The Apothecary Diaries Book 5

The Banquet (Part Two)

"Well, well, what to do?"

Lahan sounded downright giddy as he slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose, thinking furiously. For him, the emissary's request for political asylum was probably less interesting to consider than how best to make the business negotiations pay off. Business meant the flow of money, the flow of goods; it was a world drenched in numbers, and that had to be engaging for him.

"I think you can answer that question better than I can."

"Whatever we do or don't do, wasn't it a fascinating conversation? Oh. Ahem, yes, of course I'll at least have a talk. I assume that's her objective."

He made it sound so simple, Maomao thought. Insects "bringing catastrophe" had to refer to a plague; of that she was sure. Rising grain prices meant there was a threat of famine. The emissary they'd spoken to was from Shaoh. But then there was the woman Ayla, who'd been conspiring with the Shi clan. Evidently, Shaoh was not monolithic. Even so, a request for political asylum was beyond anything Maomao had expected.

Maomao didn't like to spend her time worrying about other people's problems. And the problems of entire nations? Count her out! So why, why did she keep finding herself drawn into things like this? They could have brought Lahan along and left it at that.

I wonder if she recognized me, Maomao thought. She wondered whether the emissary realized it wasn't the first time they'd met. The light had been fading the last time, but they had seen each other face-to-face. Even if the woman did remember her, though, surely there must have been another way to go about things. Maybe she just wanted to be able to show some kind of connection to us.

If so, then maybe Maomao talking about it would have been a part of her calculations. A way of putting a check on something else. Maomao wasn't one for gossip and games, though. She was more keen to see what was going on in the banquet hall. Why would you go off and have a secret conversation when you thought there might be suspicious characters lurking about?

When they got back, they found that the eating and chatter had ceased entirely, and something new was going on.

"Is this also a western custom?" Maomao asked.

There was music playing, and men and women were facing each other and dancing along to it. Well, if you could call it dancing—it wasn't a performance like a proper troupe might put on; more just spinning around the room in time with the rhythm of the music. This, evidently, was why the men and women had been requested to come in pairs.

I'd trip over someone's feet before I knew it, Maomao thought, confident that this was one thing she absolutely did not want to do. She looked at Lahan.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm hopeless at this, myself."

Thank goodness they had that in common, at least.

As they looked around, they spotted a crowd that had formed—and who should be in the middle of it but a very familiar, very beautiful man. Jinshi was mobbed, and was flashing the heavenly smile Maomao had already seen her fill of back when he was supposedly a eunuch. Basen was beside him, but frowning.

Poor choice of sidekick. Basen was never going to be much help here; he flinched back visibly from every young woman who approached. With his strength, he's probably so nervous right now that he couldn't dance even if they got him out there.

Maomao rubbed her wrist where he'd grabbed her the day before. There were still faint red marks on it. What she wanted to know was, if the men and women were supposed to pair off, what were those two doing standing there by themselves?

"I believe Lady Ah-Duo pulled a little prank. If she were to pose as a man, that would be too many of them, no?"

"Ah, I see."