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There were certain quirks about Master Jinshi that one would never learn based solely on his public persona. One of them, Maomao had learned, was that he absolutely hated being dirty. Not that it stopped him - when they had gone on their jaunt about town, his excitement about being able to blend in with the crowd overruled his distaste for the dirty clothes necessary to hide the stench of his expensive incense. Maomao had almost felt bad for not warning him not to bathe immediately in the morning, otherwise she might have been able to tell Master Gaoshun to requisition a pair of clean clothes from the laundry. Still, he had rallied, so long as he was able to take a thorough bath afterwards.
She couldn’t help but think that a bath would be an excellent idea, given the palace master’s current state. The once luxurious, white robes had turned grey around the edges with pond grime, jewels worth more than some estates tossed carelessly on the table in a heap where he sat, pouting, as water dripped off of him.
Which meant, as she buffed dirty water out of his hair (perhaps a tad less gently than claimed) she couldn’t help but reluctantly sympathize with the palace master’s predicament. It wasn’t just water, after all, but all sorts of bits that clung to the normally silken mass. She winced. Working the tangles out of this was going to be a job.
Fortunately, however, she was on a different assignment, so she shouldn’t be stuck doing it.
“Excuse me, Master Gaoshun?” One of the eunuchs poked his head in, carefully keeping his eyes downcast in respect. “There’s a message for you.”
Gaoshun looked up from where he had been taking a closer look at the moths. Shisui had a point - the pupa were somewhat cute if you looked closely and the adults were very pretty. Gaoshun had a well developed appreciation for cuteness and now that the tension had been let out of the situation, he could take a moment to admire them. “One moment.” He glanced at Jinshi, who continued to act only half his age at the moment as Maomao continued to rub at his head.
As he stepped outside, Jinshi’s other…attendant? Subordinate? Friend? Maomao wasn’t entirely sure what role he played in the palace master’s household, but Basen stepped inside the small outbuilding. Given that the ban on men in the Rear Palace had been lifted for the evening, and he had led the guards during Jinshi’s performance, she was unsurprised to see the young soldier there even as she wrung more water out of the palace master’s hair.
Basen pressed his lips together as he caught sight of Jinshi, eyes crinkling at the corners before he coughed slightly and took up the spot Gaoshun had vacated.
“I see that face, Basen,” Jinshi growled.
Basen’s shoulders shook ever so slightly. “I’m sure I have no idea what you mean, Master Jinshi.”
Jinshi opened his mouth to say something else, but yelped as a few strands of his hair caught on something. “Can’t you be ANY more gentle than that, apothecary?!”
“Sorry, sir.” Maomao checked, finding a twig that had gotten wound around the underside of his hair. “Let me just get this out…” she began teasing the hair free.
“You look like a half drowned rat,” Basen snickered.
Jinshi bristled. “Thanks,” he drawled with no small amount of sarcasm.
“So, did the prettiest princess in the land scare off the envoys from hell?” Basen asked, still looking more amused than Maomao had ever seen before.
“Hey!”
“Hold still, sir, I’ve almost got - oh, ick!” Maomao winced as a minnow dropped on the floor at their feet, out of the tangled mess in her hands.
She, Basen and Jinshi all just stared at the dead fish on the floor before Jinshi calmly asked, “Apothecary. Did that just fall out of my hair?”
“So it would seem, Master Jinshi.” She eased the twig out and dropped it on the floor next to the poor fish.
“Pfft!” Basen’s face began turning red as he did his absolute best to hold back open laughter even as Jinshi let out a full body shudder.
Their acquaintance must be longstanding, if Master Basen is this comfortable teasing him, Maomao thought. Nevertheless, the palace master was looking rather grumpy, so she answered the young soldier on her employer’s behalf. “I believe you saw the envoys’ reaction, Master Basen. They seemed to react as we hoped.”
“I was worried for a moment we would have to pull the one in red off of you,” Basen commented, swallowing the remainder of his amusement.
Jinshi sat up straight under her hands. “What happened?” he asked, his voice and demeanor shifting from the petulant boy to the authoritative palace master in an instant.
“Nothing much, Master Jinshi. I handled it.” Maomao ran her hands through his wet hair, looking for any more unpleasant surprises.
“The one envoy grabbed her by the shoulders and started to shake her while yelling. I couldn’t understand what she was saying, but I can guess she was demanding to know where you went,” Basen filled in.
Jinshi’s gaze was sharp as looked at Maomao, who simply shrugged. “She settled down when I pointed at the moon and said the moon goddess’ name, as planned.”
“Well. That’s good.” Jinshi settled back into the chair as Maomao picked up a comb and began to gently ease it through the ends of his hair, working upward. She didn’t need to get every knot out, but starting on it meant Suiren would have an easier time when Jinshi got home and in the bath.
“So, think they’ll make terms and go home now?” Basen asked Jinshi.
