# Season 1
# E1 - Maomao
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GMKUXQ2VM/maomao)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:37] Luomen**
Maomao.
**[01:39] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[01:41] Luomen**
Could you deliver some medicine
to the Verdigris House?
**[01:44] Maomao**
Yeah, got it, Dad.
**[01:48] Luomen**
Be careful out there.
Kidnappings are on the rise.
**[01:52] Maomao**
I'll be fine. I'll stop by
the herb plot on my way back.
**[01:56] Luomen**
Yes, please do.
**[01:58] Maomao**
I'm off!
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[02:22] Old Lady**
Huh, is this all you've got?
**[02:25] Customer**
It's my life savings! I beg you!
**[02:31] Old Lady**
This is a non-starter.
**[02:34] Customer**
That must be Pairin, one of the famous
Three Princesses of the Verdigris House!
**[02:38] Old Lady**
If you want to gawk, pay up!
**[02:49] Maomao**
Hmm, it's taking too long to heal.
**[02:51] Maomao**
I'll tweak the recipe some.
**[02:52] Pairin**
Oh, Maomao!
**[02:55] Maomao**
Hey, Pairin.
**[02:56] Pairin**
Hey, you have more wounds again!
**[03:00] Maomao**
It's just my usual drug experiments.
**[03:03] Pairin**
Are you eating well?
**[03:05] Maomao**
You seem to be very well nourished, as always.
**[03:08] Old Lady**
Maomao!
**[03:09] Old Lady**
You'd better not be setting off explosions
again for your so-called experiments!
**[03:16] Old Lady**
Or, would you like to start
a career as a courtesan?
**[03:19] Maomao**
Yikes!
**[03:20] Maomao**
Granny, I left your meds here!
**[03:22] Old Lady**
Say hi to your old man for me. Sheesh.
**[03:25] Joka**
Did I just hear Maomao's voice?
**[03:27] Meimei**
Hey, where's Maomao?
**[03:29] Pairin**
She took off.
**[03:31] Maomao**
* That shrewd old bag, always trying*
* to make me a courtesan...*
**[03:50] Maomao**
*Could it be? Kidnappers?!*
**[03:58] Maomao**
Dad's gonna be really worried...
**[04:18] Guen**
The prince is born!
**[04:20] Guen**
Congratulations, Lady Lihua!
**[04:30] Hongniang**
The prince was born safely.
**[04:33] Gyokuyou**
I see. Wonderful.
***SIGN*** Three months later
***SIGN*** Episode 1: Maomao
**[04:48] Maomao**
I want meat skewers from a stall...
**[04:52] Maomao**
I wonder if Dad's eating properly.
**[04:57] Maomao**
* I'm not sure if I was sold off or ransomed,*
* but annoyingly, it's already been three months.*
**[05:04] Maomao**
The palace and the brothels are really similar.
**[05:07] Maomao**
If I had a choice, I'd have nothing to do
with the rear palace, ever. But...
**[05:12] Maomao**
Well, what can I do, now that I'm here?
**[05:15] Maomao**
I was living a pretty good life
as an apothecary, and now...
**[05:21] Maomao**
* The rear palace is a garden of women*
* who are to give birth to the emperor's children.*
**[05:25] Maomao**
*No men are allowed to enter.*
**[05:28] Maomao**
* The only people allowed in here*
* are the emperor, his kin,*
**[05:33] Maomao**
* and eunuchs, "formerly male" individuals*
* who lost an important part of their body.*
**[05:39] Maomao**
* It's a huge collective of two thousand*
* concubines and servants,*
**[05:42] Maomao**
*and one thousand eunuchs.*
**[05:45] Maomao**
* Unlike the high, mid,*
* and low-ranking concubines,*
**[05:49] Maomao**
* we serving girls are expendable*
* and can lose our lives at any moment.*
**[05:56] Maomao**
* Next in line are the shut-in,*
* low-ranking concubines.*
**[05:58] Maomao**
*I guess, at the very least, I get paid.*
**[06:02] Xiaolan**
Hey, Maomao...
**[06:04] Xiaolan**
Do you know which room this plate is for?
**[06:07] Maomao**
Oh. This one is Wisteria-9, so over there.
**[06:11] Xiaolan**
Thank you!
