Chapter Text
“He did what?” Yoh let out an exasperated sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.
“Suiren said he sent her home,” Ah Duo lounged against the pillows sipping her drink.
“What did she do this time?” he asked, rubbing his temples.
“Brought preventative measures? From our talk she sounded like she was… accepting the arrangement.”
“No fight? No denial, no dashing out?” He knew well the stories of the palace cat.
“Not that Suiren could hear or see.”
“You’re not in his way, I’m not in his way, Suiren and Gaoshun aren’t in his way, Maomao isn’t running, even Lakan doesn’t seem to be getting between them. What is STOPPING HIM!?”
“Respect of her freedom and desires,” she looked off as she raised her cup to her lips.
Like a punch to the gut he doubled over, “Ouch Duo.”
She looked off and took another swig, “Just saying.”
Trying to parry that jab he sighed, “Do you think they would work well together with what you’ve seen?”
“Absolutely, but my understanding is he’s also blundered his affections more than once over the years, so he’s unlikely to make a decisive move.”
A dangerous glint flashed in the Emperor’s eye as he poured her another drink.
***
“Can you deliver this to the Medical offices?” the Moon Prince offered a missive to Chue. She bowed playfully and flitted out of the room. Gaoshun didn’t miss the hesitant lip pinch as the message left his hand.
“Would you like to invite her over to discuss it, your Highness?”
The sigh was small and reserved for professionality’s sake, “No, I just want her opinion on a small matter, nothing worth dragging her away from her work.”
And causing a disturbance to her schedule, and her life… yet AGAIN.
His lips remembered the soft kiss he offered her in the crows nest, she said she accepted his feelings, but that wasn’t the same as reciprocation. Not resisting was not embracing either. Acknowledging his advances while bowing to his station was vexing, he could never tell if it was coming across as a genuine request or just bowing to his birthright. And so it was, just a few nights ago when she came to his home, not for anything official, but rather of a more personal nature bringing with her abortifacients- or in his mind ‘poison’. Moving forward to sate his desires would only put her in danger. Politically, physically, socially. Besides, he knew what lit her up and brought her joy, what made those cat ears perk and invisible tail waggle with delight, and it wasn’t him.
***
“Miss Maomao! Miss Maomao!”
“Miss Chue! Miss Chue!” the cat chirped back, closing the apothecary drawer and noting down the inventory count.
“A message from the Moon Prince,” the spy offered cheerfully.
She broke the seal and read the missive, her eyes slowing down over the characters. Once, then twice she read making sure she had all the pieces before offering her response.
Ah, a professional request. He just wants my opinion on the matter.
A flash of him seated, looking completely dejected on his bed flashed across her vision. She huffed a breath, it wasn’t MY fault this time. Taking a sheet from the office supply she offered a response and a couple of avenues they might explore for further context. Folding it neatly she returned it to Chue, “Anything else?”
“Not for the moment!” her smile was a ray of sunshine as she dashed out.
***
Well after her shift had completed Jinshi saw a familiar silhouette come to knock on his office door, “Enter.”
She did, quietly closing the door behind her and putting her hands in her sleeves, Gaoshun bowed and took his leave while the prince blinked in confusion, “You didn’t have to come all the way here to answer.”
He looked rather… flushed.
What was she doing here? His body and mind split their intentions.
Tilting her head the apothecary approached and looked him over, “Are you okay Master Jinshi?”
Stepping around the desk she came to his left side, close. Too close. He could smell the herbs on her. His wrist was caught in her hand, she seemed unimpressed, “Your pulse is elevated, have you been neglecting yourself again?”
“N-no I-”
She sighed, dropping her written response on the table and went to get the overworked and most likely dehydrated noble a cup of water sounding vaguely perturbed, “I’d recommend talking to the Board of Water and the Board of Sanitation, there could be… contamination issues.”
He made a mental note, but since she was here, “Would you like to stay for dinner?”
“Yao and En‘en are waiting for me,” she said looking toward the front of his villa.
Some of the few friends she has, he waved off his own request as she put the cup of water in his hands, watching quietly to see if he would actually drink. He rolled his eyes and took a hearty swig, “Never going to live that down am I?”
