Maomao
was
led by Suzuran
to a part of the palace she had never seen before. Just before the passage from the outer court to the inner court — this was probably part of the imperial family's private quarters.
(This is definitely somewhere I shouldn't be going.)
Before entering the palace, Maomao was searched thoroughly by Suzuran.
"Maomao, you really are just
like a chipmunk —
hiding all sorts of tools in all sorts of places."
Suzuran was exasperated by the herbal medicines, sewing tools, and bandage cloths that kept coming out one after another.
"I'll throw those very words right back at you, Suzuran."
After all, who knew what Suzuran might produce.
Maomao had returned to her quarters from the medical office beforehand. She needed to bathe and change. It was out of consideration so as not to be rude when having an audience with the beautiful-bearded lord again after so long — but—
(Ugh, I really don't want to go.)
There was nothing else she could think.
"And what might this be?"
While checking through Maomao's belongings, Suzuran pulled out a cloth-wrapped bundle.
"It's stomach medicine."
"My, my — stomach medicine, is it?"
Suzuran gave the medicine a lick, pulled a face at the bitter taste, and handed it back to Maomao.
"Here, just take this much."
"All right."
With Maomao dragging her feet, Suzuran pushed her forward from behind.
"Suzuran, will you be joining me?"
"Too bad, Suzuran is on lookout duty."
She had felt the mood lighten just from Suzuran being there, but that hope had been dashed.
"What about
Lord
Gaoshun?"
"I wonder about my father-in-law. He'd probably
end up
on lookout duty too, I imagine. Don't worry—I'm the kind of good bride who properly
brings along
the dim sum he likes."
Suzuran held up a steamer basket she'd produced from somewhere. Even if she tried to hide it, the steam rising from it suggested it was still hot.
The long corridor had no windows, yet it wasn't dark either. The flickering flames illuminated their feet.
At the end of the corridor stood Gaoshun, with another guard beside him.
(That face looks familiar...)
"Brother-in-law. Care for some dim sum?"
Hearing the words "brother-in-law," Maomao clapped her hands.
It was Mame's
husband—"Mr. Horse-something."
"No."
"Care for some wine?"
"I'll pass on alcohol."
"Then how about some fruit water?"
"Where on earth do you keep pulling these from?"
Mr. Horse-something shared Maomao's exact same question.
"Suzuran, time to work."
"Work is important, but so is your energy. Don't worry—I'll have Sparrow eat some to prove there's nothing funny in it."
Gaoshun stared at Maomao, dumbfounded.
"
Maomao.
Inside."
"Yes."
At Gaoshun's instruction, Maomao went inside.
(Even more luxurious furnishings than usual)
One sun
She stepped across what seemed like a delicate carpet that would take a year to weave for every sun of fabric. In the back, the Emperor and Ada sat on a long sofa.
(Hmm)
She had arrived after the Emperor.
"Sorry to have called you over."
"No, not at all. I'm sorry for being late."
She had hurried through her bath, but perhaps it would have been faster to come directly.
"
Moon
still not here?"
It was at least better that Jinshi hadn't arrived yet.
Ada gestured for her to sit, so Maomao took the smallest round chair. There was another large chair with a backrest, but that was probably for Jinshi.
There was one long sofa and two single chairs. The Emperor and Ada sat at opposite ends of the sofa. They weren't being overly affectionate, nor were they distant. It seemed to represent just the right distance between them.
On the round table sat two decanters. From what she could see in the glass cups already set out, they contained grape water and plain water. There were four cups, two of which were empty. Between the number of chairs and cups, it seemed today's gathering was meant for four.
Maomao quietly shifted her gaze to the Emperor. His magnificent beard was unchanged, and his complexion didn't look bad.
(No)
He was making it *look* not bad. She could see scratch marks on the surface of his cheeks, concealed with white powder matched to his skin tone.
From a distance, you probably wouldn't notice.
The ruler's attendants seemed to be making every effort not to arouse suspicion about their poor condition.
While Maomao was observing, she heard footsteps approaching.
