Chaos Era Rope Maiden: Republican Nuptial Binding

The maidserv He then took out a smooth jade phallus, slightly thinner than an average man's, with a gentle curve and a surface carved with fine protrusions. He slowly inserted it into his wife's already slightly moist vagina until it was fully submerged, leaving only the tail end with a bell exposed. He then used a thin fishing line to secure the phallus between her thighs to prevent it from slipping out. A slightly thinner jade anal hook was also inserted into her anus, its hook end secured to a fishing net on her lower back. A gentle tug brought a strange sense of fullness. The arms and hands were the focal point of the upper body. Lu Wenxuan had his wife cross her hands behind her back, assuming a standard "back-facing Guanyin" pose. Her arms were pulled back, wrists crossed and lifted upwards until her fingertips almost touched the back of her neck. He used fishing line to wrap around her wrists, then meticulously bound each finger individually, especially her thumbs, which were tied tightly together side-by-side, leaving no gap. Her elbows were also pulled back, causing her breasts to protrude more prominently. "Tied like this, Yingrong is completely my little flesh toy." Lu Wenxuan satisfiedly checked each of the tight knots. Next were the legs and feet, but the severity remained. Her knees were bound tightly together with fishing line, and her legs were folded and secured with more line. He brought her delicate feet together, soles touching, and used fishing line to wrap from her ankles downwards, tightening each toe individually, especially her big toes, which were tied together. The soles of her feet were also wrapped a few times horizontally, arching her insteps and pressing the tender flesh of her soles to make them more sensitive. With the entire body bound by fishing line, Su Yingrong had become an exquisite, yet completely immobile, nude work of art. Every joint was fixed, and the fishing line left faint red marks on her snow-white skin, not to injure, but to enhance her delicate beauty and allure. The bells on her nipples and clitoris chimed softly with her breath, while the jade implements in her vagina and anus provided a continuous sense of fullness. Lu Wenxuan picked up his limp wife and placed her before the dressing table, beginning the second step—dressing and reinforcing the ropes. He first dressed his wife in a magnificent, East-meets-West bridal gown. (PS: Please do not dwell on how she could be dressed while bound. Since the novel's premise allows her to be paraded around town in such a state, being able to wear clothes while bound is not unusual. You can understand this as a parallel world where all situations defy common sense.) The upper body was a modified Western-style wedding corset, with a low neckline revealing a large expanse of snow-white chest and collarbones. The corset was embroidered with golden phoenixes, echoing the Chinese phoenix coronet. The lower body was a layered white tulle skirt with a high slit, revealing her snow-white thighs when she walked. Over this, she wore a large, crimson Chinese ceremonial robe, embroidered with gold thread peonies and mandarin ducks, exuding immense luxury. Her hair was completely styled into a high, classical phoenix bun, adorned with pearl hairpins, a golden phoenix coronet, jade earrings, and ruby necklaces. After dressing, Lu Wenxuan took out thicker red silk ropes and began to reinforce the bindings. He re-secured the "back-facing Guanyin" pose over the wedding dress with red ropes, the ropes looping over her shoulders and tightening her arms, suspending her hands tightly below the back of her neck. Red ropes were also used horizontally below her waist and breasts, pressing the wedding dress tightly against her body. Several more layers were added to her legs, ankles, and feet, ensuring that even her toes could not move. Su Yingrong had now become a supreme bride, completely encased in a luxurious wedding outfit, yet meticulously controlled by ropes. Lu Wenxuan gently placed her in the center of the carved grand bed, the canopy falling, and candlelight casting an ambiguous golden-red halo through the thin gauze. Her entire body was doubly bound by fishing line and red ropes. The "back-facing Guanyin" pose was pulled extremely tight, her arms bent back and suspended below the back of her neck. Her two thumbs were tied tightly together side-by-side with fishing line, while her other fingers were individually tightened, rendering them completely immobile. Her legs were folded into a "four horses tied to a post" position, her thighs bound tightly together. Her calves and feet were further secured with red ropes in addition to the fishing line, and each toe was