She shook her head through pinched lips. He took another swig, and she nodded approvingly. Putting her hands in her sleeves she bowed slightly, “Good night Master Jinshi.”
He snuffed through his nose at the title but caught the briefest flash of mischief in her eye. Instead of making her way around the table and leaving she started going behind his chair toward the side exit.
Fingers lightly caressed a trail up his sleeve as she rounded the back of the chair.
“OI!”
Too late. She was off like a flash.
“MAOMAO!” he shouted after her as her rushing footfalls faded around the corner.
“Do you need me to reacquire her Sir?” Gaoshun approached.
Jinshi jolted as if he’d been caught sneaking moon cakes. The prince rubbed his arm, it was still tingling from her touch, looking after the empty corridor, “No… no. It’s fine.”
The attendant looked… unconvinced.
***
The woman stepped into the waiting carriage and Ah Duo grinned, “How did it go?”
“Miss Chue hopes you will back her if this goes sideways,” she said, pulling off the emerald wig carefully and unwrapping the bandages from both arms beneath the sleeves. While Maomao tended to experiment on her left, Chue’s right arm would have her caught in a flash.
“Nudges Chue, just nudges, don’t push too hard.”
The bird tilted her head as she peeled tape from her eyes, “Miss Chue has coaxed two Ma clan heirs from a man who travels in a basket. Define ‘nudge’.”
***
Several days later Maomao’s mortar and pestle slowed as she heard the staff stuttering and shuffling in the Medical Office. Tianyu poked his head in, “Niangniang it’s for you.”
She blinked and then sighed as only one visitor made everyone rush and stand to attention like that. I didn’t think my reply warranted THIS level of response.
The last time she had seen him the Prince was sending her home, she still wasn’t sure how to interact with him. She hoped this was a… professional visit. Dr Li had intercepted him and was politely inquiring about this interruption to his medical personnel. The Moon Prince masterfully countered with a vague response regarding the Rear Palace matter she was consulting on.
Medical authority submitted begrudgingly to political authority as the Doctor opened the door to the prep room and shut the door behind the Prince. Jinshi blinked as he was met by a proper bow, he tilted his head, “Why?”
“Same reason Gaoshun gets on your case, I’m at work,” she deadpanned.
“Fair,” he sighed, “thank you for your recommendation we found a cross contamination that we’re dealing with.”
She winced, “Any symptoms from those beyond the downflow?”
“None reported yet, we’re looking into it.”
The apothecary listed several symptoms including digestive issues, bloody stool and diarrhea to watch out for and he clearly made mental notes. But then there was a pause like he wanted to say something. Somehow it gave way to a different subject, “Is there additional training you need or wish to receive from the medical facilities?”
Where is this coming from?
“I’m learning and earning my place here as long as nobles aren’t watching me through the windows or disrupting the office,” she eyed him, he looked off with a wince. She lowered her voice against possible eavesdroppers at the door, “You're asking about additional surgical training?”
Jinshi nodded. Stepping a little closer so she didn’t have to project as far.
She pondered for a moment, “May I have some time to consider?”
“Certainly.”
“Is that all Sir?”
His squirming would have been missed by anyone but his inner circle. Was this about his invitation and rejection?
Not like she’d been considering that night herself. Replaying it over and over in her mind. Had she said something wrong? Did she do something wrong? She thought her actions were accepting and supportive. But just like then, it was like he wanted to leave and be here at the same time.
She hesitated before offering, “You know… I was just trying to make you more comfortable?”
He jolted, clicking his tongue in annoyance, while keeping his voice low, “more like giving me another opportunity to blunder this,” he motioned between them, “and ALL of THAT,” motioning toward the courts and palace.
There was a knock at the door and he took a smooth step away from her, turning to regard Gaoshun, Jinshi sighed and waved him off, “I see you, I’ll be out in a moment.”
Maomao scoffed, “You’ve locked this into a stalemate,” she said mocking his gesture, “I’m not sure what else to do here.”
He whispered harshly, “If I make a move it’s too brash.”
“And if I take proper precautions it’s ’too brash’,” she hissed back quietly.