**[06:14] Maomao**
*Many of the servants are illiterate.*
**[06:17] Maomao**
*In order to work in the rear palace,*
**[06:19] Maomao**
* they're taught the bare minimum*
* essentials of etiquette.*
**[06:22] Maomao**
* But reading and writing*
* is a whole different story.*
**[06:25] Maomao**
* The raise I would get for being literate*
* would just get swiped by my kidnappers.*
**[06:32] Maomao**
* That said, even servants like us*
* could become low-ranking concubines.*
**[06:36] Maomao**
*What's key is...*
**[06:39] Maomao**
*Looks.*
**[06:41] Maomao**
*Freckles.*
**[06:42] Maomao**
*Flat.*
**[06:44] Maomao**
* Given my skin-and-bones look,*
* that's not applicable to me.*
**[06:53] Maomao**
* If I stood out, my life would be*
* at risk. I'm better off just laying low.*
**[06:59] Maomao**
* All I have to do is work hard.*
* I'll be out in two years.*
**[07:04] Maomao**
I need a drink.
**[07:09] Xiaolan**
Hey, did you hear?
**[07:10] Maomao**
Huh?
**[07:11] Xiaolan**
I heard there's a super beautiful
eunuch in the central area.
**[07:15] Xiaolan**
Everyone's been talking about him!
**[07:18] Maomao**
I see.
**[07:19] Xiaolan**
I'd like to get a glimpse of him,
if he's so handsome!
**[07:23] Xiaolan**
Am I right?
**[07:25] Maomao**
A eunuch, huh?
**[07:55] Gaoshun**
She has lost much weight.
**[07:57] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[08:04] Gyokuyou**
Xiaoling...
**[08:06] Jinshi**
I'm sorry, the physician is busy
attending to the prince.
**[08:13] Gyokuyou**
I see...
**[08:17] Servant A**
They're only three months and six months old, right?
**[08:19] Servant B**
Yeah, both the prince and Princess Lingli...
**[08:24] Xiaolan**
Is it really a curse?!
**[08:27] Maomao**
What are you talking about?
**[08:28] Xiaolan**
You didn't hear, Maomao?
**[08:30] Xialoan**
The entire rear palace
is buzzing about this rumor.
**[08:34] Xiaolan**
The deaths of all the heirs
born in the rear palace!
**[08:38] Xiaolan**
All three of the emperor's children
born so far grew weak and passed away!
**[08:43] Xiaolan**
Doesn't that seem weird?!
**[08:45] Maomao**
All three?
**[08:46] Xiaolan**
And it looks like the same
thing's happening now.
**[08:49] Maomao**
You mean they're unwell?
**[08:50] Xiaolan**
Yes! And this time, the doctor went to visit
both Lady Gyokuyou and Lady Lihua!
**[08:58] Maomao**
Huh...
**[08:59] Xiaolan**
The emperor doesn't have an empress
consort, so that makes Lady Lihua,
**[09:02] Xiaolan**
who gave birth to the prince,
the empress consort, right?!
**[09:05] Maomao**
Naturally, I guess.
**[09:07] Maomao**
Since there is no empress consort,
**[09:10] Maomao**
Concubine Lihua gave birth to the prince,
**[09:11] Maomao**
so she should be considered
the top of the rear palace.
**[09:14] Xiaolan**
But then, rumor says the emperor
favors Lady Gyokuyou.
**[09:19] Xiaolan**
They say that could be
related to the curse, too.
**[09:23] Maomao**
A power struggle...
**[09:26] Xiaolan**
Lady Lihua might be worse off,
since the doctor is always with her.
**[09:32] Maomao**
Lady Lihua herself is sick, too?
**[09:34] Xiaolan**
Yeah, mother and child both.
Head and stomach aches.
**[09:37] Xiaolan**
Nausea too, I think.
**[09:41] Maomao**
Headache, stomachache, nausea...
**[09:45] Xiaolan**
It *has* to be a curse!
**[09:49] Maomao**
Curses are stupid.
**[09:52] Xiaolan**
Huh?
**[09:58] Maomao**
Headache, stomachache, nausea...
**[10:01] Maomao**
Poison is a possibility.
**[10:03] Maomao**
No, if it's over the position of imperial heir,
**[10:05] Maomao**
it doesn't make sense to go after the princess.
**[10:07] Maomao**
Deliberate poisoning is low on the list of possibilities.
**[10:10] Maomao**
Could an illness be more likely?
**[10:14] Maomao**
Perhaps something hereditary?
**[10:18] Maomao**
Why am I taking a rumor so seriously?
**[10:22] Maomao**
It's all just conjecture.
**[10:26] Maomao**
But still...
**[10:29] Maomao**
I guess I can take a quick peek.
**[10:36] Maomao**
Given this is where all the high-ranked
concubines' pavilions are,
**[10:39] Maomao**
every building is exquisite,
right down to the individual pillars.
**[10:47] Lihua**
It's your fault!
**[10:48] Yinghua**
Lady Gyokuyou!
**[10:50] Lihua**
You're trying to curse my son,
because your child is a daughter!
**[10:54] Gyokuyou**
You know that's absurd!
