Chapter Text
Xiaolan POV 1
“Lady Maomao! LADY MAOMAO!” Xiaolan shouts as she rushes to find her lady lying limp on the floor of the annex. Thankfully, Lady Maomao is awake and appears to be cognizant. She’s wearing the same expression as when she was drunk after eating some mushrooms that make alcohol metabolize faster.
Is that a puddle of vomit next to her? Well, at least she’s on her side. Maybe she already purged the poison? In which case, I need to find the treatment.
Xiaolan rolls her eyes at her lady and begins to search for the treatment with the click of her tongue.
“You know that you’re supposed to inform someone when you’re conducting an experiment and that the treatment with the treatment instructions is to be on the counter in plain sight. Not all of us like solving puzzles with an imminent deadline attached! Honestly, anyone not accustomed to the goings-on of this household would lock you away in a tower like some mad woman who longs for death.” She says as she, rather loudly, opens all of the cabinets and drawers, looking for any indicators of what her lady is experimenting with today.
When her search appears fruitless, Xiaolan snaps at Lady Maomao in a worried frustration. “If you don’t help me figure out how to treat you, I will tell Master Luomen that you’re not following the rules! He’ll tell your parents, and they’ll bar you from experimenting and from entering the annex for who knows how long.”
I should tell Luomen anyway. If I don’t tell him, she’ll just keep doing it until I get better at the puzzles, but if I do tell him, she’ll continue in private. Lady Maomao does think that hands-on experience is the best way to learn. It’s probably safer to keep this between us and learn the lesson she’s trying to impart now. Xiaolan shakes her head and puts the thought out of her mind. She needs to focus on saving Maomao.
Wait, do I have the book on me? She pats herself down. After a minute, Xiaolan pulls out a small notebook filled with Lady Maomao’s handwriting. She rushes over to her lady and flips through the notebook, attempting to get some sort of reaction.
“Lady Maomao, which poison did you take this time?”
Her lady's expression is as impassive as always, but Xiaolan catches a mischievous gleam in Lady Maomao’s eyes. The same one that she gets when Xiaolan is close to solving a puzzle.
She intentionally puts her hand to her chin and begins pacing around the room. “Okay, time to think like Lady Maomao. What are her symptoms? Her pupils are dilated and she’s drooling based on the expanding puddle of saliva on the floor next to her mouth. She’s not moving aside from the occasional twitch, so muscle weakness, potentially paralysis... or she’s just enjoying the effects of the poison while lying on the floor. Maybe vomiting, if she didn’t actually induce the vomiting herself. Her clothes are damp, so she is sweating as well.”
Xiaolan flips through the notebook looking for a majority of matching symptoms until she stops on the entry for lion violets, and Lady Maomao’s eyes shine with pride.
So, that’s it, huh? Maybe Lady Maomao is right about hands-on learning, at least for poisons. She beams with a satisfaction that only comes from solving a puzzle given to her by a member of the La Clan. She gets to work as soon as she reads the treatment directions.
Xiaolan pops her head out of the annex and yells at a boy with sandy hair passing by. “Hey, you! Come help me with Lady Maomao.”
He glares in response, “My name is Chou-u!”
“Well, Chou-u, come help me with Lady Maomao, and then I’ll remember your name. We need to follow the treatment instructions in this book.”
Xiaolan pulls out her book to direct Chou-u through the proper procedures. They take a water break once they’ve followed all of the instructions.
“For a clan of geniuses, they do a lot of stupid things.” Chou-u sighs and shakes his head.
“Shush! You’ve only been here for a month. That’s not enough time to say such things.” Xiaolan gives him a knuckle to the skull. She sighs, “Go find Miss Suyun and tell her that Lady Maomao has made a mess of the annex again.”
Xiaolan begins tidying up Lady Maomao in preparation to move her to her rooms. Nobody likes poisonous vomit on their clothes.
Chou-u bursts into the annex with Miss Suyun about fifteen minutes later and faces Xiaolan. “I’ve brought her, Miss! What should I do next?”
“Good job, Chou-u! My name is Xiaolan, so you will address me as Miss Xiaolan. Your next tasks are to ask Miss Jiayi to start a bath for Lady Maomao and to ask Erfan to bring Lady Maomao back to her chambers. When you get back, I’ll have a treat for you.” Xiaolan pats him on the head with an amused smile and watches Chou-u run off towards the main house.
