It looks like spring has finally come for Maomao. Pairin hid her mouth behind her sleeve and laughed. Her hair was a little messy and her collar was slovenly as if she had just woken up. But then, it was common for her to dress slovenly on purpose though.
Maomao entered the pharmacy very naturally and picked up the letters she had put to the side. She put those with Jinshis handwriting in a different letterbox and left the rest. Among those five letters, two had the same handwriting; the rest were different. If she were to consider it normally, it would mean that the letters had come from four people.
(How whimsical.)
It was likely that they didnt know Maomaos name. Not even her face. Thats why they had passed it over to the kamuro. They must have thought that the weirdos tacticians daughter hasnt taken a guest.
It wasnt an unusual story to hear that the girl in the brothel is the daughter of a big shot. This is the pleasure district where big shots show up as guests for services that can make children. And so, there are courtesans who calculate and give birth without abortion. And what would turn out of it when they show the big shot the child they had given birth to and say that This is your child?
One portion would believe the words of the courtesan and raise the child. Even if the child is treated as an illegitimate child, there are still ways to aid that. If the child is male, if it goes smoothly, there are also cases where they could take over.
However, the rest would not recognise that child as theirs and reject them.
It wasnt unusual to hear the stories of girls lying on top of a cushion dead from venereal diseases and epidemics who had once insisted that they were the bastards of the previous emperor. But then, while the current emperor is a different matter, being the illegitimate child of the previous emperor is a story that is impossible to believe Maomao knew that very well from the circumstances of the inner palace.
(It would be better if they take it as nonsense.)
It was because the weirdo tactician had personally proclaimed it that it became such a bothersome thing.
Speaking of why that weirdo did that at such a belated time, she had some knowledge of it.
Maomao opened the letterbox and took out a scented letter.
The handwriting was Jinshis. However, she was curious about the writing style; it was more unpolished than usual. The writing was strangely awkward. Normally, his writing would be elegant like his appearance, and yet the characters were crooked in various places, and there happened to be weird empty spaces.
From that, there was another thing she was bothered about.
(What could this be?)
Normally, Jinshis letters would be folded three times and wrapped in cloth when it was brought over. However, it was a little different this time. There were strange creases of the same length on four sides of the square-shaped paper.
Maomao tilted her head. The creases were all the same. It was an unnatural shape from folding a letter.
She stuck her head out from the doorway of the pharmacy. She located Chouu who was playing with the kamuro and beckoned him over.
Whats wrong? Chouu asked.
Did you fold this for fun? she asked
You can make boxes and flowers by folding square shaped paper. You require high-quality paper to make that, so it wasnt something done by commoners. At the Rokushoukan, there were times where they had folded paper in place of flowers to decorate, but you dont do that with letters. If there was anyone who would do that, it would have to be the brats doing, Maomao thought.
Freckles, are you doubting me? Chous asked.
Who else would do that aside from you? Maomao replied.
No wayyy. It wasnt me! Maybe for other peoples letters, but if I dont treat the masked big bros things with respect, the hag will get scary!
Thats true, Maomao nodded.
It was like that from the start. Chouu left with a rough snort. His kamuro follower copied him.
What is this supposed to mean? Maomao tilted her head and folded the paper in line with the creases.
It made an even four-sided shape. She scrutinised the shape that looked like the tip of a small blade. Then she noticed something strange. She unfolded the paper again. And then refolded it.
The characters were crooked exactly where the folds touched.
(Dont tell me.)
Wasnt Jinshis writing crooked in places because of the fact that it had been written on the folds? The paper had been folded not after he had written the letter but beforehand. Maomao stacked the four letters and interposed them. When she stacked two of the letters, the radical of the crooked character overlapped with another crooked character.
(I see.)
She folded the four letters and stacked them. This created a pinwheel shape. And then, the hidden message was revealed.
The reason there were crooked characters. It was because he had written it on top of this shape where the four sheets of paper had been stacked first. He unfolded it, and to conceal it like it was nothing, he turned them to dry letters. The strange empty spaces would also have to be from that.
What he had written there was
Maomao left the pharmacy and went behind the Rokushoukan. There were deep peach coloured flowers, lily magnolias, growing there. Maomao looked at its roots. The earth was slightly disturbed. That was the only place that didnt have weeds.
She picked up a stick and dug up the soil. A box wrapped in cloth came up.
.
She brushed away the soil and stripped off the cloth. It was a wooden box. She lifted the lid. There were mushrooms like things inside. Its name is velvet antler(, Rokujou). It looks like a mushroom but is actually deer antlers.
It was a high-class item that is used as an analeptic medicine.
(Whats going to happen if I didnt notice this?)
Maomaos lips drew an arc as she knitted her brows.
Her happiness wont abate before the precious crude medicine, but at the same time, she got a little sullen that he had hidden it in such a place where it might not be found.
She got sullen, but his smiling face appearing in her mind expecting that she would be able to find it was vexing.
