The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 14 [Parts 1 to 9] by Natsu Hyuuga

Author:Natsu Hyuuga
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Light Novel, partial, mystery, anime, drama, female protagonist, history, eunuchs, print by square enix
Publisher: J-Novel Club (generated)

Maamei led Maomao to another garden, not the one where the duel had taken place. There were barren peony trees and rows of daffodils—this must have been the winter garden.

As they walked, Maamei introduced the middle-aged man with her. “Forgive me for waiting so long to introduce you. This is my husband.”

“I’m Maamei’s husband,” he said.

“My brother-in-law,” said Basen.

So it turned out the man who had refereed the duel was Maamei’s husband. It seemed like one person was enough to explain that—but all three of them helpfully clarified it. The man didn’t give his name, but Maomao had no confidence that she would remember a trivial detail like that, so it didn’t matter to her. Presumably he was Mister Ba-something-or-other.

Maamei’s husband was a well-built man with an air of simplicity. He looked like the quiet but considerate type; in fact, he reminded her of Gaoshun. She wondered if all the wives in the Ma clan wore the pants in their respective relationships.

“I apologize for my wife imposing on you,” Maamei’s husband said.

“Not at all.”

The way he was polite even to those socially below him was just like Gaoshun. Gaoshun claimed that his daughter despised him, but Maomao was starting to think that wasn’t quite the case.

“Are you not going to ask anything about what our business with the U clan is?” Maamei inquired, somewhat belatedly.

Maomao decided that she’d had enough of euphemism and indirectness. “I assume you want to introduce Master Basen, considering he’s obsessed with Lady Lishu.”

“Wha wha wha whaaa!” Basen exclaimed, plainly panicked. He went redder than a cooked shrimp.

“That’s exactly it,” said Maamei. “This boy was always so retiring, I worried he might never get married. It was so bad that we had to force his feeble brother Baryou to have children instead. Who would have dreamed he would fall in love with a former high consort?”

“L-Love?! L-L-Love, Sister?!”

“Oh, you don’t like her?”

“Th-That’s not what I’m saying!” Basen said, much too loudly. At that volume, even if they went to one of the private rooms, the conversation wouldn’t stay private for long. They would have been better off staying in this unseasonal garden, where they seemed to be the only people around.

“You know about Lady Lishu, of course, don’t you, Maomao?” said Maamei.

“Yes, ma’am. I know her as someone to whom Heaven has not given much blessings of good fortune—especially when it comes to family relations. I’ve heard that she’s currently a nun.”

As far as Maomao could see, neither Lishu’s father nor her half-sister were particularly nice people. Her grandfather seemed to buck the trend, but it didn’t change the fact that his granddaughter had come to grief because he had trusted his son-in-law.

“All true. Lady Lishu is still just eighteen years old. Even if she lived to be only fifty, that would be a great many long years to spend sequestered away in a temple. If you were a grandfather with any hint of a heart, wouldn’t it sadden you?” Maamei almost made it sound like a riddle.

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