individually wrapped with fishing line, especially her two big toes, which were tied tightly together. Her soles were touching, her insteps arched high from the horizontal bindings, and the tender flesh of her soles bulged and reddened. The red ropes horizontally tightened the white wedding corset, squeezing her pair of jade breasts, already bound by fishing line, into a high, prominent position. Her nipples were swollen and shiny, and the golden bells chimed softly with every breath. The thigh rope deeply pressed into her tender pink labia, squeezing the clitoris, already tightened by the fishing line, into prominence. The silver bell was pressed against the pearl-like clitoris, while the jade implements in her vagina and rear were firmly secured by the rope net, bringing a continuous sensation of fullness and distension. He leaned down, gently placing his warm palm on his wife's cheek, which was slightly hot from the red ropes. His fingertips slowly caressed her eyelids, sealed by the jade pieces, then slid along the wings of her nose, pulled by the nose hook, to the corners of her lips. Su Yingrong initially trembled slightly, a faint whimper escaping her nose. The tip of her tongue, bound by fishing line, instinctively retracted, but due to the tight knot, it could only protrude slightly, the ruby pendant swaying gently between her lips. "Yingrong... don't be afraid, your husband will touch you properly first..." Lu Wenxuan's voice was deep and gentle. His fingertips traced downwards along her snow-white neck, slowly caressing the flesh of her shoulders tightened by the ropes. His palm rested on her snow-white arm, marked by the red lines of the fishing line, and he gently kneaded the bulging tender flesh that was bound. Su Yingrong's breathing immediately quickened, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breaths, the golden bells emitting a delicate "ding-ling" sound. His hand continued downwards, over the thin fabric of the wedding corset, and gently cupped the pair of jade breasts that were pushed high by the horizontal red ropes. His fingertips first circled the base of her breasts, feeling the exaggerated elasticity and warmth after the ropes were tightened. Then, he slowly moved to her nipples, gently pinching the swollen, shiny nipples, bound by fishing line, with his thumb and index finger, slowly twisting them. Su Yingrong's entire body suddenly trembled. The fingers behind her back instinctively curled, but they couldn't even create a sliver of space. Her nostrils quivered rapidly under the nose hook, her tongue protruded further, and clear saliva began to gather at the corners of her lips. Lu Wenxuan chuckled softly and leaned down, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He gently licked the fishing line knot through the fabric with his tongue, while his other hand slid down her slender waist, his palm resting on her abdomen, tightened by the red ropes, and slowly caressed it. Su Yingrong's reactions gradually became more pronounced. Her snow-white skin, which had only been trembling slightly, began to flush with a fine pink hue. Her breathing shifted from her nose to soft whimpers, and with each gasp, the golden bells on her nipples and the silver bells on her clitoris chimed simultaneously. Her tightly bound legs twitched slightly, the flesh of her soles, swollen from the bindings, tensed. Her toes, unable to move within the fishing line, could feel a tingling sensation spreading upwards from the soles of her feet. "It's... starting to get hot here already." For a moment, they held each other close. Lu Wenxuan gently withdrew his cock, still lodged within his wife, drawing out a large gush of glistening fluid, a mixture of semen and arousal, that trickled down her thighs. He didn't rush to wipe it away, instead admiring her body, sculpted by the ropes into alluring curves and hollows. Then, Lu Wenxuan began the second phase of adjusting her restraints. He wanted his wife to feel the severity of every rope, yet be enveloped in his deep affection within that severity. He turned Su Yingrong from her side-lying position to a prone one, her cheek pressed against the soft pillow. Her hands remained in the "back-of-the-head" pose, suspended beneath her nape, her thumbs bound tightly with fishing line, knuckles turning slightly white but not injured. Lu Wenxuan focused on her feet. He loosened some of the red ropes, straightened his wife's legs, and then re-folded them into a tighter "four-horse-back-kicking" position. Her thighs were pressed tightly together, and thick red ropes crisscrossed between her thighs and calves, each rope digging deeply into her tender flesh, leaving clear red marks. The foot binding was particularly severe. He first used fishing line to