Chapter Text
1.
Lihaku hummed to himself as he took his seat, chattering idly with a friend about the girls he had handed out the hair sticks to. There was a particularly well dressed, mysterious one that he couldn’t get off his mind, and he said as such to his friend.
“Uh, you might want to look at the top table,” his friend said.
Hahah, why would he look there— oh no, oh fuck, did he give the hair stick to the crown prince’s wife? Oh god, he was so getting fired, or worse, executed. Oh god.
“Please make sure my sister and my mother are well taken care of,” Lihaku whispered, “for when I’m inevitably served with capital punishment.”
2.
Maomao strolled to the Jade Pavilion, casual as a maidservant could be, even if she was on summons by Lady Gyokuyou, again.
“My lady,” she said, bowing to the consort. It didn’t escape her notice to realize that there was no one else in the room. “Are you well?”
Lady Gyokuyou smiled. With her teeth. “I’m feeling wonderful, with thanks to you, Maomao,” she replied. “Or should I say—
— your highness?”