The scent of the alchemist 's lab was truly noxious - Maomao 's eyes burned and her skin itched as she sat hunched over a table next to an open window. Covered ceramic pots were stained orange around the edges, while apparati she had only ever seen pictures of in some of her dad 's books were neatly arrayed on the plain lab table in the center of the room. A book written in the spidery, flowing script of a western nation lay open beside her and she occasionally glanced at it for reference as she carefully dripped a clear solution into a bright orange one, fascinated as each drip of clear liquid turned the orange solution brown around the edges, until it settled to the bottom.

As she watched, careful to only drip in a little at a time, the orange color slowly dissipated to leave the strange brown sludge in the bottom.

'Is that it? ' An annoying voice came from the doorway, slightly muffled by the handkerchief he held over his nose and mouth, Lahan began to pick his way around the cluttered lab toward Maomao.

'According to the instructions, it should be. ' She tilted the ceramic teacup toward Lahan, showing him the brown sludge in the bottom.

His eyes narrowed further behind his glasses. 'Um, little sister, that sure doesn 't look like gold to me. '

She forced back the urge to attempt to stomp his toes - for one, since he 'd started wearing his new boots with their reinforced toes, it no longer worked. More important, the liquid in the teacup she was holding was highly toxic and corrosive - and while she had wrapped extra bandages around her hands for some protection, that might not save her if it were to splash. The alchemist 's gloves were worn, but too big for her to do any kind of delicate work in. 'It needs to be rinsed first - several times - to get the last of the caustic chemical off of it, then dried and taken to a jeweler who can melt it down, according to the text. ' She glances back at the book she was referencing.

Lahan stared at it. 'I believe you, but let 's get that done so we can try melting it and proving it. '

'Hand me the gauze and another cup, then. Oh, and some water. '

Wonder of wonders, Lahan did exactly that, still immensely curious about the process. 'I still can 't believe you can actually dissolve gold into water and then just render it back out. '

'It 's not water and I wouldn 't risk putting your bare hands anywhere near it if you don 't want to end up poisoned. ' Maomao draped the muslin gauze over a clean teacup and oh so carefully poured everything into it, catching the muddy powder while allowing the remnants of the liquid to drain away below into the teacup, before carefully lifting up the edges of the gauze and dunking it into cold water. 'It 's not all that common in the west either, but Dad told me about it, once. Said it was one of the more interesting tricks they 've learned while trying to figure out how to transmute metals. '

Lahan 's eyes widened. 'Transmute metals? '

'Uh huh. ' Maomao began to repeat the process, rinsing and draining the sludge again. 'It comes from their own attempts to create a Pill of Immortality. '

Lahan smirked unpleasantly. 'I see why it caught your attention, then. '

Kick! She got his shin and smiled in satisfaction to see the frizzy headed glasses guy wince. 'Apparently, the idea is that if you can transform lead into gold, you can take that idea to transmute the human spirit into a perfected form. '

'Like the White Immortal? '

Maomao nodded. 'Very similar - in her case, if you remember the materials were plated and she simply burned each layer of plating off. ' She looked around. 'Depending on how long this guy 's been in business, this might be where she acquired the plates, actually. '

Lahan watched as Maomao continued to rinse the sludge, eventually using the muslin to wring it into a wet, crumbly powder. 'That 's interesting. Shame he ended up using it for tax evasion. '

'Will he be shut down? ' Maomao looked around - there were so few alchemists trained in western techniques in all of Li, let alone in the capital. It seemed a shame to throw him into prison.

Lahan shrugged. 'That depends on the numbers. Tax evasion, plating scandals - I might just have to put him to work instead. '

'Are we sure prison isn 't preferable? ' Maomao muttered, spreading the wet powder out to dry in the sun.

'What was that? ' Lahan asked, glasses glinting.

Maomao shook her head. 'Nothing. In any case, I 'd say your little mystery is solved. Can I go back to the medical offices now? '

'Come now, little sister - ow! Quit it! ' He moved his shins out of reach, glaring at her. 'I assume you 'll want to see it melted down? '

Maomao paused and looked at the dull, wet brown powder. 'Yes. '

'Well then. Take a break for the rest of the day, or however long it takes this to dry, and I 'll meet you over at the Office of Jewels and Ornaments. You remember where that is in the Outer Court? '

She paused. She could probably figure it out, but she 'd never had cause to go there herself and her memory for irrelevant departments was rather spotty. If she was being generous with herself.