**[10:58] Gyokuyou**
My Xiaoling is sick, too!
**[11:01] Eunuch A**
Lady Lihua is furious.
**[11:04] Eunuch B**
I feel sorry for Lady Gyokuyou.
**[11:06] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi...
**[11:10] Gyokuyou**
That's why I'd like you to examine
my daughter's state, as well.
**[11:14] Guen**
Yes... Well... Um...
**[11:16] Maomao**
* Is that flustered eunuch*
* in the middle the physician?*
**[11:20] Maomao**
*What a stupid quack.*
**[11:22] Maomao**
* He seriously still hasn't noticed? After*
* spending all that time near the concubines?*
**[11:27] Maomao**
*Or rather...*
**[11:28] Maomao**
*Maybe he really doesn't know?*
**[11:31] Maomao**
* Death of the infants.*
* Headache, stomachache, nausea.*
**[11:35] Maomao**
* And most of all, how*
* Lady Lihua seems so worn out.*
**[11:39] Maomao**
*As I thought, this is no curse.*
**[11:43] Maomao**
*The only issue is, how do I tell them?*
**[11:46] Maomao**
*If only I could find something to write with...*
**[12:31] Maomao**
*Barely a month passed before word got around*
**[12:34] Maomao**
*that the prince had passed away.*
**[12:41] Gyokuyou**
It seems like you have a question for me.
**[12:45] Jinshi**
Is that...
**[12:47] Gyokuyou**
The day I visited the Crystal Pavilion
to ask to have my daughter examined,
**[12:52] Gyokuyou**
I found this on the windowsill,
tied to this branch.
**[12:58] Jinshi**
A rhododendron.
**[13:00] Gyokuyou**
"The white face powder is poison.
Don't let the baby touch it."
**[13:05] Gyokuyou**
It truly is a sin to be ignorant.
**[13:08] Jinshi**
The palace physician would not take
such a roundabout approach.
**[13:12] Gyokuyou**
Agreed. He never could seem
to figure out how to treat the prince.
**[13:17] Jinshi**
Who could have sent this message?
**[13:20] Gyokuyou**
I'd like you to find out.
**[13:27] Jinshi**
*Coming to think of it, back then...*
**[13:30] (Flashback) Maomao**
If only I could find something to write with...
**[13:37] Jinshi**
Understood.
**[13:39] Jinshi**
May I keep this for the time being?
**[13:48] Xiaolan**
I heard the emperor is visiting
Lady Gyokuyou a lot,
**[13:51] Xiaolan**
to show his love for
the surviving princess.
**[13:54] Maomao**
What about Lady Lihua?
**[13:56] Xiaolan**
Haven't heard anything about her.
**[13:59] Maomao**
How convenient.
**[14:01] Eunuch C**
Oh, there you are.
**[14:04] Eunuch C**
You are to report to the Matron
of the Serving Women immediately.
**[14:08] Xiaolan**
You're being summoned?
**[14:10] Maomao**
For what, I wonder?
**[14:12] Eunuch C**
All right, all of you who've
gathered here, head inside.
**[14:17] Maomao**
* Serving girls getting summoned by*
* the high officials can't be good news...*
**[14:23] Maomao**
*Or do they just want more workers?*
**[14:36] Jinshi**
Thank you all for coming.
**[14:43] Maomao**
*Who is this arrogant-looking woman?*
**[14:49] Jinshi**
I am Jinshi, manager of the rear palace.
**[14:57] Maomao**
*That's a man?*
**[14:58] Maomao**
* Ah, that must be the good-looking*
* eunuch that Xiaolan was talking about.*
**[15:04] Maomao**
* That's a waste. He's so handsome,*
* but he can't have children.*
***SIGN*** You with the freckles, stay here
**[15:12] Maomao**
*Huh? Freckles? Stay...?*
**[15:16] Maomao**
*Oh, no!*
**[15:20] Jinshi**
We're done here. You may
all return to your rooms.
**[15:23] Servant 1**
Huh?
**[15:24] Servant 2**
What was that about?
**[15:26] Maomao**
*Did I do something to get attention?!*
**[15:29] Maomao**
*Wait, did the message from the other day...*
**[15:32] Maomao**
*Ah!*
**[15:33] Maomao**
*I'm the only servant here who can read!*
**[15:36] Maomao**
*He wrote that just now to single me out!*
**[15:39] Maomao**
*Oh no, I have to get out!*
**[15:41] Jinshi**
Come now, I just told you to stay.
**[15:46] Jinshi**
Just keep quiet and follow me.
**[15:54] Maomao**
*It was a trap...*
**[15:56] Jinshi**
This is odd. I looked you up.
It said you couldn't read.
**[16:02] Maomao**
I am of lowly birth. It must be a mistake.
