Mao Mao continued observing the place where the eunuch had disappeared, with her arms crossed and an expression that Jinshi had learned to recognize as her "deep analysis mode." The spring breeze gently stirred the rebellious strands that escaped from her hairstyle, while the afternoon sun cast elongated shadows over the corridor pillars. Dust danced in the air, illuminated by the golden rays that filtered between the columns.
"He's problematic," she finally murmured, narrowing her eyes. "Intelligent, yes, but problematic."
Jinshi approached her, shaking the dust from his sleeves with an elegant gesture. The soft tinkling of his tunic's ornaments accompanied each of his movements, like a delicate melody announcing his presence.
"Problematic how?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "He saved a life. Technically, he should be considered a hero."
"Heroes don't need to create spectacles to do the right thing," Mao Mao replied, turning to face him. Her eyes, the color of amber under the evening light, shone with determination. "He could have reported the structural problem to the supervisors. He could have evacuated the area discreetly. Instead, he chose drama."
A group of servant girls passed nearby, whispering among themselves while casting furtive glances toward the pair. Mao Mao caught fragments of their conversation: "...they say he predicted exactly when it would fall..." "...as if he could see the future..." "...I'd never seen anyone move so fast..."
"But it worked," Jinshi insisted, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. There was something calculating in his gaze, as if he were evaluating each of Mao Mao's reactions.
"This time," Mao Mao turned completely toward him, and the aroma of medicinal herbs that always accompanied her intensified with the movement. "What happens when his 'intuition' fails? What happens when his calculations are wrong? The palace is no place for theatrical experiments."
A cherry blossom petal, carried by the wind from the nearby gardens, landed softly on Jinshi's shoulder. He took it between his fingers, examining it with apparent fascination before letting it go.
"Interesting perspective," he said, watching how the petal drifted away, carried by the breeze. "Would you like to meet him officially before forming a definitive opinion?"
The sun descended slowly, tinting the sky with orange and purple tones. The shadows lengthened, and with them, the sensation that something important was about to happen intensified in the atmosphere.
Before Mao Mao could respond, Gaoshun appeared at her side, as if he had emerged from nowhere. His presence, silent but imposing, created a marked contrast with Jinshi's ethereal grace.
"Master Jinshi," he said with his usual composure, although Mao Mao noticed a slight tension at the corner of his lips. "The guards have... recovered the fugitive eunuch. He's waiting in the cherry courtyard, under custody."
"Under custody?" Jinshi arched a perfectly outlined eyebrow. "Did he resist?"
"Not at all, sir," Gaoshun responded, and for an instant, Mao Mao thought she saw a flash of something resembling amusement in his normally impassive eyes. "In fact, he surrendered voluntarily when he heard that you wished to see him. He said, and I quote verbatim: 'Ah, finally the main act. I hope the stage is adequately prepared.'"
Mao Mao sighed audibly, and the sound resonated in the corridor like the prelude to a storm.
"More theater," she murmured, and her fingers drummed unconsciously on the herb pouch hanging from her waist.
"Let's meet our leading actor, then," said Jinshi, beginning to walk toward the cherry courtyard with measured and elegant steps. "Mao Mao, accompany me. I want your professional evaluation."
The path to the courtyard was flanked by paper lanterns that began to light as the natural light diminished. Each one projected a warm glow that contrasted with the growing twilight, creating a play of lights and shadows that seemed to dance around them.
They walked in silence through the corridors, passing groups of servant girls who whispered excitedly about recent events. Some bowed respectfully before Jinshi, while others observed Mao Mao with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. The apothecary's reputation had grown considerably since her arrival at the palace, and rumors about her abilities to detect poisons and solve mysteries had spread like fire in a dry field.
"They say she can smell poison from ten paces away," Mao Mao heard a young servant girl whisper to another.
"I heard she saved Consort Li from a poisoning that no one else could detect," the other responded, with wide eyes.
Mao Mao maintained her neutral expression, although internally she wondered how so many exaggerated stories had emerged about her. The truth was much simpler: she had a good sense of smell, deep knowledge of herbs and poisons, and a tendency not to trust appearances. Nothing supernatural, just observation and experience.
The cherry courtyard was a circular space surrounded by flowering trees. Pink petals fell softly, forming a delicate carpet over the stone floor. Paper lanterns hung from the branches, illuminating the area with a soft and ethereal glow that made everything seem taken from a dream.
In the center, sitting with perfect posture on a stone bench, was the eunuch. There were two guards flanking him, but he seemed completely relaxed, as if he were enjoying a picnic instead of facing possible consequences for destroying imperial property.