Lahan sighed. 'I 'll pick you up at your dorm and escort you. '

'Very well, ' she conceded without much grace at all. She glanced at the book, resisting the urge to take it with her. 'After we melt the gold back down to a more recognizable form, are you finished with my secondment? '

He adjusted his glasses. 'You say that as if you haven 't been having a good time with this case. It was certainly unusual. '

'Be that as it may, my duties are in the medical office. It 's autumn, which means we are going to be swarmed with colds and other ailments, in addition to any injuries from around the barracks. '

Lahan paused. 'Are you getting a lot more injuries since ' '

'Yes, ' Maomao replied, her tone clipped. 'Plenty of idiots dueling. I spent a good amount of last night preparing fresh gut and silk thread.

There was a slight pause, before Lahan asked in a too gentle tone, 'Have you heard any - '

Maomao stood. 'If there is nothing else you require of me, I will go back to rest briefly before we speak to the jeweler and determine if I successfully rendered the gold back out of the aqua regia. '

'Of course, ' Lahan sighed.

Maomao turned on her heel and left the alchemist 's lab behind, along with its requisite stink. Her first few lungfuls of fresh air were a relief, even as her breath fogged in front of her. The past week had welcomed the turn of the season, the last of summer giving way to the chill of autumn, the leaves turning colors around the edges. The headache that had begun to gather behind her eyes faded as her quick steps took her in the direction of the medical offices.

Where she was immediately greeted with relief by one of the mid-ranked physicians. 'Ah, good, you 're back. We 're running low on several medicines - how fast could you compound them? '

'Which ones do we need? ' Maomao asked, pulling her sleeves back in preparation.

The physician grimaced. 'Salves, mainly, for cuts and bruises. Another training accident. '

Maomao shook her head. These 'training accidents ' had been happening more and more frequently since Jinshi 's true birth had been revealed over three weeks ago. The entire palace was in an uproar - some voices were defending Gyokuyou 's son as the rightful Crown Prince, being the son of His Majesty 's legal wife - but there was no getting around the simple fact of the matter that the boy was no more than two years old.

The Moon Prince was twenty-two years old.

In a choice between two sons of his Majesty 's body, there was no real contest. The calls to officially reinstate Jinshi as the Crown Prince were only a dull roar at the moment because the prince himself had been sent away from the capital. In his absence, a new call was being put forth. Ministers and officials were dragging their daughters, nieces and sisters into the city, jockeying for the best possible position to begin introductions the moment Jinshi returned. It seemed the Emperor had chosen to manage the succession crisis by diverting attention.

Once the Moon Prince returned from his tour of the empire, the selection of his bride would begin in earnest. Not only his bride, Maomao was given to understand, but there would also be a concubine selection, all of which would be managed by Empress Gyokuyou, cutting out Lady Ah-Duo and the Empress Dowager in a clear attempt to balance power between factions.

Maomao ground herbs into a fine paste in the mortar and pestle, her repetition soothing as she compounded the salve, mixing the paste into an oil to infuse while she began heating the stove. This was none of her concern. Not anymore.

Jinshi had made that very clear.

I promised I would never put you in this position - I am beyond sorry that the only way I can keep that promise is to let you go. But it is the only way I know how to protect you from what 's coming. It would have been my honor and joy to be your husband. Please accept my sincere wish for your future to be filled with health and happiness.

The characters looked shaky to anyone who knew Jinshi 's handwriting well. But even if his hand had trembled as he wrote those words, he had still written them.

Maomao had always known this day would come - that Jinshi would never be able to balance the duties of his rank with the desires of his heart. One would give way to the other. To stabilize the nation, he would do whatever he must. He would sacrifice whatever he must.

His health. His dream of freedom. His love.

