'No. '

Jinshi sighed in frustration. They 'd had fights before, but never like this one. He really hadn't anticipated that she'd respond this way. Reaching out, he toyed with her hair, 'Why are you being so stubborn about this? '

She took a few steps back, moving out of reach. Her glare didn't disappear; if anything, it intensified. It sent a thrill coursing through him, and he had to force himself to resist reaching for her again. She seethed, 'Do you have any idea the position you're putting me in? '

'Maomao, ' he growled, unable to fully contain his exasperation, 'do you really think I haven't considered all ' '

His eyes flew open. Sitting up, he glanced around. The bedchamber was dark, and he was alone. He exhaled a shaky breath, fragments of the dream still in his mind. The girl wasn't there. Try as he might, he couldn't remember what they'd been arguing about. Whatever it had been, there was a strange feeling of disappointment deep inside at the knowledge that she'd been so adamant in refusing him.

He fell back, his head hitting the pillow with an audible thump. Eyes fixed on the ceiling, confusion swirled in his mind. He 'd called her Maomao. It was her name, he 'd seen it on the paperwork he 'd signed confirming her transfer to the Jade Pavilion. It was one of the last things he'd done before calling it a night. That was probably why she'd shown up in his dream. Still, it was strange. Despite not knowing what they'd been fighting about, it felt like it had been important and certainly not anything he would normally discuss with an employee.

There in the dark, he quietly said, 'Maomao. ' The name had barely left his mouth when embarrassment caused heat to rush through him. He had no idea why he felt embarrassed, but he was certainly not going to try that again anytime soon. No, the girl 's name was best kept locked away, not to be spoken by him for the foreseeable future. With that decided, he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

***

Morning came, and he set off to do his usual round of checking on the concubines. He liked getting it done first thing, as it allowed him to have time to fulfill any requests they might have the same day as they asked. As always, Gaoshun followed. They had barely begun the trek when Jinshi heard the man clear his throat. Halting, he looked back and asked, 'Yes? '

Gaoshun looked in the direction they were headed, 'Are we not going to visit the concubines, sir? '

'That's where I 'm going. '

Gaoshun faced him, his brow furrowed, 'Are you planning to make an extra stop before we get there? '

Jinshi shook his head, 'No, it's business as usual. Is something wrong? '

'This is not the way you normally go. '

'Correct. It's such a nice morning, I thought it would be pleasant taking a longer walk than normal. '

Gaoshun gave him a dubious look, but instead of prying further, he simply nodded, 'Of course, sir. '

They resumed the walk, and Jinshi told himself that he 'd said the truth. It was a nice morning. The fresh air was pleasant. The fact that the path they were on would lead them directly through the servant 's living quarters, right past the building that the transfer form had indicated the apothecary had been residing, had barely been a factor in his decision to take the longer route. He certainly had no plans of seeking her out, but if he happened to encounter her, he wouldn't mind. Maybe she'd be in a better mood than the day before. Surely she wasn't always so prickly.

What he hadn't thought about was the fact he 'd cross paths with the lower consorts and ladies-in-waiting. A small group surrounded him, vying for his attention, and he hoped that he kept it hidden that he really didn't want to see any of them. Fortunately, all it took was a bit of charm, some light flirting, and they were all putty in his hands. Trying to disengage from them was more difficult than he'd have liked, but it wasn't surprising. He supposed it was a fitting punishment for making a change to his usual path because of a foolish notion he might happen to encounter '

The thought broke off as his ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming to a halt nearby, and he turned toward the noise. The source of it was none other than two young women. One was dressed in the servant uniform, but the other wore burgundy and green. The color suited her well, and served to emphasize the brilliant blue of her eyes. In her arms was a basket that he assumed held her belongings. He didn't even bother to excuse himself from the group. Just turned and headed straight for the girl.

Her guard wasn't up quite as much as the previous day, but it was still there. Even so, he thought it was worth the effort to at least try to charm her. If he could seduce her, even a little, she might soften and be a bit more amenable to his requests. Giving her his most winning smile, he said, 'Good morning, Apothecary. On your way to the Jade Pavilion? '

There was wariness in her eyes, as she nodded and answered, 'Yes. Was there something you needed? '

'No, I just happened to be passing through. '

Several seconds passed, and she said nothing. Just looked up at him, seeming to try to see what he really wanted. The memory of the feel of her hair in his dream came back to him, and before he could stop himself he stepped closer and touched it lightly. Almost as an afterthought, he told her, 'I 'm certain you 'll serve Lady Gyokuyou well. '

As he let her hair fall back in place, he hoped he might've broken through a little of her defenses, only to quickly discover he 'd done the exact opposite. She shuddered and looked as though she wanted to vomit. Her frame slumped, and she stalked past him with the crankiest, 'Excuse me, ' he 'd ever been given. A strange, rather pleasant tingle ran down his spine as he turned, following her rapid retreat with his eyes.