**[16:08] Maomao**
* I'll never admit it. Pretending to be ignorant*
* makes everything easier in this world.*
**[16:13] Maomao**
* Besides, how did this man*
* find out about the messages?*
**[16:17] Maomao**
*I made absolutely sure nobody was around...*
**[16:24] Maomao**
*He's so mistrustful!*
**[16:27] Maomao**
*Rather, he must have nothing better to do!*
**[16:30] Hongniang**
Please.
**[16:31] Jinshi**
Excuse me.
**[16:33] Maomao**
*What will I be punished for?*
**[16:35] Maomao**
*I hope I make it out of this alive.*
**[16:42] Jinshi**
I brought her.
**[16:44] Gyokuyou**
Come in.
**[16:51] Gyokuyou**
Thank you for your trouble.
**[16:57] Maomao**
I'm so glad.
**[17:00] Gyokuyou**
So, it was you.
**[17:02] Gyokuyou**
Thank you for saving Lingli's life.
**[17:06] Maomao**
P-Please, I'm not worthy of such kindness!
**[17:11] Gyokuyou**
No, I can't ever thank you enough.
**[17:15] Gyokuyou**
You are my baby's savior.
**[17:17] Maomao**
Perhaps you have the wrong person?
**[17:20] Maomao**
There must be a misunderstanding.
**[17:23] Maomao**
*I don't want to get beheaded for lying,*
**[17:25] Maomao**
*but I don't want to get involved, either!*
**[17:31] Jinshi**
Concubine Gyokuyou showed me something.
***SIGN*** The white face powder is poison. Don't let the baby touch it.
**[17:37] Jinshi**
Did you know this fabric is used
in the clothing for the serving girls?
**[17:42] Maomao**
It does look similar, I suppose...
**[17:45] Jinshi**
Yes, for those who work on clothing, I hear.
**[17:48] Jinshi**
Like a laundry worker, such as yourself.
**[17:53] Jinshi**
Did you rip apart a skirt, perhaps?
**[17:59] Maomao**
*So, he figured out that much already...*
**[18:02] Jinshi**
Now, you will explain why you put
that flower on the windowsill.
**[18:18] Maomao**
Because I figured out what was wrong that day.
**[18:21] Maomao**
That the cause was the makeup powder.
**[18:24] Maomao**
There were many courtesans
**[18:26] Maomao**
who used high-end powder
in the brothels that I grew up in.
**[18:30] Maomao**
Most of them were poisoned
by it and lost their lives.
**[18:39] Maomao**
They tried to trade life
for beauty and lost both.
**[18:53] Maomao**
I used to be an apothecary,
so I know a few things about poisons.
**[19:07] Jinshi**
That face powder...
**[19:09] Gyokuyou**
It was used by the baby's nurse.
**[19:12] Gyokuyou**
She said it has a better whitening effect
compared to other powders.
**[19:17] Gyokuyou**
She seemed to have gotten ill too, so I gave
her a break. I paid her properly, too.
**[19:23] Jinshi**
I see.
**[19:25] Gyokuyou**
It truly is a sin to be ignorant.
**[19:27] Gyokuyou**
I should have paid more attention to
the things that go into my baby's mouth.
**[19:32] Jinshi**
I am guilty, as well.
**[19:34] Jinshi**
Had I noticed sooner, I might
have been able to save more lives.
**[19:39] Jinshi**
The Prince, too...
**[19:42] Gyokuyou**
When I saw the message, I told
Concubine Lihua about it, as well.
**[19:51] Gyokuyou**
But it seemed like everything
I said only made her believe me less.
**[19:56] Maomao**
So...
**[19:59] Maomao**
What can I do for you?
**[20:09] Gyokuyou**
Well, starting today, you'll
be my lady-in-waiting!
**[20:14] Maomao**
Huh?
**[20:16] Narrator**
*There are some things Maomao cannot hold back.*
**[20:19] Narrator**
*Curiosity, a thirst for knowledge...*
**[20:22] Narrator**
*And just a smidgen of a sense of justice.*
**[20:30] Mao**
No, no, no, no...
**[20:34] Maomao**
No, if I keep a low profile,
it shouldn't matter where I—
**[20:34] Xiaolan**
Hey, Maomao!
**[20:36] Xiaolan**
Welcome back, Maomao! How was it?
**[20:39] Narrator**
* And thus, Maomao became a*
* lady-in-waiting of Concubine Gyokuyou,*
**[20:44] Narrator**
*recipient of the emperor's love.*
**[20:46] Narrator**
*Put simply, it was a big promotion.*
**[20:57] Soldier A**
Hey!
**[21:01] Soldier A**
It's poison!