"I'm late."
Jinshi clasped his hands together and bowed his head. Having cast off his eunuch guise, there was only one person he would ever bow to like this.
"You may sit."
The ruler spoke. At any rate, Jinshi was the ruler's guest, and Maomao was Ada's guest — that was the arrangement.
"There is neither sake nor appetizers. Fruit water or plain water — which would you prefer?"
Ada pinched two tokkuri flasks by the neck. When Maomao moved to pour in his place, she was gently stopped. She was apparently meant to quietly remain a guest.
"Fruit water, then."
"Water, please."
She would have preferred to get drunk on sake, but since there was none, there was nothing to be done. Maomao ordered plain water.
Once both cups were filled, they got straight to the point.
"Let me explain why I called you here tonight."
"Yes."
Ada and Maomao remained silent. Only Jinshi answered.
Ada likely already knew. As for Maomao, she basically did not speak — could not speak — until given permission.
"You've probably heard from the physicians — that I've been dragging my feet about tomorrow's surgery."
"Yes."
"For the record, I should clarify. I'm not dragging my feet. I simply told them I wanted to take care of certain matters before attempting the surgery."
And those "certain matters" appeared to be this very gathering.
"The success rate of the surgery seems high.
Rahan.
You're his daughter."
"...Yes. I believe it exceeds ninety percent."
The way she's being addressed is off-putting, but Maomao answers regardless.
"Then what about leaving things as they are without performing surgery?"
"If the pain has subsided compared to before, there's no problem. However, I believe the court physicians determined that was not the case."
She must not ask for the Emperor's subjective opinion here. If he said "it doesn't hurt" based on how he felt, she'd have no choice but to believe him.
"What happens if it worsens?"
"There is appendicitis—a condition in which an organ near the cecum, part of the internal organs, becomes inflamed. In that case, the appendix becomes infected with pus and ruptures. The pus spreads throughout the abdomen, triggering other illnesses that lead to death. That is what the case records show."
Maomao is careful to answer as precisely as possible.
"Then—"
What to do if it were a disease other than appendicitis. Whether surgery was absolutely necessary—the Emperor fires off questions one after another.
Maomao
explained just as she had to Gyokuyou,
the consort.
The Emperor and Jinshi nodded as if confirming, while Ada gave a nod of assent.
(As expected, Ada is treated as an outsider.)
She was half-listening to the conversation, but hadn't received the detailed explanation.
And yet, there was something unbearably unsettling about her being here.
"Hmm. It seems you've been properly learning your duties."
It went without saying that she had covered the same content as the court physicians. She felt relieved—had she failed to explain properly, she might have been thought of as nothing more than a decorative lady-in-waiting playing at assisting the physicians.
(No—this is not the time to feel relieved.)
What the Emperor was thinking—that was the important matter now.
"As you can see, the diligent, honest, and stubborn court physicians refuse to guarantee that he will survive. Of course, I understand they will do their very best. But we must consider what happens if..."
"Please don't say such things."
"Don't say such things, you say? But,
Zui—
how many times do you think the officials have pointed out that over the past few years, whenever insects attack, you spout nonsense and use it as a reason to raise taxes?"
"But it actually came to pass, didn't it?"
Jinshi was sulking.
"Rui" was presumably Jinshi's real name—a royal
true name
that no commoner was permitted to know.
"Precisely. That is why it is not unreasonable for me to prepare for the worst."
(There was no arguing with that.)
The Emperor wore a triumphant look, but he was clutching his stomach. Maomao realized he was enduring the pain.
"Should something happen to me, I want to write down what ought to be done."
(You never left a will?)
Maomao nearly blurted that out. She caught herself and clamped her mouth shut.
"For that reason, I would like to hear Rui's opinion."
"What sort of opinion?"
"Rui—do you wish to succeed me?"
This was the moment she would normally have spat out her drink or food. Unfortunately, there was no food at hand, and she hadn't even touched her drink.
Jinshi's expression remained unchanged.
"The Crown Prince is here."
"He is a child not yet seven years of age.
