(I always thought he had too much free time, but...)
Apparently, that noble personage Jinshi was not free at all. If anything, he was on the busy side, Maomao thought. She had assumed he only had rear palace duties, but it seemed he had other work as well.
Maomao's work consisted of odd jobs in Jinshi's office in the morning, then odd jobs in Jinshi's private quarters within the palace grounds in the afternoon. Though called private quarters, the building was large enough to be called a wing, and an extravagantly decorated garden was visible through the ornate windows. Besides Maomao, there was one maidservant, well past fifty. No young men or women attended him, which initially struck Maomao as odd, but thinking about it more carefully, people would come running even without being paid, so there was no point in hiring anyone. If anything, even if they hired someone young, given that their master was such an impossibly beautiful man, they'd fall head over heels and be useless at their work.
Jinshi was scowling at documents with a sour expression. In a corner of the room, Maomao gathered
scraps
of paper. The fine-quality sheets bore foolish proposals that had been deemed unworthy of consideration and discarded. No matter how ridiculous a bill might be, the scrapped papers
could not be recycled,
so they had to be taken out and burned.
(They'd make a decent bit of pocket money if I sold them, though.)
Even as she harbored these unsavory thoughts, she told herself it was work and headed off to burn them. Leaving Jinshi's office, she made her way to a corner of the vast palace grounds where the military training grounds and storehouses stood. That was where the incineration pit was.
(The military, huh...)
Honestly, she didn't much want to go there, but she had no choice. Resigning herself to the task and rising to her feet, something was draped over her shoulder.
"It's cold outside, so please put this on. It's meant for a maidservant, but—"
Ever diligent and thoughtful,
Gaoshun
draped a padded jacket over Maomao. Outside, light snow was fluttering down, and she could hear the howling winter wind. It was easy to forget while sitting in a warm room with several charcoal braziers, but less than a month had passed since the new year. This was the coldest season of the year.
"Thank you very much."
She was truly grateful. He was wasted as a eunuch. Since it was meant for a maidservant, the jacket was roughly made, but even so, there was a world of difference between wearing a layer and not. As she slipped her arms through the unbleached-cotton sleeves, she noticed Jinshi watching her intently. No—rather than watching, he was glaring.
(Did I do something to upset him?)
Maomao tilted her head in puzzlement, but it seemed he wasn't glaring at her—rather, at Gaoshun. Gaoshun, perhaps sensing the gaze, flinched.
"...This is from Lord Jinshi. I merely handed it over, that's all—"
Gaoshun spoke with added gestures for some reason. For some reason, it sounded like an excuse.
(Is he telling him not to act on his own?)
Gaoshun had it tough.
"Is that so?"
Maomao thanked Jinshi and headed for the garbage disposal area, a basket of scrap paper in hand.
(Father, you should have planted some here too.)
Maomao sighed.
Within the rear palace, there had been plenty of herbs that her father,
Luomen,
had transplanted. He was a laid-back sort despite being a hard worker, yet he'd freely rearranged the
vegetation
of the rear palace.
The inner palace grounds were many times the size of the rear palace, but there were few herbs she could actually put to use. All she managed to find were
dandelions,
,
mugwort,
and other common things that grew everywhere. Also,
spider lilies—
she found those too. She liked soaking the bulbs in water and eating them. But the bulbs were poisonous, so if you couldn't detoxify them properly, you'd immediately get an upset stomach.
(I suppose this is about it.)
It was winter, so some things were naturally hard to find, but even so, her prospects were slim. She thought she might secretly plant some seeds next time.
While walking to the garbage disposal area, she spotted a familiar figure.
A young military officer with a sharp, handsome face. Yes—Li Ryoku. From the color of his sash, he'd apparently been promoted.
He was chatting with several men who appeared to be his subordinates.
(He's been working hard.)
Every time he had a day off,
he'd make his way to the Rokushokan,
and—
Bald
The client seems to be having tea with her. Of course, the main attraction is
Byakurei,
the young lady, but summoning her requires half a commoner's annual salary.
Even so, it's remarkably cheap for the highest-ranking courtesan—the reason comes down to one thing: she's "light."
Rarity value
is what defines a courtesan; the more casual trysts she takes, the more her value declines.
Pitying the men who have tasted the honey of heaven,
the highland
flower's
face—
they keep coming, hoping to catch
even a glimpse through gaps in the
curtain.
The fact that he advanced in rank, too, shows how hard he's been striving to get close to the flower. Truly a diligent bee.
Pitying
eyes apparently reached her, for Li Bai waved and came running toward Maomao. A large dog, through and through. In place of a tail, locks of hair that had spilled from his cap swayed left and right.
