Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

It was really by chance that Maomao couldn"t sleep and slipped out the Jade Palace in the middle of the night.
The Pure Consort was leaving the Inner Palace tomorrow.

She went outside for some reason and was walking about aimlessly. The coldness wasn"t to the point of freezing but it was already winter so she went out wearing two padded layers.

The Inner Palace, as ever, is overflowing with rather unhealthy love. She must take care to not mistakenly peek in the thickets and concealed places.

Suddenly, as she saw the half-moon in the sky, she recalled Fuyou-hime. Seeing as she had the opportunity, she decided to ascend the outer wall. She wanted to fancy that she had moon viewing wine since she was already doing it, but she gave up on it as there wasn"t any at the Jade Palace. She was in the mood for some viper wine; it"s been a while.

She wedged her foot on the section of the brick that protruded at the corner of the outer wall, and skilfully clambered up. As her skirt might hook onto something, she had to pay extra care to it.

Anyhow, as far as smoke goes, the moon and stars lit up the city, so of course high places are pleasant. The bright lights she could see in the distance should be the prost.i.tution quarter. It was appropriate that it was called the night quarter. No doubt the chat between the flower and the bees are starting.

Not planning to do anything, she sat over the edge of the wall, and decided to look at the sky while swinging her legs.

"Oh, there’s someone here before me?"

She heard a voice that was neither high or low.

No, she though 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 empty."

"That"s fine. Wanna join me for a cup?"

She displayed sake cups, and Maomao couldn"t find a reason to decline.
She was going to refuse as she would normally would with Consort Gyokuyou, but it wouldn"t be uncouth to keep company for her final evening drink in the Inner Palace.

Both hands bearing the sake cup, she received the unrefined sake.
It tasted of strong sweetness and low alcohol content.

Not planning to chat, she savoured the sake slowly to make it last. Consort Ah Duo heartily drank from the gourd.

"I"m like a man, right?"

"You look like one when you behave like that."

"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 she looked like someone, but her mind was muddled.

"Because I lost my son with these hands, I was always the emperor"s friend. No, we might have returned to being friends."

She was close to him as a friend, not behaving as a consort.
They had been childhood friend that have been together since they were babies.

She didn"t think she would be chosen as a consort.
Just that she was only chosen as an instructor as his first partner.

That she was an ornamental consort for ten-odd years due to sympathy.

Why did he continue to cling onto her?

Consort Ah Duo continued her monologue.
She continued as if Maomao, who was right there, wasn"t there and there wasn"t no one else around.

The consort who will leave tomorrow.
No matter what kind of rumours that would come out of the Inner Palace; it is already unrelated to her.

Maomao just kept silent and listened.

Consort Ah Duo stopped her words. She got up, upending the gourd and the contents spilled outside the wall into the moat.

Seeing the sake that was being poured as if it was a farewell gift, Maomao recalled the maidservant who committed suicide the other day.

"It must have been cold in the water."

"I guess so."

"I wonder if it hurt."

"I guess so"

"She was a fool."

"…that might be true."

"Everyone is a fool."

"That might be true."

She somehow understood.
That maidservant really did commit suicide.

And, Consort Ah Duo did know about that.

The everyone she was talking about, probably also included Fonmin.

Regardless of Consort Ah Duo"s intention, there are people who will expend their life for her sake.

(It"s really a waste.)

Even though she possessed the character and qualifications of one who stands above the people.
If she was beside the emperor, not as a consort but in another form, would the government be even better?

As she thought of such absurd things, Maomao gazed at the white moon.

There were many onlookers gathered at the main gate.

The ex-consort who had lived in the Inner Palace for an extremely long time, was wearing large sleeves and a skirt, different to last night, that really didn"t really fit her.

Some of the court ladies around her were biting their handkerchiefs.
No doubt the consort that looked like a gallant young man was an object of admiration for the young court ladies.

Jis.h.i.+n stood in front of Consort Ah Duo, accepting something. It was the coronet that was proof of the Pure Consort. This, in a moment, will pa.s.sed onto another woman.

(It would be better if they swapped clothes.)

The features that was like a celestial maiden, and the features that was like a gallant young man. Though the two looked completely different, she strangely felt that they resembled each other.
Last night, it seemed that person who she thought resembled Consort Ah Duo was Jis.h.i.+n.

If Consort Ah Duo was in Jis.h.i.+n"s position, what would happen?
It was a completely absurd thought.

Consort Ah Duo"s behaviour wasn"t like a miserable woman who was driven out of the Inner Palace at all.
She had the majestic bearing of one who looked accomplished, having pridefully fulfilled her job.

Suddenly, inevitable speculation sprang into her mind.

Why was she that dignified?
She didn"t accomplish the consort"s duty.

"I lost my son with my own hands."

She recalled Consort Ah Duo"s words from yesterday.

(Lost? Not dead?)

From the way she grasped it, it could be also taken as he was still alive.

The reason Consort Ah Duo didn"t give birth was because it overlapped with the empress dowager"s childbirth. The emperor"s younger brother and the consort"s child had the relation of uncle and nephew. Furthermore, having been born at roughly the same time, wouldn"t they could resemble each other like twins.

(What if they were switched?)

Consort Ah Duo should know it deeply during the time of the childbirth. Of which one of the two babies will be raised carefully from now on.
It wasn"t Consort Ah Duo"s, who was the daughter of the wet nurse, who would get the greater protection, it would be empress dowager"s.

The consort Ah Duo who had a difficult recovery after childbirth, probably couldn"t make a judgement on what is right.
However, if her own son was saved because of the swapping, that was Consort Ah Duo"s desire.

If this was exposed in the future.
If it was after the real emperor"s younger brother died.

Her dad wasn"t just banished, he also received physical punishment. Because he realised that they were swapped.

Even about the emperor"s younger brother"s narrow standpoint.

Even the reason the manly Consort Ah Duo continued to remain in the Inner Palace.

(This is truly absurd.)

Maomao shook her head.
It was a stupid fantasy. Even the three girls of the Jade Palace wouldn"t make a leap in thoughts to this point.

(I can"t stand to keep looking any longer.)

Just as Maomao was going to return to the Jade Palace, someone brushed past in a hurry in front of her.

A girl with young charming looks. It was Consort Riishu.

She ran towards the main gate, no signs of noticing Maomao.
That food taster woman was behind her, out of breath as she followed.

And behind them, not even running, were the rest of the maids who looked like they couldn"t be bothered.

(They are just the same. Except for one person.)

Maomao wasn"t going to do anything. There was no way she could live in this garden of women if she couldn"t manage her own followers herself.

Only that, at least, she wasn"t alone now.
That much should be better.

Consort Riishu, when she came before Consort Ah Duo, robotically stuck out her left arm and left leg at the same time. She tripped on the hem of her skirt, and fell down face first onto the ground.

At the Consort Riishu who looked as though she was about to cry at the sounds of the laughter around her, Consort Ah Duo wiped her face with a towel.
A maternal expression could be seen on the face of the gallant consort who was like a young man.

T/N: Two more chapters left to this arc. Can’t believe I made it this far :’O