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Chilly Apothecary."*
***SIGN*** Episode 2: Chilly Apothecary
# E2 - Chilly Apothecary
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GVWU0WE92/chilly-apothecary)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 2: Chilly Apothecary
**[01:41] Soldier A**
Hey!
**[01:44] Soldier A**
It's poison!
**[01:47] Soldier B**
Damn you! Who's behind this?!
**[01:51] Officer**
Wait.
**[01:53] Officer**
Tend to the soldiers first.
**[02:04] Jinshi**
Poison?
**[02:05] Gaoshun**
The food was cooked by the villagers.
**[02:08] Gaoshun**
The village leader has been put into
custody for aiding the barbarians.
**[02:12] Gaoshun**
Please advise.
**[02:14] Jinshi**
Understood. Give me a moment.
**[02:17] Gaoshun**
As you wish.
**[02:19] Gaoshun**
By the way...
**[02:20] Gaoshun**
I heard you hired a new lady-in-waiting
to serve Concubine Gyokuyou.
**[02:25] Jinshi**
Yes. Concubine Gyokuyou
has only four women serving her.
**[02:29] Jinshi**
It's too few compared to Concubine Lihua,
**[02:31] Jinshi**
who also high-ranking and has over ten.
**[02:35] Jinshi**
It hurts her dignity as
a high-ranking concubine.
**[02:38] Gaoshun**
Yes. However, Concubine Gyokuyou
is not just bright and gentle,
**[02:43] Gaoshun**
but also wise and cautious.
**[02:46] Jinshi**
She would never hire
someone of unknown origin.
**[02:50] Jinshi**
Being constantly wary of
everyone around them
**[02:55] Jinshi**
is the only way an emperor's
concubine can survive.
**[02:57] Gaoshun**
And who is this new lady-in-waiting?
**[03:01] Jinshi**
Gaoshun, I found just the right pawn.
**[03:05] Jinshi**
It's that freckled servant girl.
**[03:10] Jinshi**
Her knowledge of medicine
is too valuable to pass up.
**[03:13] Gaoshun**
I see. But if she were to abuse
that knowledge...
**[03:18] Jinshi**
I'll make sure she can't do that.
**[03:21] Jinshi**
It should be easy.
**[03:23] Jinshi**
* I suppose I should seduce*
* her a little, just in case.*
**[03:29] Xiaolan**
It's so cool that you get to serve
a high-ranking concubine.
**[03:32] Maomao**
Ugh, I really didn't want to.
**[03:40] Jinshi**
Apothecary. Are you ready to move?
**[03:43] Maomao**
Yes, I'm on my way to the Jade Pavilion soon.
**[03:46] Maomao**
Did you need something?
**[03:48] Jinshi**
No, nothing.
**[03:50] Maomao**
Huh?
**[03:52] Maomao**
*Why's he here, then? Nothing better to do?*
**[03:58] Jinshi**
Be sure to serve Concubine Gyokuyou well.
**[04:06] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[04:09] Xiaolan**
Good luck, Maomao!
**[04:14] Maomao**
Ew, gross...
**[04:20] Hongniang**
Are you Maomao?
**[04:22] Maomao**
Oh, yes.
**[04:24] Hongniang**
I am Hongniang,
head lady-in-waiting for Lady Gyokuyou.
**[04:28] Hongniang**
For starters, I'll show you around
the Jade Pavilion. Follow me.
**[04:32] Maomao**
Yes.
**[04:37] Gyokuyou**
Welcome to the Jade Pavilion.
I've been waiting for you, Maomao.
**[04:44] Gyokuyou**
Looks like Xiaoling is happy to see you, too.
**[04:47] Gyokuyou**
We're glad to have you around.
**[04:52] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[04:55] Hongniang**
This is the parlor, where we bring guests.
**[04:59] Maomao**
So big...
**[05:00] Hongniang**
This is the kitchen. You should be able
to do some simple cooking here.
**[05:04] Maomao**
Wow.
**[05:06] Hongniang**
This is the living room.
**[05:07] Hongniang**
Here are the other ladies-in-waiting.
Let me introduce them to you.
**[05:11] Hongniang**
Everyone, gather up.
**[05:12] Ladies-in-waiting**
Yes!
**[05:14] Yinghua**
Nice to meet you, I'm Yinghua. Ask me anything!
**[05:19] Guiyuan**
I am Guiyuan. Nice to meet you.
**[05:22] Ailan**
I am Ailan. Very pleased to meet you.
**[05:27] Maomao**
I'm Maomao. Looking forward
to working with you.
**[05:31] Hongniang**
At the Jade Pavilion,
we don't hire any serving girls.
**[05:35] Hongniang**
So, we do all the work around here.
