#maamei

TAD inktober 1: Tea

He's Basen's milk brother, they grew up and trained together, and the two are still close today. Gaoshun treats him like one of his own sons. Maamei is not afraid to push back and give him advice even when it's technically above her station as a woman, and Jinshi (being who he is) sees no issues with this because of how much he respects (and fears) her. Chue is not afraid to goof around and tease him in relation to his love of Maomao (as long as Suiren and Taomei aren't around). The antisocial Baryou can talk to him just fine (albeit in part because he sees him as a level above human, but that's just Baryou). And Jinshi knows damn well how scary Taomei (who nursed him alongside Basen) can be, just like Basen and Baryou.

The Ma clan can't ever be his "friends," per se, because as part of this society, they're required to be "servants" who don't forget their place. They're only in the Moon Prince's orbit because they were born to be. And yet, like the preordained marriages of Gaoshun/Taomei and Baryou/Chue, they've found some affection for one another anyway. As evidenced by the many other awful people we've seen, it could've easily been an incompetent prince and his band of corrupt and/or bureaucratic and/or boring-af lackeys (the Western capital provided a great contrast), but it's not. They're all fairly good, smart (sans Basen), upstanding people with vibrant personalities ("characterful," as Maomao would put it) all doing remarkably well to navigate the difficulties of this time in history. Jinshi is so lucky to have the Ma clan, and the Ma clan is so lucky to have him and each other.

The Ma clan is my favorite group of characters in the whole story, and in my mind, I always include Jinshi (one of my favorite characters) as an honorary part of it. There's some excellent Ma clan fanart I've seen ("are the kids alright?" by @sporadora, The Ma Kids! by @vsettacrescellie) that rightfully includes Jinshi. And as I've discussed before, Lishu's coming in as well and I really can't wait to see how that goes, Jinshi interactions included, 'cuz Lishu's awesome and she deserves this relatively (considering the era) warm and caring family.

I finally got my copy of the Apothecary Diaries Artbook! I really adore Touko Shino's art and it's wonderful to see the light novel's art on such a big canvas.

It contains almost all light novel art, including two-page spreads of memorable moments like the Jinmao hug (Vol.12).

There are also additional portraits like this gorgeous Maomao art:

The stunning princesses of the Verdigris House:

And even this illustration for Pocari Sweat:

We also have various character designs (Jinshi, Maomao, Chue and the fearsome Taomei and Maamei):

Plus other assorted illustrations:

Light novel 6 and 14 spoilers?

One day I will write a fic about Basen becoming a father and having to grapple with how his strength prevents him from being able to parent like his own did.

Gaoshun, Taomei and Maamei all use physical punishment to discipline Basen. I want to write about how he doesn't continue that style of child-raising, because he literally CAN'T if he wants to ensure his child's safety, not with his monstrous strength. Lishu isn't the type of be physical with discipline either, so I’d really like to explore how they'll navigate being parents.

No one can tell them "just smack the kid" cuz they know that Basen can't, and Lishu’s personality and upbringing will keep them from telling HER to do it. and as long as Basen has a daughter FIRST, I think he won't want to physically punish any of his children at all.

He’ll struggle with a male child, even if it's not his firstborn, because of his notion that a man has to take the punch and stuff that we see in light novel 14, but I think that he'll grow to be a really good dad in the long run...