Volume 8, Chapter 20: Life on the Ship (2) (2/2)

“Yes.”

Well then, Maomao had a lot she wanted to say, but at the time, was it rude to say that she didn’t have anything to say?

“….”

It seems Jinshi, too, had no idea what to talk about.

Maomao asked, tilting her head. “May I speak first?”

“Yes.”

“So we’ll be travelling to the western capital. How long will it take?” She understood she won’t get a clear answer, but she said it to initiate the conversation.

“I honestly have no idea. I heard that it’ll take three months at least.”

“Yes. Then, one more thing. It is about the advantages of taking me on this journey.”

“….” Jinshi averted his eyes.

(Ahhh, I knew it.)

“Did you use me as the bait for the weirdo tactician?” she asked.

“…I feel apologetic.”

Although Maomao felt like scowling at him, she bore with it since the attendants were looking at her. Instead, she waggled her finger at him, asking if there was any compensation.

Jinshi was understanding on that part. He took something out from his breast pocket. He removed the cloth. It contained a whitish-grey rock-like thing.

“This is!”

“Yeah. You want to check it?”

After exchanging looks with Jinshi, Suiren brought over tea along with a piece of wire. “Here you go.”

Along with the wire, there was also heated charcoal prepared.

He had said, “check”.

Maomao took the stone from Jinshi. It was a pumice stone rather than a rock. It was quite light.

“I’m going to check it,” she said.

She heated the wire with the coal and stuck it into the pumice stone. It gave off a characteristic smell.

“While I don’t think Jinshi-sama will prepare fake items, this is the real thing. It’s ambergris.”

Maomao immediately got her hands on her souvenir for the madam.

Normally, he would be grand like he was dangling a carrot before a horse, but having him give it to her this way was somewhat awkward.

No, she could only see him as a b*****d from the time he made her travel with the weirdo tactician.

“Raka… no, Tactician-dono had to come on this journey no matter what,” Jinshi said.

“…is it a request from the western capital?” Maomao asked.

“There is that too. At the same time, I wanted Tactician-dono to check the western capital.”

(Is that how it is?)

The weirdo tactician is a dullard who can’t do the barest minimum as a human, but he is the best at strategising.

“I heard there might be war.” Maomao looked around.

She may be in Jinshi’s room, but she wanted to believe that it was structured so that the sound won’t escape.

“It’s not correct to win through war. It is correct to not start a war. However, what is correct is difficult.”

In other words, it seems Jinshi wanted to say that the possibility of war starting was considered.

She also understood the reason he forced court physicians to come along.

“I don’t think you can handle the weirdo tactician well by having me come along. It’s another matter with my adoptive father,” Maomao said.

If it was Ruomen, he can achieve it somehow. If Ruomen were a little younger and his leg wasn’t bad, he might be coming along as well.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t go that well, so it was the quack doctor who came.

(The quack doctor being dad’s substitute is… hm?)

Maomao suddenly recalled Jinshi’s behaviour from a moment ago. It was like he was flattering the quack doctor, to be extent that it looked shady to onlookers–

Jinshi had referred to the quack doctor’s moustache. Having been praised so much, the quack doctor would probably be shaving his facial hair for a while.

Again, he had called the quack doctor “Court Physician-dono”. There was hardly anyone on this ship who knew the quack doctor. If they knew that Maomao didn’t call the quack by his name, the quack was a mere court physician. However, they should know that he is a eunuch from his physical features.

Being called a high ranking court physician during the expedition, moreover, a eunuch. In addition, a person whom Maomao is always accompanying.

Maomao found herself slapping the table.

(No, I have to calm down a little.)

The tea was set down before her, so she drained it without asking for permission. Perhaps to calm Maomao’s emotions, it was made from herbs with a calming effect.

She breathed out and looked at Jinshi. “Are you setting up Court Physician-sama to be my adoptive father’s body double?”

“We can skip the explanations since your judgement is as good as always.”

Jinshi’s eyes were the same as the time from the inner palace.