bind her soles together completely, soles facing each other. He wrapped horizontal fishing line from heel to the base of her toes a full six times, arching her insteps high, causing every inch of the tender flesh on the soles of her feet to bulge. Next, he meticulously re-wrapped each toe individually. Especially her big toes, bound tightly side-by-side with fishing line, like two small meat pillars, unable to separate. The other eight toes were also individually tightened at their bases with thin fishing line, tied into secure knots. Finally, he used a thick red rope to bind her entire pair of jade-like feet into a single bundle, from ankle to the base of the toes, securing it to the calf restraints, ensuring her feet were completely immobile. "Yingrong's feet are bound so tightly... every toe can't move... later, your husband will have his way with these little feet." Lu Wenxuan patted his wife's bulging soles with satisfaction. The tender flesh on the soles of her feet trembled slightly from the impact. The restraints on her upper body were also adjusted. He tightened the "back-of-the-head" pose further, the thick red rope looping over her shoulders and tied into a rigid knot behind her back, pulling her wrists higher, almost to the point where her fingertips touched the back of her neck. He added another layer of fishing line to the bound thumbs, ensuring her thumbs were pressed together completely, leaving no room for movement. The red ropes on her chest were tightened by another two turns. One passed above her breasts, the other beneath, pushing her nipples, already wrapped in fishing line, even more prominently outward. The golden bells chimed in a cascade as the ropes tightened. The ropes around her lower body were also made more severe. The red rope dug deeply between her labia, swelling her clitoris to a glistening sheen. The clitoral bell was pressed tightly against the sensitive bead by the ropes. He then took out the jade dildo and slowly reinserted it into his wife's still-tingling vagina, securing it doubly with fishing line and the thigh ropes to ensure it wouldn't slip out. He gently tugged at the jade anal hook at her anus a few times, the tip stirring slightly within her intestines, sending waves of tingling pleasure through his wife. He also meticulously arranged her head ornaments. The golden phoenix crown on her high phoenix bun, the pearl hairpins, jade earrings, and ruby necklace were all re-secured, ensuring they wouldn't become dislodged during the intense actions to come. The jade pieces still sealed her eyes, the nose hook subtly pulled at her nostrils, and the fishing line on her tongue allowed only a slight protrusion of her tongue tip, preventing it from being fully retracted. With the adjustments complete, Su Yingrong had transformed into the ultimate seductive object, doubly encased in a magnificent wedding dress and severe ropes. Every joint in her body: shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, waist, knees, ankles, toes, and soles, was bound tightly. The rope marks covered her snow-white skin, but they only added to her delicate and decadent beauty, not pain. Lu Wenxuan lifted his wife again, this time placing her face-to-face on his lap. With her legs bound in the four-horse position, she could only lean softly against her husband's chest. He lowered his head and kissed his wife's lips, beginning to solicit her saliva. "Yingrong, keep feeding your husband... your saliva is the best aphrodisiac. Feed me more, and husband's cock will become harder, and I can fuck you longer tonight..." Su Yingrong's body went limp. Feeling her husband's affection, she obediently gathered her sweet saliva, sending it mouthful by mouthful into her husband's mouth. As Lu Wenxuan greedily sucked, he cupped his wife's face with both hands, his tongue delving into her slightly parted lips, greedily slurping every drop of her sweet saliva. While drinking her saliva, one of his hands reached to her chest, squeezing her nipples, tightened by the fishing line, through the red ropes and wedding dress. He gently tugged at the fishing line knot, making the golden bells ring wildly. His other hand moved to her back, grasping her hands suspended beneath her neck. He gently kneaded the bound thumbs. "This is bound so tightly... not a single thumb can move... Yingrong can only be toyed with by her husband now." After toying with her nipples for a while, he moved his hand to her lower body. He parted the thigh ropes with two fingers, revealing her cunt, filled by the jade dildo. He slowly withdrew the jade dildo, bringing out a large amount of arousal fluid. Then, he aimed his own already rock-hard, thick cock at her cunt, thrusting his hips, and burying it entirely within