The place Jinshi had summoned Maomao to was the chief palace attendant's room. She gave a small bow to the chief attendant, who quietly excused herself as usual, and stepped inside.
The spacious yet spartan room had Jinshi lounging on a long settee with an air of easy relaxation. What was it — he looked even more absurdly handsome than usual, meaning he was glistening for no reason.
Maomao slowly lowered her head. Behind her, the sound of Gaoshun closing the door echoed.
How many days had it been since she'd last seen Jinshi? Back then, he had been deathly pale and hadn't said a word. Maomao hadn't been able to ask anything either. She'd thought about pressing him for details, but couldn't bring herself to, and above all, her mind had been completely consumed by the lingzhi mushroom she'd obtained. That couldn't be helped.
So for the past few days, she'd been dreading when this eunuch — no, pseudo-eunuch — would show up at the Jade Pavilion, and yet here he was, summoning her directly.
Maomao gripped the collar of her kimono tightly.
"What did you wish to see me about?"
Maomao steeled herself and spoke.
Seeing her demeanor, Jinshi gave a smirk.
"I thought we could pick up where we left off the other day."
(So that's how it is after all.)
Maomao exhaled deeply.
She had a pretty good idea what this man wanted to say.
"Very well."
Maomao pulled a cloth bag from inside her robe.
She placed them on the table.
Lined up neatly.
"I made sure to come prepared."
Seeing Maomao's expression harden, Jinshi tilted his head slightly.
"…Um, prepared for what?"
What was he playing dumb about, this man?
Maomao opened the bag and showed him its contents.
"The compounding isn't complete yet, but if I combine it with one more medicine, it will be finished. With the completed product, it would appear that the person died of a disease that shocks the heart."
She couldn't obtain the other medicine here, so she would have Jinshi procure it for her. He would surely do this much — it was a rare medicinal ingredient from a foreign land, but that was precisely what made it ideal: no evidence would remain.
She would ask this last favor.
Let me die by testing a drug on myself.
She had tried not to think about it, but Maomao did have her own feelings about life and death.
If she was going to die anyway, she wanted to die on her own terms.
Such a trivial wish, and yet.
Jinshi wore a troubled expression.
What was it? Could he possibly be about to say that such an expensive medicine was beyond his means? No, that couldn't be — but perhaps he was scheming to wrap things up more cheaply.
"Lord Jinshi?"
When Maomao timidly called his name, the elegant composure he had shown moments ago had vanished, replaced by a grim face. He pressed a finger to the bridge of his nose, then, with terrible manners, propped his cheek against his hand and leaned on the table.
"…Just so I understand, what exactly are you getting at?"
"When you ask what I'm getting at — I've made up my mind in my own way. I've been considering ways to die that leave no evidence behind."
Jinshi's face slipped from his palm and struck the table with a thud. Maomao involuntarily recoiled. Gaoshun stepped closer to Jinshi, but Jinshi raised a hand to hold him back.
"Let me ask one thing. Have you been thinking about that this entire time — for the past several days?"
"That" presumably meant Jinshi disposing of her. On that point, she could only confirm.
"Yes. I imagine I've become quite an eyesore."
Or perhaps she had been contemplating some way to be silenced. In that case, taking hostages would be the most effective approach. The girls at the pleasure house — no, the Old Man, perhaps.
The Old Man had endured enough hardships to last a lifetime. Maomao felt he shouldn't have to suffer any further.
That was why she had prepared this medicine.
If she were refused the use of this medicine, then what would happen?
"A swift hanging, then? Some blunder pinned on me?"
A loud clatter of the table rang out, and before she knew it, Jinshi was standing in front of Maomao.
He hunched his back, fixing her with a moist, intense glare.
Maomao involuntarily took a step back. But as if to pursue her, Jinshi took a step forward.
"...Jinshi, wouldn't you be more comfortable relaxing on the long sofa?"
"Which person is it that's been giving me an un-relaxing reception?"
With each step Maomao retreated, Jinshi advanced another. Even if she wanted to ask Gaoshun for help, Gaoshun was busy with his own affairs, palms together, staring up at the ceiling as if there were something to see up there.
Before she knew it, Maomao had been cornered against the wall. A hand landed with a thud beside her ear. Jinshi had braced one hand against the wall and was looking down at her.
"...I told you, didn't I? That there was something I had to say. So why would that be a reason to dispose of you?"
Jinshi let out a puff of breath as he spoke.
(Did I really say that?)
Most likely, her memory of that moment was shot to pieces thanks to the various mushrooms. She couldn't really remember.
Yep, the mushrooms were to blame.
"So in other words, you have no intention of disposing of me?"
When Maomao looked up at Jinshi's face, his body gave a visible shudder.
"That's what I'm saying."
"I'm relieved to hear that."
Maomao let out a breath of relief.
"..."
Jinshi watched her with a deeply complicated expression.
"What is it?"
"No, I don't mean to interrupt you while you're relieved, but I don't think this is the kind of situation where you should be letting your guard down."
Jinshi was saying something that didn't quite make sense.
Hmm. Maomao looked around.
Jinshi still had her pinned against the wall, looming over her from above.
"Jinshi, now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, would you mind stepping aside?"
Maomao stated bluntly. Jinshi was in the way, and she couldn't move away from the wall. She could technically slip through by ducking under his arm, but straddling the legs of a noble would be rather rude.
"...You really don't get it at all, do you? Do you even understand what it means that I'm, well, not a eunuch?"
「That would be quite problematic if it were discovered here.」
The inner garden was built solely for the emperor, so having a man present was out of the question from the start. But when she thought about it more carefully, it seemed unlikely that the emperor would simply leave an official as conspicuous as Jinshi unattended. There had to be some reason why he kept him in that position.
a man.
