The Apothecary Diaries

Chapter 26: Two 'Cides to Every Story

Gaoshun placed a lacquered box on the desk and took out a scroll from inside. "The report you requested has finally arrived." Nearly two months had passed since Jinshi's instruction to find any serving woman who had sustained a burn.

"That took too long," Jinshi said, looking up sharply.

"My apologies." Gaoshun made no effort to add any excuse. It was a matter of principle with him not to do so.

"So, who is she?"

"Sir. Surprisingly highly placed." He unrolled the scroll on Jinshi's desk.

"Fengming, of the Garnet Pavilion. Chief lady-in-waiting to the Pure Consort."

Jinshi let his chin rest on his hands, his eyes cold as he scanned the paper.

⭘⬤⭘

"Oh, young miss! Come with me, won't you, please?" When Maomao arrived to help with medical matters, this was the first thing out of the mouth of the layabout-ahem, the doctor. A eunuch was nearby, apparently with a message; he had evidently come to summon the physician.

"What on earth has you so upset?" Maomao asked, smelling trouble.

The quack was practically quaking as he begged for her help, though, so she obliged and went with him. They soon found themselves at the guard post by the north gate. Several eunuchs were standing and looking at something, surrounded by a gaggle of serving women.

"We're lucky it's winter," Maomao said, utterly calm in the face of what she found.

A rush mat concealed a woman, her face bluish and pale. Her hair was stuck to her cheeks and face, her lips blue-black. Her spirit no longer resided in this world.

The body was uncommonly neat for a drowning victim, but it still wasn't exactly pleasant to look at. It really was a good thing it was a cold time of year. Typically, it would fall to the physician to inspect the corpse, but at present he was cowering behind Maomao like a little girl. A quack, indeed.

The dead woman had apparently been found that morning, floating in the outer moat. From her appearance, it was clear she was a servant of the rear palace. Hence why the quack doctor had been summoned; the business of the rear palace was to be taken care of by the inhabitants of the rear palace.

"Young lady, perhaps you could... look at her for me?" the doctor implored, his loach mustache quivering, but Maomao was unmoved. Who did he think she was?

"No, I couldn't. I've been instructed never to touch a dead body."

"What a strangely specific instruction." The needling comment came from an all-too-familiar, heavenly voice. The girls gave the by-now customary squeals. It was almost as if they were watching a stage show.

"Good day to you, Master Jinshi." As if it could be good with a dead body lying right there... Maomao, as ever, regarded the handsome youth, totally unimpressed. There was Gaoshun behind him as usual. Conducting his standard business of beseeching Maomao with his eyes to be courteous.

"Well, Doctor? Might we trouble you to take a proper look?"

"Very well..." The quack flushed and moved to examine the corpse without much conviction. First, visibly trembling, he pulled away the rush mat, provoking some screams from the assembled women.

The deceased was a tall woman, wearing hard wooden clogs. One of them had come off, exposing a bandaged foot. Her fingers were red, the nails cruelly damaged. Her uniform was that of the Food Service.