Chapter Text
Maomao was in the garden weeding, someone needed to do it, and frankly she wasn’t one to complain, this was the life she chose. To the untrained eye the gardens of the Verdigris House looked the same as ever, but over the past couple years decorative shrubbery had been replaced by something with some amount of medicinal importance. What to the average Verdigris patron was just some bush was in fact mint, some shrubs lining the pathway, liquorice.
Despite Maomao’s wishes her groundskeeping activities were made limited by the Madam of the house, wanting to keep the garden a garden and not their freeloading apothecary’s allotment. As such the barren monocultured lawns, the least she could do in the Madam’s eyes is the boring work of keeping the garden in tiptop shape.
She might have been weeding for the rest of the afternoon, but the approaching crunches on the gravel path broke her concentration, and she turned to see Meimei approaching from the main building with a blank expression, not aggressively blank, just blank, enough to show just from a glance that whatever she was going to tell Maomao was serious.
She stopped at the edge of the path while Maomao remained crouched on the grass.
“He’s here.”
That he could only be one person, one of only two people that people used only a pronoun to name when talking to Maomao.
Her immediate thought was to run as was usually the case with him , but the mix of Meimei’s entirely serious demeanour and the fact he hadn’t stormed out to try and speak to her himself made for deeper thinking.
“It’s important, genuinely important.”
Maomao knew that, just not whether we wanted to deal with matters of importance . But she relented. Standing up and shuffling through the short hedges to the path Meimei was standing on.
“I’ll go get changed.”
Meimei grabbed her hand and started walking her there herself before she could try and avoid the confrontation, even if it were for a second. “There’s no time, he needs to be away as soon as possible.”
He’s genuinely busy? It must actually be important then. The ramification of that thought settling in her mind made the thought of escape return, but surely not, there’s no reason for him to be this accommodating . Her mind refused to accept any of the possibilities that it had formulated and the meeting room was all too close, she had been dragged to it and was now standing in the open doorway before she was able to put any kind of plan into action.
Lakan sat opposite her, the Madam on one side of the table and a grave looking court official at the other. Fengxian sat just behind Lakan, Pairin and Joka with her. The air in the room was tense and Meimei shutting the door behind her only made that tension sharper.
Maomao stared down Lakan who stared right back, no sense of his usual childishness, no sense that he’d jump from his seat to get ahold of “his Maomao”. He didn't even face her directly, his head tilted downwards like everyone else, only his eyes were angled up at her. If anything, his gaze was soft, a softness she’d only seen when faced with resignation that something had happened, that unlike much of the goings on that he concerned himself with, was out of his control.
The court official, dressed in his long blue robe and stern expression stood and faced Maomao, putting his arms in his sleeves and bowing, his deep voice resonating as he spoke.
“Kan Maomao, I am Gaoshun of the Ma clan.” Despite Maomao frantic looks to everyone else in the room, all but Lakan stayed still as stone with averted eyes. “Tomorrow you are to travel to the inner palace of the imperial court.”
What, no… This possibility hadn’t even begun to cross her mind, her breathing and heartbeat became unsteady, her only avenue of plea being through the eyes of the one she had refused to ever lean on the assistance of. But there was no reply from the strategist.
“You are to-”
Maomao turned and tried to run, it was all she could think to do. But the door behind her was locked, she hadn’t the strength to force it open but she tried nonetheless, pulling and scratching at the wood while the shaking that had taken root grew and grew, her internal pleading filled her whole conscience. Please no, anything but- please, please…
A hand fell onto her shoulder. She was on her knees, corners of her eyes hardly damming the lakes of emotion they held back. “Maomao.” It was a voice so rarely heard so kind. The Madam waved away those unnecessary, for this discussion leaving just Maomao, Lakan, the Madam and the Ma man sat around the table.
She was given a few moments to catch her breath. Adopting the same solemn stature the others had taken, eyes fixed on the table not facing the man announcing what was to come.
Gaoshun sighed, and restarted. “I can only offer my apologies, I shouldn’t have been so forward, but the reason for my visit remains the same.” He stopped to make absolutely sure she was calm. Maomao wasn’t, but powering through was all that she could do right now.
“Tomorrow, at midday, a carriage will arrive to pick you up.” Maomao’s fists clenched on her lap. “You will be brought to the inner palace of the imperial court, and be received as a consort of the Moon Price.”
Maomao just sat there, everything after that sentence simply failed to register. The court official left, Madam and Lakan with him, only after attempting to get through to her at least once. But she remained there, now alone with her thoughts.