He heard annoyed mutterings from the other women. One called the girl 'so weird, ' while another scoffed at how ungrateful the she was. Rather than admonishing them sharply, he merely said, 'Now, now ladies. That hardly seems like the sort of things such lovely and intelligent women would say. ' Given how they immediately turned back into fawning creatures, he was pleased to see that his charm wasn 't malfunctioning. He spent a few more minutes complimenting and teasing them before taking his leave.

'Master, was that wise? ' Gaoshun asked as they resumed their walk.

Feigning innocence, Jinshi merely replied, 'I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about. '

Gaoshun was wise enough not to push the matter, but Jinshi felt a tiny seed of dread take root inside. The older man would likely bring it up again later, in private.

***

He saved the Jade Pavilion for his last stop. Feeling rushed in his visit was the last thing he wanted, so it seemed the best plan. As to why he wanted to take his time, that was a detail he wasn't about to examine. It certainly had nothing to do with a certain emerald-haired apothecary.

Lady Gyokuyou was in her usual high spirits. She greeted him warmly and told him that the girl had arrived a few hours earlier. 'Are you ready for me to have her summoned? She doesn't yet know she 's to be my taster, nor did I mention the test. '

He nodded, 'Feel free to send for her. '

Lady Gyokuyou looked at her ladies and requested, 'Please fetch Maomao and the meal. '

He decided to ignore the odd, tiny flutter in his stomach at hearing the girl 's name. It was nothing. Perhaps just a bit of indigestion from breakfast. Suiren was always cautioning him not to eat so fast in the mornings. He really should give her advice more heed.

The food was placed at the table, and soon after, the girl walked into the room. He was pleased to see that she greeted her new mistress with respect and a bit of softness he hadn 't seen before. When Lady Gyokuyou directed the girl 's attention to him so he could explain the job she would be doing, he saw all the softness vanish the moment her eyes landed on him. She didn't glare, nor did she smile. Her face was completely unreadable.

With warmth in his voice and a smile to match, he instructed her to take a seat, and once she obeyed, he informed her, 'You are to be Lady Gyokuyou 's new taster. She has been without a regular taster since the last experienced the effects of poison that had been slipped into her ladyship 's meal. It left the woman with numbness in her extremities. Unfortunately, it was not the first time the food had been poisoned. The meals pass through multiple hands on their way to the Jade Pavilion. Despite how careful we are, at any point poison can, and has, been introduced to the meal. '

He might have imagined it, but for just a second, it seemed that the girl brightened at the mention of poison. However, whatever he thought he saw was gone as quickly as it appeared.

The test began, and he watched her with fascination. She was completely focused on the task at hand. Each piece of food she investigated cautiously and thoroughly. He noticed that she seemed displeased with the dishes the food was served in. Normally silver was used, but in order to successfully test a prospective taster, ceramic was best. Despite that, she smiled slightly as she ate. A strange smile to be sure, but it was definitely a smile.

Several minutes passed before she set down her chopsticks and pronounced, 'This meal is free of poison. ' To his utter bafflement, she actually laughed after saying the word

poison.

His stomach was acting bizarrely, the flutters had only gotten worse the longer he focused on the girl. An entire flock of birds seemed to have taken up residence. It certainly wouldn't do to make his discomfort known to any of the ladies. Satisfied with the girl 's performance, he took his leave.

***

Back at his office, he requested ginger tea from Suiren in hopes it would soothe whatever was going on inside. Gaoshun had the decency not to comment on any of the things that had transpired during their daily rounds, and for that Jinshi was grateful. Although, later that evening, he overheard the man and Suiren discussing whether they should be concerned about the master 's fixation with his new toy.

Jinshi stopped eavesdropping. It had been easy enough to put together that they were referring to the girl. Their concerns were unnecessary, and it rankled him to hear them speak of the girl as if she were a plaything. Was he a bit intrigued by her? Certainly. But it was only because she was serving Lady Gyokuyou. It was his job to be at least a little knowledgeable about all the women who served the concubines. It was professional curiosity, pure and simple. If he heard them discussing the girl that way again, he 'd have a word with them.