It was quite admirable behavior. Almost like a teaching tale about the responsibilities of rank and the dedication required to lead a nation with wisdom. She could feel Jinshi disappearing into the Moon Prince, a celestial being who truly lived high above the clouds, never to mingle with mere mortals.

That is, until they put him out to stud in the Rear Palace. Although he might have to bed his new consorts in the dark. Maomao shook her head, angrily. If this was to be his fate in the end, then what was the point of that stupid brand in the first place? She never even got the opportunity to try transferring fresh skin to place over the damage -

'Maomao! When you 're done with that salve, we 're going to need some fresh antiemetics and antidiarrheals! ' A different doctor stuck his head in, forcing Maomao 's attention back to her work. The benefits of seniority at least were a bright point - there was no avoiding laundry and other scut work in the medical offices - but in the last few weeks the official physicians had been working her almost constantly with compounding different medicines. Dr Liu had even pulled her aside and said that if he was satisfied with her work in the next few months, he would consider assigning her to a team that was focused on pharmaceutical research.

Which, of course, meant that she was being worked almost constantly, with little opportunity to take a moment for herself longer than the time it took to eat, bathe and sleep. Lahan 's side assignment had actually been the first chance Maomao had had for any time to herself - and while she hated to give any credit to that man who was clearly no relation of hers, the case had been interesting.

If I didn 't know better, I 'd say there was a conspiracy to keep me busy

, she couldn 't help but think. As if she needed such consideration.

People fell in and out of love all the time. Assuming nobody did anything drastic, people did not die from the lack of their beloved, despite what some great romances would like to claim. Even Jinshi, when he had a chance to adjust to his new circumstances, would eventually find comfort and ease in another woman 's arms -

A

crack

resounded through the room. Maomao was startled to realize that the water under her pot had boiled off - she had forgotten to refill it before she started and the direct heat had shattered the bowl, ruining her medicine. She sighed and began to clean away the broken pieces, wincing as the side of her deformed pinky scraped along the sharp edge of ceramic to leave a thin trail of blood.

Back in her dormitory, Maomao inspected the scabbed over cut on her finger. She 'd wrapped a bit of gauze around it, but now that she was waiting for Lahan to pick her up to see if the rendered gold melted properly, she had a moment to spread an ointment over it.

'Maomao! ' a voice cried, a familiar hand catching her own to inspect the wound.

'It 's just a cut, Yao. ' She shook her head. 'Hand me the ointment, would you? '

Yao glared at her, Maomao 's hand gripped firmly in her own. 'Is this the only one? '

Maomao blinked, even as Yao turned her wrist upward, inspecting the bandages that covered her forearm. 'I had an accident in the lab - there hasn 't been any time for experimentation. '

Without releasing her hand, Yao grabbed the salve and opened it to begin dressing the cut. 'You need to be more careful! '

'Lady Yao? ' came another, familiar voice, before En 'en stepped into view, framed by the doorway. 'Goodness, what happened? ' she asked, a familiar territorial gleam in her eyes.

Maomao pulled back, attempting to retrieve her hand from Yao 's grasp, only to find it caught firm even as Yao scowled. 'Maomao was being careless in the lab and cut herself. '

'I see. ' En 'en sighed, watching Yao wrap the gauze delicately around Maomao 's pinky with an expression that had Maomao eager to have Yao finish as soon as possible. 'I made pork tonight. Will you be joining us for dinner, Maomao? '

Her stomach growled at the same time that her mouth tingled at the thought of the pork having passed through En 'en 's talented hands, before she sighed in resignation. 'I 'm expecting Lahan - we 're supposed to visit the court jeweler to see if his case is resolved the way I think it will. '

'Surely you have time to eat before you go, ' Yao protested, putting the salve away.

