Chousha
returned to the same posting as
Maomao
in the same department. It was a relatively busy unit with many military officers, but for Chousha, who had endured harsher postings, the moderate bustle seemed to put her at ease. Foreseeing this,
the old
court physician had probably sent her back — truly the wisdom of experience.
And,
Yao,
and
Yanyan
,
Chousha
all worked in nearby locations, so it seemed the hellish
talk of romance
would continue for a while. As Yao left the dormitory, she looked exhausted yet wore a bashful smile. Yanyan appeared utterly haggard, as if she had lost half her weight in a single day.
(Judging by that demeanor,
Rahan
must have received some rather favorable remarks.)
Wondering what she saw in him, Maomao sent them off with that thought in mind.
Chousha's personality was defined by clear likes and dislikes, so Maomao felt fortunate that this time they had been relatively compatible. Depending on the circumstances, it could have led to an irreparable rift.
(That really turned out well.)
Maomao thought deeply. When she considered how poison could sometimes become medicine, Chousha had served as a perfect antidote for Yao and Yanyan.
Still, she couldn't help but note that every single court lady assisting the physicians had a strong personality. No coincidence — first, only the eccentrics who wanted to help a physician would pass the examination, and then any delicate ones were weeded out by Yao and the physicians, so only the tough ones remained.
And if she said that Yanyan, who was suffering precisely because of this, was entertaining in some way — would that make her a bad person?
Maomao, is this the right way to write the journal?
I believe so.
When different departments had different superiors, the methods varied subtly as well. Yu, mindful of that, asked Maomao about every detail. It was tedious, but the right approach for a first time.
And when a young woman was around, the military officers would sidle up with smirking grins, so Maomao would clack her teeth together to scare them off. Needless to say, they were all muscle.
Li
She also spoke with the medical officer and Senior Wanwan, making sure to take every precaution against insects so none would bother Yu.
Still, there were always fools who refused to keep their distance.
Hey, hey, what was the atmosphere like at the smallpox site?
The one who approached without reading the room was the fellow currently in the midst of a pay cut—
Tianyou.
That's right. He had gone out of his way to come here, having dodged the fists of his nemesis, Medical Officer Li.
Did you dissect the dead ones?
Are they swollen not just on the surface but all the way through?
Doesn't anything burst?
He kept prioritizing his own curiosity and badgering Yu with questions, so Maomao quietly called Medical Officer Li over to deliver a punishing blow.
There's no need to answer him.
Carelessly dissecting a smallpox corpse posed a terrifying risk of infection. Even if one had already recovered from smallpox, there was no guarantee one wouldn't catch it a second time.
Yes.
Yu was strong. After all, she had served two years in the rear palace. Someone like Tianyou wouldn't faze her in the slightest.
Actually, I hear they performed autopsies on several of the bodies.
...They did?
Maomao was taken aback by the unexpected answer.
The first child's body...
What did you find?
Yu shook her head.
"It didn't seem like there was anything particularly unusual. And it's not really my place to investigate further."
"I see."
As the physician who had performed the autopsy, he must have had his own concerns. He would naturally want to know how the infection occurred.
(Where did the infection really come from?)
Maomao continued her work, the lingering unease still gnawing at her.
The disturbing question was resolved sooner than she expected.
After work,
Liu
the physician summoned her. He wore such a solemn expression when he called for her that she tensed up.
(Did I do something wrong?)
He had timed it for after Yu left.
"I'd like to ask you about
Keyou
—whether he's a man you can trust."
"...As for his medical knowledge, I'm sure you're well aware that it's beyond reproach, Physician Liu."
"Yes, I know that much. It's just that there's something bothering me."
Physician Liu wore a stern expression.
"I've heard that Yu is close with Keyou."
"Yes."
In other words, there was something he couldn't bring up with Yu and wanted to confirm with Maomao instead.
"Has Keyou done something?"
"Have you heard about the first person infected in the smallpox village?"
"I was just telling Yu that the infection route is still unclear for the child, and the autopsy didn't turn up anything conclusive either."
From his demeanor, it seemed there was something he hadn't shared with Yu.
"There's something I learned from the autopsy. The child had cuts from a blade. I couldn't get the full story since both the child and family are already dead, but according to the villagers, the child was attacked by a stranger while out traveling. Apparently there were several similar incidents—multiple children had been slashed. But the perpetrator was never found."
"If a random attacker? And they traveled far—could it mean..."
"Yes. It was when they went to another town. And though they were slashed, the wound was only a superficial cut to the outer layer of skin."
Maomao understood what Physician Liu was trying to say.
"If you've noticed something, say it.
