(Surprisingly, she was calm about it.)
That was the thought that almost left her lips,
Maomao
quickly shut her mouth.
She washed her hands thoroughly and changed her clothes.
After that, her superior would treat her to a bath. That was all.
It was her first time dissecting a human body. The corpse belonged to a robber who had been hanged, and there were cut marks all over it. Had he known he would end up dead and carved to pieces, he might have thought to walk a different path in life.
(Need to wash the body thoroughly too.)
She sniffed her hands to check for any lingering smell. Her replacement clothes had been properly scented, so there shouldn't be a problem—but—
Just then.
"
Lady Maomao
"
Could she take that as being called to stop? There was only one person who addressed her that way. She turned around, and
Ten'yu
was there.
"..."
If she answered, it would be like affirming a name that wasn't hers. But then again, ignoring him felt wrong too.
(If this turns out to be something trivial, she'd head straight back.)
But he did have a reason to call after her.
"Officer
Liu
wants to have a word with you right now."
"What about my bath?"
"La·ter."
Tenyu spoke in that pretentious way of his, but he himself seemed just as put out about not being able to take a bath. He rubbed the back of his hand against his nose and sniffed it.
Since she wasn't the only one affected, Maomao had no grounds to complain, so she decided to go along with Tenyu.
However, the other apprentice physicians had already gone home.
"What about the others?"
"Not sure about them? It's a follow-up test."
Hearing the words "follow-up test," she understood. The other apprentice physicians had done fine dissecting animals, but when it came to humans, their hands had shaken after all.
The only ones who'd been cutting normally were probably just Maomao and Tenyu.
(So it's this one too, huh? And here I thought I'd get to watch a few more practice rounds first...)
Maomao sniffed her hands once more.
In the room they were brought to, there were Physician Liu, her father Luomen, and several other physicians. Chairs were lined up around a large conference table, and they were seated with the places of honor at the center.
(All senior physicians.)
Every one of them was skilled and had much to teach.
Physicians also had ranks, generally referred to as senior, mid-level, and apprentice.
Among them, she spotted someone who clearly didn't fit in, and Maomao couldn't help but rub her eyes.
He was flapping his hands about. Plump features and gentle eyes—a eunuch who, for some reason, had a wispy mustache like a loach's barbels.
"Physician..."
Of course, when they said "physician" here, they meant one with "Rear Palace" in his title.
The quack doctor.
(Why is he here? No, from a personnel standpoint, it does make sense, but still...)
If he was supposedly handling the Rear Palace's medical care single-handedly, it would be strange for him not to hold at least the rank of senior physician.
And yet, he stuck out no matter how you looked at it.
Among physicians who all possessed some outstanding ability, there sat this fuzzy, piglet-like quack doctor, perched meekly in his seat.
(Come to think of it...)
The quack was the sort who was afraid to even touch a corpse.
(How did he manage to get promoted from apprentice physician to full physician?)
It was a complete mystery.
While Maomao was mulling this over, she heard loud clapping.
"Looks like everyone's gathered."
Imperial Physician Liu quieted the room, which had been buzzing with chatter.
Without anyone noticing, several mid-ranking physicians had also appeared. In truth, they were all staring at Maomao, who stood out even more than the quack doctor.
Even if she wasn't particularly beautiful, a lone woman among an all-male group of physicians was impossible to miss.
"All right, let's get started. Sit wherever you'd like among the available seats."
(Even if you tell me to sit...)
The senior physicians were already seated.
The mid-ranking physicians began to move.
The apprentice Ten'yu was still standing.
Maomao waited for everyone else to sit down first.
Even though she'd been told to sit wherever she liked, it all came down to rank. In an emergency it might be different, but in a situation like this, it was better to follow the natural order to avoid friction.
Ten'yu took the lowest seat, and Maomao sat in the remaining empty chair.
(Another awkward spot, huh.)
No one seemed willing to sit next to the senior physician, so the only empty seat was beside the quack doctor. She sat down next to the grinning quack.
"Well, well, long time no see. Want some?"
He had secretly hidden candy under the table.
"Not right now."
It wasn't as though she could roll candy around in her mouth while listening to the briefing. More importantly, Imperial Physician Liu was glaring at her. The quack hadn't even realized he'd been noticed.