her. "Mmmph... mmm..." "You are excused," Ichiro Yamamoto said with a smile, helping her up. "Come, let your father have a good look at you." He had Yoshiko stand in the center of the room, then stepped back a few paces to admire her. The sapphire blue qipao made Yoshiko's skin appear like snow, and the golden embroidery sparkled under the lamplight. The jewels in her hair trembled slightly with her breathing. "Beautiful, so beautiful," Ichiro Yamamoto praised. "But, something is still missing." He picked up a bundle of red hemp rope. "It is more beautiful when a Gege is bound." Yoshiko obediently knelt down, her platform shoes making the movement a little difficult. She turned her back to Ichiro Yamamoto, her hands clasped behind her. "Please, Father, bind me." Ichiro Yamamoto brought Yoshiko's wrists together, crossing them, and began to wrap the red hemp rope tightly around them, circle after circle. The rough rope dug into her flesh, quickly leaving deep red marks on her fair wrists. After her wrists were bound, Ichiro Yamamoto began to bind her thumbs. He brought Yoshiko's thumbs together and wrapped the hemp rope from the base to the fingertips, tying them securely, then connecting them to the rope around her wrists. The red hemp rope began to wind upwards, reinforced particularly at the elbow joints. The rope passed behind her back, crossed in front of her chest, forming a chest bind. He had Yoshiko turn around and began to bind her breasts. The qipao and vest were unfastened, revealing the white肚兜 beneath. Ichiro Yamamoto tore off the肚兜, and Yoshiko's full breasts sprang forth. He wrapped the red hemp rope around the base of her breasts several times, making them appear even fuller and more perky. Then, he wound the rope around her nipples several times, finally tying two large golden bells. The bells were the size of walnuts, hanging heavily from her nipples, pulling them downwards. Yoshiko knew her father intended to bind her tongue and obediently extended it. Ichiro Yamamoto wrapped a thin hemp rope around the base of her tongue several times, tying a secure knot, and then attached a large ruby pendant to the tip of her tongue. The gem was the size of a pigeon's egg, so heavy that most of her tongue protruded from her mouth. Yoshiko obediently closed her eyes. Ichiro Yamamoto took out a silver needle, threaded it with fine silver wire, and sewed her upper and lower eyelids together. Although it hurt, Yoshiko, having been trained for years, had an extremely high tolerance and did not make a sound, only frowning slightly. After the suturing was complete, Yoshiko finally let out a sigh of relief. Ichiro Yamamoto took out a nose hook, passed it through Yoshiko's nostrils, and tied the golden chain to her headdress. This forced Yoshiko's head to tilt back at an extreme angle, making breathing even more difficult. Then, Ichiro Yamamoto helped Yoshiko lie down and began to bind her ankles. The red hemp rope started from her ankles, winding tightly, circle after circle, then up her calves, knees, and thighs. At her knees, he bent Yoshiko's legs and tied her calves to her thighs with the rope. Yamamoto liked to bind Yoshiko like this, immobile, which further aroused his desire. After binding her legs, Yamamoto removed Yoshiko's platform shoes, revealing her feet wrapped in white silk stockings. He removed the stockings, and Yoshiko's feet were completely bare. Her ten toes were as round and lustrous as pearls, and the soles of her feet were fair and soft. "Such beautiful feet must be bound well," Ichiro Yamamoto murmured to himself. He took out a thin hemp rope and began with Yoshiko's big toes. He brought her two big toes together and wrapped the hemp rope from the base, circle after circle, tightly, all the way to the tips. Then, he bound the second toe, the third... until all ten toes were individually bound and then tied together. The hemp rope wound horizontally around the instep, digging into her arch, then vertically, binding her entire foot into a tightly wrapped parcel. Finally, it was reinforced at the ankle. After the binding was complete, Yoshiko was bound from head to toe, every joint secured with red hemp rope. The ruby pendant dangled from her tongue tip, and the nose hook was both humiliating and beautiful. The luxurious attire of the Qing Dynasty Gege contrasted sharply with the brutal rope binding, creating a bizarre aesthetic. He picked Yoshiko up and placed her on a low couch. Yoshiko lay on her side, the hem of her qipao lifted to her thighs, revealing her legs bound by red hemp rope. Ichiro Yamamoto removed his own kimono, revealing his well-built body. Her whimpers were muffled by the gag, turning into dull moans. Yamamoto Ichiro showed no mercy, his second whip cracked across