There was another knock on the door, the rabid dog growled under his breath, rising to depart. His hand paused on the doorknob. “I… just don’t wanna trap you.”
He took a cleansing breath, his princely posture rose as his royal mask settled and he exited quietly.
What the HELL WAS THAT!?
***
“But… you said in the crows nest he-“
Maomao rubbed her temples, “I know.”
Chue motioned sharply toward the pavillion, “But NOW he-“
“I know.” the cat groused.
“That doesn’t make ANY SENSE!”
“I KNOW!” the apothecary wilted, her head thudding against the desk.
Maomao scrubbed at her scalp in frustration, she wasn’t one to share, but this was getting ridiculous and Chue already knew about the last visitation attempt.
The pieces just weren’t lining up.
They always lined up.
This was MAOMAO we’re talking about!
“Do you know what you want here Miss Maomao?” Her unofficial lady-in-waiting asked.
Maomao threw back the shot of booze, slamming the cup down on the table, “I want him to make up his damn mind! Either leave me to my medical career and let us be professionals or sort out his ridiculous internal struggle!”
Chue refilled the apothecary’s cup debating her next question carefully. Knowing Maomao would defer to his rank long before being honest with herself, the spy wanted to see if she could trick the dense creature into admitting her feelings.
“So you want to work in the medical offices and never see the man of such a high station again?”
“I didn’t say that,” Maomao replied, perturbed.
“Would you prefer returning to the Empress’s pavilion? I’m sure she’d take you back.”
“That would piss him off.”
“But then you’d get to see him from time to time,” she eyed carefully.
“In a perpetual cycle of harassment? No thanks,” she downed another shot, Chue refilled.
“Ah, perhaps succeeding Luomen as the Medical Professional of the Rear Palace so they don’t have to make more Eunuchs.”
“Okay YES, but that’s a different impossibility.”
“Oh so you want to be a servant in his household while his brother forces a concubine on him?”
Chue didn’t miss the tightening grip on the little cup, Maomao took the shot and the cup clattered down in defeat as she cradled her head in her hands. “Maybe? I don’t know.”
Would this concubine take care of him? Make sure he stays hydrated? Not ask him to exhaust himself further in their pursuit of heirs? Then he could HAVE heirs without making Maomao an enemy to Gyokuyou. He’d probably make for an excellent father.
“-omao! HEY! You okay?” Her hand was gripping the fabric on her chest and her lungs were burning.
The apothecary eyed the sake, “You didn’t work any of those mushrooms in did you?”
Chue shook her head and offered a glass of water. Maomao stared for a moment while she ran a self assessment, her heart was racing, her lungs fighting for oxygen, her stomach was churning.
I hope I didn’t get an infection from the cross contaminated pipes he’s referring to.
The bird was capping the alcohol, “I think it’s time to wind down.”
Maomao nodded, “can you get me some hot water for tea?”
“Of course Miss Maomao.”
***
“Is this some sort of sweet and spicy chicken glaze?” Yao peered over the apothecary’s shoulder.
On the table was honey, dried black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, tumeric, and bird's eye peppers from the south east. She was grinding each of the dried ingredients into a powder.
Maomao hadn’t felt right since her conversation with Chue, her stomach had been churning and she’d lost her appetite. These were symptoms she had just told him to watch out for with cross contaminated waterlines among other, less pleasant symptoms.
“Fire honey for immune system and digestion, among other things,” she said without looking up.
“Why such a large batch?” En‘en’s brow furrowed.
“It may be needed elsewhere,” Maomao replied.
They each found a grinder of their own and came beside her to help, she decided they could have a small jar themselves, especially with how shelf-stable it was.
***
Chue was not expecting her next message delivery to be met with a hefty jar of strange smelling honey, “Where did you manage to get this!?”
“Ah Duo had requested a meeting and when I suggested this remedy she seemed eager to offer a jar from her… extensive stash,” it was impressive how much her previous lady-in-waiting had gathered for the ex-consort.
“And these are?”
“Several smaller jars as I suspected Gaoshun, Suiren and the Empress would also want the remedy on hand. It’s also good for throat and sinus infections.”