Miss Suyun begins to clean up around the Annex while shaking her head. “What was it this time, Xiaolan?”
“Just another beautiful and surprisingly deadly flower, nothing to fret over.” Xiaolan assures her.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Maomao POV 1
When Maomao finally comes to, she is in her room on the wooden luóhàn chuáng still wearing her inner robes. Her soiled outer robes are in a laundry basket by the door. The air in her room offends her nostrils. She’s suffocating in a cloud of cloying incense laced with the stench of her vomit.
“Oh, look who’s finally awake. How was your poison-induced beauty sleep, Lady Maomao? Are you feeling quite rested, my lady?" Xiaolan admonishes Maomao with narrowed eyes and a pout.
Xiaolan only ever uses honorifics in private when she’s really very upset. Ugh! My brain is already pounding against my skull. I do not need a lecture right now. Maomao glances at the door, calculating her chances of escape only to realize that her limbs are still heavy from the poison.
She is at Xiaolan’s mercy.
Maomao wants to ask how long she’s been asleep but decides against it to avoid receiving any more of Xiaolan’s ire.
“Xiaolan, how long until dinner is served?”
She pauses for a moment. “Hmm, we probably have two hours to get you presentable for dinner. Would you like to go ahead and get started on your bath? Jiayi just finished adjusting the temperature.”
“Yes, please, Xiaolan.”
Maomao sulks like a grumpy cat while Xiaolan helps her bathe. She isn’t too fond of this level of assistance but often needs it after her experiments, which she conducts as often as time allows. It’s nice that she even has this option in the first place. After all, who knows what would’ve happened if her father hadn’t bought her mother out in time?
Maomao has always been very independent and does her best to assist around the house in whatever ways the staff will let her. The most laborious task they will allow her to do is to assist in the kitchen.
She turns to look at Xiaolan. “How did you know that you could spend time looking for the proper treatment instead of immediately administering the emetic?”
“You had the ‘drunken imp’ look on your face, not the blissful ‘mortal tasting ambrosia’ look. You were also lying on your side with a puddle of vomit next to you. There were herbs in the vomit, so I assumed you made yourself purge relatively quickly.” Xiaolan promptly straightens Maomao’s head so that she can finish washing her hair.
Maomao’s eyes glimmer with pride. “Your use of environmental evidence is improving. Just remember that you should always start by purging the poison, preferably with an emetic. The proper treatment is most effective when you’ve expelled as much of the poison as you can.”
“The next time you would like me to solve one of your poison puzzles, be sure that you have someone with the proper treatment on hand as a back-up. I would rather you not die due to a poorly planned experiment.” Xiaolan’s face is twisted in a mix of triumph and frustration. Her hands abruptly stilled in Maomao’s hair.
“Wait, were you trying to get sick to avoid your societal debut at the Garden Party in three days?” Once again, Xiaolan glares at Maomao, who looks up at the ceiling as if this doesn’t involve her at all.
Maomao’s family did not necessarily want her to debut at sixteen, and they definitely do not want her to marry anytime soon. However, her mother was adamant that Maomao be presented now. It was a matter of family pride. In Fengxian’s eyes, they had no reason to keep her from officially making her debut lest it appear as if they were hiding Maomao, and to be clear, they would never hide Maomao.
“Lady Maomao, you cannot miss the Spring Garden Party!” Xiaolan fumed. “The emperor is expecting you, and it’s the perfect setting for your societal debut. You suddenly coming down with something right before this could be seen as an insult to the emperor.”
Wow, you can really see the steam coming out of her ears.
Maomao rolls her eyes. “Okay, okay! Just don’t tell my parents. You know how they are; they’ll just lock me up until the garden party. I’ll be bored out of my mind, and you’ll have to deal with me bored out of my mind. I promise that I won’t do any experiments until after the Garden Party.” She pleads with Xiaolan. This is rather unlike her, but Maomao did not want to repeat what happened the last time her parents found out that she broke the rules for experiments. The very rules set by her teacher, her Grand Uncle Luomen. It would be even worse if they found out that part of the reason she ignored those rules was to avoid her societal debut.
