The pleasure district wasn’t so far away that she couldn’t have commuted, but there was a desire to avoid any unpleasant rumors should word get around about where she was living. She was concerned for her apothecary’s shop, but knowing that Kokuyou would be keeping an eye on things put her mind somewhat at ease.
Her old man was likewise living in a dormitory. The physicians had frequent night duty, and more than a few medical officers had ended up all but living in the “on-call room” near the medical office. Even Maomao’s father seemed to go back to his dorm only rarely. As for Maomao, her room wasn’t big, but it wasn’t small; there was a bed, a dresser, and enough space for a writing desk, so she had no complaints.
There also happened to be a bookshelf. Books were too expensive for her to buy very many, but you could borrow the books at the medical office if you asked permission. All in all, Maomao found life here fairly congenial. The only problem was that everyone had to prepare their own meals. There was a restaurant not far away, but Maomao often borrowed a stove to make congee for herself.
She sat on the bed and opened some mail that had evidently arrived during the day. There were two letters: the first was from the pleasure district, informing her about how the shop was doing. The madam was leery of Kokuyou, but so far he hadn’t done anything to give her cause for concern. Sazen seemed to be doing well enough too.
The other letter was from Jinshi. It had come in Gaoshun’s name, but the handwriting was Jinshi’s. It read like a basic rundown of what had been going on recently, with nothing that would be problematic if seen. In fact, he was talking about the new middle consort at the rear palace—Aylin, the woman from Shaoh. Just in case the letter should be intercepted by some unintended recipient, she was written of in terms of a “beautiful flower” from a foreign nation.
Still, something was strange. This new woman certainly had her quirks, but when she’d come to the rear palace, she had done so alone. Why be so cautious of her? Maomao finished reading the letter and put it away in her letter box. Aylin, the report related, didn’t seem to have done anything suspicious yet.
Some days later, she would understand. But at that point in time, she had no way of knowing.
Maomao was pretty used to the medical office by now. Each day she would work, and the freak strategist would peer endlessly through the window, until her old man came and collected him.
Her father, Luomen