Manga Chapter 005

## Caring for the Consort

**Caring for the Consort** (看病, *Kanbyou*?) is the fifth chapter of Nekokurage's *Kusuriya no Hitorigoto* manga.

## Summary

Like usual, Maomao went about her duties of food tasting. To night is do different. The Emperor's has come to visit Lady Gyokuyou and Maomao is needed. After doing her job, Maomao quietly bowed her head and slowly moved away to excuse herself from the room. But before she could leave, the Emperor raised his voice to make a request from Maomao.

*"I have a task from the herbalist from all the rumors. Lady Lihua's condition is bad. Won't you take a look at her for me?"*

Such a request from the Emperor can only be interpret as heaven's command. Maomao can only accept. And should Maomao fails to cure Lady Lihua, her head won't sit long on her shoulders. Such is the nature of dealing with the Emperor. More to it than that, the fact that the Emperor has the nerve to talk about the well being of another High Consort in front of Lady Gyokuyou just goes to show that he is truly the Emperor. Everyone is his subject and for him to use as he pleased.

With the task clear, Maomao left the Jade Pavilion and entered into the Crystal Pavilion as a court apprentice. But needless to say, she was unwelcome by many there. Not only was she a servant of a rival consort, she is of low born. This causes the personnel of the Crystal Pavilion to treat her like trash. All her attempts to exam and vitalize Lady Lihua was shut down. Maomao sigh in dismay as she counts the number of days she has left before her head falls. That is when Jinshi appears before her and offered his help. Maomao reluctantly accept.

With Jinshi's influence, Maomao is able to pass the hindering maids and made her way towards Lady Lihua. After a few seconds of examining the sick consort, Maomao turned around to glare at the maids in rage. She asked the person who was in charged of the Lady's make up. A maid came forth with an arrogant tone to proudly announce that she is the one who has the honor of making Lady Lihua beautiful. Upon hearing the answer, Maomao raises her hand in anger and slaps the maid across the face. She then drags the maid by her hair to the cosmetic cabin and pours face powder onto the crying maid's head.

The reason why Lady Lihua has not recovered was because this maid servant has been using the poison face powder on her. The very face powder that killed Lady Lihua's son and lead her to this condition in the first place. When asked by Maomao why the maid continued to use the powder despite being told that it was poison, the maid replies that Lady Lihua liked it the most. Maomao scorned at the maid once more and asked her if she could bring herself to like a poison that killed her own child. Realizing her wrong doing, the maid surrender herself in silent.

With that, Maomao release the poor maid. She then commanded the other maids to clean up the mess while she gets ready to heal Lady Lihua. Upon closer inspection, Maomao realizes that Lady Lihua is in dire condition. The lady is too weak to consume food which only further weakens her even more. With no choice, Maomao begin to force easy to digest food down Lady Lihua's mouth. After a few weeks, the lady regained a small portion of her strength and weakly ask Maomao a question. She asked Maomao why Maomao didn't let her die. Maomao replied that if the lady wanted to die, all she had to do is stop eating. And the fact that she continue to eat is proof that she wanted to live. With that answer, Lady Lihua regained her motivation to live and decides to continue on living.

After carefully tending to Lady Lihua for a month, Lady Lihua slowly regained her strength and was able to walk about on her own again. With her job done. Maomao decided to return to the Jade Pavilion. But before she left, Lady Lihua asked Maomao if it is still possible for her to get pregnant. Maomao replied that she didn't know and that the lady would have to try in order to find out. When Lady Lihua replied that she might not get visited by the Emperor anymore since she had lost the Emperor's favor, Maomao reply that Lady Lihua has her own weapons and should use that to regain the Emperor's favor.

Before Maomao leaves, she left Lady Lihua with a parting gift. More specifically, a sexual technique that she learned from the harlots at the red light district. A technique that utilizes big breast to satisfy their partner. After giving Lady Lihua her advice, Maomao return to the Jade Pavilion. And for an entire month after, the only consort the Emperor visit was Lady Lihua. When Lady Gyokuyou comments on how she could get some rest now that the Emperor is visiting less, Maomao can't help but felt guilty about the Emperor's lack of visits in the Jade Pavilion.

## Characters

* Emperor
* Gyokuyou
* Maomao
* Hongniang
* Lihua
* Jinshi