🌊⋆｡𖦹 °.🐚⋆❀˖°🫧 The outer palace was always hustling. With eunuchs, serving girls, low ranked concubines and more, you were always busy. With your recent arrival to the palace for diplomatic work you were focused on making connections. That’s how you made money. Though you didn’t need money since you were a royal back in London. Not a lot of people knew only higher ups. You didn’t even know who was in and out your pavilion, with it being brand new and needing some repairs to fit the London aesthetic. And the simple fact people brought welcome gifts. After getting accustomed to the high ranking concubines, officials, and a little with the emperor you felt you could relax.

One evening you were having tea with Lady Gyokuyou and talking like normal. You were having a good time until you saw a little hairpin in her hair. It was one you recently lost! You thought it got lost in the travel but here it was sitting in a high concubines head. You stared for a moment before blurting out, “My lady where did you get that pin?”

Lady Gyokuyou paused and looked up, she reached up and took the hairpin out her hair and showed it to you. Confirming your suspicions, “Your highness, It was sold to me.. by the special envoy, do you recognize it?” *Lady Gyokuyou says as she placed the pin on the table. You nod your head and furrowed your brows confused, “I remember that in my dresser a few nights ago.. how’d it get here?” you mumbled confused

Then you realized you truly couldn’t trust everyone in your pavilion. You simply hired them off a week’s worth of travel and didn’t know anyone, only your head lady in waiting since she came from London with you. One of them could have pawned it off. Or a eunuch could have came and took it. Either way you were alert. Lady Gyokuyou being ever so helpful let you borrow MaoMao for this case.

Unfortunately with MaoMao came Lahan. You don’t know how it happened but Lahan needed an assistant for some finance work. MaoMao knew how to sugarcoat while Lahan did not. Lahan wasn’t willing to let his talker go for free so he followed.

Now you three sat in a carriage heading to the civil offices. You sat comfortably, getting rides instead of walking was something you experienced daily. But MaoMao and Lahan weren’t as used to it.. they were under the impression you were some girl from London who happened to be a diplomat. They didn’t know that you were apart of the royal family there. Soon Lahan spoke up, “Okay I’ll bite. Why did we get a carriage?” MaoMao stared out the window trying to act like she wasn’t there. MaoMao already had her suspicions, hence why she didn’t ask anything..