Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Chapter 1

(I want to eat open air kushiyaki…)

Maomao sighed as she gazed up at the downcast sky.

The surroundings she saw up until now had been the most beautiful, dazzling world, and now she was in the muddy dregs, wriggling in miasma.

(It's already three months huh. I wonder if dad is eating.)

The other day, she met with the kidnappers when she went to look for medicinal herbs in the forest. They were villagers with names: One, Two and Three.

It was a marriage capture, a hunt for women for the imperial court. A truly powerful and extremely bothersome marriage activity.

Well, she was getting paid. And if she worked for about two years, she might be able to return to town. Though the place of employment wasn't bad, the case depended on the person's purpose.
For Maomao whose livelihood in itself was a pharmacist, this talk was a pain for others.

To Maomao, whether the kidnappers were capturing young girls and selling them to a eunuch to earn money for their alcohol expenses, or that they were allowed their own daughters as substitutes didn't matter. No matter what reason, the fact that she got roped into this doesn’t change.

Otherwise, she would have no relation with the inner palace in this lifetime.

The suffocating scent of cosmetics and perfume wafted from the court ladies clad in beautiful clothes, their smiles thin.

It was what the pharmacist thought up. That there is no terrifying poison in the women's smiles.
That the palace where the court officials lived and prostitution quarter beneath the palace will not change. (???)

She walked towards the inside of the building with a laundry basket in her arms. The tasteless courtyard was different to the outside. It had a stone paved pool, where servants who were neither male or female washed a large amount of laundry.

It was fact that men were forbidden in the inner palace. The ones who could enter are the countries' elite noble ones and their blood relatives, and the men who lost their most important thing. Of course, the ones here are the latter.
While warped, Maomao wondered if it was done because there was a benefit to it.

Setting down the basket, she saw the rows of lined up baskets in the nearby building. It wasn't dirty laundry, just washing laid out for the sun.

She looked at the wooden tag that was attached to the basket. It had a drawing of a plant and a number on it.

Among the court ladies, there were those who couldn't read. This was because it included those who were kidnapped too. Before they were bought into the imperial palace, they were taught the minimum etiquette but not words as that was difficult. The literacy rate of girls from rural areas were a little over half.

On the topic of evil practices of the inner palace that has become overly large, the occurrence of such viciousness increased.
Although you cannot possibly compare with the previous emperor's flower garden, the current one was a large gathering that consisted of 2000 consorts and court ladies, and 3000 eunuchs altogether.

Within that, Maomao is among the lowest of maids, receiving not even government services. She especially lacked a backing shield, just like the other kidnapped girls. Well, if only she had plump body like tree peony and skin white like the full moon, then she might have the chance to serve a low consort. What Maomao had was vibrant skin covered in freckles, and limbs like a dead branch.

(Let's finish this job quickly.)

Seeing the plum flowers and "One-Seven" written on the tag of the basket, she slightly quickened her pace. She wanted to return to the room before the deep overcast sky started to rain.

The owner of the basket of laundry was Lower-ranked Consort Hin. Compared to the other low-ranked consorts, the quality of the furniture in the private room she was bestowed was gorgeous but overly extravagant. One way or other it gave in to the expectation that the owner of the room was a wealthy merchant's daughter. It is possible for those with a rank to have personal maids; consorts with low ranks are allowed two at most. Therefore, maids like Maomao who don't have a master to serve carry laundry like what she is doing right now.

Low ranked Consort Hin is permitted a personal room within the inner palace. As the location is at the edge of the palace grounds, it would be rare to catch the emperor's eyes. Even so, if ordered to attend to his bedside even once, the room can be moved. The second time had the meaning of a promotion.

On the other hand, for consort who have passed the suitable age without being chosen would have their ranks lowered, particularly when her family has no political power, and at worst, she would be bestowed. Whether that is unfortunate depends on the person; it seemed that court ladies being bestowed to eunuchs is the most fearsome.

Maomao lightly tapped the door.

"Come in from here."

Bluntly answering and opening the door was a room attendant.

Within, there was a consort with a wafting saccharine scent waving a wine cup about.
Before entering the inner palace, she was praised to have a beautiful figure.  After all, she was like a frog in a well (sheltered and close-minded). After being overpowered by the other gorgeous flowers, and breaking her nose, she hasn't left her room recently.

(The inside of the room, no one came to pick up for them.)

Maomao received the laundry from the room next door and went back to the washing area.

There is still a lot of work left.
It wasn't that she liked it. She planned to work for her pay.

Diligent as a core, that was the ex-pharmacist Maomao.

She could eventually leave if she worked obediently.
Of course not, there's no way she would be chosen.

Deplorable that it could be said that Maomao's thoughts were too optimistic.
No one knows what will happen, that is life.

As a 17-year-old girl, she had a headed by a farsighted way of thought. Even so, she had something that couldn't be restrained.

Curiosity and the thirst for knowledge.

And, a little sense of justice.

In a couple of days, Maomao will be exposed to the certain strange truth.

The serial deaths of the infants born from the inner palace.

Though it was strange to Maomao, the thing called the previous concubine’s curse was a trifling thing.

T/N: I found some phrasings were a little iffy. If someone could think of a better way to say it, that would be great.

Chapter end