her back, the third on her buttocks. Each lash avoided vital spots, leaving only pain and red welts. Yoshiko's body trembled with every strike, the bells on her nipple clamps jingling, saliva gushing from her mouth. But the cruelty wasn't in the whipping itself, but in the chain reaction it triggered. The wooden horse was designed The qipao was custom-made by Yamamoto, crafted from the finest silk and embroidered with golden dragon and phoenix motifs. It featured a high slit, rising to the base of her thighs. Beside it lay a pair of white garter stockings and red high heels. The vibrant red qipao clung to Fuzi's body, accentuating her perfect curves. The high slit revealed her fair thighs, while the white garter stockings encased her slender legs. The red high heels on her feet made Fuzi appear even taller. In the bronze mirror, a perfect young Chinese wife gazed back, alluring, beautiful, and sexy. Yamamoto Ichiro seemed particularly excited today, having started preparing various tools early in the morning. Rumor had it he had some new games in mind. Fuzi entered the inner chamber. Yamamoto Ichiro sat on the low couch, with not only ropes and other implements laid out before him, but also several specially made anal plugs and vibrators. Yamamoto stared intently at Fuzi as she knelt before him, his eyes burning with fierce desire. "A qipao beauty is even more beautiful when bound." Today, as usual, he bound Fuzi tightly, her hands crossed behind her back and hoisted up beneath her nape, her thumbs tied together. Fishing line was attached to the base of her nipples, secured by two powerful clamps at the root, and the vibrator was tightly wound around the base of her breasts with fishing line. Yamamoto did not bind her tongue today. Instead, he inserted a large, solid ball gag into Fuzi's mouth and sealed her small lips with medical tape, forcing her to breathe only through her nostrils. Finally, he retrieved a specially made anal plug, a massive jade one, as thick as a baby's arm. He applied lubricant and slowly inserted it into Fuzi's anus. "Mmmph!" Fuzi cried out, but the ball gag and tape sealed her mouth, allowing only muffled moans to escape her nose. Her rear had not been unexplored by her father before, but the anal plugs had never been this large. Her eyes pleaded as she shook her head left and right, looking at her father with tear-filled eyes. Yamamoto seemed pleased with her expression. He deliberately pushed the enormous anal plug in slowly, savoring Fuzi's body trembling more and more violently, her eyes widening, her moans growing higher pitched. Until the plug was fully inserted, stretching her anus to its limit, Yamamoto Ichiro tied a thin string to the tail of the plug, connecting it to the knot behind her back, ensuring it wouldn't slip out. Fuzi was still reeling from the intense stimulation, her body taut, her eyes wide open, staring straight at the ceiling. Yamamoto now took out two specially made vibrators, each the size of an egg. He applied lubricant, inserting one into Fuzi's vagina and placing the other against her clitoris, securing them firmly with fishing line, and turned them on. From head to toe, every joint of Fuzi's body was tightly bound with red rope and fishing line. The anal plug and vibrators vibrated intensely inside her. She curled into a ball, her body shaking uncontrollably, causing the small bells on her to jingle. "Fuzi, are you enjoying this? Father's bondage must feel so good, right?" Fuzi couldn't speak, only managing to blink her eyes. Yamamoto chuckled and activated the vibrator attached to her nipples, causing Fuzi's tremors to intensify. He removed his kimono, revealing his muscular body, and straddled Fuzi's waist, thrusting his thick, long shaft between her breasts. The shaft was enveloped by soft flesh, eliciting a groan of pleasure from Yamamoto. He cupped her large breasts and squeezed them together, the sensation of being enveloped no less intense than that of a wet cunt. "Fuzi's breasts are getting softer and softer. Father likes them very much." Already overwhelmed by the stimulation from the anal plug and vibrators, Fuzi watched as her father's shaft rubbed back and forth in her cleavage, her body's sensations intensifying. Her eyes followed the large glans as it repeatedly pushed out from her cleavage, the pleasure in her body growing stronger and stronger. In a short while, she reached her peak under the intense stimulation. Yet, the stimulation from below and the shaft between her breasts continued to thrust, wave after wave of pleasure engulfing her. At this moment, she felt an unparalleled bliss, as if she were in her mother's womb, enveloped in warmth, utterly content. The thrusting continued for a full half hour. Yamamoto's