After reading and watching Apothecary Diaries, I came to the realization that I must make this story. I love Maomao, she's my favorite female character thus far. She's a genius, she loves the simple things in life as an Apothecary, and knows when something is wrong. I admire how she develops friendships among the High Consorts and helps them in her Maomao way. Her relationship with Gyokuyou feels very sisterly as they are the closest in age. But I also love the friendship she made with Lihua thanks to the advice she gave on how to utilize her assets among other things. Out of all the concubines, Gyokuyou and Lihua are by far my favorites. Which then lead to this. Enjoy.
Concubine Gyokuyou, the Precious Consort, mother to Princess Lingli, and the emperor's favorite within the Rear Palace, sat in the living room holding her sweet infant daughter who slept peacefully. She smiled as she admired every fine detail within her only child's face. Not long ago, she nearly lost her to poison due to the toxic face power her baby's nurse wore.
She looked up when Maomao entered, calm and steadfast as she bowed before her lady. Gyokuyou smiled upon seeing one of her favorite people within the Rear Palace. She thanked the heavens every day for Maomao's presence, had it not been for the young apothecary, her daughter would not be alive.
"Lady Gyokuyou, forgive my tardiness." Maomao respectively said to her superior who didn't mind if she was a little late.
"That's quite alright Maomao." Gyokuyou said as she cradled her sleeping daughter close.
Maomao raised her head as a somewhat discomforting look came over her face, "Actually, there's a reason for my being late."
"Oh?" Gyokuyou blinked at her servant's hesitance.
"One of Lady Lihua's ladies-in-waiting approached me, she wanted me to deliver this to you." Her hands pulled out of her sleeves to reveal a folded parchment in between her fingers.
Gyokuyou took the parchment and read its contents. Surprise sparked in her green eyes before she nodded, "Very well then."
The next day, the Jade Pavillion received a guest.
Concubine Lihua, the Wise Consort, and the emperor's second favorite sat in the parlor across from Gyokuyou. After months of suffering from illness at losing her only son to poison, she was nursed back to full health thanks to Maomao. Gyokuyou can see the transformation from her food taster's care as Lihua has returned to her beautiful state.
Four ladies-in-waiting stood behind their respective concubines. This is the first time the Precious and Wise Consorts were around each other since their children fell ill and Lihua slapped Gyokuyou on accusation for poisoning her son.
"Thank you for granting my request for this meeting." Lihua cordially greeted the Western Princess who watched her with gentle compassion.
"Not at all, though I admit to being surprised." Gyokuyou smiled, "I am glad to see you have returned to full health. The emperor was so relieved."
Lihua smiled back, "It is thanks to your lady-in-waiting that I am still alive. You choose your servants well." She glanced at Maomao who bowed to her in respect.
"That's kind of you to say Lady Lihua. Was there something you needed from me?" Gyokuyou asked as she felt the reason for this visit wasn't just for polite conversation.
Lihua frowned and lowered her head slightly, "Actually, it's something I wish to give you." Regret filled her eyes as she looked at Gyokuyou, "I want to apologize for that time. I should not have accused you of poisoning my son, and it was wrong of me to attack you in such a way. I am so sorry." She said as she lowered her eyes to the ground, ashamed of how she acted in her fear and grief for her son's suffering.
Gyokuyou frowned as she recalled that moment, how both of their children fell ill at the same time. "It was a mistake. Our babies were in pain, and we had no clue as to why they were suffering. Your anger as a mother was understandable. I can't fault you for feeling such things."
Lihua didn't take comfort in the woman's understanding as she felt undeserving of it. "Even so, you still came to warn me about what caused my son's illness. Had I not ignored you, my son would be alive." She said as she remembered that day when Gyokuyou approached her and tried to tell her about the white powder, the fear and worry within the woman's gaze when she pleaded with Lihua to listen.
Gyokuyou frowned, "It wasn't your fault. None of us knew until it was too late. Ignorance is truly a sin, especially for those of our station."
Lihua nodded in acknowledgement for that folly. "All the same, I deeply apologize for how I treated you. I hope you'll one day forgive me."