Jinshi shrugged. “I don’t think they’re just going to roll over and agree to everything we want, but hopefully this has taken them down a peg or two so that we can actually get an agreement hammered out without all the drama of the last few weeks.”
Maomao shook her head. “Speaking of which, I think His Majesty’s younger brother had the right idea tonight by not showing up.”
Basen looked at her sharply, even as she felt Jinshi finally hold still under her hands. “What do you mean?” the attendant asked, as his master was silent.
“Oh, you missed the drama at the banquet. The envoy in red climbed out of her carriage and walked right up to His Majesty, all but asking to share his carriage so they could talk.” She’d gotten about halfway up Jinshi’s hair at this point.
“She did what?!” Basen and Jinshi both exclaimed at once. Jinshi jerked his head, as if to turn and face Maomao. Unfortunately, she still had the full length of his hair in her fist while she combed tangles out.
“OW!”
“Sir, I really need you to hold still,” Maomao pointed out, more than a little exasperated.
Jinshi turned back around, but she could see that his eyes were narrowed in displeasure at her report before he resumed his position on the stool. “She just approached him? In front of the four high consorts?”
“Oh, yes. I would never dare to claim familiarity with His Majesty’s expressions, but to my eyes he looked rather uncomfortable. The envoy was certainly bold - she flirted with him, with all the subtlety of a third-rate courtesan.” Maomao continued to stroke the comb through Jinshi’s wet hair, finally making it up to the nape of his neck.
“So, what happened?” Basen continued to look sickly fascinated, even as Master Jinshi maintained his composure while listening, his shoulders straight, his posture as perfect as ever.
Maomao shrugged. “The other one pulled her back before she could keep pushing the issue. Honestly, if the Emperor is going to admit one of them into the Rear Palace, I’d go with the one dressed in blue. She, at least, seems to have some sense of propriety.”
Master Jinshi shook his head. “Neither of them will be admitted as a concubine, although it wouldn’t do to tip our hand about that fact in advance.” His voice was flat and sure, fully in his sphere of influence.
“I’d say they got that message tonight, after seeing that there’s a beauty in Li who outshines them,” Maomao pointed out.
Jinshi rolled his shoulders. She thought she could detect a hint of embarrassment behind the petulance, as she ran the towel over his hair one last time before sectioning it into three strands.
“More to the point, why mention the Imperial Brother? Did he come up in the conversation?” Basen asked, his tone studied and nonchalant. He was not being nearly as subtle as he thought, in Maomao’s opinion, but then again, Basen was not the most subtle of men, as she had observed before.
Jinshi finally held perfectly still under her hands as she began to braid the damp mass down his back. The style was so simple that it bordered on childish, but it would keep it from going everywhere as it dried and make Suiren’s life easier when it came time to wash it. As she finished, tying off the ends, she answered Basen’s question. “Oh, she took time to mention what a pity that he wasn’t there and how much she would have loved to meet him.” Maomao did her best to mimic the envoy’s tone. “Honestly, with how she behaved toward the Emperor, if his brother had been there, the poor man might have found himself clubbed over the head and dragged back to their carriage with how they were behaving.”
Basen’s face got a rather strange look on it as he took a deep breath. “Well, I imagine the prince’s bodyguards would have stepped in before it got to that point. Assuming, of course, he wanted to be rescued.”
Maomao shrugged. “Some men like being chased. Unfortunately for the envoys’ ambitions, our emperor does not appear to be one of them and his younger brother escaped their clutches through his absence.”
Basen coughed again, his closed fist held against his mouth as he appeared overcome with spasms.
Was he sick? Maomao stepped forward, raising her hand to check Basen’s forehead for fever. Her progress was stopped as Jinshi reached up and caught her wrist, his beautiful lips pressed together in a straight line as he glared at Basen before turning his sparkliest smile on her. “Apothecary, please check on Gaoshun and see if he needs any assistance after that message.”
Maomao couldn’t quite keep her face from twisting in disgust - it had been awhile since he had turned his charm offensive in her direction - but nevertheless she raised her arms before her, the sleeves falling to cover her hands. “Of course.”
As the door closed behind her, she heard a smack followed by an aggrieved “Ow!” that nevertheless had a hint of laughter.
She shook her head. “It has nothing to do with me,” she reminded herself. Fortunately for the speed of her errand, she saw Gaoshun approaching the small shed. “Ahh, Master Gaoshun. Master Jinshi asked me to see if you require any assistance?”
“Thank you, Xiaomao. I’m afraid you can. Suiren sent a message that she began feeling ill this afternoon. She’ll, of course, attend Master Jinshi if the Jade Pavilion absolutely requires your presence tonight, but perhaps…?” Gaoshun trailed off, with that same hopeful look on his face.
Maomao sighed. “Please send a message to Lady Hongniang that I will return to the Jade Pavilion in the morning. If Lady Suiren doesn’t mind, I can also check her over when we return to Master Jinshi’s residence.”