**[05:38] Yinghua**
It's the least we can do to make sure
Lady Gyokuyou lives comfortably.
**[05:43] Maomao**
Then I'll also—
**[05:44] Yinghua**
You go ahead and rest in your room.
**[05:46] Maomao**
Huh?
**[05:47] Guiyuan**
Take it easy.
**[05:49] Ailan**
You have a special task coming up.
**[05:52] Maomao**
Special task?
**[05:54] Hongniang**
Maomao, I'll show you to your room.
**[05:57] Maomao**
Um, sure.
**[06:01] Yinghua**
Did you see her left arm?
**[06:04] Yinghua**
She's hiding it with those bandages,
but there are scars under them, right?
**[06:08] Guiyuan**
She must have been abused
by her parents back home,
**[06:10] Guiyuan**
and sold off to the rear palace...
**[06:13] Ailan**
On top of that, there's that terrible job...
**[06:17] Three Ladies-in-waiting**
That poor, unfortunate girl!
**[06:23] Hongniang**
Wait here until you're summoned, all right?
**[06:25] Maomao**
Hey, um...
**[06:32] Maomao**
I've gotten quite the promotion.
**[06:37] Maomao**
The Jade Pavilion's always
been run by a select elite.
**[06:40] Maomao**
So of course a newcomer
wouldn't be totally welcome.
**[06:44] Maomao**
But they all looked so...
**[06:48] Maomao**
Sympathetic? Why?
**[06:53] Jinshi**
Tasting for poison.
**[06:55] Jinshi**
That's your job, apothecary.
**[06:59] Maomao**
*Poison! Tasting for poison!*
**[07:04] Maomao**
*Oops.*
**[07:06] Jinshi**
Food cooked for the concubine changes hands
a few times before being brought here.
**[07:15] Jinshi**
It's possible for it to be
poisoned during that process.
**[07:20] Jinshi**
In fact, when Concubine Gyokuyou
became pregnant,
**[07:23] Jinshi**
her food was poisoned at least twice.
**[07:26] Jinshi**
The taster back then received nerve damage
and still can't move her hands or feet.
**[07:33] Maomao**
* I see. That's why the others*
* were sympathetic to me.*
**[07:38] Hongniang**
So... Here you go.
**[07:42] Maomao**
*These bowls...*
**[07:45] Maomao**
*No suspicious colors. Or scents.*
**[07:52] Maomao**
*No numbness.*
**[07:56] Maomao**
I can't detect any poison here.
**[08:00] Maomao**
* Back when I lived by the brothels,*
* I ran a lot of experiments on my arm.*
**[08:07] (Flashback) Luomen**
Mad scientist.
**[08:10] Maomao**
* I've gradually trained my body against poisons,*
* so many of them have no effect on me.*
**[08:15] Maomao**
* To be honest, detecting*
* poison isn't suited for me.*
**[08:19] Maomao**
*But in a way, I'm lucky to get this job.*
**[08:25] Jinshi**
She's laughing...
**[08:27] Maomao**
I think you should switch to silver plates.
Those react to poisons.
**[08:33] Hongniang**
It's like Master Jinshi said. We used
ceramics on purpose to test you.
**[08:41] Maomao**
*That was his idea!*
**[08:45] Hongniang**
Your knowledge applies to both
poisons and medicines, then.
**[08:48] Maomao**
I used to work as an apothecary.
**[08:51] Hongniang**
If you'd mentioned that you're literate,
you would have gotten paid more.
**[08:56] Maomao**
I was kidnapped and brought here,
**[08:58] Maomao**
and I'm incensed that part of my pay
gets sent to the kidnappers.
**[09:05] Hongniang**
So, you'd rather take less pay than give
your kidnappers drinking money, hmm?
**[09:20] Hongniang**
Goodness, this was quite expensive.
**[09:24] Hongniang**
You couldn't afford it with
your lady-in-waiting salary.
**[09:27] Hongniang**
How will you send money to your family?
**[09:30] Hongniang**
In fact, we might need to charge them.
**[09:34] Maomao**
Ah, I'm so sorry.
**[09:38] Maomao**
Please take it out of the money to my family.
**[09:40] Maomao**
If that's not enough,
from my savings, too.
**[09:43] Hongniang**
Yes, I'll arrange the paperwork.
**[09:46] Hongniang**
By the way, here's hazard pay
for your food tasting services.
**[09:52] Maomao**
*Almost equal to my regular salary...*
**[09:55] Maomao**
* Since the kidnappers don't get*
* a cut of this, it all goes to me.*
**[10:00] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[10:03] Maomao**
*She knows how to motivate her workers.*
**[10:17] Yinghua**
Don't worry about it!
**[10:19] Guiyuan**
Rest for now.