The quack doctor and dad were both eunuchs, but their appearance and ages were different. However, the number of people who only know from rumours that he is a eunuch and a court physician could be counted on one hand. They won’t think that they would purposely bring the inner palace court physician onto the expedition.

If one were to come, they would probably think it would be Ruomen who was a former eunuch and had returned to the imperial court as a court physician.

That was the reason she wasn’t told the identities of the court physicians who had been picked until the very end.

“The western capital, no, Gyoku’en-dono had probed whether Ruomen-dono will be brought along as well. Do you know what that is supposed to mean?” Jinshi asked.

“By Gyoku’en-dono… wouldn’t that mean he has sick people?” Maomao replied.

Ruomen’s medical skill is a cut above the rest. There are a lot of sick people who would want to hire him.

“He might, be planning to win over the Tactician-dono, is what I think. Of course, I didn’t give a clear reply, so it is the other side’s situation where they mistake Court Physician-dono as Ruomen-dono.”

From his use of “I” (watashi), the Jinshi here wasn’t the usual disappointing man, but the imperial brother. The smart man who uses people as pawns is present.

“Winning over, you say. It’s more constructive to tell the fox your plans. Moreover, it’s Gyokuyou’s older brother, right?” Maomao said.

“There are many people who believe that they can achieve what others can’t. Besides, there are cases where they have no other options. It’s impossible for the relatives of a saint to be all saints. Moreover, it’s not unusual for the empress’s kin to ruin a country.”

“…am I allowed to hear this?”

“I’m not asserting this. It’s just a possibility.”

(No, but you’re suspecting it, right?)

That being said, not saying anything in itself is also vague.

Jinshi raised an index finger as he grasped his teacup. His finger was pointing at Maomao.

“In the case he has no options, who will he target?” he asked.

“Me, being the weakness?” Maomao said.

“It’s a weakness no matter how you see it. By Gyoku’ou’s side is Tactician-dono’s former adjutant.”

(Is this about Rikuson?)

“There’s no way he doesn’t know about you.”

(…he’s in a position where if he’s asked he has to speak, huh.)

She understood Jinshi’s unreasonable choice of people for the expedition a bit more.

“Did you think I would be targeted if I stay in the capital?” she asked.

“There is a possibility. Additionally, how many enemies does Tactician-dono have?”

“…”

“You probably know of their existence so long as you think about yourself, and you are not a moron who overlooks that.”

Maomao could only nod at Jinshi’s words. She should have thought more before she became a court physician assistant.

It was Jinshi who encouraged her to become one, but if the weirdo tactician hadn’t taken such an extreme attitude, she would have attained a more tranquil lifestyle. There’s no point in lamenting about the past.

“Rahan can take care of himself, so I had him stay in the capital. I had Ruomen-dono disappear by staying in the inner palace for a short while. My bad to you, but you’ll be taken to the western capital. More importantly, I felt that it was safer to keep you where Tactician-dono can keep an eye on you. It’ll be hard to say that it’ll be peaceful.”

(Gosh, you.)

“Is that so.”

Maomao’s thoughts were all jumbled, but she had considered what Jinshi said. No doubt he had thought about human relationships, the stationing of personnel, and above all, the most efficient safety.

“For the Court Physician-dono, I’ll give you the military official who is your old acquaintance, Rihaku,” Jinshi said.

“Yes,” Maomao replied coldly. She looked at the ambergris she was given in a daze.

(I’m not really satisfied.)

Maomao stood up without taking the tea snacks.

“Maomao, won’t you take some pastries back with you?” Suiren wrapped up the baked pastries for her. Maomao felt the attendant had read her feelings.

(The quack will be happy.)

“Thanks for the food.” After accepting the package of pastries, Maomao bowed her head and left the room.

“Ah, umm…” Jinshi reached forward, looking like he wanted to talk with Maomao, but she honestly wasn’t in the mood today, having already spoken enough.

Pretending to have not noticed, she went out.

Basen seemed to be standing guard outside the room, but she decided to simply bow her head and return to the medical office.