The Apothecary Diaries Book 3

Third Time's the Charm (Part One)

The next day Ailan returned from the clinic, but Maomao, much to her chagrin, found herself summoned there—by the middle-aged palace woman who had collared her the day before.

"So that's why they want to see Maomao," Gyokuyou said to Ailan, her hand on her chin. They were in the living area, where Gyokuyou lay stretched out on a couch. Her belly was well and truly round by now, large enough to slow her down. She wore clothes designed to hide the bulge, but even so, it would probably be best for her to avoid attending tea outside the Jade Pavilion for the duration.

"I'm so sorry," Ailan said. "I should have taken it here instead."

Ailan, it seemed, had taken the cold medicine Maomao had made her while she was still at the clinic, where one of the ladies had spotted her and pressed her about where she'd gotten it.

That'd do it, all right, Maomao thought. Medicine wasn't allowed at the clinic because there were no doctors there—you couldn't have people just walking in with it. They had to find out the story behind Ailan's medicine lest official eyes take notice of them.

Maomao was thinking that it would be best for her to head right to the clinic, take her scolding, and get it over with, when Ailan said something most unexpected:

"They want to know if they can borrow her for a while."

"Goodness," said Gyokuyou, looking at Maomao with curiosity. Ailan watched them both with concern.

Maomao could only think what a headache this seemed likely to be, even as she contemplated the ingredients for a new medicine.

Ultimately, Maomao found herself returning to the clinic effectively under guard. It wasn't Ailan escorting her, but Yinghua. She'd probably seemed right for the job: shorter than Ailan, she was nonetheless more outgoing and more determined to face things head-on.

Even though the clinic was situated within the rear palace, it was quite a walk to get there. Yinghua, ever the talker, couldn't keep herself from chatting on the way.

"Hey, Maomao. After you dropped Ailan off yesterday, did you do something with the lanterns in the garden?"

"You saw that?"

It had been on her way back from the clinic (or more precisely, after she'd bumped into Jinshi and Gaoshun on the way home). Struck by an idea for a new medicine, she'd set out immediately to find components.

"I was just looking for the ingredients for some medicine."

She'd lit a lantern when it got dark, attracting bugs. As well as a certain creature that ate bugs.

"Ingredients? Tell me it wasn't bugs..."

"It wasn't bugs."

Despite Maomao's assurances, Yinghua continued to frown; she seemed to sense that there was something even less pleasant afoot. "Uh, Maomao, about your room... It's gotten pretty full of...stuff lately, wouldn't you say? It's really starting to stink of medicine. Lady Hongniang isn't very happy."

"Now, that's scary."

"You don't look very scared..."

Nothing could be further from the truth, Maomao thought. The chief lady-in-waiting had a very quick hand. But then, perhaps one had to be strong like that to survive in the rear palace.

"I think one of these days she's going to kick you out of your room and make you live in a shed in the garden," Yinghua said with a smirk.

"I'd like that very much."