**[10:20] Ailan**
We've always been fully staffed.
**[10:22] Maomao**
I'm bored!
**[10:25] Maomao**
I only get called on as taster for
two meals and the mid-day tea time.
**[10:30] Maomao**
Now that I have my own room,
**[10:33] Maomao**
if there was a venomous snake or
something, I could experiment...
**[10:36] Hongniang**
Maomao.
**[10:39] Maomao**
Did you need me, Lady Gyokuyou?
**[10:41] Gyokuyou**
He does, actually.
**[10:45] Maomao**
*Ugh.*
**[10:47] Jinshi**
Why won't this work on her?
**[10:54] Maomao**
How may I serve you today?
**[10:56] Jinshi**
I received these from a certain
military officer. Can you taste them?
**[11:01] Maomao**
*Baozi* buns...
**[11:07] Maomao**
It has an aphrodisiac in it.
**[11:10] Jinshi**
You can tell without eating it?
**[11:11] Maomao**
It's not harmful. Please
feel free to enjoy them.
**[11:15] Jinshi**
Given who I received
these from, I can't do that.
**[11:19] Maomao**
Perhaps that person
might visit you tonight.
**[11:24] Jinshi**
Hmm. So you can tell by the smell alone?
**[11:27] Maomao**
* Did this guy try to make me eat one*
* knowing they have an aphrodisiac in them?!*
**[11:38] Jinshi**
I had one more question for you.
**[11:42] Maomao**
Yes, what is it?
**[11:44] Jinshi**
A squad of soldiers on a mission to attack
some barbarians was poisoned the other day.
**[11:49] Maomao**
Poisoned?
**[11:50] Jinshi**
Yes. Several fell ill after a meal.
**[11:53] Jinshi**
They reported nausea, difficulty
breathing, and other ailments.
**[11:57] Maomao**
Nausea and difficulty breathing...
**[12:01] Jinshi**
The meal was prepared in a nearby village.
**[12:04] Jinshi**
They arrested the village leader
for assisting the barbarians,
**[12:07] Jinshi**
but an officer diffused the situation,
**[12:09] Jinshi**
and has put the decision on hold.
**[12:12] Maomao**
* It would be natural to assume*
* the villagers poisoned the soldiers, but...*
**[12:20] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, where were they eating?
**[12:23] Jinshi**
They were at camp, so
they likely ate outside.
**[12:25] Maomao**
Did the villagers provide
the plates and chopsticks?
**[12:28] Jinshi**
No, the soldiers should
have provided their own.
**[12:33] Jinshi**
Did you notice something?
**[12:36] Maomao**
This is just my opinion.
Let me share something.
**[12:40] Maomao**
This flower is a rhododendron.
**[12:44] Gyokuyou**
Does it taste good?
**[12:45] Maomao**
No, eating it causes nausea
and difficulty breathing.
**[12:49] Jinshi**
Hey!
**[12:51] Maomao**
As you see, even the rear palace
has plants with poison in them.
**[12:55] Maomao**
This one has poison in the leaves, but some
have poison in the branches or roots.
**[12:59] Maomao**
Some wood can even emit poison when burned.
**[13:04] Gyokuyou**
When burned...?
**[13:09] Jinshi**
I see.
**[13:11] Maomao**
It's fortunate the bright
officer was there.
**[13:14] Maomao**
We could have lost a whole village.
**[13:17] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[13:19] Maomao**
If that's all, I'll take my leave.
**[13:21] Jinshi**
No, wait.
**[13:23] Maomao**
Is there more?
**[13:27] Jinshi**
Can you make an aphrodisiac?
**[13:31] Maomao**
*Make? You mean...*
**[13:34] Maomao**
*Making drugs?!*
**[13:42] Maomao**
Given time, the proper ingredients,
and the right tools,
**[13:45] Maomao**
I could make something like that.
**[13:49] Mid-Rank Concubine**
Master Jinshi, where are you headed?
**[13:54] Jinshi**
I'm returning to my office. May I help you?
**[13:58] Mid-Rank Concubine**
I was wondering if you'd have
tea with me in my room...
**[14:01] Jinshi**
Unfortunately, I have much work
to attend to. Please excuse me.
**[14:10] Gaoshun**
The servants must not be aware
**[14:13] Gaoshun**
that Master Jinshi serves as a test
of their loyalty to the emperor.
**[14:18] Jinshi**
Just because the emperor does not visit her,
**[14:20] Jinshi**
she shouldn't try and lure
other men to her room.
**[14:22] Jinshi**
What an indiscretion.
**[14:24] Gaoshun**
Indeed.
**[14:25] Jinshi**
A concubine cannot simply be
beautiful or well-educated.
**[14:30] Jinshi**
They must be loyal to
the emperor, and be chaste.