shaft grew thicker and harder, yet showed no signs of climaxing. He released her breasts, withdrew his penis, and tore the tape from Fuzi's mouth. Fuzi's mouth was already filled with saliva, which began to spill out when the tape was removed. Yamamoto leaned down and kissed Fuzi's lips, sucking all the saliva from her mouth into his own. He then extended his tongue into her mouth, stirring the large ball gag within and licking away the saliva on it. She felt guilty all the way, clutching the bright red hair tie in her hand, silently chanting Da Chun's name, feeling like the most unforgivable wife in the world. But her body's desire overwhelmed her reason; she was like a moth drawn to a flame, knowing it was an abyss, yet unable to stop. When Huang Ren saw her, he wasn't surprised at all. "I knew you'd come," he said, slowly sipping his tea. "It's been over a month. You've been enduring, haven't you? But endurance doesn't last long. Your body belongs to me. That silversmith, can he satisfy you with his restraints?" Xi'er knelt on the ground, her head bowed, saying nothing. "Tell me, how did he tie you?" Huang Ren asked. Xi'er recounted Da Chun's clumsy attempts in detail. Huang Ren burst into laughter upon hearing it, his laughter filled with contempt. "This is the man you chose? He can't even do the most basic thing like tying a woman, yet he dares to think of replacing me?" He stood up and walked in front of Xi'er. "Today, I'll give you a real lesson in Shibari. I'll show you the difference between heaven and hell." He took a bundle of thin, crimson hemp rope from the shelf, and then a bundle of thick, black coir rope. "Today, we'll use two layers of rope. The red rope is thin, for binding close to the skin, to stimulate it. The black rope is thick, for the outer layer, to restrict movement. With two layers, each one will tighten until you can't breathe." Huang Ren's tying techniques were always fluid and precise, his rope work like a painting. The ropes seemed to come alive in his hands, wrapping around Xi'er's body layer by layer, evenly, tightly, and without hesitation. The red rope clung to her skin, winding around her neck, beneath her breasts, in the hollow of her waist, and in the crease of her buttocks, rubbing against her most sensitive areas. The black rope applied pressure and fixed her in place, folding her arms behind her back to their limit, bending her legs into a kneeling posture, and connecting her ankles and wrists with a short rope – this was called "Ebi" (shrimp binding), making her entire body curl up like a shrimp, completely unable to stretch. "This is what complete restraint looks like," Huang Ren said, looking at Xi'er curled into a ball. "What part of this could your silversmith husband achieve?" Xi'er couldn't speak. She was bound so tightly that breathing was difficult. Every inhale made her feel the ropes tightening, and every exhale gave her the illusion of sinking into deeper bondage. Yet, it was precisely this near-suffocating tightness that sent her body into a frenzy of excitement. For the next month, Xi'er visited Huang Ren's house almost every two or three days. With Da Chun away, she had no qualms, no need to make excuses, no fear of being discovered. Huang Ren also escalated his actions. It seemed he intended to thoroughly train Xi'er into his exclusive plaything during this time. Each time, he used different tying methods: Kote-kake, Hishi-gawa, Gyaku-ude, Ude-gaeshi, Hōrō, Ebi – just practicing the newly learned Japanese Shibari techniques on Xi'er could take an hour. Sometimes, after binding her, he wouldn't rush to violate her. He would simply leave her bound like that, kneeling on the ground, or suspended from the rafters, while he sat nearby reading or drinking tea. Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes for over an hour. Only when Xi'er was on the verge of collapse would he slowly approach and begin to torment her body. Initially, it was the familiar rhythm, but later it turned into non-stop torment every night. Each binding was tighter than the last, and each night's violation lasted longer than the previous one. Sometimes two or three times a night, sometimes until dawn. Xi'er's body was completely developed to a new peak. Every orgasm was accompanied by pain and suffocation. But the more it was like this, the more addicted she became. She could no longer distinguish between pain and pleasure. For her, they had long since merged into one. The pain of the ropes digging into her skin and the pleasure erupting from the depths of her body together formed the entirety of her desire. Due to the frequent binding, the rope marks didn't have time to fade. Before the old ones disappeared, new ones were already layered on top. Her body was always