their distance to give her privacy.

The Emperor remained near the fire, helping prepare more water.

The twins arranged the clean clothes in separate bundles so that nobody would have to search through their belongings after bathing.

Lady Chen checked the towels.

General Yao Qing watched the surrounding area.

Even Prince Liang had found a useful task: he was carrying water from the main pot to the tent and trying not to spill it.

For several minutes, the clearing was filled with the quiet sounds of practical work.

Then Princess Zhi emerged.

Her hair was damp, and she wore a clean set of travelling clothes.

Her expression had changed completely.

She looked refreshed.

"I feel human again!"

Lady Chen laughed.

"You looked human before."

"Not to myself."

She hurried to a sheltered spot to dry her hair while Lady Chen took her turn.

One by one, the women and younger travelers used the tent.

The men waited until the women had finished and moved away from the bathing area. Then General Guo Han and General Yao Qing used the same arrangement, taking care to maintain privacy.

The Emperor bathed after them.

He did not ask anyone to make special arrangements for him.

He simply carried his basin behind the curtain, washed, and emerged in a clean set of travelling clothes.

His hair was damp, and his expression was noticeably more relaxed.

Prince Liang stared at him.

"Brother, you look ten years younger."

The Emperor glanced at him.

"And you look exactly the same."

General Guo Han laughed so hard that he nearly dropped the bundle of cloth he was carrying.

Prince Liang frowned.

"I was complimenting you."

"And I was returning the compliment."

"That was not a compliment!"

The Emperor walked away without answering.

Prince Liang turned toward the Empress.

"Did you hear that?"

"I did."

"And you are not going to defend me?"

The Empress smiled sweetly.

"No."

Prince Liang pressed a hand to his chest.

"My own family has betrayed me."

### The Whispers Begin

By the time everyone had changed into clean clothes, the resting area was beginning to stir.

Refugees emerged from beneath their blankets.

Some were searching for water, while others were gathering their belongings in preparation for the day’s journey.

A few people noticed the small bathing tent near the trees.

Then they noticed the Emperor’s group.

The clean clothes.

The neatly arranged basins.

The fire still burning beside the large pot.

And the fact that several members of the group appeared much fresher than they had the previous evening.

Whispers began spreading.

"Look over there."

"They actually bathed?"

"At this hour?"

"How did they manage that?"

One woman carrying a water vessel glanced at the bathing tent.

"They must have brought all those things from their homes."

A man beside her shook his head.

"We are traveling. Who has the time to bathe every morning?"

Another traveler gave a quiet laugh.

"Perhaps they are accustomed to living comfortably."

The first woman looked toward the Emperor’s group again.

"They have clean clothes, too."

"Well, they must have brought extra clothes."

"Even so, bathing takes time."

Some of the whispers were curious rather than unkind.

Others carried a trace of resentment.

After all, many refugees had slept on bare ground. Their clothes were dusty, their hair tangled, and their bodies ached from the long walk.

Seeing another group manage to bathe and change clothes made them wonder whether they had overlooked something.

One elderly man shook his head.

"We should be grateful if we can wash our faces before setting off."

His daughter nodded.

"Father, perhaps we can find a sheltered place to wash after breakfast."

"That would be enough."

Not everyone was willing to make an issue of the matter.

The Emperor’s group had not obstructed the road.

They had not demanded additional servants.

They had not delayed the departure.

They had gathered their own firewood, heated their own water, and prepared everything using their own belongings.

There was little anyone could reasonably complain about.

Still, curiosity continued to spread.

A young man approached General Guo Han.

"Brother, may I ask you something?"

Guo Han turned.

"What is it?"

"How did you manage to bathe here? Did the officials provide you with the tent?"

"No," the general replied. "We made it ourselves."

The young man looked surprised.

"With a bedsheet?"

"And four wooden poles."

The young man glanced toward the tent.

"That is clever."

Guo Han smiled.

"It is only a temporary arrangement. You could make something similar if you have the necessary materials."

The young man nodded thoughtfully.

"I will ask my family whether we have an old sheet."

He thanked the general and returned to his companions.

The Emperor, who had overheard the conversation, said nothing.

He did not consider bathing a privilege.

Nor did he think that anyone should be praised merely for finding a practical way to maintain basic cleanliness.

If anything, the incident reminded him that many families were so exhausted by the journey that they had not considered the possibility of making a simple shelter.

He looked toward the officials.

They were already checking the carts and organizing the departure.

The Emperor noticed that the inspector responsible for their traveling group had also observed the bathing arrangements.

The man glanced at the tent, then at the fire, and finally at the clean clothes hanging near the cart.

For a moment, he appeared to consider approaching them.

Then he turned away and continued speaking to another official.

He did not issue a warning.

He did not demand an explanation.

Most importantly, he did not accuse them of wasting time.

Their preparations had not delayed the journey, and they had followed the same basic rules as the other travelers.

The Emperor was satisfied with that.

### Clean Clothes and Quiet Conversations

The Empress was adjusting the sleeves of her clean outer robe when Princess Zhi approached.

"Sister-in-law, do I look better now?"

The Empress examined her.

"You look much more comfortable."

Princess Zhi beamed.

"I feel much more comfortable.

The Emperor was not accustomed to traveling in these conditions, but he was learning to appreciate how much ordinary people did without the conveniences of the palace.

A fire did not light itself.

Water did not heat itself.

And a meal did not appear merely because someone rang a bell.

Every small comfort required someone’s labor.

As they returned to the clearing, Wei Rong glanced toward the bathing tent.

"At least the Empress has solved the problem of privacy."

The Emperor followed his gaze.

"She usually finds a solution when everyone else is still discussing the problem."

"That is true."

Wei Rong smiled.

"Though I suspect Prince Liang would have preferred to remain asleep."

The Emperor gave a quiet laugh.

"He would prefer to remain asleep until the next meal."

When they returned, General Guo Han was already arranging the firewood.

The Emperor helped him build a small fire in a cleared area away from the tent and the cart. They placed a large metal pot over the flames and began filling it with water from the river.

General Yao Qing checked the pot’s stability.

"Make sure it is secure. We don’t want anyone getting burned."

The Emperor nodded.

"We will heat the water, then pour it into smaller basins and mix it with cool water until it is comfortable."

The twins watched the flames with fascination.

The girl crouched nearby.

"Can I help?"

"Stay back from the fire," General Guo Han instructed. "You can bring the clean basins when the water is ready."

She immediately stood.

"I can do that!"

Her brother followed her.

"I’ll help too."

The Empress smiled as she watched them.

The morning was cold, the ground was damp, and their surroundings were far from comfortable.