“Miss Maomao is very kind to share all this.”
“Getting ahead of illness is the job of an apothecary is it not?”
Each jar had a little tag of instructions tied to it, 1-2 teaspoons/day can be in food or drink or taken directly. Complete with a 6 month check-in date for expiration.
“It will be stronger in a couple of weeks but I wanted to make sure there was something that could be used immediately.”
“I’m sure the Moon Prince will be pleased to have this available,” Chue replied, reloading the jars back into the box Maomao had prepared while she wrote her response.
***
“Thank you Xiaomao you didn’t have to deliver this directly,” Gaoshun looked over the box.
She bowed, “Assuring Ah Duo’s rare ingredients ended up in the right hands seemed appropriate.”
The office door slid open revealing a surprised Moon Prince, “Apothecary?”
Hands in sleeves she offered a formal greeting to the royal while Gaoshun handed him her documented response, “Seems she’s one step ahead as always, remedies for the afflicted.”
Her left hand traced over the containers, bandages peeking out from her sleeve, “Each are labeled for intended parties, expiration and instructio- oh excuse me,” one small container’s lid had popped loose and a little dribble had meandered its way down the container. She carefully wiped it up with her finger and spared him a glance before her tongue meandered up her finger over the spice clouded honey.
Both men jolted and Gaoshun bowed out immediately while Jinshi nearly spat, “I thought you hated honey!?”
“Sweet, this is spicy,” she remained monotone while she lapped again before sucking on her finger, eyes closed, savoring the bite.
He was so shell-shocked the exit was easy. Little did she know it was the same look he once gave after dropping a tea cup.
***
Aaaaaaaand there it is. Ah Duo knew the handwriting and could almost predict the note word-for-word. Yue had requested drinks before and this was always an unspoken request for mentorship. One his mother was always thrilled to provide.
It wasn’t long before a carriage came to fetch her, and she knew he was going to be a mess but even as she came in he was openly pacing despite Suiren’s dinner spread on the table and a drink set out for each of them.
“Everything okay?” she asked, knowing it wasn’t.
He plopped down on his seat and groaned, burying his head in his hands, “I messed up and now I just can’t see the solution past the problems.”
She hadn’t heard of any scandals from the court lately, maybe a couple of things from Gaoshun but nothing that would elicit this level of response. Sitting down, the spirit burned on her tongue as food was collected, “Well whatever it is you’ve managed to keep a pretty good lid on it.”
“It’s not like I can ask a lot of people about this,” he mumbled to the floor.
That narrows it down considerably, she began her game of questions, “Professional or personal?”
“Yes?” Many subjects fell away.
“Do they live in your pavillion?”
“Not anymore.”
“Maomao?”
“Maomao.”
“You know Yoh was joking at the Shrine of Choosing right?”
“And her biological father once blew up a gate looking for her.”
“But her chosen father has resumed his exemplary service in the Rear Palace,” she said as one who survived full blown surgery in an era when it was still illegal.
“Yeah and when I asked for his opinion today I was reminded quite thoroughly why Maomao doesn’t speak conjecture often or about elements above her station.”
She took a bite of smoked meat, “What did he say?”
“That he can’t ‘speak to Maomao’s feelings, but in his experience caring for the royal family has been both a source of great anguish and joy.”
“Are you going to take Maomao’s kneecap if she blunders something?”
“HEAVENS no!” he all but shouted.
“Then you’re already better than the Empress Dowager. Let me ask who… what enemies are you searching for here?”
“She’s been kidnapped twice from under my nose, and that was without any formal connections beyond being a servant, scandalous or not.”
“Those ‘formal connections’ being what, exactly? Mistress, lover, consort or wife?”
He downed his wine with a furious blush, “That about sums it up.”
“And where does she stand in all of this?”
“I don’t know, one minute she’s treating me like an untouchable royal and the next she’s goading me into a response that I wouldn’t even know what to do with.”
“Is that a more recent behavior change?” she hid her smile behind her cup.
“Yes, since I nearly ruined everything.”
“By inviting her over for a non-professional interaction?” she asked tactfully.