Now then, as for why they'd been summoned — Imperial Physician Liu went on to explain. It seemed they'd decided to set aside the quack for now, who was busy puffing out his cheeks.
"The reason I've called you all here is to decide who among you will be going to the Western Capital."
Previously
Jinshi
It was what he had been discussing with Physician Liu.
He wanted to bring physicians along for the expedition. He said he needed two more.
Maomao happened to be present and eagerly volunteered. Whether she would actually be chosen, she had no idea.
"Does anyone wish to go to the Western Capital?"
Maomao was about to raise her hand immediately, but someone else raised theirs forcefully before she could.
"I have a question first."
Being told there was a question, Maomao had no choice but to lower her hand and meekly withdraw.
"The conditions are too vague. What purpose would we be going to the Western Capital for? Does this mean it is a form of exile?"
A young physician said to be talented among the mid-rank physicians. She could not remember his name.
(Ah, right.)
Since Jinshi had stated as a given that he was going to the Western Capital, Maomao had naturally assumed it was an expedition. But from the perspective of someone who did not know the circumstances, being told to go there could just as well sound like exile.
(Wait, could it actually be exile?)
Exile—no, judging by that tone of his, Jinshi seemed to be going in person, so she did not think that was the case.
"Wait, is it exile?"
The herb doctor panicked and poked Maomao in a low voice.
(You didn't hear about this?)
You would think a senior physician would have been briefed. No, she was just a herb doctor, so she had been left out. Or perhaps she had been too busy licking candy and missed it.
Physician Liu gave a deliberate cough. Maomao could only ignore the herb doctor trying to talk to her.
"It is not exile. But given the location, it will be a long stay. Even at the shortest, you will be away from the capital for three months."
"...Does this mean a war is going to start?"
Sharp as always, but incapable of sugarcoating anything.
Perhaps because of that, the room stirred. The herb doctor cowered and clung to her. Maomao felt the stares of those around her like needles.
"
Yu'en
. Hold on a moment."
The old man poked at the quack doctor.
(The quack doctor's name was Yu'en?)
While he'd been in the rear palace, he'd only ever been called "Medical Officer," so Maomao had never had the chance to ask his name. She might have heard it at some point, but honestly, Maomao wasn't very good at remembering people's names, so it couldn't be helped.
(She wouldn't forget that military officer's name, though.)
He had been a subordinate of the eccentric strategist.
Rikuson.
Right. She'd heard he'd gone to the western capital, so he was undoubtedly one of the ones who'd been reassigned.
Maomao was freed from the quack doctor's grip, and in her place, the old man was cornered.
Medical Officer Liu had given up on even looking at the quack doctor. One couldn't help but think that his utter inability to read the room was a talent of its own.
(Why doesn't he get fired?)
It was truly baffling.
"I don't know if there'll be fighting. Our job is to treat the sick and wounded. Besides, this expedition is going to be a large-scale affair."
The reactions around her weren't very promising. Nobody here would volunteer.
(Maybe if they asked who'd be leading the expedition, attitudes would change.)
If it was Jinshi, he was royalty. If she became a medical officer, there might even be opportunities to speak with him directly.
(But even if Jinshi was going, it probably hadn't been announced yet...)
Considering his status, they'd keep it secret until the last possible moment.
In that case, no one would raise their hand of their own accord.
Maomao, feeling relieved, was about to raise her hand, when Medical Officer Liu glared at her.
(What was that supposed to mean?)
Was he telling her not to volunteer here? Did he think she was still too inexperienced for the role?
"No one's going to raise their hand? Well, I figured as much. Three candidates have already been decided. I'm looking for one more, which is why I'm putting out the call for volunteers. Don't you want that last spot?"
He was trying to goad them, but nobody reacted. The senior medical officers seemed to have already heard about this, judging by their weary expressions.
"Okaaay."
One person raised their hand. And when Maomao looked to see who it was, it turned out to be Ten'yu.
"If there's no one else, is it all right? I'm still just an apprentice, though."
The voice was somewhat frivolous. Just like always. It never changed, whether she was dissecting animals or humans.
En'en
Maomao had thought that since En'en didn't get discouraged even when treated so coldly, she must be a remarkably resilient person — but apparently that wasn't the case.