covered in marks, deep and shallow. Her wrists, arms, chest, waist, thighs, ankles – almost every inch of her skin bore the imprint of the ropes. She learned to cover them with thick powder, learned to wear high-necked clothing, learned to avoid touching Da Chun. She became cautious, maintaining the image of a perfect wife in front of her husband, while her inner self was Huang Ren's plaything. During this period, Huang Ren would also occasionally ask about Da Chun. He would ask about her husband's health, whether he suspected anything, and if he could satisfy her in this way. Each time he brought it up, it was a reminder to Xi'er of the depth of her betrayal. But for her now, Da Chun had become a distant guilt, while the ropes in Huang Ren's hands were the reality before her eyes. This continued for a full month. Da Chun returned. On the nineteenth day of the second lunar month, the birthday of Guanyin, women were chosen to impersonate the goddess and be bound in the Guanyin temple to receive incense offerings. This was because Guanyin, having achieved Buddhahood as a woman, was believed to be most efficacious when impersonated by a woman. However, the woman chosen to play Guanyin had to be bound extremely tightly. Guanyin, as a Bodhisattva, could not be constrained by worldly ropes; therefore, the ropes binding her were tied in reverse. The tighter the binding, the more it signified Guanyin's immense power, her ability to transcend earthly fetters. The Guanyin temple in the capital was located in the eastern part of the city and was renowned for its fervent worship. On Guanyin's birthday each year, the major noble houses of the capital would select a maiden to impersonate Guanyin and deliver her to the temple to be bound for three days and three nights. This woman had to be a virgin, unmarried, and between the ages of sixteen and twenty. This year, the Han family had chosen Han Linlang, the younger sister of Han Ziheng. Han Linlang was sixteen years old and still unmarried. She possessed delicate features and a gentle disposition, speaking little in her daily life. Madam Han selected her to impersonate Guanyin partly because her age was perfect and partly because her refined appearance bore a striking resemblance to the goddess. On Guanyin's birthday, Han Linlang was awakened before dawn by her maids to bathe and change. The bathing water was infused with sandalwood and lotus petals, filling the bathing chamber with an ethereal fragrance, reminiscent of a temple. After soaking for nearly half an hour, her skin flushed a delicate pink and luminous, Han Linlang was helped out by her maids. To impersonate Guanyin, one could not wear their hair in a bun; it had to be let down. The maids combed through her long tresses, applied hair oil, and let them cascade down her back. Only two small braids were woven at her temples, tied with white silk cords. No gold or silver ornaments adorned her head, only a single white lotus. This lotus was carved from white jade, its petals as thin as cicada wings, with a small pearl at its center. The makeup applied was known as "Ci Hang makeup." A light dusting of powder, no rouge, and her lips were touched with only a faint hint of red. Her eyebrows were painted in a gentle arch, the tips slightly drooping to convey compassion. A round cinnabar mark, the Guanyin mole, was placed on her forehead. The inner binding for Guanyin was not done with fishing line or golden thread, but with white silk cord. Pure and untainted, it most closely represented the Guanyin Bodhisattva's state of immaculate purity. The maids wound the white silk cord three times around each of her nipples, tightening them and tying small white jade bells. Another three loops were wound around her clitoris, tightened, and a smaller white jade bell was attached. The attire for impersonating Guanyin was a complete set of pure white robes, as per custom. The innermost garment was a white silk肚兜 (dudou, a type of traditional Chinese bodice), embroidered with a white lotus. This was followed by white silk underpants, a white silk inner shirt, and white silk trousers. Over these were a white silk jacket and skirt, the jacket embroidered with lotus flowers and leaves, and the skirt with purple bamboo. The outermost layer was a white gauze celestial robe, as thin as cicada wings, giving an ethereal, otherworldly appearance. A white silk sash was tied around her waist, and she wore a pair of soft white silk shoes. The binding method for impersonating Guanyin was called "Ci Hang Binding." Guanyin, as a Bodhisattva who saves the world with compassion, did not perceive ropes as restraints but as the karmic burdens she carried for all sentient beings. Therefore, Ci Hang Binding required extreme tightness, allowing