Sweet Death and Secret Love
Tea parties are a legitimate job for consorts.
Consort Gyokuyou also performed her job as she did every day. There were times she held it at the Jade Palace, other times she was summoned to another consort's place.
All they did was talk about the latest clothing fads and cosmetics.
They probe each other as they conversed about trifling things. No doubt, the miniature of the inner palace extends from there.
And the visiting consorts would gape at the confectioneries offered.
A middle-ranking consort from the west was talking to Consort Gyokuyou while enjoying herself with the treats.
Though she didn't know the specifics, it seemed that Consort Gyokuyou's family was an important place no matter what relation it will become after this.
It was common for many of the other consorts to inadvertently spill out information when they chat with the cheerful Consort Gyokuyou.
Writing up a letter on that, was one of Consort Gyokuyou's jobs.
The emperor frequently visits the Favoured Consort, Gyokuyou's place every three days. He comes to see his daughter who started to walk with help, but well, it goes without saying that's not the only reason he comes to visit.
He asks about various lively topics to not neglect the afternoon job too.
And from Shaoran, she's a source of intel as usual, in exchange for Jade Palace treats.
'Well, age is just a number for the Four Madames,' Shaoran said.
Consort Gyokuyou was nineteen. Consort Rifa was twenty-three. Consort Riishu was fourteen.
Consort Ah Duo, the Pure Consort, was thirty-five. One year older than the emperor.
Consort Ah Duo may still able to give birth, but based on the inner palace system, she would have no choice but to be turned away from bedroom activities due to her age.
In other words, it was impossible for her to become the empress dowager hereafter.
It seems that the talks of her stepping down for a new high-ranking consort had come up.
It was something that had come up quite a while ago. She had been a consort since the time the emperor was the crown prince and had been the mother of a male infant once, so she had a considerably strong start.
At this rate, would Consort Rifa end up the same way, having fallen pregnant with the emperor's child too?
Not just that. It can't be declared that Consort Gyokuyou will always continue to receive his favour.
After all, beautiful flowers too will someday become withered.
It was a fear of any well-to-do women, her sisters included that they were all saving up for retirement after having paid all their debts. Maomao was fortunate to have a 'cheap debt' she was able to pay off with cunning. Her Kamuro Debt, is officially paid off!
The disposition of today's tea party companion had changed a little.
The companion was Consort Riishu, a member of the Four Madames just like Consort Gyokuyou.
It was rare to have a tea party with a consort with the same rank, especially so for high ranking consorts.
The youthful Consort Riishu looked nervous. She had brought along four maids with her.
That food taster was also there.
It seems that she didn't receive punishment, as far as Maomao's worry was concerned. But the other maids are new at least.
As it was cold outside, the tea party was taken inside.
The eunuchs were used to prepare a couch for the maids in the parlour.
There was a roundtable inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The curtains were exchanged with a new embroidered one.
Honestly, they didn't pay this much attention when the emperor visited, but it would be women who would stand on guard against the same gender.
The make-up was also imbued with fighting spirit. Maomao's usual freckle make-up was cleared off. The corners of her eyes were lined with red for intimidation.
Due to Consort Riishu's food allergy, they avoided anything with seafood...and honey. Maomao had used sugar instead.
Maomao had asked Riishu for other health concerns after she calmed down from betrayal. She disliked honey due to a near-death experience once...and it was because of honey that she was never allowed by the Head Maid of Garnet Palace to visit Ah Duo again. She was always pushed out!
Treating a noble that way, was out of the question that got Jinshi looking into it in secret since.
And after that, Jinshi paid a visit, asking her to do a job for him.
As her name was too infamous, she would change her identity for this one mission, calling herself Suou. Even changing her hairstyle and wore her old maid outfit.
It can be said that the residences are painted in the styles of their owners.
There was the cosy Consort Gyokuyou's Jade Palace. There was the refined nobility of Consort Rifa's Crystal Palace. And there's the Diamond Palace fit for a young girl in Riishu.
And the Garnet Palace, where Consort Ah Duo resided in, was practical.
It was a simple structure, lacking in excessive decoration. In a way, it brought about another type of refinement. Well, she ain't 'Pure' Consort for nothing.
Its owner, Consort Ah Duo, was exactly that type of person.
Her appearance was stripped bare of needless things. She wasn't gorgeous, voluptuous, nor charming. However, this resulted in giving her an imposing androgynous beauty.
She could be mistaken for a young civil official if she wore official robes. Just how much envy does she get from the palace ladies in this inner palace that only has palace ladies and eunuchs? Jinshi's charm seems fake in comparison to hers.
Maomao didn't see what outfit the consort wore at the banquet, but a barbarian's horse riding outfit would be more fitting than the long sleeves and shirt she was wearing today.
Maomao was guided into the palace with two other palace ladies.
The head maid, Fonmin, a mild-mannered plump beauty, promptly described the interior of the residence. It turns out the reason they were called was that they didn't have enough hands for their end of year spring cleaning.
She noted with a fleeting glance that Fonmin's left arm was wrapped in bandages.