Perhaps Ten'yu's emotional fluctuations were notably smaller than other people's. From the outside, she seemed emotional because she was glib and talked so smoothly.
The reason she called out to En'en might be because she gave the coldest, most intriguing reactions.
"Anyone else?"
No one raised their hand.
The senior court physicians let out sighs.
(Since Jinshi was coming, someone among them would surely end up going.)
It couldn't be Physician Liu, since she was the person in charge. If they were heading west, Maomao thought the old man — with his deep knowledge and understanding of Western languages — would be ideal, but she shook her head.
(Age-wise and stamina-wise, it would be too harsh for him.)
Becoming a eunuch had already made him look older than his actual age. On top of that, with a piece of bone removed from one knee, long journeys were out of the question.
If three people had already been chosen, what would become of Maomao?
Many people thought of the western capital as a remote backwater, but that wasn't the case at all. In reality, with Western culture flowing in, it was probably a quite developed city. Moreover, in terms of medicine, new techniques would tend to make their way in.
It wouldn't be as extensive as the old man's study abroad, but it would still be a valuable learning experience for Maomao.
(I wonder if the old man could go.)
She knew it was impossible, that it wouldn't work — and yet she couldn't help thinking about it. The old man was still tangled up with that quack doctor, looking troubled by it, but unable to shake him off.
"No one else?"
When Physician Liu confirmed, that model-student mid-ranking physician raised their hand again.
"You want to go?"
"I have a question."
And then, the mid-ranking physician looked at Maomao.
"Why is there a court lady assisting the physicians present?"
That was probably what everyone wanted to ask. However, bringing it up here felt like a failure to read the room.
「Does her being here in a special capacity mean she's been officially placed on the physician roster?」
(I hope so.)
It would be nice to get a direct answer here, but the air was heavy. The senior physician didn't seem to be pressing the matter, but the stares from the mid-ranking physicians stung. Tenyuu's expression remained unchanged as he surveyed the room.
"She hasn't been placed on the physician roster, but she'll be accompanying us."
(Well, that's about right.)
It was a reasonable arrangement. As long as she could come along, that was all that mattered.
"If we're speaking of a long journey, I would think it inappropriate to bring a court lady along."
The mid-ranking physician pressed the point.
"True, her stamina may not compare to a man's, but she just passed the practical examination. She has at least the skills of a physician. Moreover, her knowledge of medicines is probably superior to yours. When we run out of medicine on the road, being able to improvise a remedy from whatever ingredients are at hand is a significant advantage."
Doctor Liu was strict, but he recognized merit when he saw it.
The mid-ranking physicians still looked unhappy. Some of them stared in disbelief, as if to say, "That examination?"
"Are you still displeased about bringing a woman along and treating her like a physician? This is a large expedition. Court ladies will be accompanying us for other duties as well. An extra pair of hands shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Even so, having a court lady assigned specifically to a physician is unprecedented. And to make her take a practical examination—however you look at it, Doctor Liu..."
(Hmm.)
This person was the opposite of Tenyuu in temperament. While there was a hint of jealousy, he did appear to be concerned about Maomao in his own way. If his tone-deaf remarks came from a place of caring about Maomao, it was both appreciated and a nuisance.
"It wasn't my decision."
Doctor Liu spoke with a slightly sullen air. And then he delivered a terrifying announcement.
"The
Grand Commandant of Kan
will be joining us."
The mid-ranking physicians erupted in commotion.
Every hair on Maomao's body stood on end. She looked toward her father, who was gazing back at her with a sorrowful expression.
She wasn't Yanyan, but she felt her teeth about to start chattering.
"Can you lot handle looking after her?"
Doctor Liu spoke with a tone of resignation, and nobody contradicted him. It was a thorny matter—whether he should have been divulging classified information or not—but given the personnel involved, it could be taken any way one chose.
However, Maomao didn't have the luxury of thinking that deeply—her head was boiling over in an instant.
(You bastard!!)
For the first time in ages, Maomao felt like she was looking at Jinshi the way she would look at a waterlogged
earthworm
in a puddle.
And to add insult to injury.
"We depart in five days. I'm granting leave for preparations, so go around and say your goodbyes or whatever."
Maomao's jaw hung open and refused to close.