Guanyin to bear the suffering of bondage on behalf of all beings. However, there were rules: the legs could not be bound, as Guanyin walked barefoot in the Purple Bamboo Forest, and binding her legs would negate her identity. Her hands also could not be suspended; Guanyin's hands were to hang down, ready to extend and guide beings at any moment. The maids bound Han Linlang's hands behind her back, winding the white hemp rope nine times around each wrist, tightening it until it dug deeply into her skin. Her elbows were drawn in, and her shoulders pulled back. Then came her waist, bound with nine loops, causing her lower abdomen to indent. Finally, her chest was bound, three loops above her breasts and three loops below. As the ropes tightened, Han Linlang felt as though her chest would explode. A long rope was then brought from behind, looped around her neck, and brought to the front, tied to the knot on her chest. This rope was called the "Mercy Rope," symbolizing the karmic burdens Guanyin carried for all beings. Once bound, the maids helped her into a sedan chair and transported her to the Guanyin temple in the eastern part of the city. Within the Guanyin temple, incense smoke curled upwards, and the sounds of bells and chimes filled the air. In the main hall stood a magnificent statue of a Thousand-Armed Guanyin, adorned with gold and vibrant colors. In front of the statue was a lotus platform, carved from white marble and covered with white silk. Han Linlang was helped onto the lotus platform and sat down cross-legged. Her hands were bound behind her back, preventing her from forming mudras. She could only lower her head, cast her eyes down, and remain motionless. The maids then placed a string of 108 prayer beads around her neck. The beads were made of polished white jade, each the size of a thumb. The young monks in the temple spread out the hem of her skirt, concealing her bound legs. From a distance, she truly resembled a white-robed Guanyin, seated cross-legged on the lotus platform, her gaze lowered, radiating compassion and solemnity. Only upon closer inspection could one discern the faint bulges of the knots beneath the white robes and the red marks etched into her wrists. The temple gates were wide open, and pilgrims streamed in. The first to enter the hall was an elderly couple. They offered incense and bowed. The old woman looked up and saw the white-robed Guanyin on the lotus platform, her eyes widening with surprise and delight. "She looks so much like her... the young lady from the Han residence is truly well-portrayed!" After the elderly couple finished their prayers, several more groups of pilgrims arrived, all common folk from the city. They offered incense, bowed, and paid homage to Han Linlang on the lotus platform. Some placed a few copper coins on the hem of her skirt, while others placed an incense stick in the censer before her. A young woman holding a child knelt before her, praying for Guanyin's blessing for her child's safe upbringing. Han Linlang kept her eyes lowered, remaining still. As the afternoon wore on, the number of pilgrims gradually dwindled. The temple caretaker closed the gates, and the young monks retreated. Han Linlang was left alone in the main hall, seated on the lotus platform, bound and motionless. She lowered her head, her eyes closed. The door to the rear hall was pushed open, and three men in silk robes entered. The leader was Magistrate Fang of the capital, followed by two of his colleagues. The three men had clearly been drinking, their faces flushed. Each year on Guanyin's birthday, there was a custom: during the day, pilgrims paid their respects, and after nightfall, the "Guanyin" was to "consecrate" the temple's benefactors. Magistrate Fang approached the lotus platform, reached out, and lifted Han Linlang's chin to examine her. He nodded. "A young lady from the Han residence, indeed refined," he said. He walked behind Han Linlang and began to untie the knots on her body. The white hemp ropes were loosened one by one, revealing the red indentations left by the binding. Han Linlang knelt there, her long, unbound hair covering her snow-white back. Magistrate Fang untied the knots behind her, but did not loosen the ropes on her wrists or elbows. He merely instructed the maids to reposition her into a kneeling posture, making her prostrate herself on the floor, her face pressed against the prayer mat, her buttocks raised high. Magistrate Fang lifted her white gauze celestial robe, revealing the open-crotch underpants beneath. He untied the fastenings of the underpants, exposing her lower body completely. Her clitoris, bound by the white silk cord, trembled slightly. Han Linlang's face was buried in the prayer mat, her entire body rigid.