“I didn’t even consider what trouble could be caused if we didn’t take the precautions she offered.”
“Well considering she was conceived out of similar circumstances, I could see her desire to be cautious. But am I hearing correctly that she didn’t reject you?”
“No, but now if I move on it she either gets to poison herself or we face the court with offspring.”
“I think you’d make a very caring father.”
He scoffed, “Yes and instantaneously cross a line with Maomao, forcing her to be a political rival with the Empress.”
“Thus why you were asking Luomen how the apothecary feels about all this?”
“And being reminded that my mistakes have dire consequences to my inner circle,” his eyes rose to hers in anguish, knowing she too had been trapped by an overly caring Imperial.
She finished the snacks on her plate and debated refilling it, “You know I did talk with the apothecary, and for what it’s worth, she isn’t me. But you’re not going to know her desires until you ask, very directly. When she did live here, what did she seek?”
“I’m not worried about building a greenhouse for her, I’m worried about the rest of the world seeing her as a threat to their precious factions and beliefs and trying to kidnap or assassinate her.”
“Or poison?” Ah Duo asked amused.
Huffing in annoyance, “We both know she would enjoy that aspect.”
The mother had seen her flushed face at the first garden party, she chuckled into her drink, “That she would. But can we go back a couple of steps?” He nodded and she continued, “A daughter of the Verdigris House probably has a wider range of… affectionate behavior than simple intercourse.”
She didn’t know that shade of red could grace his cheeks, she tried so hard not to laugh. But then again he was consulting a previous consort of the Rear Palace, one who had heard in fair detail the results of Maomao’s High Consort training. If only HE knew, she snickered internally.
Silence overtook them as he finally ate some food and mulled over her consultation. His mother could see when he looped back to an impasse as the mental tangle knit his brow. She wasn’t going to interrupt until he got through at least one plate of nourishment, refilling both his wine and his water. Pleased when he drank from both.
A heavy sigh weighed on his shoulders as his plate was reduced to crumbs, “How do I remove the danger from my position?”
The attempt to hide her wince was less than successful, “You… don’t. You can’t.”
The ex-consort let the truth hang heavy in the air before sitting next to him and putting a caring hand on his shoulder, “You go talk to the woman who’s come back every time you called, as long as it was within her power. And you lay out the vexing puzzle to the mystery master of the Rear Palace.”
“She will defer to my position of authority.”
“Then I offer a query to the master of social interactions, how do you present the information in such a way that is direct while still being an exploration, rather than a command?”
That… was a thought to consider.
***
Maomao covered her yawn as they exited the carriage, it was her, Gaoshun and Master Jinshi, they had found the source of the contamination and wanted to verify that it had been fixed to her standards. The sky was just beginning to grow with the coming dawn, she was a little surprised he was functional at this hour considering what she had seen as a servant in his household, but he was trying to borrow her expertise before her medical office shift today. Considerate, if not inconvenient in its own way.
They came to the point of the incursion, it was clear it had been a massive undertaking to not only temporarily stop but cut, dig up, and replace the compromised pipes.
“Did any of the workers fall ill?” she said looking over the two lines of turned up soil.
“Yes, we offered them your remedy,” Gaoshun replied, noticing Jinshi’s flush at the mention.
“Good, if it’s acute it may take 1-2 weeks to clear from their systems. Let me or my father know if other symptoms arise or continue beyond that.”
“Can you test the water to make sure it’s sufficiently cleansed?” the Moon Prince asked.
She was looking at the trees above casting ample shade and noting the ground still retained a good deal of moisture from the undertaking, “Unfortunately not, thus the medicine, however we can kill the infection still remaining in the soil.”
The men backed away from the upturned earth.
Maomao turned to the attendant, “Did you bring what I asked?”
Gaoshun glanced nervously at the Prince and back to her, “You’re not going to turn this into another garden experiment of yours are you?”
Her eyes narrowed, “Fungus clean the earth around them. Do you want the infection to continue festering underground?”
“No,” Jinshi shot a glance at the Ma clan attendant, who sighed in defeat, replying, “I’ll go get them from the cart.”
“What did you make?”
