The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 10

Prologue

A bell tinkled; clear and distinct. The young woman who climbed out of the carriage has the same distinctive red hair as Empress Gyokuyou. A veil worked with silver embroidery hid her face, and she wore a robe of wonderful, shining silk.

Gyokoyou wondered how old she was. The girl was supposed to be her niece, but she didn't recall having such a nubile young relative. All her nieces and nephews had been older than her and so very mean. Yet her own brother, Gyouku-ou, swore this was her daughter; she must be so. She had to go along with it.

"Lady Gyokuyou," said someone behind her. It was Koku-u, the middle of the trio, who served her as ladies-in-waiting. She gave her mistress a worried look.

"Don't fret, dear one, are we prepared to receive her?"

"yes, ma'am."

Grokuyou was at one of the Emporer's villas. She'd received special permission to meet her niece here, outside the court proper. No consort was allowed outside of the rear palace, but Gyokoyou was the Empress. She had certain rights.

The young woman in the beautiful robe approached with graceful footsteps and kneeled before Gyokoyou. "Lady Gyokoyou, I believe this is the first time we've met. My name is Yaqin."

"Raise your head. You must be tired from such a long journey. For today, rest here and regain your strength here in this villa." Gyokoyou smiled at the girl. She could see the girl's eyes behind the veils, deep green, just like hers. Everything from the color of her skin to the cast of her skin bespoke a prominent strain of foreign blood.

She was charming on first impression, in fact. She had an innocence around her—still room to mature and grow—accompanied by the anxiousness of someone venturing into a world they knew little of. Deep within those deep emerald eyes of hers, though, could be seen a determination to assert itself.

They were much alike. Yes, Gyokoyou had looked much the same when she first arrived in the capital and first came to the rear palace. Did this girl, too, harbor some private resolution? Let her. Gyokoyou would attend to her own businesses.

"How would you like your meal? We can make it in the style of the Western capital for you. Or would you prefer to try the local cuisine?" Gyokoyou gave a teasing smile to Yaqin; it enveloped the girl, who smiled back uncomfortably.

Her niece was here from the West; why? Would she try to gain His Majesty's imperial affection now that Gyokoyou's former place was vacant? Or did she have her eyes on the emporer's younger brother?

For Gyokuyou's purposes, it didn't matter. She took Yaqin's hand and felt her niece stiffen.

"You're so cold, and you're hand is so dry," she said. "Let me get you some moisturizer. The sea air is simply terrible for the skin." The girl was simply wary of Gyokuyou. If this was an act, it was a superb one. It wasn't; it only showed that they hadn't spent long teaching her the tricks of gaining one's heart and mind. There was never enough time to teach a consort-to-be all the things she ought to know, including dancing, singing, and politics.

Gyokuyou took the moisturizer from Koku-u's hand and rubbed some on her hand to demonstrate that it was safe. Her niece still looked doubtful; perhaps she was that anxious. It was all right, as far as Gyokuyou was concerned. Let her be as suspicious as she wanted. Gyokuyou wrapped her in a smile as soft as silk. She would wrap her in layer after layer of smiles, until every thorn and every needle she might have were covered over. She would take the child into her bosom and hold her tightly.

Gyokuyou rubbed her niece's hand. One might consider it unseemly, but the warmth returned to Yaqin's fingers.

Koku-u was frowning, but she didn't argue with Gyokuyou. Gyokuyou was glad that Hongniang, her chief lady-in-waiting, who, by right, should've been here, was absent. Gyokuyou had asked her to take care of some other business. She felt guilty, but this was going to be easier without her.

Gyokuyou's job was to smile—to never let that smile slip or fade.

That was her one weapon. Her father, Gyokuen, had found it and taught her to wield it.