Chapter Text
It was a midsummer’s evening, sweaty and humid in Loumen’s shack when the mail came. Mao Mao, who was grinding up a cold remedy of Honeysuckle and Forsythia Powder, sighed and wiped sweat off her forehead. She didn’t even need to read the paper to know the contents by the look of the paper.
Detailed, soft and silky, she opened the letter, merely skimming its contents. Something along the lines of ‘Empress Gyokuyou would like to request your help in cleaning up the Jade pavilion’
“Tsk. Why couldn’t they have just used the help from some palace maids rather than going out and inviting me?” She muttered under her breath, not understanding why.
Mao Mao carefully considered the offer though, being able to see her adoptive father would be nice. At the same time, Xiaolan and Shisui wouldn’t be present. Xiaolan was now working somewhere else as a servant most likely, and Shisui… heaven knows. Whether dead or alive.
Anyways, she would most likely accept the offer. Reunite with a couple of acquaintances. Not Master Jinshi though, or Ka Zuigetsu. He would most likely stay in the outer court, as well, “Jinshi” no longer exists. Not that exactly mattered to her anyways.
Mao Mao sighs once again, and puts the invitation to the side, focusing at the task on hand once again. She picked up the Forsythia powder and added it to the already ground honeysuckle, to then mix it together.
She opens the door to check the time, it was late evening, yet it could already be around 9pm, as summer days were long, dreadful and groggy.
“I may just deliver this tomorrow before I wash myself in the Verdegris House…” Mao Mao stretches and yawns. “Yeah. I might just do that…”
She puts the remedy in some paper, unties her hair and puts her medical equipment away. It had been a long day, yet it was not quite over. Mao Mao still needed to write her reply to the invitation. Taking the last bit of paper the Quack doctor had given her before she’d left, Mao Mao started writing her reply. It was to be respectful yet quick.
The letter she wrote said along the lines of:
‘Thank you for this job offer, I would be glad to serve now Empress Gyokuyou again and help out. I am available to return to the rear palace again in 3 days time. Regards, Mao Mao.’
While maybe not the best letter, it would do. She was tired and wanted to get this out of the way before she would forget and leave it to rot for heavens knows long..
The fire crackled. Right. She had lit a fire. It was time to put it out. Mao Mao grabbed the bucket full of water in the middle and dumped it into the fire. It hissed violently before extinguishing the last wisp of light from the shack.
Not long after, Mao Mao started to get ready to sleep. No matter how long she had previously been away from her adoptive father, it was odd not seeing him around. Maybe it was because he had been here for a good long while, and was now gone.
She slipped into her futon, the weight of the day heavy on her. Practically as soon as she put her head down, Mao Mao fell asleep. As her consciousness slipped away, it was Shisui she thought of. She was already forgetting her face. How pathetic.
————————The next day.————————
As the first rays of sunlight seeped into the small shack, Mao Mao started to wake. She sat up and rubbed her eyes groggily, preparing herself for the day ahead.
“I need to deliver that medicine and send off that letter… not to mention wash myself.”
Mao Mao stretches and then ultimately rises. She gets ready for the day to then take the cold remedy and the letter before opening the shack door. The ugly light of day appears before her. Mao Mao closes the door behind her before heading off.
Barely even 5 minutes later, she arrives at the woman who requested the cold remedy
house. Mao Mao knocks on the door and steps back.
A lady of 30 opens the door, seeing the apothecary, she smiles.
“I see you made what I asked for. Thank you, my dear.”
Mao Mao nods once and hands over the medicine. She notices the woman’s early wrinkles. Must be a hard worker, huh?
“Of course, Miss. please, if you do need more do not be afraid ask.”
The woman gives the apothecary some coins as payment. Mao Mao counts the money and decides it is enough. She starts to approach someone who looked like an official, who seemed to be on his way to the rear palace, or the outer court. Either would be good enough.
“Excuse me, sir, this may be rude of me to ask, but are you on your way to the imperial court?”
The man stops and looks at Mao Mao with a disdainful look in his eyes.
“Yes. I am.”
Her face stay expressionless at the man’s response.
“I have a request to ask of you, yes you will be paid. Could you please pass this on into outer court’s mail management centre?”
A crude ask of her. Though, Mao Mao didn’t exactly care. This letter was extremely important to get through. She held out a few coins, a fair price for a fair ask.
“…Very well.”
And so, that matter was sorted. Mao Mao gave him both the money and the letter.
Finally, Mao Mao traveled to the Verdegris house to bathe. She spotted Pairin and tried to avoid her, but her efforts were in vain.
“Mao Mao!” Pairin cried out, already approaching the girl.
“…Hey Pairin.” The woman hugs her from behind tightly.
“Are you about to take a bath, perchance?”
Mao Mao nods and wriggles free from her grip. Surprisingly, Pairin just lets her go.
After undressing, Mao Mao walks toward the steaming bath. It’s empty. Though, at the same time peaceful. She slides in and enjoys the hot, steamy bath.