Xiaolan nods her head in agreement before she continues on about the Garden Party with a dreamy look on her face. “Not to mention the outfit that was made solely for this event. Oh, you’re going to look so pretty, Lady Maomao. The court won’t know what hit them!” She goes on like this until she is finished drying Maomao’s hair and they hear Miss Yutong call them for dinner.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Fengxian POV 1
Fengxian watches her daughter descend the stairs in a simple cotton qiyao ruqun consisting of light blues with purple accents. Maomao approaches the grand table, greeting her family members with a gentle bow before taking her seat. “Mother, what’s on our schedule for tomorrow? I can’t imagine there are still too many preparations to take care of before the garden party.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh before addressing her daughter. “Maomao, there will be things to do all the way up to the moment that you are presented to the emperor. Your final fitting is tomorrow morning after breakfast. We’ll be heading to the seamstress and then to Verdigris House after that for final rehearsals. Pairin wants to work on your movement. She said that you should look like you’re floating when approaching the emperor. Joka will give you a much-needed refresher on the court’s social scene. You still need to work with Meimei on your facial expressions and tone. Apparently, they’re far too much like mine. It will be easier for you if you’re not being compared to me so soon. This garden party is the stage for you to dazzle the court, not intimidate them. That will come later.”
“You speak as if I will be gaining a betrothal out of this. I thought that you were going to hold off on marriage talks until I was eighteen. Have you and Father changed your minds?” Maomao sets her chopsticks off to the side and narrows her eyes at her mother.
Lahan snorts at that, earning him a smack on the back of his head from Lakan. “I’m sorry to tell you this, Little Sister, but marriage talks are always on the table for the right pedigree. You know… The Imperial Brother and the Crown Prince are said to finally be entertaining offers of consorts and courtship.” A sly grin dances on Lahan’s face, and Maomao’s ire turns towards him.
Fengxian’s lips shift into the smallest smile when she sees a reflection of her face from twenty-some odd years ago.
Meimei’s right, the outcome of her leveling that glare at someone will be quite extreme. I don’t know if Lakan could handle someone seeing that expression.
A dark look flashes across Lakan’s face at his son’s insinuations. He clears his throat to address the table. “Be that as it may, Lahan, it also means that marriage talks are also always on the table for you and Junjie.”
Junjie and Lahan both shiver at the threat. Lakou is looking out the window as calm as a bodhisattva. At least there’s one member of the La clan that we don’t have to worry about.
“Now, everyone needs to be at their best by the garden party; we cannot afford any miscalculations right now. We will all be playing games of Xiangqi and Go against each other starting tonight. Onsou, we’ll take dessert in the game parlor; please have everything set up by the time we are finished with dinner.”
Maomao turns to her father, wearing that slight smile she uses to get what she wants. “Father, may we be excused? I would like to take a digestive stroll with Mother before we begin playing.”
Lakan lights up at his daughter’s request, “Of course, dearest darling daughter of mine. We will reconvene in the game parlor in half an hour,” and with that, everyone departs the table.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
A light breeze passes Maomao and Fengxian as they enter the garden, Maomao stopping every few feet to admire her plants.
Fengxian finally addresses her daughter when she spends too long near the wolfsbane. “So, what did you want to discuss so urgently?”
Maomao stops admiring the wolfsbane and rises to look at her mother. “Will Father actually entertain the marriage proposals after I make my debut? He’s never been keen on the idea, so the only thing that makes sense is if you’ve already initiated talks.”
“I decided that we should at least entertain talks if a family is potentially an acceptable match. If we all agree that it is a good match, there will be a courtship period of two years before an official betrothal. I will be the one in charge of negotiating with the families, and he will be in charge of the contracts. You would never marry if we left all of this to your father.”
“Maybe that would be better for all of us,” Maomao grumbles under her breath, then speaks up, “I just won’t debut now if that’s the only reason for this. It can wait two more years.”
Fengxian narrows her eyes at Maomao’s scowl. “Your debut is non-negotiable. It has already been hinted at to the court.”
She stops to admire the azaleas. “Besides, that’s not the only reason behind your debut. Your family is proud of you, and we will not hide you away. Debuting also cements your presence and reputation at court.”
“Fine, but can I have more time before I’m on the market? I don’t want to be betrothed so soon; I don’t even know if I want to marry at all.” Maomao stomps her feet and turns her nose up.
“Maomao, you are already betrothed.” Fengxian just stares at her daughter incredulously.
“That’s only a back-up in case you don’t find anyone for me before I’m twenty-two.”