Luomen
raised you too well—you can't bring yourself to blurt out whatever comes to mind. Even idle speculation, speak up."
Physician Liu urged Maomao to speak.
"The random attacker's aim was to administer smallpox pus to children. Whether it was an experiment, or whether they wanted to protect children from contracting smallpox—I can't say. However, Yu was deliberately infected with smallpox by Keyō in the past, and as a result developed resistance to the disease. Are you suggesting that Keyō is behind this smallpox outbreak, Physician Liu?"
"I can't say for certain, but it's possible. Because they targeted children at random, they couldn't ensure infection—one child alone contracted smallpox. That child's case worsened and spread to others, leading to the current situation. Does that contradict anything?"
That was true enough. However, Maomao had her own thoughts on the matter.
"Where did these attacks take place?"
"Can you read a map?"
"Yes."
Physician Liu took out a map. The reason he bothered to check was that many people had never seen a map before.
Physician Liu slid his index finger from the capital northwestward.
"Here. It's about three days' walk."
Maomao estimated the distance at roughly thirty ri and checked the names of the major towns drawn on the map.
"A man named Keyō had a contract to visit a pharmacy in the pleasure district a few days each month. He should normally be in this village. There's an elderly person staying with him—I suggest you verify with them."
The village where Keyō lived was the same one where Maomao went to buy medicinal herbs she couldn't grow herself. It wasn't particularly far from the capital, so from the site of the attacks it would also be about three days' walk.
"From what you're saying, you believe Keyō can be ruled out as a suspect."
"Yes. I believe the likelihood is extremely low."
"On what basis?"
"It's not theoretically impossible, but I don't understand why he would deliberately choose a location three days' walk away. If it were an experiment, I can understand wanting to carry it out in a distant town out of some sense of guilt, but he would also need to check on the progress. Using a relay horse could shorten the journey, but I don't think a man like Keyō has the financial means to afford one."
Physician Liu listened quietly to Maomao's reasoning.
"Furthermore, if he were trying to protect children from contracting smallpox, there would be no need to go so far. Above all, he should understand the risks better than anyone—I doubt he would carry out such a thing in a place beyond his own sight."
Physician Liu stroked his chin in thought.
"I think I have a general understanding. Now, let's change the premise."
"The premise?"
"What if this was brought about not by an experiment, or a medical procedure, but by malice?"
"Malice."
Maomao faltered at the word *malice*.
Human malice is a frightening thing. Even when people know full well it will cost them, they'll go through with it if it means harming someone else. Profit and loss cease to exist in such cases.
The malice that once festered within the rear palace had triggered a rebellion. As a result, an entire clan was exterminated as the price.
"Can you tell whether Keyou is the sort of person who harbors malice?"
"I cannot. At present, however, I consider him someone I can deal with on equal terms."
Keyou might be particular when it came to money transactions with Maomao, but he never resorted to outright swindling. Maomao was often looked down upon for being small and female, so all things considered, she judged him to be relatively not a bad person.
That said, this was Maomao's subjective assessment, and she couldn't say it with certainty.
She thought Physician Liu's strictness on this point likely stemmed from his experience traveling with Luomen through the lands of the west.
Rather than letting emotions drive his actions, he rationally considered every possible outcome — as a superior, that was reassuring.
*(Don't think in subjective terms. Maintain an objective perspective.)*
And the person most likely to let subjective feelings cloud her judgment was Jyou. That was probably why Physician Liu had avoided calling on Jyou and summoned Maomao instead. His reason for concealing the truth of the autopsy was likely the same.
"It would be better not to tell Jyou about this."
"She would figure it out without being told."
"This is just to confirm."
Maomao felt relieved at not being reprimanded, yet a sense of residue settled in the corner of her heart, like sediment gathering at the bottom of a pond.
"There's one more thing."
"...What is it?"
Maomao flinched involuntarily, assuming she must have done something to warrant a scolding after all. She truly, genuinely hadn't done anything — or so she believed.
Physician Liu's expression was very stern.
"I would like you to check on Lady Getsu's condition on a regular basis."
"……Will I do, though? Is that really alright?"
There were plenty of other capable court physicians. Maomao wasn't even a physician.
"It's not a medical examination, so it doesn't matter."
Even so, Physician Liu wore a disgruntled expression. Maomao could tell that it wasn't Liu's own will but pressure from elsewhere that had led to her being sent.
Without thinking,
Sparrow
came to mind, but Sparrow herself didn't have that kind of authority. The one who could issue such an order would have to be someone quite high up — someone who could be counted on one hand — and all Sparrow could do was tattle.
"Understood."
Maomao bowed her head to Physician Liu.