Gyokuyou's frown deepened before turned to her servants, "Would all of you leave me and Lady Lihua alone for a moment?" Her request caught them by surprise, but as they are bound as her ladies-in-waiting, they obey their mistress and left the room in a single file.
Lihua turned to her servants, "You too."
"Lady Lihua, are you sure?" One of them asked in concern.
Lihua gave her an assuring smile, "I'll be alright."
With some hesitance, the servants of the Crystal Pavillion left the room, leaving the two consorts alone.
Gyokuyou stood up and came over to sit beside Lihua. What she did next caught Lihua by surprise as she was pulled into a hug.
Lihua was frozen stiff by Gyokuyou's sudden embrace, but after a moment, she wrapped her long arms around the younger woman and relished in the warmth it brought her.
"I already forgave you. So please, I don't want you to suffer any more than you already have." Gyokuyou whispered to the woman who endured so much pain at the loss of her child.
Lihua felt a weight leave her shoulder when she heard those words. This woman, who the emperor favored over her, never showed a hint of hostility towards her or any of the concubines in the Rear Palace.
"Why are you so kind to me? You've won. You birthed the emperor a healthy daughter. Soon you'll give birth to a healthy son." Lihua said as she knew out of everyone in the Rear Palace, Gyokuyou is the most likely to become empress.
Gyokuyou pulled away but did not remove her arm from the taller woman's back. "I'm not trying to win against you Lady Lihua. That's not in my nature. Because at the end of the day, we all share the same fate in the Rear Palace. This place is a garden to grow the royal family's seed and further their bloodline." A sad look came over her face, "It's been like this for centuries for women of our status. I'm just a political tool to help my family." She smiled sadly as she looked down, "To be honest, I've admired you for a long time."
Lihua's face held surprise at what she just heard. This exotic beauty from the West admired her?
"I was fourteen when I came here, the way people looked at me like I was a rare butterfly to be pinned to a wall, I felt scared and completely out of place, like I don't belong. Not like it was any different back home." Gyokuyou added with a hint of melancholy in her voice.
"What do you mean?" Lihua asked when she saw the sadness within the younger woman's gaze.
"My older half-brother, Gyoku-ou, he always tormented and ridiculed me for my foreign blood." Gyokuyou's heart broke whenever she thought of her older brother, how cruel and spiteful he was towards her for being half-breed.
"That's horrible." Lihua said as she felt her heart crack at how this kind and compassionate woman could suffer such abuse from family.
"I'm not the first, and I sadly won't be the last." Gyokuyou turned to Lihua, "But you actually inspired me to become better?"
"What did I do?"
Gyokuyou then smiled mischievously, "Do you recall that servant girl who tended to the flowers in the Crystal Pavillion five years ago?"
Lihua's eyes widened at the recollection, there was a strange girl who took care of the garden outside of her own, she recalled how she sang a foreign tune as though to encourage the blossoms. Twenty-year-old Lihua approached the girl who bowed in respect before the Wise Consort inspected the flowers and admired the beauty the girl created.
"That was you?" Lihua exclaimed in shock as she pulled out of that memory.
Gyokuyou giggled softly, "Surprise."
"You always kept your hair in a cloth whenever you cared for the flowers. The way you made them bloom was like magic." Lihua complimented the Western Princess.
"I found the task very fun, and it helped me escape everyone's gaze for a while. Whenever you praised my work, I felt like my existence means something, to be more than political tool and make even positive change no matter how small." Gyokuyou breathed out a soft laugh, "I always believe that you'd become empress one day, I even hoped for it. Not only are you beautiful, but you are also very wise, and you care about the country deeply."
Lihua blushed at the words Gyokuyou said to her, not as a servant, but as an equal who sees value in her as a person and mother of the people.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier when you became Precious Consort?" Lihua asked as she watched Gyokuyou's eyes tinge with sadness.
"I was afraid you'd hate me, that you'd think I was playing you." Gyokuyou swallowed, "When Jinshi chose me to become the emperor's High Consort, I didn't know how to approach you. You outright disliked me at first glance, and it made me hate my position for a while."