“It doesn’t have to be. You know that the conditions for marriage are either that you turn twenty-two without a match or you can both agree to make it official. He’s not a bad match, and his clan would be the safest option if you were to marry someone.”
“So, if we agree to a formal public betrothal, we will not have to suffer through the marriage market?” Maomao lightly pinches her chin as she starts to consider it.
“Yes, as you would both be officially spoken for. No one would take the risk to try and break up a marriage between our clans. The imperials are the only ones who could get away with it, and the only ones of age are the emperor, the crown prince, and the imperial brother. The emperor knows better than to take you as a consort; your father cannot stand the crown prince, and the imperial brother is officially indisposed. The emperor knows that if he did force you to marry into the imperial family, he would lose your father’s support. He won’t take the chance to offend your father.”
Fengxian slides open the door to the game parlor. “Now, we will not speak of this any more tonight. Let’s enjoy the games.”
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Maomao POV 2
Most evenings at the La Clan estate end with dessert served over Xiangqi and Go in the game parlor. This ritual began in the game halls of I-sei Province after Lakan’s first Xiangqi defeat at the hands of Big Lin. He claimed that sugar was the best fuel for strategy. Maomao’s father ran with the theory. She has yet to see any evidence to support this claim, unless you consider her father and Big Lin evidence, nor has she seen any evidence to the contrary. It was eventually brought to the La estate after he took the clan headship.
Her father’s eyes light up when he sees his wife and daughter entering the game parlor. His mouth is already stuffed with sweet potato sweet buns, crumbs falling as he calls out to her. “Maomao! Come play a game of Go with your Papa.”
“Lakan, don’t speak with your mouth full.” Fengxian levels a glare at her husband that has made ministers bow to her as if she were the empress. Her husband’s reaction is to blush furiously as hearts appear in his eyes. Needless to say, her mother has her father well in hand.
Maomao watches her mother float across the parlor to spectate a game of Go between Lahan & Junjie. With a sigh, Maomao makes her way towards her father.
Lakan sits in his usual spot at a long kang table with a Go board carved into one end and a Xiangqi board into the other. There is just enough room in the center for tea and a snack. Maomao glances down at the Xiangqi board where the pieces are arranged as if mid-game, but she can tell that the game was over six moves before the current arrangement.
“Whose game of Xiangqi is that?” Maomao asks when she sits down opposite her father. The jasmine-scented steam clouds surround them when she pours herself a cup of tea and refills his. His cup is painted with a fox hiding in osmanthus bushes and hers with a cat napping in a field of wood sorrel. Meimei gifted the hand-painted tea set and accompanying porcelain Go stone bowls for her parents’ wedding. She then gifted Maomao the teacup painted for her at her 1st birthday, and thus, new teacups were added for each family member.
“Your mother’s and mine.” His tone is nonchalant, but there’s an element of weariness to it. Maomao only hums in response to acknowledge his answer, filing it away for later use.
“That game ended six moves before its current arrangement; it’s useless to finish now.” She nods towards the Xiangqi game.
“I’m well aware, daughter.” That weariness slips through again.
I wonder which trap he’ll set first.
“Black or white?” Lakan does have manners despite his reputation at court.
She looks at the porcelain bowls hand-painted with a pair of foxes in a field of flowers.
“White, please.” He moves the porcelain bowls on the sides of their dominant hands.
“So, is my little wood sorrel excited for her debut?” Her father says while smiling at her and places his first stone.
Maomao just stares at her father and places her first Go stone.
“Father, marriage talks, really? How’d she convince you?” Her brow furrows in disbelief.
Wearing a sheepish smile, he chuckles as if embarrassed by the words that are about to come out of his mouth. “Heh, she...uh...beat me at...uh...Xiangqi.”
A very familiar glare is leveled at him. “You made a bet over a Xiangqi game, and now I have to go through the spectacle that is marriage talks with the La clan.”
Clack
“How’d you lose?” Her eyes narrowed, just enough to be noticeable.
“That’s of no importance.” He looks down at the game, avoiding Maomao’s glare, and places a Go stone, setting his first trap.
Refusing to yield, she flings a retort at him. “I disagree.”
“She made a very compelling argument.” He shrugs.
Clack
Lakan clears his throat in an effort to evade this line of questioning. “You know there is always a way out.”