How many years
will it take before he can govern?"
"There is Lady Gyokuyou."
"Gyokuyou is advanced in years."
"There must be other relatives."
Jinshi deflected each one.
Maomao thought the stomach medicine she had brought might not be necessary after all, but seeing Jinshi's cheek twitch several times, perhaps it was.
"So you won't become a puppet?"
"I don't know. But I do know she'll be somewhat biased toward the West."
That was plausible, given she hailed from Xixi Province.
"She's a young child. There's also the possibility she could die of illness."
The Emperor spoke of such inauspicious matters.
(Please don't say things like that.)
Maomao's own stomach was starting to hurt.
"
Rifa
also has a child. When it comes to pure talent alone, there is no one more suited to be Empress than Rifa."
Jinshi declared flatly.
As far as Rifa's reputation went, she was on the same level as Jinshi. She would look after the entire nation, unlike Gyokuyou, who favored the West.
"
Haru
.
Tsuki
is troubled, so cut it out."
The one who called the Emperor "Haru" was Ada.
Even if there were only four people in the room, calling the ruler of a nation "Haru" — Maomao felt goosebumps rise on her skin.
"Just say it plainly. Go on, say you blame me for killing the prince."
More than goosebumps, she felt as though feathers were about to sprout all over her body.
(I want to go home and eat dinner. Cooking is such a pain.
Yan Yan's
cooking sounds wonderful right about now.)
All Maomao could do was stare off into the distance.
"Nobody said any such thing."
"But if I had done my part properly, wouldn't everything have turned out well?"
Ada said this with unusual self-deprecation. It was an uncharacteristic tone for the normally confident and imposing Ada.
To Maomao, it sounded like Ada was saying she should never have swapped the babies.
"The child would have grown up, come of age, and surely been raised to be wise. There would have been no need to exile a talented physician like some kind of scapegoat. The other children who kept dying — that physician could have guided them properly so they would survive."
Maomao thought that was probably true. If Ada hadn't swapped Jinshi with the real imperial prince, the talented physician Luomen might never have been exiled.
However, the Jinshi standing before her now might have been long dead.
"If there's any problem, it's only because of my status. I did it. I did everything."
"...et."
"What? I can't hear you."
"Shut up!"
The lord's shout as he rose to his feet was so loud Maomao thought her eardrums might burst. He was normally a man who never changed expression, but now his temples were twitching and he was drenched in a cold sweat.
(Stomach medicine isn't enough for this!)
Perhaps her voice had been too loud — there was a knocking at the distant door. Gaoshun and the others outside.
The lord sat down, still breaking into a cold sweat. As he caught his breath, he looked at Maomao.
"...Tell them nothing happened."
"Understood."
Maomao opened the door.
"We heard the lord's voice — is everything all right?"
Gaoshun said with concern.
In addition to Gaoshun, Ma-san-something, and Sparrow,
Bashen
had been added to the group.
"I've come to tell you that nothing happened, as instructed."
"As if that's true!"
Maoshan tries to butt in, but Gaoshun shoves his head down firmly.
"Understood."
Gaoshun does not press further.
"If anything comes up, please call for help immediately."
"Yes."
Maomao closes the door and returns to her original position.
The tense atmosphere still lingers.
(That last bit only made things worse.)
Maomao silently prayed that no one would have an appendix explode around here.
"Ada. Stay quiet for a while."
"……"
Ada looked displeased but said nothing more.
"Zui, why do you refuse the throne? You could stand at the very top of the country."
This time, the Emperor spoke in a coaxing tone.
Jinshi's gaze darted away.
"Is the top of the country really all that wonderful?"
"I have known nothing else."
Maomao thought that was exactly right.
"There is no one besides me. No — if there was, they were eliminated. After all, my grandmother is that Empress Regnant."
He called his own grandmother the Empress Regnant.
He had lived his entire life as the Late Emperor's sole child. Because of the Late Emperor's preference for young girls, no other children could be expected. He must have been cherished every single day, for all those years.
Become Emperor. No other path had ever been shown to him.