Lihua frowned and looked down in shame, "I was jealous of you. You're younger than me by five years, and you grew into an exotic woman. That bright red hair and green eyes, I knew I can't compete with that." She admitted, accepting this defeat with grace as she understood the emperor's taste.
"I don't want to compete with you Lady Lihua. I never did."
"I believe you." Lihua said as she turned to Gyokuyou, "You really believe I'd become empress?"
"Why not? You were born here, you come from a strong family." Gyokuyou stated as though it's the most obvious answer in the world.
Lihua's eyes turned sad as she touched her belly beneath her resplendent robes. "But what if I can't bear the emperor's children? My body was saturated and weakened by so much poison." She said as doubt filled her heart, she endured so much pain and heartbreak from loss that it physically manifested itself into an illness that ravaged her body.
Gyokuyou's hand overlapped with Lihua's over her belly. "Don't give up Lady Lihua, you're stronger than you realize." She said as she locked eyes with the older woman, "Those who doubt are proven wrong by the heavens. I know that with time and patience, you will have another baby before you realize it."
Lihua felt some comfort at Gyokyou's touch on her hand, "You really believe that?"
"It's not just belief, I know you'll have a baby." Gyokuyou then massaged her shoulder, "After all, the emperor has given me some respite from all those sleepless nights thanks to you." She exclaimed, feeling overworked and tired from her nightly duties to the emperor.
Lihua covered her hand as her body shook with laughter at how Gyokuyou sounded relieved to have a break from the emperor's attention. "Well, if he does become too much for you, I'll come to your rescue."
"My hero." Gyokuyou said as the air dissolved with laughter.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of Lingli crying.
Gyokuyou looked from the direction of her child's cries then at Lihua. She stood up and held her hand out to the Wise Consort, "Come, there's someone I want you to meet."
Lihua stared at her hand for a moment then wrapped her fingers around Gyokuyou's who pulled the older woman onto her feet and lead her out of the room. They went up to Gyokuyou's bedroom to see Hongniang and Maomao tend to the little princess.
"Lady Gyokuyou, Lady Lihua." Maomao bowed to the consorts while the Jade Pavillion's Head Lady-in-waiting cradled Lingli who calmed down at the sight of her mother entering the room.
Gyokuyou smiled as Hongniang transferred her daughter into her arms. Lingli made cooing sounds that melted many hearts in the room.
Gyokuyou turned to Lihua who stared at the infant with envy and longing as though under a spell. "Would you like to hold her?" Her offer surprised everyone in the room.
"Are you sure?" Lihua asked as her eyes never left the baby who looks delighted by everything in the room.
Gyokuyou approached her, "Yes, I want my daughter to officially meet the future empress of this country."
Lihua was hesitant at first but held her arms out as Gyokuyou gently deposited her baby into the Wise Consort's arms. Lihua instinctively held Lingli close to her, her body instantly remembered to support her head in the cradle of her arms.
Lingli stared up at the woman in wonder then smiled in greeting. Lihua returned her smile with her own as that same motherly feeling returned after many months of grief. "What a beautiful girl you are." She said to Lingli who gazed at the woman whose loveliness matches her mother's.
Gyokuyou watches with a smile as Lihua nuzzled her daughter's hair. "She smells so good." Lihua said as Lingli giggled at the attention.
From that day on, the Precious and Wise Consorts would make occasional visits to each other's pavilion to share gossip, information and advice. Baby Lingli often accompanies her mother whenever they spend time with Lihua whose mood improves every time the little one visits. Word had already spread throughout the Rear Palace about the High Consorts friendship and how often they'd laugh while sharing childhood stories and drama among the servants and other consorts. While this drastic change in their relationship may seem odd, logical people among the court saw the benefits that came with this bond.
This is just the beginning. I always loved the idea of the High Consorts getting along with each other given what their status requires of them. Far as I knew, these two women had it rough being females in this era. Also, I am proud to say that after trying to find Lihua and Gyokuyou featured stories on Fanfiction and Archive of Our Own, I am the first to write this story. Let me know what you think of this story as this is the first Apothecary Diaries fic I've written.