The shock of the whats had died down, it was the whys that now hung heavy. Why me? What can I possibly offer? It was Lakan’s defeated look that perplexed her most. Why has he looked like that, what could have possibly happened? There was only one other time he had seen him like that. It was when Luomen had-
The door behind her slid open, light footsteps wandering around her and to the spot Lakan had sat before. Maomao looked up at the tousle-haired annoyance that sat opposite her. Lahan wore a thin smile and offered little pity. He only offered what he could, in this case explanations, to which he got straight to the point.
“Grandfather.” So she'd been on the right track. “He was in contact with… someone, someone with the ability or power to get this done without our honoured father noticing.”
It was certainly something, Lakan had eyes everywhere, even if in some cases as with Lahan they might only be so effective looking back at what has happened, as to what was happening, something like this would have thrown him into a frenzy were he to hear of an official merely raising the possibility. But if it were done behind his back…
He was only there to explain, so he stood and began to leave as he entered. But stopped short beside her. “Know this had nothing to do with him, he will try with everything to dig you out of this once he can.”
He wasn't telling her this to let her know, he was telling her it as something to accept. His behaviour around her aside, she knew he'd never do anything she had explicitly said she didn't want, and steering clear from politics and family matters was the thing that she wanted most.
Just as Lahan was about to disappear out the door, Joka came round the corner and questioned him.
“Up to your miserable tricks are you?”
“I would never trouble such a fine establishment.”
Joka’s pointed glare saw him until he was out of sight, then moving her attention to Maomao.
“I’m going to have a bath.”
“Hmm?”
Silence, just for a few moments, Maomao then standing and walking towards her sister, eyes never rising from the floor. She could at least tell it was past sunset, the darkening autumn night beginning to take hold, the chatter of the first of the pleasure districts clientele could just about begin to be heard.
Maomao followed Joka to the baths. Got undressed, cleaned themselves and sat in the warm water for a nice long soak. She was thankful for Joka, her quiet company was indeed her selling point, but it wasn't just for men with deep pockets. The bath had melted any worries away for now, having her sister nearby settled Maomao's nerves.
Joka let out a long breath. “You’re stronger than any of us, you know that?”
Maomao turned and looked at her quizzically.
“You can look after everyone here, you can deal with the most annoying persistent bastards on the planet and you still grow and learn and improve.” Maomao slid deeper in the water while her sister sung her praises. “But, I want you to promise me, Maomao.”
“Hmm?”
“Please look after yourself.”
Maomao took in her sister's request, giving a shallow nod. “Hmm, I promise.”
“Thank you.” Joka said with a breath of relief, “but if that prince does anything you know who to call.”
Maomao let out a light giggle, “Will do.”
Maomao kept her bath short, she’d likely be having another in the morning as part of her preparations. She dried off and headed straight for bed, but lying in bed waiting for sleep, the look in Lakan's eyes still clung on in the background of every thought.
It had been years, on one of Luomen’s few days off, he took these days at the apothecary's corner of the Verdigris house, a younger Maomao watching and learning every little movement of tool and alteration of recipe. She was the only reason he even bothered with holidays, teaching was what gave him the greatest joy and he happily took his grandniece as his apprentice, enjoying the contrast of Maomao's amateur chaos to the competent precision of the other doctors of the inner palace.
But Lakan threatened that, even at her young age, Maomao simply refused to participate in clan duties and Luomen's brother refused to abide by it, his only granddaughter needed to be the jewel of the clan, even if her mother was a commoner. His attempts to force Lakan’s side of the family into action put Verdigris House and therefore the life Maomao wanted in danger, let alone whatever reputation damage would come to the clan were someone to find out how he’d do so.
Lahan was quick enough to find them, but Luomen was quick to temper Lakan. The clan, if small, was stable, even if Lakan could easily take control of the clan with this information, Luomen’s uncombativeness prevailed in both stopping an unnecessary squabble between father and son and to protect Maomao. Few knew she even existed, if anyone figured out the exact reasons for the headship change, it would expose her.
In the meantime Lakan had been making frequent visits to the Verdigris House, this too drew too much attention. He had to tell Lakan to stay away, as much as he wanted to keep Maomao close, for her to remain happy he had to stay away.
Luomen, he was the only one who could make him concede.
Maomao woke to a rising sun, her body clock not failing her. She crawled out of bed, pushing thoughts of what was to come away, she still had a job to do this morning. Trudging wearily down the through to the Verdigris House’s medical room, she was met with Luomen grinding away, a good way through grinding some ginger.