Maomao narrowed her eyes slightly, glancing between Yao and En 'en. 'Possibly, but I would hate to put you both out. '

En 'en shrugged. 'I made enough for three. '

Not without either work or money toward ingredients, normally

. Maomao looked between the two of them. 'Is there something going on that I don 't know about? '

Yao and En 'en glanced at each other, a moment of accord between them before Yao looked straight at Maomao and pushed forward. 'That depends. Are we finished pretending that the Moon Prince leaving has nothing to do with you? '

Maomao turned away, her gaze falling on an old letter case, tucked in the corner of a shelf that contained two things - a silver hair stick and Jinshi 's last letter to her. 'The Moon Prince has more important things to concern himself with than a base born apothecary turned court lady. '

En 'en snorted. 'You are neither. You may never be able to claim the title, but you are a fully trained and qualified physician, Lady Maomao. '

Maomao scowled at the honorific, even as Yao picked up the thread of argument. 'And you may despise our renowned strategist and wish that he weren 't, but he is your father by blood, and he married your mother. That makes you the sole daughter by the legitimate wife and a princess of the La Clan.

'In short, you are a more than worthy contender for the hand of the Crown Prince, should the Moon Prince be bestowed with the title again, ' En 'en finished.

Maomao clenched her hands into fists under the desk. 'I don 't want to marry the Crown Prince, ' she gritted out between her teeth. 'I want to do my job and make medicine. '

Yao arched her brows. 'You don 't want to marry the Crown Prince because you don 't want to marry at all, or you don 't want to marry the Crown Prince because the current prince who holds that title is a two year old child and you 'd prefer it stay that way? '

Silence filled the room, until another voice entered the conversation. 'I would also like to hear the answer to that question, ' Lahan said, his eyes firmly on Maomao.

'It doesn 't matter what I want! ' The words burst out of her with shocking force, even as unexpected tears stung her eyes. 'He left! He 's gone and when he does eventually come back, it won 't matter because he 's already decided that he doesn 't want me! '

Yao 's eyes softened and she came back over to put her arm around Maomao 's shoulders. 'I doubt very much that the Moon Prince doesn 't want you. '

'I would agree, ' said Lahan. 'If anything, I would expect it to be the opposite. '

Maomao lifted her head to glare at her cousin. 'What is that supposed to mean? '

Lahan arched an eyebrow. 'The first time I met the Moon Prince properly, it was when he threw away his whole identity as the manager of the Rear Palace, because a certain lady-in-waiting had been kidnapped and he didn 't have the power to go take her back as the eunuch Jinshi. '

'The north was rebelling - he had to do that, ' Maomao protested.

'True. But he didn 't have to be in the vanguard. He didn 't need to lead a night march for multiple

li

in the snow. He absolutely should not have been the first man into the fortress so that he could look for you himself. He could have stayed masked and protected behind the lines - which was exactly where his bodyguards wanted him, ' Lahan pushed his glasses up his nose. 'And his intentions did not get

more

subtle with time. '

Mamao dropped her gaze. No, Jinshi had made his intentions quite clear - and had only gotten more explicit when pushed.

Listen close! I am going to make you my wife!

'Frankly, the Moon Prince pushed his suit long past when most other men would have given up - and even after you came back from the Western Capital the second time, everything seemed to be very much about you. What you wanted, Maomao. ' Lahan looked at her, an unexpectedly piercing gaze through the glasses. 'I 'm not shocked that, given the situation, he 's defaulted to what he believes you want above all else - to be unburdened by his regard when it becomes inconvenient, free to make medicine as you please. Well, he 's seen to it that you 've gotten what you 've said you always wanted. I heard Dr. Liu wants you for a pharmaceutical research team and the Moon Prince is set to be married off to a bevy of women to bear his children. '

Her heart clenched in her chest. She couldn 't deny the truth of Lahan 's observations. She had told Lady Ah-Duo as much; that she was going to make Jinshi compromise as much as possible so that she wouldn 't have to. 'So, you think that I 'm unworthy of him? ' she asked Lahan.

Yao 's arm tightened around Maomao 's shoulders again. 'Of course not! ' She glared at Lahan. 'She shouldn 't have to give up everything else she loves just to marry him! '

'And Master Lahan didn 't say that she should, ' En 'en interjected. 'But he is pointing out that Lady Maomao has gotten what she has always said she wanted - but has she ever explicitly stated that she wants the Moon Prince to be a part of her life? '

Lahan nodded at En 'en with appreciation. 'Just so. The prince has fought for you, over and over. But now he 's hit a wall that he cannot fight - not without potentially destroying the nation. And I don 't think, ' he looked back at Maomao, 'that you could ever respect him if he plunged the country into chaos in pursuit of his own happiness. '

Maomao dropped her gaze at that, staring at her hands. The gauze wrapped pinky stood out in the warm lamplight. 'What do you want me to say? ' she finally asked.

