The Apothecary Diaries, Volume 10

1.2 | Return to the Western Capital

The administrative office, main building, and annex—two of the three belonged to Gyoku-ou outright, demonstrating his power. The office and the main house were right next to each other; the annex was a five-minute walk away. Each of them faced the main street, but the bustle outside was barely audible from inside the administrative office. It was truly enormous. The walls and trees that surrounded the area most likely also helped to muffle the noise.

A stern-looking man who seemed to be a local led Maomao and her companions to their building, and they were joined by a junior official who would serve as their messenger. They had a good look at the town as they stepped out the gate.

Lihaku kept a respectful distance once more, but Tianyu kept staring back at him. Maomao reflected, I guess it does seem odd—a few ordinary physicians being assigned a bodyguard?" To say nothing of the fact that the quack himself was personally in charge of the Moon Prince's care. Tianyu was too astute to ignore the fact that Maomao and the quack had been entrusted with the Imperial younger brother. She worried about when he would start asking questions, but for the time being, she pretended everything was normal. She could at least pretend to be innocent until he specifically asked her about it.

"My! Isn't this exciting?" If the quack still had his mustache, it must have been all a quiver. He was not a particularly brave eunuch, but his timidity seemed to be outweighed by his excitement at seeing the Western capital. Tianyu was, too, looking everywhere at once. His expression never changed, though, and he seemed less like he was having fun and more like he was taking careful stock of everything.

I'm not sure what to make of this guy. Maomao could never tell what he was thinking. She had figured out, however, that he was quick to latch onto things that piqued his curiosity. If she knew what that was, she might be able to anticipate how he'd react, but she didn't find out what was interesting to him.

"Hm?" Tianyu tilted his head quizzically as they left the office. Maomao wondered what was up, and then she saw a familiar face. The owner of the familiar face seemed to recognize them too, for he trotted over to them.

"It's been pretty long." He said it politely, with a respectful bow and a gentle smile.

It was the pretty boy—Rikuson. The freak strategist's former aide.

That's right. I heard he transferred to the Western capital.

He was more tan than the last time she saw him. No doubt the courtesy of the strong sunlight in these parts. Two attendants walked beside him.

"Indeed, sir." Maomao bowed her head.

"Yeah, haven't seen you in a while." Tianyu remarked at the same time. Only the quack was left out of the loop.

"Do you two know each other?" Maomao asked, looking back and forth between Rikuson and Tianyu.

"Yes, in that I never forget someone I meet." Rikuson smiled. Maomao sensed something tired in the expression. She also made notice of the dust clinging to his robes and the mud all over his shoes.

"The first thing they taught us at court was to remember what the strategist's aide looked like." Tianyu replied. "Ahh, I see." Maomao said. Tianyu may have greeted Rikuson familiarly, but he didn't know or care that much about him. The quack, meanwhile, shifted uncomfortably, feeling shy around the stranger. For once, Maomao couldn't let everyone else do the talking.

"This is the master physician. I've come to the capital to assist him." She said.

"Master physician?" Rikuson looked at the quack with a puzzled expression.

Oh, what is his name again? His name... uhh...

Damn, she forgot the quack's name again! She raked her brain. Was that Gi... Ge, Gu... Guen? But she decided not to say it out loud. Instead, she said, "If I tell you he's the physician who served at the rear palace for a long time, would you know who I mean?"

Ah, smoothly done...

Rikuson clapped his hands, his face brightening with recognition. "Yes! This is him?"

That was a close one. I almost forgot.

The quack was being treated as though he were his more dignified counterpart, even though he was a physical replica for her own father, Luomen. Rikuson, for his part, would surely be familiar with her father, who was the freak strategist's uncle. He would probably grasp that the quack was the only physician in the rear palace.

Never know if the walls have ears or eyes...

They were still technically in Li, but the Western capital was as good as foreign territory. More to the point, both the attendants seemed to be locals—Maomao couldn't say anything careless. She would have to watch how she spoke. 

Maomao didn't particularly have anything to speak of with Rikuson, and she was keen to get out of there before anyone gave the game away. "I'm sure you're busy, Sir Rikuson. I apologize for taking up you time." She said.

"Not at all, I'm just back from travelling for work. It took me quite a ways out, but I knew you all must be arriving soon, so I hurried back. I never expected my timing to be so perfect." He smiled broadly, but it couldn't hide the mud splatters on the hem of his robes. It was dry now, but it couldn't hide the fact that it had originally been quite dark, rich soil.

Was he out in the fields for some emergency?

The Western capital was a dry place; puddles were not a common sight here. Even if they had been,  the dust would have been whiter, less in nutrients. The only place he could've picked up fertile soil earth, like what was clinging to his garment was a field that had been watered. Maybe he was coming back from wherever village was closest to the water. Hurrying to get back, he hadn't had time to care about how he appeared.

So nobody told when exactly we're going to arrive? Lengthy trip or no, she would have expected Rikuson to know that much.

"I must be on my way. I'm afraid if I stand and chat for too long, my former boss might notice me. I'll see you again." said Rikuson. He looked like there was something more he wanted to say, but he must've been too busy. Tianyu, who knew whom he was referring to by 'former boss', snickered. Only the quack doctor was left entirely in the dark, and he spent the entire conversation looking sad. Maomao would have to explain to him who Rikuson was while they were on their way to their destination.

She found herself a lot to think about, but she also remembered what Dr. Yu said to them.

Doctors look after their patients—and nothing else.

Maomao was an apothecary. So, she would do an apothecary's job—and nothing else.