“I inoculated some soaked logs with oyster mushrooms so that we can drop them here and they can work into the soil.”
“You did what? Wait, if someone forages them-”
“They will cleanse the infection well away from any edible material.”
He pondered for a moment before an amused huff escaped him, “So just how much inoculation are you doing?”
Did he just make a double entendre?
She debated before offering a sly response, “I’ve tried multiple times at your Pavillion but Suiren wouldn’t allow it.”
Split between genuine curiosity, his own trauma from Suiren ‘preparing’ his room for their own inoculation and this banter he offered a veiled reply, “That has not been my experience.”
The apothecary opened her mouth to retort when a rustling through the bushes produced Gaoshun with a hefty box. He opened it and indeed there were logs, each 3-6 sun across with little spiderwebbing coming out of soft spots and holes made by bugs and things. Jinshi reeled back a bit but Maomao rolled up her sleeves and began taking them out and spacing them out in the loose soil, pushing them in a bit so some of the white part was no longer visible.
“Is that safe?”
“Safer than the feces dirt,” she responded while taking another.
“And how long will it take to clean the area?” Gaoshun asked, starting to take logs to her, holding them well away from him.
“Well it will take about a month from this stage to fruit, but as long as it’s got food to eat the colony can last a couple of years.”
“You know I’m not gonna let you harvest from here,” Jinshi crossed his arms.
“What a waste,” she mumbled to herself, working another rotting log into the patch.
They completed their task and Gaoshun made a point of removing the last logs from the box and making himself scarce with the empty vessel. Jinshi looked as the apothecary took the last few chunks of wood to sparse spots along the ground, “Hey Maomao, is there… something else I can do here?”
“Yeah, put out your hands.”
Weird request, she produced a bottle and uncorked the powerful distilled alcohol, pouring some over her hands then some over his and offering a cloth to wipe off, “Just in case.”
He huffed in amusement, “Thank you, that’s… not what I meant,” he offered to return the cloth but when she took hold he didn’t let go. Her gaze turned upward in quiet confusion, all the phrases and questions he’d been debating, mulling over, agonizing over, fell short of his lips. She turned to face him fully and watched in silence.
“I…” he huffed a frustrated laugh, “Enjoy tasks with you. Even less than pleasant ones like that,” he gestured to the mushroom laden poop dirt. “How do we get this,” motioning to the two of them, “unstuck, just like that.”
Jinshi wasn’t pushing into her space, but he wasn’t retreating either. The cloth released and she kept it out of her robes so she could clean it, “I mean, we addressed concerns, took precautions against the greatest dangers which inconvenienced the downflow for a little while, made remedies for those affected and did our best to set it up to heal.”
She made it sound so… simple.
His words finally came back to him, “Can I ask a different question?”
“I’ve never successfully stopped you before,” she chided.
The Moon Prince snorted in frustration, “So Princess Lingli’s ‘Admonisher of Thieves’, there’s been debate about her.”
“Oh? Is something wrong?”
“Well she’s been expanding her wandering territory and getting herself in trouble.”
“Is she doing her job?”
“Absolutely, but not everyone knows she belongs to and they treat her with… less respect than she deserves.”
“Have you considered putting some sort of mark on her collar?”
“Yes but sometimes she slips out of it or others don’t bother to read it, or can’t read.”
“Are you considering locking her up in the Jade Pavillion?”
“I mean she’s been free to wander her whole life, wouldn’t that be a difficult transition for her?”
“Perhaps, but you run the risk of her getting hurt or worse if she wanders too far.”
There was a long pause as he looked down at his apothecary, barely whispering, “I know.”
“Princess Lingli would be devastated.”
“... I know,” even softer.
“I mean it’s not like she’s a person you could reason with and work out a strategy together,” she looked to the growing light, “we should probably get going if we want to get me to work on time.”
Damn it.
Jinshi sighed, desperately wanting to hug her, offer her an arm, take her hand, something! They began walking back together and one question did rise in this helpful hypothetical, “If she could be reasoned with, what would you do Maomao?”
Silence was broken by an amused breath, “I think I’m the wrong person to ask.”
“Why’s that?”
“I don’t like cats.”
The HELL.