"Hey, are you escorting the consort today or something?"
Not knowing Maomao had been dismissed from the rear palace, Li Bai asked her that.
"No. I left the rear palace service and became a personal room attendant to a certain gentleman."
The dismissal is a hassle to explain, so she glosses over it this way.
"A room attendant? Who on earth would want someone like you?"
"Yes, quite the connoisseur."
Li Bai says outrageously rude things, but well, that would be the normal reaction. No one would willingly make a withered-tree-like girl covered in blemishes their room attendant. The freckles aren't exactly
makeup...
She hadn't meant to do any of this, but—
Master
had spoken, and there was no defying him. Jinshi, for whatever reason, told Maomao to keep her freckled face exactly as it was.
(What on earth is that man trying to accomplish?)
"Oh, by the way — I hear one of the high-ranking officials recently bought out a courtesan from your establishment?"
"So it would seem."
(It couldn't be helped if that's what people assumed.)
When the employment contract was finalized and it came time to head to the palace, the overeager young ladies scrubbed her entire body, dressed her in their finest outfit, pinned up her hair, and piled on the cosmetics
generously.
There was no way she could have passed for a newly hired maid.
She had a vague memory of the old men watching her leave with the same look people give a calf being led away.
Having a courtesan enter the palace was strange enough, but what made it worse was that
Jinshi
was already so conspicuous that she drew unwanted stares. It was deeply uncomfortable. She changed out of those clothes immediately, but a fair number of people had already seen her.
(Even so—)
The man himself was right in front of her, chatting away without the slightest awareness. Truly, a useless mutt.
"Pardon the interruption — you seemed busy, but is everything all right?"
"Yeah, I was stuck on something."
A subordinate approached. The woman-starved, low-paid officer brightened when he noticed a lady-in-waiting was around, but his face clearly fell when he saw Maomao. Honestly, like superior, like subordinate.
"I just can't figure out the cause. Well, it's not exactly uncommon for this time of year, though."
Judging from what he was saying, it seemed that last night,
a small fire
had broken out somewhere. He was investigating the cause.
Maomao's interest piqued, she approached the warehouse where the fire scare had taken place.
"Hey, don't get too close!"
"Understood."
While giving Li Bai that reply, Maomao carefully surveyed the building from every angle.
(Hmm)
If this was supposed to be a minor fire, there were several things that didn't add up.
If it truly
was just a minor fire,
why would a high-ranking official like Li Bai show up in person? Wouldn't some lowly clerk have been enough?
Besides,
for something called a minor fire,
there was an unusual amount of debris scattered about. Could it have been an explosion instead? There might have been injuries too.
(So
they suspected
organized violence?)
It was mostly a peaceful era, but that didn't mean everyone was without grievance. Foreign tribes raided from time to time, and
famines
and droughts were not unheard of. Particularly during the previous emperor's reign, the annual hunt for court ladies had led to severe bride shortages in rural areas. On top of that, the abolition of slavery had been carried out. There were merchants whose businesses had depended on the system. Surely some still harbored resentment.
It had been only about five years since the previous emperor was struck down. Many memories of his reign still lingered.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? I told you not to get close!"
"Oh, I was just a little curious."
Maomao peered inside through a broken window. Scorched cargo was heaped within. Potatoes rolling across the floor told her it was a food storehouse. They had gone well past golden-brown and turned to charcoal — truly a waste.
As for anything else lying around, she picked up a stick-like object that had rolled across the floor.
(Ivory work? A smoking pipe, perhaps?)
"Stop wandering around on your own."
As if ignoring Li Bai's words, Maomao folded her arms. Something clicked in her mind.
"Are you even listening?"
"I can hear you, you know."
She could hear him perfectly well. She just chose not to listen. She thought it herself too, but it really was a rotten personality trait.
Maomao left the warehouse and headed toward the one on the opposite side. The cargo that had been salvaged seemed to be piled up here.
"Could I have this?"
Maomao pointed at an unused wooden crate. It looked like it might have been for storing fruit or something—it was sturdily built.
"Sure, why not? What are you gonna do with a thing like that?"
"I'll explain later. I'll take this too."
Maomao found a board that could serve as a lid for the crate.
"Do you have a hammer and a saw? I'll need nails as well."
"What exactly are you planning?"
"Just a small experiment."
"An experiment?"
Li Bai tilted his head, but curiosity seemed to get the better of him, and he cooperated. His subordinate had also been eyeing the maidservant with open displeasure, but upon sensing that even his superior couldn't push her around, he fetched the tools without further complaint. Maomao cut a board with a hole in the center, fitted it as a lid over the empty crate, and nailed it in place.