Throughout the rest of the evening, he kept remembering the way the girl had glowered at him. Almost as if she found his very presence as disgusting as a meal filled with maggots. It was delightful, if he was being completely honest. He 'd never experienced anyone regard him with such complete and unadulterated loathing.

By the time he went to bed, his stomach had calmed a bit, though it was still acting up. He decided that if it hadn't stopped in a day or two, he 'd send for a physician.

He went to sleep thinking about how entrancing the girl 's glare was.

***

There was the sound of rushing water, but he wasn't sure where it was coming from. He was too focused on the person in his arms to bother to look. The girl wasn't fighting his hold, but she certainly didn't seem to be getting much enjoyment from the experience. 'Maomao, ' he pleaded, 'just listen to me. Please. '

Why was he so desperate? Why was she lifting her hands and plugging her ears? This was wrong. He needed to tell her something, but he couldn't remember what. It was so important. He had to tell her 'had to tell her '

Blinking, he came to. Early morning sunlight streamed into his room. The girl wasn 't there. It had been another dream. Making a fist, he punched the bed in frustration. Two nights with her in his dreams? What the hell was going on?

***

The morning did not improve. A package was delivered while he was eating breakfast. He shuddered when he saw the name of the consort signed to the note that came with it.

Enjoy!

was the entirety of her message.

It wasn't the first time he'd received such a gift, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. The woman would have to be dealt with. If the Emperor knew she was trying to gain another 's affection, there would be hell to pay.

He glared at the box as he finished his breakfast. The annoyances of his job were a small price to pay if it kept him from having to resume the role he 'd been born into. Even so, that morning he really wasn 't in the mood for the silly nonsense of the more vapid members of the Inner Court.

When Suiren cleared his dishes away, she looked at the box, 'Shall I dispose of that like usual? '

He almost took her up on the offer, but then an idea came to him. Shaking his head, he said, 'No, I think I 'll hold onto it. It will make for an interesting experiment. '

She served him with a look typically reserved for when he was at his most petulant. 'This experiment had better not involve any part of what's in that box being consumed by you. '

He rolled his eyes, but her admonishment had managed to raise his spirits a little. 'Don 't worry, I have no intention of being the one to consume it. '

'Well, that 's something, I suppose. Though, I best not find out you have given it to any young ladies. I won't have you being a cad on my watch. '

That actually made him laugh, 'Suiren, I swear that I have nothing so despicable in mind. '

She studied him for a few seconds, then seemed to decide he wasn't lying. She left the room with the dishes, but paused in the doorway to say, 'Well, I certainly hope not. Your mother will be very disappointed if you do. '

He didn't let his face fall until after the woman had left. She only mentioned his mother that way when she wanted to make sure he got the point. The subject of his parents wasn't exactly what he 'd call off-limits, but it was messy, and he preferred not to think about it most of the time. There were too many questions that he had too few answers for. Someday he might try to find those answers, but it was certainly not going to be this day. No, for this day, he had something else in mind that would be much more entertaining.

He stood, gave the box to Gaoshun, and they headed out for their daily rounds.

***

When they arrived at the Jade Pavilion, Lady Gyokuyou received him with her usual warmth. He took a seat at the table, and glanced around the room. Every one of her ladies-in-waiting was present, except for the one he actually needed to see. To his frustration, before that morning, he 'd been unable to come up with any reason why he could speak with her without causing the rumor mill to spring to life. It had been days since he 'd last seen her, since she had not been required to be present with the other ladies when her mistress received his visits. He turned his attention back to Lady Gyokuyou. She was eyeing him with a knowing smile that gave him a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. 'Were you needing to speak with Maomao? ' she asked.

The question was innocent enough, but he could hear the things she wasn't saying. Rather than give her any satisfaction by rising to the bait, he simply nodded, kept his tone casual, and explained, 'I do need to make use of her tasting abilities, if you are amenable to that. '

'Certainly. She is quite talented. Far be it from me to rob you of the pleasure of her company. ' She glanced away to her ladies and requested that the girl be fetched.

Jinshi felt hot all over as Lady Gyokuyou fixed her attention on him again. He couldn 't quite look at her. He hoped his cheeks weren 't burning bright red. They certainly felt like they 'd been set on fire. And to his horror, the weird flutters in his stomach had surged the moment the girl 's name had been mentioned. While they waited, Lady Gyokuyou suddenly spoke without intentionally directing her words at anyone, 'It 's always a good idea to keep breathing. Sometimes it can feel so stuffy in here, and it can be easy to overheat. ' Her gaze slid back to him as she added, 'Just remember to keep breathing. '

Next thing he knew, the girl had walked into the room and greeted Lady Gyokuyou, asking, 'You requested me, my lady? '

Lady Gyokuyou laughed a little as she answered, 'Actually, he did. '

The girl looked up. Their eyes met. He gave her one of the smiles that never failed, and she barely concealed her shudder. The disdain in her glare suddenly had him doubting himself. Was he broken? He looked over at the other ladies-in-waiting, flashed them the same smile, and was rewarded with the reaction he had anticipated from the girl. ' What was the problem? Why were his charms completely failing when it came to her?