“Ah, Maomao.” Came his grandmotherly voice. “Take these to Pairin, would you?”
But Maomao had questions, “Dad why are you-”
“Questions to be answered later, twice the hands make half the work, does it not?”
She looked at the tray, she too was defenceless against him, so she picked up the tray and came to Pairin’s bedroom, knocking on the door and calling for her.
“Pairin, are you awake?”
She opened the door to all three princesses surrounded by boxes of makeup and perfumes, necklaces and hairsticks, and a great pile of dresses. Meimei’s ire made its way to Pairin.
“I thought you said she was asleep.”
“Fifteen minutes ago, you know she gets up quickly, I can't control her.”
“You two are helpless” Joka said from the corner of the room, reading, but Maomao could tell she had been judging every decision her sisters had made.
“I’ll leave this here.” Maomao tried to avoid the situation, but Pairin wouldn't have it.
“Nooo, Maomao we need to test.”
Meimei butted in, “No we don't Maomao take your time, I’ll come get you.”
Maomao gave a shallow bow and continued with her morning jobs, as Luomen had said, taking half the time it would have normally, leaving the two in the apothecary shop, sipping on a fresh batch of tea.
“I will be around. Not often, but you’ll see me at least once a fortnight.” Straight to the point huh? Luomen sipped his tea, Maomao watched the whisps of steam float up and away from hers.
“I still don't get why.”
“My brother likely had something to gain, but his associate…” A rare confession of unknowing from Luomen, or at the very least he considered other possibilities too far a leap of reason, or perhaps too disturbing, Maomao wouldn't probe. They sat with that for a little while. Maomao had decided against peppering her dad with what questions she had, hoping they would simply be answered with time.
The teacup she had clasped in her hands had lost much of its heat, those whisps long gone. Leaving little to keep Maomao's mind from wandering. Adrift in the seas of doubt, she gripped her teacup tighter, Luomen has time and again said to stop speculating, she knew that, it was so irrational to get so worked up about it. But she couldn't not be, whatever mental mechanism churned her worry simply wouldn't shut off with orders from her conscious.
A spindly hand rustled her hair, Maomao looking to the hand’s owner, his soft smile clearing her mind, at least a bit. He wasn't one to say “Everything will be alright.”, but he could recognise her troubles. He took his hand away.
“The Moon Prince is a good person. I’m not asking you to get along, but it's unlikely you will make an enemy of him.”
Maomao didn't really know what to do with that information, and Meimei entry brought their teatime to an end. Luomen walked with her to the door.
“I will be returning to the estate. Goodbye for now, Maomao.”
“Bye, Dad.”
He nodded to Meimei then made his way to the entrance. The sisters heading in the other direction.
“He’s a handful in a way isn't he,” Meimei mused, “but also not.” Maomao agreed, her dad did indeed have a unique way of thinking. “Kinda like you I guess.”
That last comment irked Maomao for whatever reason, but she couldn't exactly get angry at a comparison to Luomen of all people.
Preperations took a while, all the way up to midday, most of it was a blur, time only measured by the slow increase of Joka's interventions in Maomao's beautification process, most the decisions about her presentation were made by her by the time the sun had reached its peak.
She stood in the entry hall, all the usual Verdigris suspects where crowded round to see her off, with two additions. Lahan and Fengxian stood with the Madam by the entrance, the tousle-haired mini freak, looking particularly pleased when she came into view.
“Maomao might I say, you're numbers are- aah ow ow ow, sorry I get it, sorry.” Thankfully fancier shoes tended to have better foot stomping effectiveness.
A hand almost came crashing down onto her head, only stopping as to not send hairsticks flying across the room. “Oi, big shots are outside, don't be damagin’ my reputation.”
“Sorry Grams.”
“Hmpf, should’ve had you on contract, would deal with costs for a good few months… and we’re out of an apothecary.”
“Gonna stage an escape then, Grams?”
“Haha, Be more than my reputation on the line then.”
“Maomao.”
An almost silent voice whispered, it was Fengxian, not quite looking at her. Maomao, taken a little aback and unsure how to approach, awkwardly stared at the ground , instead looking at the ground, just as she was doing, but didn't reply instead waiting for her to continue.
“See you soon.”
Maomao, took a moment before replying. “Hmm. See you soon.”
Maomao waved to the hallway where her sisters were standing, Pairin on the verge of crying her eyes out, before stepping down to the road, where a carriage was waiting for her.
That same Ma man standing with a small, tanned woman by its entrance, they bowed as she was helped up, taking one last look at what had been her home for so long, before embarking on her journey to the imperial palace.