"Zui. You have enjoyed a far wider world than I ever could. That was because I found you endearing. That said, I never spoiled you. If anyone could follow in my footsteps and do well, it would be you, wouldn't it?"
"What will happen to the Crown Prince if Consort Gyokuyou…?"
"The Crown Prince is still young."
"Why not simply appoint a regent? My appearing now would only invite unrest."
Maomao thought as much.
(How contradictory.)
Here he was, telling Jinshi not to take the throne, yet promptly installing another prince as Crown Prince. Of course, it could be for the sake of balancing power within the palace. On the surface, he may have been prioritizing the ruler's children.
Normally, having Ada present while drafting the Emperor's final wishes would be questionable. It would make more sense for Consort Gyokuyou to be there, but for a will like this, she absolutely should not be called.
"More importantly, I lack the skill to handle multiple women. One is more than enough."
(...)
"For someone who's supposed to be the harem's proving ground, that's quite the thing to say."
"Please stop calling me that!"
Jinshi raised his voice. It wasn't so much anger as it was flustered embarrassment.
(Multiple women, huh.)
He was a man who had felled consorts and ladies-in-waiting throughout the harem, yet strip away the surface and he was clumsy. Too clumsy—and yet his preparations were so thorough that Maomao found it vexing. It was vexing indeed.
"If you can only handle one woman, then keep only her. Among the countless flowers in the harem, you need only tend to one."
"You don't need to produce an heir?"
"If it can't be helped, it can't be helped. That way, even if you take the throne, the Crown Prince can remain Crown Prince."
(I'd really rather you didn't do that.)
He was telling Jinshi he didn't need to visit other consorts.
"No. That won't do."
Jinshi said flatly.
"What won't do? So you do want to put your own child on the throne after all?"
"No."
Jinshi lowered his lashes.
"Loving only one consort would turn every other consort into an enemy."
"So just shower them with your favor, and it'll be fine."
"A multitude of grudges can slip through even the mightiest of protections."
Jinshi clenched his fists.
This was something you'd understand from spending years in the inner palace. How beautiful, how cunning, how ugly the women of the emperor's garden could be.
"Resentment and bitterness can fester the heart, even without delivering a single direct blow."
"Then what am I to do? With that one person?"
"Yes. ...She surely won't be able to become a consort."
Jinshi looked slowly at Maomao.
"To lock away someone who sees herself as unique in her very form, in a place shaped by my own doing. Her form might change."
"It might not change at all."
"Perhaps she's being made to think it won't change. But for me, it's difficult."
Jinshi laughed. A hollow laugh, but both his fists were clenched with resolve.
"If it's a matter of caging the one and only, it's far better to set her free."
Jinshi's fists were squeezed so tight the veins on them were visible.
"My, how romantic you're being. Eh, Ada?"
The lord turned to Ada. Ada had done as told and remained silent the entire time.
Ada's mouth hung open in a daze. A single trail of tears had spilled from her wide eyes.
"Ada?"
"Mm, ah. Yeah, that's right."
Ada flicked her face as if shaking off the fallen tears.
"Ada?"
The lord looked bewildered.
"What? Can I talk now?"
Ada had returned to her usual tough self. Had it not been for the damp trace soaked into the settee, her earlier expression and tears might have been dismissed as a mirage. Ada placed her palm over the wet mark to conceal it.
"So what does Your Highness wish to do with the moon?"
"I wish to remain a vassal of the lord. When the succession comes, I will serve as a vassal of the Crown Prince as well."
"You would entrust the weight of the imperial throne and the troublesome garden of the inner palace to the Crown Prince?"
Maomao thought he was asking a spiteful question.
"A vassal exists to lighten that weight. All one can hope for is that the Crown Prince has a talent for handling flowers."
Jinshi answered awkwardly.
"So it seems."
"..."
The emperor was not looking at Jinshi but at Ada. His gaze traced Ada's eyes, nose, and mouth, then settled on the palm of his right hand.
He seemed to be confirming the traces of tears he had shed moments before.