The light from the lanterns played over his features, highlighting angles and shadows that gave him an almost unreal appearance. He wore a simple but impeccable tunic, and his hair was gathered in a perfect bun, without a single strand out of place. Everything about him seemed calculated to create a specific image, like an actor who has rehearsed every detail of his character.
Upon seeing them approach, he stood with a fluid movement and performed a deep and elegant bow, as if he were on a stage before an expectant audience.
"Master Jinshi," he said with a clear and melodious voice that resonated in the courtyard like music. "It's an honor that you could see one of my feats. Besides, your examinations were... stimulating."
Mao Mao noticed how his eyes, of a tone similar to theirs, studied Jinshi with an intensity that contradicted his casual tone. There was something in that gaze that seemed disturbingly familiar to her.
"I'm glad to know you enjoyed them," Jinshi responded dryly, although Mao Mao detected a nuance of amusement in his voice. "Although I must say your presentation method has been... memorable."
The eunuch smiled, and the gesture transformed his face, illuminating it as if an inner flame had been kindled.
"First impression is crucial, don't you think?" he responded, with a slight hand movement that seemed part of a rehearsed dance. "I wanted to make sure it was... impactful."
A cherry blossom petal fell on his shoulder, and he took it with a theatrical gesture, examining it as if it contained some deep secret before gently blowing it toward Mao Mao. The petal danced in the air between them, like a silent messenger, before falling to the ground.
Mao Mao observed the exchange with growing irritation. There was something in the eunuch's attitude that seemed familiar and annoying at the same time. That casual confidence, that way of treating serious situations as if they were games... It reminded her of someone, but she couldn't pinpoint who.
"And she," Jinshi continued, pointing toward Mao Mao with an elegant gesture, "is the apothecary Mao Mao, whom I mentioned in my letters."
The eunuch turned toward her, and for a moment, his expression changed. The confident smile faded, replaced by something that seemed like genuine surprise. His eyes opened slightly, and Mao Mao could see how his body tensed, like an animal that suddenly detects the presence of a predator.
"Mao Mao?" he repeated, as if the name seemed familiar to him. His voice had lost part of its theatricality, acquiring a rougher, more real tone.
"Yes," Mao Mao responded coldly, holding his gaze. "Apothecary of the inner palace. And you are..."
"Lian," he said, but his voice had lost part of its previous theatricality. "My name is Lian."
There was a moment of strange silence, as if time had stopped in the courtyard. The cherry blossoms seemed suspended in the air, and even the wind seemed to hold its breath. Mao Mao felt something stir in her stomach, a sensation of recognition she couldn't explain. The name didn't seem familiar, but there was something in the way he had said it, in the cadence of his voice...
"Lian?" she murmured, narrowing her eyes. A fleeting memory crossed her mind: a bustling market, the aroma of spices, a similar laugh... but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Where from...?"
But before she could complete the question, the eunuch's expression changed abruptly. Surprise transformed into something that seemed... anger? Disappointment? His eyes hardened, and a shadow seemed to cross his face, like a passing cloud darkening the sun.
"So it's you," he said, and his voice had an edge that hadn't been there before. "The famous apothecary. I should have imagined."
Mao Mao noticed that he hadn't used her name, but her title. "Apothecary," not "Mao Mao." As if he wanted to maintain a deliberate distance.
"Excuse me?" Mao Mao straightened, confused by the sudden change in his attitude. The aroma of medicinal herbs she carried with her intensified, as if responding to her internal agitation. "Do we know each other?"
Lian looked at her fixedly for a moment, as if he were evaluating something. His eyes traveled over her face, stopping briefly on the small freckles that dotted her nose and cheeks. Then, his theatrical smile returned, but now it seemed like a mask, a carefully constructed facade.
"Not directly," he responded, and his voice had recovered its melodious tone, although now it sounded artificial, like an out-of-tune instrument. "But your reputation precedes you... apothecary. The one who solves mysteries, who sees poisons where others see accidents. Very... impressive."
There was something in his tone that made Mao Mao put up her guard. It wasn't admiration she was hearing. It was something more complex, more personal. And the way he had avoided using her name, referring to her only as "apothecary," seemed strangely disturbing to her.
A nearby lantern flickered, projecting dancing shadows over Lian's face, accentuating the intensity of his gaze. For an instant, Mao Mao thought she saw something in those dark eyes, a flash of recognition, of shared history. But it was so brief she could have imagined it.