Lahan left the doorway to crouch in front of her. 'I want you to tell me what you want, little sister. If you are satisfied with your life as it is, then there is nothing more to be said. You 'll have your medicine, your friends and your work. A very safe, content existence. '

'But? ' she looked at Lahan, eyes meeting.

Lahan was as serious as she had ever seen him. 'If you want more out of life than safety and contentment, you will have to take a risk. The only thing that makes you unworthy to be the Moon Prince 's bride is your insistence on narrowing your world to medicine and poison, unwilling to acknowledge anything outside of those interests that might challenge you to grow. '

'Like the strategist with his games, ' breathed Yao.

'Lady Yao! ' En 'en cried. She seemed to think that drawing the explicit comparison would be counterproductive. Lahan appeared to agree with her, wincing in anticipation of his shin being kicked. He stopped when he realized that Maomao was perfectly still in front of him, eyes staring into the distance.

What do I want?

Maomao asked herself.

Luomen, nodding in tacit approval as she successfully compounded a cold remedy for the first time.

Meimei arranging her hair, slipping the beads she 'd picked out for Maomao especially on the ends, Joka and Pairin lounging in the background as the Madam looked on with uncharacteristically soft eyes and murmured how powerfully she was reminded of someone.

Jinshi, his beautiful face wearing an arrogant, smug expression as he held up the note she had written to warn Concubine Gyokuyou about the face powder, his eyes daring her to try to hide, to deny the evidence dangling from his fingertips.

Gaoshun, his steady, reliable presence always a soothing counterpoint to his master 's sickening charm.

Ailan, Yinghua and Guiyuan, fussing over her in the Jade Pavilion, pushing snacks and sundries on her that would inevitably find their way to Xiaolan later as Hongniang supervised with exasperated amusement.

Jinshi, his downcast demeanor giving way to shock and joy at an extremely boring banquet, brushing a single fingertip over her mouth before pressing it to his own, imprinting her rouge on the sulk of his bottom lip.

The quack doctor, his kind face lighting up with a smile, never a harsh word for anyone - a bad doctor, but a good man with a generous heart that she was always astonished the world never seemed to bruise.

Gyokuyou, her beautiful face alight with mischief, determined to make her own joy, even when trapped in the cage of the Rear Palace.

Jinshi, that clear, beautiful voice unstrung with horror as he stood in the doorway of the apothecary shop she 'd grown up in at the sight of the upraised knife, catching her in the middle of an experiment.

Lihaku, his steady, upright presence, protective and teasing all at once - the big brother she never knew she needed.

Shisui, her bright eyes alight with excitement as she proudly held up her newest specimen in a cage, the summer cicadas buzzing around her, no hint of the snow to come that would swallow her whole.

Jinshi, smiling through the pain as he burned Gyokuyou 's crest into his flank, his eyes alight with challenge to the Son of Heaven himself, his determination to forge his own path a silent declaration accented with the stink of iron.

Doctor Liu, biting back annoyance as Maomao attempted to run yet another experiment on one of the soldiers, sending her to compound medicine. She discovered after the fact that the scut work to keep her busy involved pharmaceuticals that the mid-level physicians found challenging, a silent attestment to her competence in the face of nepotism.

Yao and En 'en, alternatively sweet and sour, friends who snuck into her life unexpectedly.

Jinshi, his eyes wild as he flung open the door to his office, breathless with relief as they tumbled to the floor, his arms cradling her as she finally slept.

Chue, her silliness and laughter masking a ruthless streak, whether in the face of bandits or Maoamo 's own stubbornness.

Jinshi sitting across from her in the carriage after another hunt, his expression a mixture of frustration and desire as he began to discover a side of herself she had only ever shown him before in anger.

Jinshi, again defying the Emperor, boldly declaring that 'one woman is enough. '

Jinshi, sitting across from her at his dinner table, an exhausted but comfortable silence stretching between them, no need to fill the air with anything but their mutual company.

