I'm not gonna pretend I have my thoughts in order, and this is more of an excited word storm than a proper meta-analysis
But if chapter 42 isn't all about childhood, kids, and their caretakers/parents. The chapter's title is "the cat" because, well, they find a cat, and it uses the same character used in Maomao's name η« (which literally means cat, so it's fine, but also NK could've titled the chapter kitten εη« considering they find her so young)
The very first page of the chapter has Maomao thinking about Princess Lingli's behavior at 1.5 years old, how she contrasts her behavior with the "bratty kids" sold off at the Verdigris that Maomao was forced to care for, likely locked in the brothel, forced to serve and learn the trade while in training
Compared to Lingli's mother and father giving her more freedom than what's expected even for a child of her status
Also how her future is almost set in stone by virtue of being a Princess. and all they can do is make sure she's well-prepared than to try and protect her from it.
This chapter is also the introduction of Shisui, who herself had her whole life (and the fate of the Empire) determined by Shenmei the moment she was born, and we later found out was taking abortifacients to avoid a pregnancy at all costs as Loulan
Despite the perfect opportunity to make a cat pun about Maomao and the cat, he instead says "the baby" ε(γ)θ²(γγ )γ¦,Β literally parenting/child rearing in the Japanese version
Guen who had a cat before and is also a Eunuch who can't have his own children, and Gaoshun, who's daughter really hates him.
And the fact that Maomao (the cat) ends up living at the clinic but for the sake of Princess Lingli, is the exact same as Maomao (the woman) working at the clinic for saving Lingli's life and now caring for Gyokuyou's
Maomao, who just in the previous chapter referred to herself as a mangy stray cat, now finds herself diligently caring for an actual mangy stray cat, slowly nursing her back to health. Maomao, who wasn't taken care of as a child, who didn't take good care of the small kids at the Verdigris being put in her care, is now doing the exact opposite for a child who's "doomed" (to a political marriage in 10ish years), and to a cat that represents herself
On a final note: there's A LOT in LN 3 thematically about kids and lineage and parentage and all that. the first ch (41) is about learning to write/read for your future yes, but because the characters of your name tell your story, and then it's this chapter. and we have Jinshi's jasmine tea and impotence comment, the abortificient perfume oils, all the business on the Empress Dowager, pedo Emperor, Shrine of choosing and keeping the blood of the Mother, Jinshi's true (eh) parentage, and not being a eunuch ie able to reproduce
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