Jinshi, apparently oblivious to the tension that had developed between them, clapped once to call attention. The sound resonated in the courtyard, startling a small bird that had been resting on a nearby branch. The bird took flight, disappearing into the growing darkness of the night sky.
"Well, now that introductions are made, we can proceed to the main matter," said Jinshi, his voice soft but authoritative. "Lian, your entrance to the palace has been... dramatic. But before you can be officially assigned to any position, you need to demonstrate that you can work within our protocols."
The light from the lanterns reflected in the jade ornaments that decorated Jinshi's hair, creating flashes that seemed like stars fallen from the sky.
"A test?" asked Lian, his interest genuinely awakened. He leaned slightly forward, like a cat that has detected the movement of its prey.
"Exactly," Jinshi smiled, and the gesture transformed his face, softening his perfect features. "We have a problem in the medicinal herb warehouse of the east wing. During the last two weeks, several batches of medicines have been... compromised. Some have lost potency, others have developed toxic properties. The supervisors are baffled."
An owl hooted in the distance, and the sound seemed to underscore the gravity of the situation. Mao Mao frowned, and small wrinkles appeared between her eyebrows. It was the first time she had heard about this problem, and the omission seemed worrying to her.
"Why wasn't I informed before?" she asked, not bothering to hide her irritation. Her fingers moved instinctively toward the herb pouch hanging from her waist, as if seeking comfort in the familiar. "Compromised medications are my area of specialty."
The night breeze had become colder, and brought with it the sweet aroma of cherry blossoms, mixed with the earthier smell of herbs from the nearby medicinal garden.
"Because I wanted to see if they could resolve it internally first," Jinshi admitted, and for a moment, his mask of perfection seemed to slip, revealing something more human underneath. "But now we have a perfect opportunity. Lian, you'll work with Mao Mao to investigate and solve this problem. If you can work together effectively and find a solution, I'll consider your official assignment as the apothecary's assistant."
Lian looked at Mao Mao, and she could see something calculating in his eyes, like a chess player evaluating his next move. The light from the lanterns created changing shadows on his face, making his expression difficult to read.
"And if we can't work together?" he asked, and although his tone was light, Mao Mao detected an underlying tension, like an instrument string about to break.
"Then you'll be reassigned to general maintenance tasks," Jinshi responded without beating around the bush, his voice as soft as always, but with an edge of steel underneath. "Far from anything that requires... creativity."
A cherry blossom petal fell between them, spinning slowly in the air before landing on the stone floor. The silence that followed was heavy, charged with unexpressed meanings.
Mao Mao observed Lian's reaction. For a moment, she saw a flash of something that could have been panic, quickly suppressed under a mask of studied indifference. His hands, which until that moment had been perfectly still, tensed slightly, and a muscle in his jaw contracted.
"I understand," he said finally, and his voice had lost part of its previous musicality. "When do we begin?"
"Now," Jinshi responded, and the word fell between them like a stone in a tranquil pond, creating waves of tension. "Gaoshun will escort you to the warehouse. You have until tomorrow at sunset to present your findings and solution."
He turned toward Mao Mao, and the light from the lanterns illuminated his face from below, creating shadows that accentuated the seriousness of his expression.
"And Mao Mao, I want you to evaluate not only his technical competence, but also his ability to follow protocols and work as a team. Your recommendation will be decisive."
Mao Mao nodded, although part of her wondered why Jinshi seemed so interested in this particular eunuch succeeding. And why Lian's reaction upon hearing her name had been so... strange. There was something more here, a story she wasn't seeing completely.
The wind had intensified, stirring the cherry tree branches and causing a rain of petals to fall on them. Some got tangled in Mao Mao's hair, like small pink stars against the black of her strands.
"Very well," she said, shaking off the petals with an impatient gesture. "Let's go to the warehouse. And Lian..."
He looked at her expectantly, and for an instant, Mao Mao thought she saw something in his eyes, a flash of something that could have been recognition, or perhaps nostalgia. But it was so brief she could have imagined it.
"No theater," she continued, keeping her voice firm. "This is serious work that affects the health of the palace people. If you want to impress, do it with competence, not with spectacles."
Lian smiled, but this time the smile didn't reach his eyes. They were like dark wells, unfathomable and cold.
"Of course, apothecary," he said, emphasizing the title in a way that seemed almost mocking. "I'll be the model of professionalism."
His eyes stopped briefly on the freckles that dotted Mao Mao's face, and something in his gaze changed, softening for an instant before hardening again.
"After you... freckles," he added in a voice so low that only she could hear it.