'

Maomao

! ' Lahan 's voice startled her out of her reverie. She blinked several times, forcing herself to focus on his face. 'You 're not paying attention. '

'Was I supposed to? ' she murmured, the bite of her words weak in comparison to her normal repartee with Lahan.

He sighed. 'You know what - '

'I 'm not Lady Ah-Duo. '

Maomao 's words hovered in the air as Yao, En 'en and Lahan all looked in between each other, confused. 'Maomao, what does that have to do with, well, all of this? ' Yao asked, tentatively.

'She never wanted to be the Emperor 's consort - the choice was made for her. And she offered me a chance to escape Li, because as much as she loves her son, she didn 't want to see someone else stuck in the same position as her. '

Lahan 's eyes widened. 'Wait, you

knew

?! '

Maomao nodded slowly. 'I suspected years ago. Lady Ah-Duo confirmed it when we got back from the western capital. '

'But why didn 't you - '

'Tell him? ' Maomao gave Lahan a look she normally reserved for the truly stupid. 'Do I really need to answer that question? '

En 'en nodded and looked at Yao, who seemed incensed on Jinshi 's behalf. 'It wasn 't her place to tell him in place of his parents - and it could have been worth her life if the Emperor had been displeased. '

At least Yao was quick. 'Oh! '

Maomao raised her hand and dragged the conversation back on topic. 'This isn 't the same. I chose him. ' She looked at Lahan. 'He 's panicking and I understand why. But I 'll be damned if I just let him walk away without a fight. If he doesn 't want me, he 'll have to tell me to my face. '

Lahan sat back on his heels and regarded her with the most serious expression she had ever seen on him. 'You understand how dramatically his position has changed. Are you prepared to do what 's necessary to fight for the hand of the Crown Prince? '

She lifted her chin and returned Lahan 's gaze. 'Yes. '

Lahan stood. 'Very well. Gather anything valuable and we 'll put it in the carriage. As of this moment, you now live with your father and brother in the La family home, as a princess of the La Clan. '

'Um, Maomao? Your face ' ' Yao breathed.

En 'en shook her head. 'You agreed to this, I 'm afraid. '

Carefully, Maomao rearranged her features into an expression that might pass as mere disgust. 'I do need to be in proximity to the medical offices for my job, ' she pointed out.

Lahan pressed two fingers to the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up. 'Yes, and I 'm not saying you should give up your dorm room entirely. But your official residence must be with the family home. You will also need the La name to strengthen your position as a daughter of the house. '

A daughter of the La Clan. Maomao felt her face begin to twist into a scowl again. 'Any chance we can send the old fart back to the western capital? '

Lahan shook his head. 'Oh, no. In fact, you 're going to have to bring him on board this operation. '

'

What

?! ' Maomao spat.

'Who, exactly, do you think has the right to approve your marriage? ' Lahan crossed his arms and looked at her. 'Or the ability to check the Empress and Empress Dowager factions, for that matter? Our honored father may be the only one capable, but he will need a reason to reestablish his dominance inside the military and actually make a bigger push within the court. You are the only one who can convince him to do so. '

She slumped. Lahan 's logic was impeccable. Inescapable. And utterly impossible. 'He 'll never do it. '

'I rarely gamble, little sister, ' Lahan said gamely, ignoring Maomao 's continuing disgust with being unable to refute the address. 'The numbers are too ugly for that. But if I had to place a bet between you and our father? ' He took her hand and stood her up. 'I wouldn 't dare bet against you. '

Maomao sighed.

I 'm demanding some very expensive medicines. Either as a wedding present or a consolation prize.

'All right. ' She walked over to the bookcase, gathering the few books present, the battered letter case and her savings.

Yao came to her feet behind Maomao. 'So, that 's a 'no ' on joining us for dinner? '

'Next time, Lady Yao. For tonight, it 'll be just you and me. ' En 'en smiled, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of an uninterrupted evening with her lady.

Lahan gestured to the door. 'In the meantime, I believe you and I have a court jeweler to see. '

'Fine. ' With less than perfect grace, Maomao allowed Lakan to escort her out of the dormitories.