"You're awfully handy with this stuff."
Li Bai peered inside like a dog that had just discovered a toy ball.
"I come from a rough upbringing. When you don't have something, you learn to make it."
For the finishing touch, she retrieved something from a bundle near the scorched warehouse and placed it inside the crate.
"Excuse me, do you have a fire starter?"
At Maomao's words, one of the subordinates brought over a smoldering hemp rope. In the meantime, Maomao went to the well and came back carrying a bucket of water. Li Bai, still having no idea what was going on, sat down on top of the crate with his cheek propped on his fist, watching.
"Thank you very much."
Maomao accepted the fire starter and bowed to Li Bai's subordinate. The man had been grumbling, but he seemed genuinely curious about what she was up to, and settled down a short distance away to watch.
Maomao stood before the sealed crate, fire starter in hand, but for some reason, Li Bai was standing right beside her.
"Lord Li Bai. Could you please step away? It's dangerous."
"What's dangerous about it? You're the one doing something, not me. I'm a military officer—why would I be in any danger?"
He puffed out his chest magnificently, so she let out a resigned sigh. This sort of man—
That's just how it goes.
You don't understand unless you actually experience it yourself.
"I understand. Since it's dangerous, please be very careful. Run away immediately, all right?"
With the skeptical Li Bai
behind her,
Maomao tugged the sleeve of a nearby subordinate, beckoning him to come over. She told him to watch from behind the warehouse.
Once he had returned, she tossed a fire source into the wooden box from earlier, then ran off while covering her head.
Flames burst from the box and blazed up fiercely.
"Whoaaa!"
Li Bai dodged the pillar of fire at the very last moment. He managed to avoid it, but a lock of his swaying hair caught fire. As Li Bai panicked with his hair ablaze, Maomao threw a bucket of water she had prepared in advance over him. The smell of singed hair and smoke lingered as the flames were extinguished.
"I told you to run."
Maomao looked at Li Bai, as if to ask whether he now understood what "dangerous" meant.
"..."
A subordinate hurriedly draped a fur over Li Bai, who was dripping snot. His eyes seemed to want to say something, but he looked unable to retort.
"Would you please tell the warehouse keeper
to stop smoking his pipe
in the warehouse?"
Maomao was pointing out what was likely the cause of the fire. It was speculation, but it could well have been the truth.
"Ah. Understood."
Li Bai answered with a dazed look on his face. His complexion was deathly pale — no matter how well-trained his body was, if he didn't warm up quickly, he would catch a cold. He should have hurried back to his room to get warm, but Li Bai kept staring at Maomao.
"What just happened?"
His puzzled expression was asking Maomao why the explosion had occurred. Li Bai's subordinates all wore the same look.
Maomao took out the remainder of what she had placed in the box earlier. What came from the hemp bag was a white powder that scattered lightly on the breeze.
"It's flammable powder. Even flour or buckwheat can catch fire when it's scattered in the air."
That was all it took to cause an explosion. If you knew about it, it was something anyone could understand. Li Bai simply hadn't known, that was all.
"You sure know a lot about that stuff."
"Yes, I did it quite often."
"You did it often?"
The subordinates and Li Bai exchanged puzzled glances, not understanding what she meant. And of course they wouldn't — working while getting covered in powder in a cramped room was something that would never happen in their lives. Maomao herself had only learned to be careful after she'd blown up the room she was renting in the Red Light District.
"Do take care not to catch a cold. If you do, there's a man named Luomen in the pleasure district whose medicine works wonderfully well."
She never missed an opportunity to promote her business. Maybe they'd buy some when they went to visit Baili. Her father had no business sense at all, so unless Maomao did things like this, they might very well starve.
(That took more time than I expected.)
Maomao picked up the basket of scrap paper and headed for the dump. Since it was nearby, she needed to hand it off to the servant quickly and get back.
(Oh, I accidentally brought this along.)
Maomao noticed that a piece of the broken pipe she'd picked up earlier was tucked into her collar. It was slightly scorched but quite fine — too luxurious for a mere warehouse guard to own.
(Could it be something important?)
If she polished the decorative parts and fitted a new mouthpiece, it would be as good as new. She'd heard there were injuries but no deaths, so the owner must be recovering from wounds. It was probably the cursed thing that started the fire, but selling it would fetch a decent sum. Even if they'd been fired for causing the fire, they'd certainly accept the money.
Maomao tucked the soot-stained ivory piece back into her robe. Handing the scrap paper over to the servant, she thought to herself that she'd have to pull another all-nighter tonight.