'How may I serve you? ' she asked.

At least she wasn 't going to give him the silent treatment, that had to count for something, he told himself. Producing the box, he set it on the table in front of her and removed the lid. He adjusted the details of where it had come from. It would be unwise to say who had actually sent it, especially in the room he was currently in. 'I received these earlier from a certain military officer. Can you taste them? '

She walked the rest of the way to the table, with only the smallest hesitation in her movements. Reaching into the box, she removed one of the soft buns. Breaking it open, she raised it to her nose and took a whiff. A moment later, she looked up. The glare had morphed into something closer to mild surprise mixed with curiosity. 'It has an aphrodisiac in it, ' she informed him.

He was stunned, 'You can tell? Just by smell? '

She shrugged, as if it wasn 't that impressive of a feat. 'It 's not harmful. You 're welcome to eat one if you like. '

On the list of things he had no intention of doing, that was currently at the top. 'No, considering who sent them, I can 't do that. '

'It 's possible whoever sent them might decide to pay you a visit tonight, ' the girl muttered.

He decided to ignore that. Instead, he again asked, 'You knew just by the smell? '

Her shudder was impossible to ignore. She mumbled something, but it was so quiet, he couldn 't make it out. Given the way she burst out laughing, Lady Gyokuyou must 've. Frankly, it was a bit annoying to be left out of the joke. Especially since he had a feeling he might 've been the butt of it. Was this what life was like for normal people? The whole interaction threw him, and he didn 't hide his irritation well as he normally would 've. Directing his attention back to the girl, he spoke, tone a bit more clipped than necessary, 'I have another question. '

She was wary again. Did she really find the things he said to be that worrisome? She gave him a small nod, and asked, 'What is it? '

He proceeded to relay details of a report he 'd received regarding a regiment of soldiers that had fallen ill. The general consensus was that the villagers had poisoned them. At the word

poison

the girl perked up. The glare and wariness were nowhere to be found. She was completely focused on what he was saying. When he finished providing the key details, including the symptoms, she turned contemplative, gaze fixed somewhere far away.

Several seconds passed before she looked at him again, 'Poison would be the natural assumption, based upon what you 've told me. Master Jinshi, do you know where they were eating? '

'At their camp. Most likely they were sitting outside. '

She nodded, 'And where did the chopsticks and plates come from? Did the villagers provide those? '

He shook his head, 'Not as far as I know. Those are included in the soldiers ' equipment. '

'I see, ' she murmured, before turning away from him and walking to a vase that contained some blossoms.

This was certainly the most pleasant discussion they 'd had, and he hoped she hadn 't decided to pull back in on herself, which was why he prompted her to continue by asking, 'Did you think of something? '

She turned back toward him, a light pink petal clasped between her fingertips. Studying it, she said, 'Yes, though it might not mean anything. ' Popping the petal in her mouth, she began to chew. After a few seconds, she paused chewing, though he noticed she hadn 't swallowed. She said, 'This is from the rhododendron. Eating it can cause nausea and difficulty breathing. ' With that she resumed chewing.

He was on his feet in a moment and was about to dash over and remove the plant from her mouth. That proved to be unnecessary, given she removed it and placed it in the cloth she was supposed to use in case she encountered poison while tasting. She resumed her explanation with a calmness that was jarring, given the fact he 'd just watched her poison herself. 'Even here, there are plants that are poisonous. Some have the poison in the leaves, such as the one I just showed you, others contain it in the roots or the branches. How the poison is released can vary. There are even certain kinds of wood that are safe, unless you set them on fire. '

She said no more, and he thought over what he 'd just heard. The pieces began to fall into place, and while he acknowledged it was just a theory, it was quite good. 'I see, ' he told her, hoping she understood he 'd put together what she 'd been suggesting.

'It 's fortunate that there was at least one soldier present who remained calm, otherwise the entire village might 've been lost, ' she told him, referring to one of the details he 'd given regarding how the soldiers had responded to the perceived threat.

'Indeed, ' he agreed.