Was it not the most natural assumption that the emperor was keeping him there as a man for a specific purpose?
(Could it be!?)
Surely the emperor wasn't planning to have one of the lower-ranking consorts bear Jinshi's child. The succession rights of children born to lower-ranking consorts were limited, unlike those of upper-ranking consorts. If the child were male, it would be troublesome enough — but what if it were a girl?
A daughter of Jinshi, a man whose face alone looked capable of toppling one or two nations — she would surely become a powerful diplomatic card. It sounded like a far-off prospect, but political marriages were often decided before a daughter even turned ten.
There were plenty of problems, perhaps, but the potential rewards might be just as great.
(What a terrifying emperor — and what a stallion!)
Maomao fixed Jinshi with an indescribable gaze. Half contempt, half pity.
「I understand that your position is complicated, Lord Jinshi. However, this is a matter that goes beyond what I can handle. Could you please spare me from hearing any more? Even if my mouth were torn open, I would never breathe a word of this to anyone.」
That was all Maomao could say.
「...I thought you were sharp, but you already knew?」
「Yes, I've just now confirmed it. I understand you're in a difficult position, but this is simply beyond my station.」
「...Fine. I'll accept that.」
Jinshi's expression was gloomy. His hand trembled as he stuffed it into the opening of his robe, as though reaching for something — then stopped himself.
It seemed some complicated emotion churned within Jinshi.
「No, well, that's part of it, but there's something else, isn't there? What I mean is, it's less about my position and more about... me, personally.」
「About you personally, Lord Jinshi?」
What was she supposed to say — something like, "I'm sure a fine specimen such as yourself, befitting of a stallion, has everything in order"? Come to think of it, this man did have a strange habit of wanting to show off his body.
「No, it's not that I'm looking or anything.」
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Jinshi's face went stiff.
Sensing danger, Maomao looked to Gaoshun. Gaoshun had been cultivating an aura of such transcendent serenity that he seemed on the verge of achieving enlightenment, but he responded to the sound of three deliberate knocks on the door.
Jinshi finally stepped away from Maomao and reclined on the long sofa as though nothing had happened, just as the court official waiting outside entered the room.
"What's the matter?"
Jinshi plastered a dazzling smile on his face and addressed the middle-aged court lady.
"Yes, it seems His Majesty has said that tonight's evening visit should be to Consort Loulan."
"Is that so? I had heard he wouldn't be coming here tonight."
Jinshi tilted his head with an imperious air.
When the Emperor visits the rear palace, it is reported in advance. The room to be visited also requires various preparations. The consort must bathe, don perfumed garments, apply makeup, and a fitting late-night meal must be prepared.
Seeing the slightly flustered look on the Head Court Lady's face, he could tell something was wrong.
"Yes. It seems Consort Loulan is not in her quarters."
"Hmm, perhaps she's out for a stroll?"
"Well, you see..."
The Head Court Lady wore an awkward expression, as though the words were difficult to say.
"Consort Loulan seems to frequently go off somewhere..."
The Head Court Lady's voice trailed off into mumbling.
It seemed that every time the court ladies were told the Emperor was coming, they ended up having to search for Consort Loulan. Normally, this wouldn't be something the Head Court Lady would bring up, but this time there was no time to spare, so she had turned to Jinshi for guidance.
(Hmm?)
If a senior consort were to go out, she should have attendants with her. And yet, could it really be that no one knew where she had gone?
It was almost as if she had slipped out incognito.
(Incognito...)
Maomao suddenly tried to recall what she knew of Consort Loulan. The eccentric consort who always wore different outfits each time she saw her. She always wore extravagant makeup.
One could say she was simply a fashionista and leave it at that. However— Maomao casually approached Gaoshun and spoke to him.
"Gaoshun, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"What is it?"
"The person at Consort Loulan's place— Shisui Do you know of a lady-in-waiting by that name?"
Gaoshun answered Maomao's question.
"I don't know every single lady-in-waiting in the palace, but there should be no one by that name."
Gaoshun's reply was firm and decisive.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Shisui is not exactly a rare name, but it is not a name that could be held by someone serving Consort Loulan. The consort's father is called 'Shikou.' You should understand the meaning of that name."
Maomao pressed her hand to her forehead.
How had she not noticed this before?
Among noble bloodlines, it was sometimes customary to include a character representing the family name in a person's name. If the father was Shikou, then the character "Shi" would be used. His children might also receive names bearing the character "Shi." It was a tradition mostly applied to direct male heirs, but it was not unheard of for daughters to receive such names as well.
If that was the case, then there was no way a lady-in-waiting with such a confusing name would be placed with Consort Loulan, who was Shikou's own daughter. If the consort herself did not have that character in her name, having it in the name of one of her attendants would be terribly misleading.
That raised one problem.
"That lady-in-waiting called Shisui—"
The one who timidly spoke up was the head palace official. It seemed he had been listening to their conversation.
"You know of her?"
"I have a vague memory from a little while ago."
The head palace official rummaged through the shelves in the room and pulled out a ledger, which he began flipping through. He leafed through the pages rapidly, then stopped his hand at a particular page.
"Here it is. She was originally assigned to enter the palace alongside Consort Loulan."
Everyone crowded around the ledger the head palace official had opened.
The entries were surprisingly detailed for a mere lady-in-waiting, but once they saw the family composition, it all made sense.
"She is the daughter of Lord Shikou — the consort's half-sister."
Maomao gazed blankly at the ledger, and a wave of relief washed over her.
(No wonder she looked so familiar.)
As she thought this—