Ancient women all practiced foot binding... ah, no, she was Manchu, Manchu people didn't do that. But her feet were also small, estimated to be only a size 33 or 34. Her toenails were a bit long, about a centimeter, which looked a little incongruous. This must have been the result of natural, slow growth during the sealing period.
Aside from her feet, the other parts of the paper shroud were quite secure, bound with a rope made from some kind of animal hide. The knot had been so saturated with animal grease that it couldn't be untied. I found a utility knife in my bag and carefully cut the animal hide rope at her calf. The paper shroud loosened a bit. I gently pulled it apart, revealing her legs. They were straight and white, with not much body hair. However, her leg muscles were firm and tight, similar to Zheng Bingbing's. Song Lei had written in his diary that Mu Jige was not only skilled in magic but also a powerful martial artist.
Seeing no reaction, I cut the rope binding her thighs and unfolded it. It wasn't a complete wrapping but rather silk shorts, like ancient undergarments. There was another layer inside, which I decided not to open out of a sense of decency.
Moving upwards, I cut the rope around her waist, and the upper garment came loose. It was slightly thicker than the lower garment, made of cotton and linen, and it was short-sleeved. Her arms, like her legs, were slender, smooth, and strong.
When I cut the rope at her neck, her body seemed to twitch. I was startled and immediately stopped, observing for a while. She was indeed moving!
But it wasn't her limbs that were moving; it was her abdomen rising and falling with an extremely small amplitude, as if she were breathing?
I steadied myself and continued cutting. Her fair neck was revealed, along with her pointed chin.
This was the last rope. Soon I would see Mu Jige's face, this beauty from four hundred years ago. I couldn't help but feel a little excited.
I paused, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled before cutting the animal hide rope.
The paper shroud here was quite tight. As soon as the rope broke, it fell apart with a rustle.
Damn, she was wearing a mask that covered most of her face, only revealing her mouth and eye sockets. Her lips were like cherries, slightly pouted, rosy and translucent. Between her lips was a gap the size of a date pit, from which a very faint "hissing" sound emerged. It wasn't magical; it was just the sound of breathing. Perhaps her nostrils were too small, making breathing difficult, and she needed to breathe through her mouth.
Her eyes were closed. Judging by the contours, they were large, with curled and very long eyelashes. Although I couldn't see her whole face, she must have been a beauty. At least her mouth, eyes, and face shape suggested she wouldn't be ugly.
However, she still didn't match the "Yaoyao" from my dreams. I wondered if the one in my dream was merely her ephemeral form.
I observed her from the side. The mask had no ties at the back of her head; it seemed to be embedded in her face, fitting perfectly. I tried to pry it off but couldn't. Was it because it had adhered to her skin over the long years?
Perhaps it was best not to touch it. What if I disfigured her?
After opening everything, I carefully removed the paper shroud from beneath her body, transferred her to the center of the bed, and covered her with a blanket to prevent her from catching a chill.
It seemed a bit redundant, as the temperature in that cave was much lower than here.
I sat by the bedside and observed her for a while longer. Apart from her faint breathing, there were no other abnormalities.
Suddenly, I remembered the Western fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, where the princess ate a poisoned apple and fell into a deep sleep, only to be awakened by the prince's kiss.
She truly was a princess, a genuine one—Nurhaci's fifth princess. Unfortunately, I wasn't some prince, and my bloodline didn't match hers. This method was probably ineffective. I'd just have to wait patiently for her to wake up.
I got up and left the room, sitting on the sofa in the living room, where I could still see her.
Zheng Bingbing came over and asked cautiously, "How is it?"
"It's open. You can go take a look. Just don't touch her," I said.
"Hehe, okay!" Zheng Bingbing said excitedly, tiptoeing into the bedroom.
However, a few seconds later, Zheng Bingbing let out a yelp and darted out!
"What happened!" I asked quickly.
"She, she glared at me!"