Gaoshun smiled at her with open relief. “I didn’t think I’d have to ask you to see to her health, but your initiative is appreciated all the same. She emphasized that it was just a summer cold, but I see no reason to not be cautious.”
“I agree.” It was a good thing she had taken the time to get the worst of the tangles out of Jinshi’s hair here! If that fish had fallen into his bath, who knew how long the palace master might have sulked as evidence of tonight’s adventure continued to follow him, even into his home?
Gaoshun glanced past her. “Is he ready to leave the premises?”
“Just as soon as he finishes disciplining Master Basen, I would imagine so.” Maomao sighed. She would have to return and help him change, since that spoiled man couldn’t seem to dress himself.
Gaoshun winced. “Oh, dear.” He didn’t wait for her to elaborate, but strode toward the door with the sure stride of a man whose overriding emotion was exasperation. “Gentlemen,” she heard him say in a gentle tone that nonetheless foretold doom, the door sliding shut behind him, leaving Maomao on the outside.
Maomao hid her smile behind her hand and waited to be summoned. In the meantime, she looked up, admiring the moon, framed by a few of the moths as they continued to straggle. Shisui had a point - they were quite pretty with the way the moonlight caught their white wings. She wasn’t sure she would describe the sight as paradise, though. Then again, her idea of heaven involved copious medicinal ingredients, every tool imaginable at her disposal and quiet, uninterrupted time to experiment to her heart’s content. For now, she was content to admire the night while waiting for her superiors to finish up whatever it was they were doing.
After about fifteen minutes, the door opened and the three men all exited. Master Jinshi was dressed in his uniform once again, his damp hair still braided loosely down his back. With the more restrained hairstyle he looked more masculine than usual to Maomao’s eyes, the strength of his jawline and profile of his straight nose on display without the distraction of a silky mass of hair to disguise the breadth of his shoulders. Despite Gaoshun’s annoyed expression, the palace master had regained his normal demeanor, walking slowly and gracefully as befit a noble, Basen and Gaoshun both walking one step behind.
Maomao attended behind Gaoshun as they made their way through the ruins of the north quarter to a side exit that the eunuchs used and would put them much closer to Master Jinshi’s residence than the more circuitous route if they walked out the main gate in the southern quarter.
“Apothecary,” the palace master said.
Maomao sighed and stepped forward, falling into an easy stride behind Jinshi as Gasohun fell back. “Yes, Master Jinshi?”
“Please see Suiren first and then you will be off duty for the rest of the night. We’ve all had a long, exhausting day on top of a hectic week and the sooner everyone sleeps, the better. You may return to the Jade Pavilion in the morning to taste Lady Gyokuyou’s breakfast.”
“Will you require any further assistance tonight with your bath and your attire, sir?” Maomao looked up, hopeful that she might actually get some sleep tonight.
Master Jinshi shook his head, his gaze still firmly fixed in front of him. “No, not tonight. Basen will fill in.”
She glanced at Basen, who had resumed his normal, overly serious demeanor, giving no indication that he saw anything unusual in a twenty four year old man who was unable to dress himself. “Understood, sir.”
Well. This would make her life much easier. A simple cold remedy could be compounded quickly enough with what Lady Suiren usually kept available in the kitchen, so she wouldn’t even need her tools. And then she could curl up on a couch and get a good night’s sleep.
As they walked, one of the moths flitted around them, coming to rest on Jinshi’s shoulder for a moment, its wings glowing from the moonlight as if lit from within. She heard Basen cough again, even as Jinshi gently brushed the little visitor off his shoulder, a single, elegant finger extended as if to benevolently help it fly ever higher. “Shoo, little one. Go find a real moth.”
It must be a powerful scent, if these insects were still attracted to Jinshi, even after changing clothes and being dunked in the pond! Perhaps she could acquire one or two of the cages to play with, if the eunuchs hadn’t finished simply releasing the rest of them. Or maybe Shisui could help her acquire specimens? Maomao rubbed her index finger against the bow of her lips as they walked, thinking about the potential medicine (and money!) to be made.
They arrived at Jinshi’s pavilion almost before she realized it and she startled out of her reverie at the door. “Goodnight, Master Jinshi,” she said, bowing.
“Goodnight, apothecary,” he said with an absent tone of voice, even as the moonlight pinned a crown of pale light across the restrained, wet hair. He quickly walked into the main house, Basen and Gaoshun trailing behind. Maomao turned aside to the servants’ quarters, her feet tracing the path that felt both familiar and foreign.
She entered the kitchen, immediately pulling down honey, ginger and a stick of precious cinnamon, stirring the coals to light the stove. She would warm the honey and then infuse it overnight so that Suiren would be able to simply stir it into her tea as needed. And, to make sure Suiren actually took it for herself, she made sure to infuse enough honey so that it would be available in case Master Jinshi ended up with a cold of his own due to his late night swim.
For the first time in the entire, fraught night, Maomao began to smile as she focused on her favorite task in the world.