“Ugh, Mother offered the same reprieve.” Maomao throws her head back to stare at the ceiling. She thought her father would have some other answer for her. Some other option for her to get out of this or, at the very least, something to delay the inevitable.
He places another Go stone. “And you don’t want to take her up on it?”
“That requires bringing another person into this situation.” She places another stone on the board.
“I’m sure he’s amenable to it.” Lakan calmly places his next stone.
“How can you be so sure that he’d be amenable to it?” Her hand hovers over the board before making her move, just long enough for her father to notice her hesitation.
“Who wouldn’t be thrilled to be marrying my darling little wood sorrel?” He places another stone.
“Besides, his father is certainly amenable. More than amenable. One could describe him as ecstatic even.” He rests his chin on his folded hands, mild amusement dancing on his face.
“Oh, his father is ecstatic, is he now?” She huffs with the quintessential accompanying eye roll. Another stone added to the board. Her first trap is set.
“Yes, I would say so. We’ve spoken of the prospect many times.” Lakan softly smiles at the idea and places his stone right into one of Maomao’s traps.
Was this his plan all along?
Another stone is placed on the board. “I thought this was just a backup plan.” Maomao’s eyes narrow at him again. If her mother were spectating this game, she would be reminding Maomao every other turn to relax her face. The goal is to prevent wrinkles, not encourage them.
“There were many reasons for it. The main reason was and is to keep you safe from any political interest. I will never allow you to be a bargaining chip. You’re a player, not a piece on the board.” He smiles at her and sets his third trap.
“You’ve always made that very clear, Father.” A heavy sigh escapes her lips before her face shifts back into its usual bored expression.
Clack
“If the betrothal was publicly announced, you wouldn’t have to go through the spectacle.” The tone is nonchalant despite the importance of the information.
Maomao’s eyes go wide at this. “You mean he wouldn’t have to go through the trials?”
“He wouldn’t have to go through the trials.” He nods and places a stone, setting up his fourth trap.
Maomao’s fingers moved on their own to hold her chin as she paused to reconcile with the new information. “Will you be bringing this option to his father?”
“That depends on you. His father has always had a say in who vies for your hand. He cares for you as if you’re already one of his own. Even if he didn’t have a say, I would’ve heard about it. This is the one family that I can be sure will treasure you the way that you deserve.”
Clack
“I’ll consider bringing the matter up to him. Will I see him before the garden party?” Maomao feels an unfamiliar sense of anticipation start to creep in but shakes her head to ignore the troublesome thoughts.
“No, they’re too busy preparing everything.” Lakan places his stone and moves his gaze from the board to her face.
“But I’m sure you’ll be able to talk with him while there. He’ll be with one of the princes. Although I’m not sure which one. They’ve yet to make an impression on me.” He says with a casual certainty.
“Are they just black Go stones to you?”
He holds his chin in hand. “Hm…No, I would say they’re gold generals.”
“The fact that you’ve assigned them a Xiangqi piece at all means that they’ve made an impression on you.” Her second trap is set.
Clack
“Or is it just the potential that’s marked them as gold generals?” A glint of mirth can be seen in her eyes as she falls into the easy rhythm of banter with her father.
Clack
“Who can say? We’ll see eventually.” Lakan’s smirk shifts into a smile. “So, are you going to discuss the marriage with him at the garden party?”
Clack
“Who can say? We’ll see eventually.” Maomao smirks at her father.
“I doubt he’ll have time to spare me. The princes keep him quite busy from what I hear.” She sighs.
“Perhaps I’ll make an opening for you two to discuss something in private.” Her father makes his last move.
“If you can, I would appreciate it.” A small, hopeful smile graces her face until she looks down at the state of the board and frowns. It’s not the worst defeat I’ve suffered at his hands.
“Oh my little wood sorrel, you were so close. You did quite well, all things considered. Papa is so proud of you.” Lakan says in a sing-song voice as a very sparkly smile erupts across his face.
Maomao rises from her cushion with a yawn. “Thank you for the conversation and the game, even if you did go easy on me. I imagine that I will sleep very well tonight.”
“Of course, dearest. I will always prefer an enjoyable game with you rather than one that ends too soon.” He says as he begins his post-game analysis and begins to dictate it to Onsou. It will be waiting for her to review over breakfast in the morning.
“Pardon me, I think I shall retire for the evening. Mother. Father.” She gave a quick bow to the room before scurrying off to her rooms.