"This face was still too authoritative. No wonder it could win over even children.
Feng Xiu frowned at his reflection in the bronze mirror, then reached up to straighten his hat and clothes again, carefully smoothing the wrinkles in his garments.
His brow relaxed once more, and the longer he looked, the more satisfied he became.
First respect fine robes, then the person; first respect the skin, then the soul.
Words can overawe gentlemen; attire can subdue petty men.
To a great extent, whether a person's words could persuade others also depended on their attire and appearance.
Among the reasons Feng Xiu enjoyed martial cultivation, aside from savoring the process itself, was that martial arts truly possessed the power to change one's outward form, inner self, and spirit.
Feng Xiu stared at the figure in the mirror for quite some time before slowly reining in his smile.
He summoned a maidservant, had her bring a basin of clean water, and ordered a table full of good dishes.
After washing his face, several maidservants carried in the food. Once they had laid everything out one by one, they curtsied and withdrew.
The table was laden with ten dishes: ginseng-stewed venison ribs, stir-fried old chicken, clear-braised tiger tongue, steamed bear paw, and more.
All were things of utmost purity and yang.
Even the staple food was Golden Ear Wheat, something ordinary people could not afford to eat. More than fifty steamed buns glimmering with a golden sheen were piled directly in a basket.
Besides that, there were several plates of seasonal fruits and vegetables, along with a plate of jet-black polygonatum that had been steamed nine times and sun-dried nine times.
Feng Xiu's appetite surged. He picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a venison rib, and began chewing. A mild, soft fragrance flowed