She bowed her head and said, 'If there 's nothing else, I 'll take my leave. '

That was the last thing he wanted, especially since she was finally talking to him. 'Hold on, ' he said.

She looked up again, 'Yes? '

'Can you make aphrodisiacs? '

It was a dangerous question, considering the way she 'd responded minutes earlier to the food with the aphrodisiac he 'd asked her to taste. He held his breath, wondering just how severe her glare was going to be, and trying not to think about the fact he hoped it would be exceptionally brutal.

A few seconds passed before her eyes lit up. She absolutely beamed at him, and he felt a little woozy at the sight. It lasted a few short moments before calming, though her voice was much more upbeat than it had been as she explained it wouldn 't be difficult, provided she had the correct tools and ingredients available to her.

The feeling in his stomach was overpowering, and he decided it was time to make a hasty departure. 'I 'll make sure everything you 've requested is available to you as soon as possible, ' he assured the apothecary.

'Thank you, Master Jinshi. '

He bid them all farewell and forced himself not to run from the pavilion. A few minutes after leaving, his stomach started to calm. That was good. He had meetings all afternoon that would likely take up the rest of his day, and not being distracted by something as insignificant as weird feelings in his stomach was preferable.

***

It was quite late when he headed back to his office. The walk was uneventful, except for a young woman who stepped out of her room and made an attempt to lure him in for tea. A wave of revulsion crashed over him. It was more difficult than usual to turn on the charm and politely decline the invitation. The rest of the walk, he tried to figure out why it had been so disgusting. It was certainly not the first time he 'd been propositioned like that. He never enjoyed it, but it had never made his skin crawl the way it just had.

Gaoshun waited until they were back in the office to bring up what had happened. Jinshi acknowledged that it would have to be dealt with sooner, rather than later. The apothecary 's glare appeared in his memory. Strangely, it was almost soothing to think about. 'She 's not attracted to me at all. And the way she looked at me ' ' Fondness for the young woman overwhelmed him, and he laughed, 'I 've never had someone look at me so harshly in my life. '

He got lost in thought, wondering how soon he could experience it again. The thrill of the experience was almost intoxicating. He wanted more, so much more. He'd never encountered anything quite like it.

The door to his office shut, and pulled him back to the present. Gaoshun had left, and Jinshi was alone. It wasn 't the worst thing. He was rather glad to have a few moments alone to think about that intriguing young woman. The conversation earlier in the day replayed in his memory, and horror gripped him as he remembered the girl saying,

That person might visit you tonight.

Damn it. That was the absolute last thing he needed after the day he 'd had. Personally, he didn 't find it funny at all, it confused him that the concubine had. He dashed across the room and securely locked the door.

Back at his desk, he attempted to turn his attention to the mountain of paper that never seemed to shrink, no matter how hard he worked. His subconscious had other ideas and continued to flood him with memories of how the girl had looked at him, how she had spoken. The way she had said his name. ' Of everything from that visit, it was peculiar that had made such an impression on him. Was it terrible he 'd liked it so much? Surely not. It couldn 't be. Him liking it meant absolutely nothing. Not a single solitary thing.

She was a good employee. Quite intelligent. Initially, he 'd been surprised to learn she was only a year younger than himself. She was so tiny, he 'd thought there was at least five years between them. After speaking with her earlier that day, it seemed impossible she wasn 't at least a decade older than him.

Should he be concerned that he 'd spent most of the time in the meetings brainstorming ways to get more time with her? Probably not. After all, he hadn 't been thinking of anything salacious, nothing that might give people cause to question her reputation. On top of that, her dislike of him was quite obvious to anyone with even half a brain. He was quite certain that if he suggested something that might be even remotely intimate she 'd probably use that extensive knowledge of poisons and medicine to make him regret being so brazen.

There was no way they 'd ever find themselves in a situation like the one from his dream. She would never be in his arms. If, by some strange twist of fate she did, he doubted he 'd continue having arms. She probably had a secret supply of acid that dissolved flesh.

Why had he even thought of that? He 'd never thought of anything like that about any other woman. It certainly didn 't make sense that he had thought about it regarding the one woman in the country who despised him so much, she 'd probably bite him without mercy.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He liked the idea of her biting him a bit too much. Not only that, he started to think about biting her, and there was a certain appeal to the idea. Either of them biting each other was so far out of the realm of reality, he decided he was just tired and possibly incredibly delusional.

The girl was nothing more than an intriguing, intelligent employee who had skills that would be very useful.

There would be absolutely no biting. Not now. Not ever.

It was fine. Everything was completely fine.