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"Master Physician Maomao and Master Physician Suirei are here, milady," Chue says in her usual cheerful tone, with a wink, while doing a little bow. She somehow manages to walk the fine line of playfulness and formality, although in this case she leans slightly towards formal because they are not without an audience.
The Empress - Loulan - smiles. A calm, regal smile befitting of her role, although Chue notices the flash of excitement that danced across The Empress's eyes ever so briefly. It is, after all, her job to notice such things. "Excellent timing. We're just about to finish up the meeting here."
The man across the seat looks amused at that, but decides not to point out how the conclusion of this meeting is rather rushed. He adjusts his glasses smartly, and says, "I thank you for your time, Empress." Her expression has barely changed, but from the way he calculates her eyes to be 15% brighter than a minute ago, he can easily tell her eagerness to go see his little sister. Neither The Emperor nor the Empress nor Lahan's little sister ever admitted to Lahan the exact nature of their relationship, but Lahan can make an educated guess of what is going on. It's a pretty neat arrangement, in fact. Beautiful numbers all around, politically and otherwise. So Lahan's willing to keep their secret for them and help them hide it too, if needed.
"And I thank you for the excellent calculations you bring, Lahan," Loulan replies, easily.
They were here today to discuss some recent events back at The Empress's hometown up North and how that affects the market prices of various items. Lahan, as usual, is impeccable with anything numbers-related, and his analytical skills are first-rate. The La Clan is full of geniuses, everyone at The Court knows.
Speaking of the La Clan, Loulan is delighted to hear the arrival of another member of the clan - incidentally, also her favorite member of the La Clan. And one of her favorite people ever, in fact.
"Maomao! Neesan!" Loulan exclaims brightly and enthusiastically, practically jumping onto Maomao and engulfing her in a bear hug, her manner a stark contrast from when she's in the role of The Empress. Loulan is an excellent actress - has always been. She's perfected her public persona over the years, and she plays the part well, easily slipping the mask on when needed. But it is a mask - no matter how well she wears it, the truth remains that it's not actually the real her. In front of the people closest to her, she freely lets the mask fall away.
"Milady, you're suffocating me," Maomao says, in her usual dryly sarcastic tone, but Loulan can hear the fondness in it. She pats Loulan's hair lightly. Affectionately. Suirei just looks amused.
"It's Shisui, not 'milady'," Loulan - or perhaps Shisui - pouts at Maomao. That's how Maomao first knew her, when they were both still lady-in-waitings to different concubines of the Late Emperor. Maomao was Lady Gyokuyou's lady-in-waiting and food taster, while Loulan had used the name Shisui in the rear palace while serving a mid-rank concubine who came from a family with close connections to the Shi Clan. Her father, Shishou, had initially wanted to send Loulan to the rear palace as a consort - he probably could've wrangled a high-rank consort spot for her - but in the end he agreed to help the family friend get in instead, and extracting a favor from them. Loulan, talented actress even at that age, plays the part of the lady-in-waiting well, and did some sneaking around in the rear palace to help her father gather information.
Shisui liked to chase around and study insect during her free time, and it was during one of those times that she met Maomao. Maomao - smart and kind and so so so passionate about poisons. So unapologetic about what she enjoys. Maomao, who would do a cute little dance when she came across interesting plants or medicine. Shisui had never quite met anyone like her. Because of the role she had to play, Shisui's father had stressed the importance of being careful, so there wasn't a lot of people with whom she could reveal her true self. Even when she could let her mask slip for a bit, she usually still maintained a level of properness, and toned down her enthusiasm in insects.
But Maomao - in some way, she was the first person who Shisui felt comfortable of just being herself with. Instantly she realized that Maomao wouldn't mind, wouldn't judge, wouldn't care much about the politics of it all. Their interests differ somewhat - Maomao more into poison and medicines while Shisui more invested in insects, but they enjoyed hearing each other talk about their individual special interest. And while she could be herself with her older half-sister Suirei too, it's not exactly to the same degree. Because Shisui knew how her mother made Suirei's life very difficult, back then Shisui subconsciously worried about the trouble she might cause Suirei if she acted too carefree, and also felt a bit guilty if she were to be too happy when Suirei was getting so much grief from Shisui's mother.
Maomao delighted Shisui so much, even from the very beginning. The times they hanged out together - sometimes with Xiaolan too, Maomao introduced her - were like an oasis in the desert. A brief reprieve from her other responsibilities. Shisui - Loulan - does not begrudge her father for giving her these responsibilities, though. It's part of her duty, to her family. She understood, and did not mind doing her part. Just like she understood his motivations and why he did the things he did. And Shisui was pretty good at doing her part, too. She just needs a change of pace sometimes.
They've come a long way from those lady-in-waiting days. Now Loulan is the Empress, and Maomao is the shared secret lover of The Empress and The Emperor - Ka Zuigetsu (though nobody can use his name), formerly The Moon Prince, and once upon a time "Jinshi".
Their marriage is a political one, though when he first took her as consort it's not just a political move. Well, it is partially a political move, undeniably so, but there were other elements that played into it. Most notably: Maomao.