(Even so, velvet antler is)
Did he choose it knowing its effects? Maomao tilted her head slightly.
Maomao covered up the hole and returned to the pharmacy while stroking the box.
She was angry that she was somehow seen through, but the velvet antler had no sin.
It seems that girl has finally returned, Basen said as he set down the supplementary documents on the table.
As Jinshi flipped through the ludicrous documents of the topic in hand, he listened in on that. The pharmacist of the pleasure district had gone out for around one month. Speaking of what word he got, it had been rumours at most. Since the personage who took her along was that girls adopted brother, he could imagine what kind of matter it was for, but they had been gone for longer than he expected.
To the point where he couldnt resist playing a little prank on her.
In response to Jinshi, Basen stared at him. It was a gaze that vaguely resembled Gaoshun.
What? Jinshi asked.
No. You look happy, Basen replied.
Not at all.
Seeing the mountains of piled up documents on the table, there was no way he could be happy. Moreover, more than half of those had insubstantial content. He could just say that this was harassment.
Concerning that person who was harassing him, Jinshi could only laugh though.
Its from the Tactician-dono, he said.
The majority of the meaningless documents were sent from the one and only weirdo in the imperial court.
Jinshi had been regularly harassed in such a manner since a long while ago. Occasionally, there would be an increased number of strange ornaments in the office, grease smeared in various places in the room, but he had tolerated it for the time being. He wondered how that man got inside but it shouldnt be an issue since he didnt try to leave anything important when he leaves his seat. Probably.
He looked at Basen. The gaze was strangely painful. It wasnt as mature as Gaoshuns, but the mans preaching look strangely resembled his father.
What are you planning to do with it? Basen asked.
What about?
The incident where you spoke to the Tactician-dono the other day.
Jinshi thought that the reason the harassment increased was because of that. Basen must also know too.
It should be fine. Better than getting talks from all directions, he replied.
Isnt the other party too terrible? Basen said.
Speaking of what Basen was talking about:
From Jinshis position, he was pressured by everyone around him that it was about time for him to take a consort. He was almost pushed to the daughters of high officials, talks about a princess from a foreign country coming in had also come up. Among those, there was also the talks of having an emperors consort from the inner palace bestowed to him.
its perfect as a diversion, Jinshi said.
Speaking of what diversion:
Normally, the only woman in Jinshis palace was his nanny Suiren. However, there had been newcomer maids who stand in front of his palace unnaturally. Though they were maids, they were all gaudy women doused with the intense stench of perfume.
Even during work, the number of court ladies visiting had increased. They fluttered their eyelashes more than usual, and come closer carrying things with moist eyes. They carry heavy items unnaturally, drop that and pull up their skirts so he cant progress on his work.
There were a lot of amorous glances before, but he had been treated as a eunuch then. From that, there had been those who kept a step back, so it was good, and yet-
For what reason do I have this scar? Jinshi subconsciously stroked the scar on his right cheek.
Jinshi-sama, please dont say such a thing, Basen said.
My bad.
Jinshi had got this scar from neglecting to dodge. About that, he didnt regret; rather he liked it. However, as Jinshi was injured, Basen got beat up by Gaoshun. Contrary to Jinshis sunniness, Basen was quite depressed.
Recently, Jinshi thought that Basen had finally broken through it, but the other man was sighing more than usual this time. It looks like he has more new worries again, but he wont talk to Jinshi. If Jinshi pressed him, he might talk, but he probably didnt need to go that far. Basen must have a pessimistic nature like his father.
Such a Basen was putting the rejected documents into the collection basket.
Shouldnt there be a better method? Medicine may be medicine but it could also be strong poison, Basen said.
Thats also true, Jinshi agreed.
The method Jinshi used to change the persistent attitudes of everyone around him.
Even bringing up the topic of his daughter to the Tactician-dono in front of such a large audience, Basen continued.
Jinshi who was blas towards everyone had never asked anyone out. From there, upon declaring that the tactician has a daughter, if it looks like Jinshi was interested in her, how would it turn out?
At least, its effect was so perfect to shut up the flies. The harassment had increased in turn though.
Even if its just a pretence, itll turn into a troublesome issue, Basen added.
. Jinshi wavered, wanting to correct Basens words, but kept silent.
Instead of that, he asked him something else. Hey, if the person you kissed had no reaction whatsoever, what would you think?
Ki-kiss!! Basen widened his eyes, face pure red. The documents in his arms scattered over the floor. I-if you do such a thing, how are you going to take responsibility!?
Seeing his foster brother slam the table, Jinshi got a superiority complex of sorts. At least, it didnt complicate to this point he was relieved.
First, you have to start with an exchanging of letters Basen said.
You start with letters? Jinshi asked.
Yes! Isnt that the correct interaction! the other man insisted.
No, it shouldnt be. Not for that.
Jinshi, before Gaoshun remembered and meddled into his matters, considered what he should do about the mans son.