The day ended with her only airing out the furniture and books. The manual labour had been left to the eunuchs.
As this residence had been lived in the longest in the inner palace, it had more things than the Jade Palace.
She didn't return to the Jade Palace and slept huddled together with the remaining two maidservants in the Garnet Palace's large room to conceal her identity. It was cold, so the furs they were provided were very warm. Her identity got infamous from many incidents, but not everyone knows her face.
Maids of consorts hardly ever go out so those who have seen her face, are the Palace Maids and Consort Rifa's former maids.
The maids of the Jade Palace were hard workers, but she had to admit that the maids of the Garnet Palace were capable as well.
Everyone adored Consort Ah Duo, and that showed through the care they took to perform their jobs.
The head maid Fonmin, especially, was a wonder.
She was not constrained to the role of a maid. If she ever finds dust, she will use a dust cloth to clean it up.
At the very least, it was unthinkable for a head maid who serves a high ranking consort. Even the hardworking Honnyan will leave this to the other maids.
'So what do you think?' after three days of cleaning, Maomao reported to Jinshi.
'There's plenty of honey in Garnet Palace because apparently, Fonmin's family are all beekeepers...and Consort Riishu is very afraid of honey, yet is always strangely thrown out by Fonmin when she visits.' Maomao was in deep thought. 'Gaoshun-sama?'
'Hm?'
'A record of 17 years ago, when Ah Duo-sama lost her child...was Fonmin the maid then?'
'Er, yes. I was here that time too.'
'I see...'
'...have you thought of something, Shaomao?'
'I need more puzzle pieces. I feel that I would find them in those records.' said Maomao. 'It all centers to honey, and why Consort Riishu's banned. Fonmin is becoming more suspect. Moreover I found the other shoe of that corpse lady in the storehouse.'
'...why honey?' Jinshi asked her, intrigued.
'As anyone and their grandma knows, honey comes from flowers, so bees go anywhere for nectar which they convert into honey. They don't care what flower as long as it has nectar...so there's a high risk of honey being poisonous if the bees collected nectar from poisonous flowers. Not only that, raw honey carries a risk of causing Botulism in infants.' she said. 'And as honey is a nutritious sweetener...what if, the baby died from being fed poisonous honey? And Consort Riishu unwittingly pieced things together that Fonmin felt threatened and thus, shoos her out so Ah Duo would remain clueless and not piece things as to how her son died as her Head Maid always has access to honey? That it was her fault why her son, Crown Prince at the time died because she did not realize until too late, that the honey she used was contaminated?'
'Gaoshun.' Jinshi spoke firmly, causing Gaoshun to quickly find the records. 'Maomao, we will read it first before you get it. But if we figure things out on our own, we will do this ourselves.'
'Yes, sir.'
xxx
Upon reading the records, the two eunuchs found out that Maomao's father was the physician at the time. He had a kneecap removed and banished when normally, failing a job...as in, failing to cure royal ailment was execution. He got off lightly.
Jinshi decided to do the job himself, but had Gaoshun armed as a precaution.
Gaoshun agreed they do it because while Maomao is very honest, she was also very compassionate and empathetic and a motive to kill her if she speaks up is a high possibility.
(point proved clear when there's that shiny sharp knife...)
xxx
'I see...so the poisoning of Lady Riishu was to shut her up.' Maomao shook her head as she talked with Jinshi in the Veranda outside his residence. 'And also to vacate a post so Ah Duo won't lose her status because some official pushed for his daughter to become the Pure Consort.'
'But even so, her stepping down is set in stone.' said Jinshi. 'She can only have one motive in the end but I can't bring myself to tell Consort Ah Duo.' he shook his head, upset. 'I had to make up a fake motive as that woman hurt two important people to her. Her own son, and the girl she loved like her daughter.'
'That would be highly upsetting.' Maomao agreed. 'At least in a way, Consort Riishu has justice and she didn't even know it. I doubt they'd want to see honey for a long time.'
'Yeah...great, now I can't even eat honey anymore.'
xxx
One night, Maomao stepped out of the palace. It was way late by then.
And as its winter, the inner palace seemed to be brimming with love that was quite unhealthy, so she had to take care to not mistakenly peek in the thickets and concealed places.
Suddenly, she saw the half-moon in the sky and recalled Princess Fuyou. She decided to take the opportunity to ascend the outer wall. She had some sake on hand, her own recipe. She could freely make it in Jade Palace. It was her only vice and only she was permitted to drink, given her high-tolerance. The other maids couldn't last half a bottle before passing out so she has no drinking buddy, and Consort Gyokuyou is out of the question.
'It's a beautiful night for a drink and a song...' Maomao mused as she appreciated the moon, letting down her long hair.
'Oh, someone got here before me?'
Maomao heard a voice that was neither high or low.
She turned around. A gallant young man wearing trousers was standing there.
No, she had thought it was a young man, but it was Consort Ah Duo. Her hair flowed down her back with a single bun. A large gourd hung down from her shoulders.
'Well, it's free,' she said. 'The walls are neutral ground, no territories up here and anyone can be here.'
