Manga Chapter 008

## The Garden Banquet ③

**The Garden Banquet ③** (園遊会 (その③), *Enyuukai (その③)*?) is the eighth chapter of Nekokurage's *Kusuriya no Hitorigoto* manga.

## Summary

After Maomao declared that the broth was poison she rushes to rinse her mouth with water. That is where Jinshi meets her to check that Maomao is aright. She accidentally greets him with a smile due to the excitement of having the first taste of poison in ages. Jinshi looked disapprovingly to Maomao as he watches the happy Maomao turns her face back into the emotionless one.

After Maomao explains that she left the banquet for the reason that it would be frown upon if a food taster was enjoying the poisoned dish.

Jinshi then dragged Maomao to the Physician. Maomao then feels disappointed that she did not get to swallow the broth and starts fantasizes about the numbness she would have had if she did. Maomao then asks Jinshi if he could save the leftover broth for her which Jinshi denied it for the sake of Maomao's health and well being.

Jinshi then reveals that Maomao looked so well after the poison that someone else had to try it to make sure it was not just a lie. Maomao suggests that he take a dose of Maomao's Emetic which would make you feel like your stomach is flipping inside out. Jinshi denied that as well being that they had their own physician that can help.

Maomao then notices the new hairpin in Jinshi's hair and tired look he carried. Maomao starts to think he was indecently engaged somewhere else.

Maomao stares at Jinshi and thinks about how he looks like a young man. Jinshi noticing the stare asks if she wants anything. Maomao then replied with a request to see someone.

Jinshi and Maomao then meet Consort Lishu in his office as a result of the Minister being poisoned. Jinshi apologizes bringing back the heavenly maiden. Consort Lishu then replies with hearts in her eyes that it is fine and that she does not mind at all. Jinshi then tells her that the person who wants to see her is Maomao. Consort then asks what Maomao wants with a annoyed look and itching her arm.

Maomao suddenly says excuse me as she pushes up the Consort's sleeve up to reveal rashes on her arm. Lishu then pulls back her arm and looks ashamed. Maomao then reveals that Lishu can't eat fish and shellfish. Jinshi asked Maomao to explain in a way everyone can understand. Maomao then explains that there are people that have food that they cannot eat. It can be anything from eggs to wheat to peanuts. Maomao then reveals that she cannot eat soba noodles.

Jinshi and Gaoshun looked surprised that is what Maomao can't eat seeing that she eats poison. Maomao explains that she had tried eating them once but her chest went tight and it was hard for her to breath. Even with a small amount she got a rash. Maomao found it too slow to heal to see what amount she could handle. Consort Lishu looked afraid hearing this.

Maomao then acquired about the Consort's health asking about if she was having cramps or was nauseous. Maomao suggested that she could make a laxative if she was unwell. Lishu looking embarrassed shook her head.

Maomao then offered her a seat. Maomao then talked about how the banquet was made by the cooks who serve the inner court. Lady Gyokuyo is not very picky with her food so she will eat what the emperor does. Maomao then recalls that the vingared salad that she was served was made with different ingredients then normal.

Maomao then made a claim that the meals for Lishu and Gyokuyo were switched. Maomao asks to clarify that the exact foods that Lishu can't eat are Mackerel and Abalone. Lishu nods which made the lady-in-waiting next to Lishu pale. Maomao then goes on to say that people who have foods that they can't eat but Lishu was lucky that it was just hives. It could have been heart failure or made it hard to breathe. If someone knowing this served it to Lishu it could be the same as them trying to kill you.

Everyone's faces went dark as Maomao said that it could cost the high consorts life. Maomao then asked the lady-in-waiting next to Lishu if she was the food taster. The Lady-in-waiting said she was. Maomao then explained if the consort was going to eat such things to make sure she throws up as fast as possible or making sure that she did not eat them at all. Maomao had a dark face on the second half of that sentence.

The lady-in-waiting looked at the floor knowing what she did was wrong. Maomao got something from what was on top of the table and stated that before they came that Maomao had wrote down some key points and warnings to keep in mind so this would not happen again. Maomao made it easy to follow though. If the lady-in-waiting even failed once it could lead to a issue that not even the physician can save. The lady-in-waiting looked terrified at Maomao. Maomao handed her the list with a threatening face and warned her to take care and never forget that. The lady-in-waiting trembled with fear and took the list nodding.

Both the consort and the lady-in-waiting then left.

Jinshi then patted Maomao on the shoulder saying well done. Maomao looked annoyed and asked that he not touch someone of humble birth like that. Jinshi replied with no one else has complained. Maomao stated that they were just being polite while pushing the hand off of her. Jinshi looked annoyed.

Maomao afterward started to dismiss herself to go to consort Gyokuyou to make her report. Jinshi then stopped her and asked her why did Maomao ask for the food taster to join us?. Maomao questioned what Jinshi meant. Jinshi replied telling Maomao to stop playing dumb. Maomao had asked for the attendant specifically. Maomao responded with that she just wanted to give her the message. Jinshi then asked do you blame the servers to be at fault. Maomao then answered that its not for a mere lady's maid to speak on that. Both of them went silent. Jinshi broke it by asking if Jinshi was thinking right that the person who was suppose to be poisoned today was Lishu the virtuous consort.

Maomao then looked down and said If there were no other poisoned dishes that it would look so.

## Characters

* Maomao
* Hongniang
* Yinghua
* Ailan
* Guiyuan
* Lihaku
* Gyokuyou
* Jinshi
* Gaoshun
* Lishu
* Kanan

## Notes

* Soba Noodles are a noodles founded in Japan made from Buckwheat and either are chilled in dipping sauce or are hot noodle soup