The Late Emperor's health had been in decline after an unsuccessful assassination attempt that nevertheless managed to left an impact. The son of the previous Empress GyoKuyou was still yet young, and the color of his and Empress Gyokuyou's hair and eyes contributed largely to the public opinion not wanting the throne to go to the young prince with Gyokuyou ruling as regent. The Moon Prince was a choice more people and various factions within court preferred, and also The Emperor's choice.
It was not quite the choice The Moon Prince himself wanted, as he'd long desired to leave the line of succession. It was why he spent so many years pretending to be a eunuch. But ultimately, he recognized the danger of split public opinion and how it could very well upset the balance and bring about chaos were the young prince to be crowned emperor instead, at least at this moment. Perhaps in a few years - it's a possibility that he keeps in mind, and is very flexible towards. And with Lady Lihua also not wanting to involve herself in such matters, combined with The Late Emperor's wish - which is practically a command - ultimately The Moon Prince assumed the role. At least for now.
No matter how much he tried to get out of it, no matter his personal wishes, he always did understand his responsibilities as well. And he just couldn't in good conscience risk the potential impact his decision might affect The Court, and even the country as a whole.
He had no other choice.
Even if he was already head-over-heels in love with the one person who does return his affections (to a degree) (not that she was very willing to admit it out loud back then). The one person who has no interest in becoming a consort. The one person who, even though she loved him back, had unambiguously expressed that she'd rather he let her go if he had to become Emperor.
And he had almost let her, too. Probably would have, had they not found a solution. When Chue - always handy with information - told The Moon Prince about Shisui (back then just one of Maomao's friends to him) and her real identity, family connection, and the affection shared between the two girls, a plan was forming in his mind. With some negotiations and back-and-forth, it was decided that Shisui would resume her Loulan identity, and he would take her on as a high consort (she always had the family background to become one, after all). They would try for a kid - which they would soon succeed, which advanced Loulan to The Empress.
Loulan has come to appreciate and respect him rather a lot. He is quite like her, in some way. They both feel they have certain duties, to their respective families and to the country as well. They're both capable and with deep understanding of the politics. They do make a good team. She likes him - not romantically, but she does like him, in her own way.
He's a one-woman type of man - which is fine, since she's also a one-woman type of woman. The one woman? Maomao, of course.
He talked Maomao into staying by his side - not as his consort, which she has never wanted to be. One of the last acts of The Late Emperor had been to allow women to make medicine and also become physicians as well. It's probably how the Late Emperor finally fully convinced The Moon Prince. For this is a role Maomao is far more comfortable of occupying by his side. And it grants her the privileges and resources that come with being the court physical that serves The Emperor and The Empress directly. (Maomao is not hesitant to utilize those resources to get whatever medicinal ingredients she wanted - it's adorable, really. And they both adore her so, so much.) The Moon Prince had at first been worried that even the role of physician by his side would be too heavy to bear for her, but she'd agreed to it after some considerations. Loulan always likes to think that she herself probably factored into Maomao's decision as well.
Suirei tactfully makes an exit, saying she'll go check up on the Prince. Left alone, Shisui becomes even bolder, and grabs Maomao by hand, eagerly running across the room to get the book she recently acquired that she wants to show her. An imported encyclopedia, with detailed illustrations of some plants and insects they've never quite seen before in Li. Maomao immediately gets excited, and pull Shisui into a little dance. Spinning at first, and then quickly falling down on top of each other as they crash down onto the bed, in bursts of laughter. Shisui steals a quick kiss on Maomao's cheek.
"You two sure are excited," remarks The Emperor - formerly Moon Prince or Jinshi - as he strides in. Although in here, when they're alone, he's just Jinshi - to Maomao, at least. That's one other thing he and Shisui shared - when they're with Maomao, sometimes they just want to be the person who they were, when they first met Maomao. Even if it's just a made-up identity. It was during the times of the false identity which they revealed some of the realest parts of themselves to Maomao. And considering how The Emperor's real name cannot be spoken, and he certainly does not want Maomao to call him 'Your Majesty" in private, so the old title is an easy solution.
Jinshi glides towards them, in his usual smooth and elegant manner. Then he immediately starts prying Maomao away from Shisui, in a manner that's neither elegant nor emperor-like. Maomao rolls her eyes, but does not resist. "Master Jinshi," she murmurs. Jinshi wraps his arms around Maomao in a rather possessive manner. "Staying the night?" He asks.
"Is that an order?" Maomao asks, with a smile.
"Do you want it to be?"
Maomao shrugs, "I wouldn't mind." Which, Shisui knows, is her way of saying yes. And also that she's taken the necessary precautions (medicinal) if they were indeed to all get into the same bed tonight. Jinshi does his best in trying to share the responsibility however he could, and also they have, through exploration, came up with different fun things to try without getting to that step.
"It's decided, then," Jinshi says. He rests his chin on Maomao's shoulder, holding her tight. His voice softens quite a bit, as he says, tenderly and sincerely, "Thank you."
Maomao pats his arm lightly.