'That's fine. Wanna join me for a cup?' Consort Ah Duo displayed sake cups, and Maomao couldn't find a reason to decline.
She was going to refuse as she normally would with Consort Gyokuyou, but it wouldn't be uncouth to keep her company for her final evening drink in the inner palace.
Both hands bearing the sake cup, Maomao received the unrefined sake.
It tasted sweet but had low alcoholic content, as opposed to her high-content one.
With no plans to chat, she savored the sake slowly. Consort Ah Duo drank heartily from the gourd.
'I'm like a man, right?' the consort asked.
'You look like one when you behave like that,' Maomao said.
'Haha, you're an honest person.' Consort Ah Duo raised one knee and placed her chin on it. Maomao recognised her fine nose bridge and the long eyelashes that lined her eyes from somewhere. She thought the consort resembled someone.
The consort talked...and she just wanted someone to hear her out.
Being beside him as a friend, not behaving as a consort.
As a childhood friend who had been together with him since they were babies.
She never considered that he would choose her as his consort.
She was so sure that she was chosen just to be his instructor as his first partner.
She was an ornamental consort for ten-odd years due to sympathy.
She should have just handed it over earlier.
Why was she clinging onto it?
She then stood up, and poured away the sake she had onto the cold waters of the moat.
'It must have been very cold.' she said.
'People tend to choose a thorny path to a thorny ending.' said Maomao, making the older woman chuckle.
'That might be true...you said you could sing? Sing for me?'
Maomao cleared her throat before singing while thinking about the matter. Regardless of Ah Duo's wishes, there are people who would expend themselves for her and she wasn't too happy about that.
If I were to change the words I say to you,
Do you suppose they would reach you?
Since that time, many seasons have passed
But even though I always smiled at your side
There is still one thing I can't say
Secret of my Heart, I have no doubt
If there will ever be a little bit of tomorrow
The truth ought to be placed in our hands
I can't say, just a little more I'm waiting for a chance
Jinshi who was walking around, heard her singing voice.
In this peaceful time,
I want to connect a little more
I'm afraid to show you my soul
For a while, I walk apart from you,
But why is it that your face
Looks about to break?
I want to protect you,
I want to be close to you
He followed the voice and saw Maomao with Ah Duo up the walls. "Maomao, singing?" he croaked in disbelief. But hey, she's a good one...
Secret of my Heart, you understand, right?
Everyone feels like they want to escape sometimes
But if that's all we do, then nothing can begin
I can't say, but surely, absolutely I'm calling for a chance
Can I tell the truth?
These words I cannot speak hover around my lips
Feel in my Heart, I just can't hide any more than this,
'Cause I love you...
I will be with you wherever you are
Can you feel my Heart?
Can't you see you're my Dream?
That I can't bear to lose
this precious time I have spent with you
When you feel ready to give up, just believe
I just wanna say, I'm not lost anymore
Can't you see you're my Heart? There will come a day
When all the lies will easily be broken apart
And yet, things will never change
Secret of my Heart, our future is forever...
'Wow, you're really good!' Ah Duo gaped, wide-eyed. She complemented the song when it was clear Maomao was done singing.
'Ahaha, I grew up in a brothel.' Maomao chuckled. 'I was taught how to read, write, math and poetry but I never told anyone I can sing. I was still a Kamuro and then slavers who sell girls to the palace happened and I was here. I can't believe I'm here for a year now, time went by so fast...'
'By that song...do you have anyone you love?'
'No...I don't even know what love is. How can I want what I've never known?' Maomao snorted. 'I grew up with all women. I've never seen a boy my age to fall in love with. My senpais in Jade Palace taught me what love is when they asked if I liked a boy to go home for, I told them what I told you, chaos in the kitchen ensued drilling into me what love girls dream about...but I grew up in a brothel where love can never happen. I've seen most of my older sisters cry because of broken promises, longing...stuff like that. All I know since then, is love hurts. I've never seen love make anyone happy, the kind the senpais told me about. I don't know what that is.'
'You're one sad child.' Ah Duo shook her head.
'Is it sad not to know love?'
'It is. One day, you will surely meet a man who truly loves you.' Ah Duo told her. 'He will make you understand what and how he feels for you. Shower you with his affection and hold you dear until you understand. He will never let you go until the ice around your heart melts and becomes warm. Then you too, will love him back.'
'...'
'Hard to imagine but its something you must physically and emotionally feel.'
'Yeah, well I have one more year of service here.' said Maomao. 'Then I can go home. Maybe I'll meet that man just for me, the kind you told me about.'
'I hope you're luckier than me at least.' Ah Duo chuckled and she stood up to leave, climbing back down and walked away. Jinshi held his breath just so Ah Duo won't notice him.
'...a man just for me...a man who could love someone like me who knows how nasty and sad this world can be...is there anyone like that?' Maomao wondered aloud.
In the shadows of the trees...Jinshi shut his eyes tight.
"That song...sure hits home hard." he thought with a wince. If he were to think about it...that song was about him to her!
