Jinchi must've fallen asleep, because when he woke up, he was still holding on to Maomao's hand. His knees screaming from kneeling beside the bed for what must've been hours. Jinchi looks around, not seeing Suiren or Goshen. Jinchi muttered quietly, “You can't leave.” His voice cracking as he continues, his words a plea for this to be some sick joke. “You can't leave. I haven't given you your ox bezzor,” he says the medical ingredient, hoping that just the name of the rare ingredients would somehow resurrect Maomao. “Please,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. “Please apoth- Maomao. Please Maomao. Please just wake up. Do- Don't leave me,” he pleads, using Maomao's name for the first time.
Jinchi's pleading is cut off by the sound of screaming and the sound of a cane tapping against the floor. Jinchi turns his head towards the door, where Goshen stands guiltily. “Apologies, the Grand Commandant insisted he came in.”
Jinchi hears the sigh of an older man, seeing Maomao's adopted father Loumen step around Goshen. “Forgive my nephew. He's never handled grief well,” Loumen said, as he stepped closer to the bed, not commenting on the disastrous state Jinchi is in. Loumen sat on the bed, not commenting on how Jinchi's hand clung to Maomao's hand either. Loumen, stroked Maomao's hair, “I always knew you would get yourself killed, but I never imagined it would be so soon.” Jinchi's breath catches, he wanted to scream, to ask Loumen how he can be so heartless when his daughter just died. But when Jinchi turned to yell at the elder apothecary, he saw the tears forming in Loumen’s eyes that he was forcing not to fall.
Jinchi freezes, realizing Loumen wasn't being unemotional about this. No, the elderly apothecary was staying calm for Maomao. Jinchi could practically hear Maomao's voice complaining about them wasting tears on her. Jinchi and Loumen sat in silence for a long moment, the distant sounds of Goshen restraining Lakan in the background. Loumen's old wrinkled hands ran through Maomao's hair, his composer finally cracking some despite his best efforts, “You stupid girl, always trying to handle everything with as little help as possible. But I guess that's partially my fault, I always taught you to be independent.”
Jinchi stayed quiet, unsure if it was appropriate for him to give his two cents. After a moment of silence the moon prince finally spoke, “You raised her well, it isn't your fault. It is mine, I should've realized that it was a trap.”
Loumen looked at the moon prince, “It is not your fault. You did not know any of that would happen.”
Jinchi wants to argue, to take the blame, but an angry voice cuts him off. “OF COURSE IT'S HIS FAULT,” Lakan’s enraged voice rang out.
Loumen turns to his nephew, his voice sharp “Lakan.” Lakan's face dropped some, he hates being in trouble with Loumen, but the pain of losing his daughter hurt more than Loumen's disapproval.
Lakan's voice was quieter, “It's true. Had he just let me take my daughter back she would still be okay. Had he just let her go, she would still be alright.”
Loumen sighs at his nephew’s outburst, “Is that so? Is it his fault that Maomao was kidnapped as well? Is it his fault that Maomao chose herself to come back to the rear palace to work for him? I understand you are hurting, but you can not just blame others for things they can't control.” Lakan goes to argue but Loumen's voice sharpens as he continues, “I could say the same about you. You knew she found something, yet you let her go in alone. But I do not take my grief out on you do I?” Lakan freezes, his uncle's words hit the exact spot that hurts the most. The real reason he was thrusting the blame on to Jinchi. Lakan's own guilt was eating him alive.
Jinchi sat there silently, his fingers running over Maomao's cold and stiff hand. Lakan's words didn't hurt him because Lakan's words were exactly how Jinchi was feeling. Even though he knows logically Loumen is right, it's not his fault, his heart could only think that had he just let Maomao go she would still be alive.