**[14:34] Gaoshun**
But to place you in the rear palace
and use your beauty as a test...
**[14:41] Gaoshun**
Our emperor can be quite severe at times.
**[14:43] Jinshi**
We all use whatever is available to us. But...
**[14:46] Jinshi**
Not only does she feel no lust
for me, but that look...
**[14:50] Maomao**
*Glare...*
**[14:53] Jinshi**
* I've never been so harshly*
* looked down on in my life.*
**[14:57] Gaoshun**
Well then, I will take my leave.
**[15:05] (Flashback) Maomao**
Perhaps that person
might visit you tonight.
**[15:07] Maomao**
*Tonight... Tonight...*
**[15:13] Maomao**
I'm leaving now.
**[15:15] Hongniang**
Good luck.
**[15:17] Maomao**
Yes!
**[15:24] Maomao**
Pardon me.
**[15:26] Maomao**
*The quack doctor, and...*
**[15:29] Gaoshun**
Miss Maomao. Let me reintroduce myself.
**[15:32] Gaoshun**
I am Gaoshun.
**[15:34] Gaoshun**
I'm Master Jinshi's assistant.
**[15:37] Gaoshun**
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
**[15:39] Maomao**
Hello.
**[15:41] Maomao**
*It can't be easy assisting that guy.*
**[15:44] Guen**
What is this servant girl
doing in my territory?
**[15:50] Gaoshun**
This way, please.
**[15:54] Gaoshun**
I have been told you may use
anything in this room.
**[16:09] Jinshi**
Is that some sort of cursed dance?
**[16:15] Maomao**
* What a luxury, being able*
* to use paper so freely.*
**[16:19] Maomao**
And also, I need...
**[16:22] Gaoshun**
Over there?
**[16:25] Maomao**
* He's really quick to notice things.*
* Compared to his master...*
**[16:30] Maomao**
* If you're not going to do*
* anything, just go away.*
**[16:33] Gaoshun**
Here you are.
**[16:35] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[16:38] Maomao**
That's not enough...
**[16:41] Jinshi**
What is this?
**[16:42] Maomao**
It's cacao.
**[16:43] Jinshi**
If you need more, we'll simply find more.
**[16:46] Maomao**
But it's from the West,
and the far southern region, too.
**[16:50] Jinshi**
I'm sure there's more in
the trading goods storage.
**[17:01] Maomao**
Milk, butter, sugar, honey,
and powdered cacao.
**[17:07] Maomao**
That should be enough.
**[17:09] Yinghua**
All expensive ingredients.
**[17:11] Ailan**
I wonder what she's making?
**[17:13] Guiyuan**
A snack, maybe?
**[17:15] Hongniang**
What are you all doing?
**[17:17] Hongniang**
Get back to work!
**[17:19] Three Ladies-in-waiting**
We're sorry!
**[17:22] Hongniang**
Goodness.
**[17:24] Maomao**
Now to actually make the aphrodisiac!
**[17:31] Maomao**
*I had a taste of cacao just once in the past.*
**[17:33] (Flashback) Meimei**
This is called "chocolate." Say "ah," Maomao.
**[17:39] (Flashback) Meimei**
Maomao?!
**[17:43] Maomao**
* Perhaps a malicious customer wanted to get*
* a popular courtesan's attention.*
**[17:47] Maomao**
* Unfortunately for him, he got*
* banned by the shrewd old lady.*
**[17:52] Maomao**
Looks good.
**[17:53] Maomao**
There.
**[17:57] Maomao**
Now I just cool it and wait for it to harden.
**[18:00] Maomao**
*I have a bit left over. Oh, I know.*
**[18:05] Maomao**
*This probably doesn't need to be cooled.*
**[18:10] Maomao**
*I guess I should clean up now.*
**[18:17] Maomao**
*Wait, medicinal herbs?!*
**[18:19] Maomao**
*There too?! And over there!*
**[18:24] Maomao**
Oops, I got a little carried away.
**[18:27] Maomao**
Sorry for the delay!
**[18:41] Jinshi**
At least we know it works.
**[18:44] Hongniang**
So, what's going on?!
**[18:46] Maomao**
Well, it is what it is...
**[18:49] Maomao**
It's fine, they didn't go all the way—Ow!
**[18:54] Gyokuyou**
So, this is the aphrodisiac?
**[18:56] Maomao**
No, this is.
**[19:00] Jinshi**
Then what are the other ones?
**[19:02] Maomao**
A midnight snack for myself.
**[19:05] Maomao**
If you're used to alcohol
and other stimulants,
**[19:07] Maomao**
it won't have that much of an effect.
**[19:10] Jinshi**
Oh, so it won't be a problem if I ate it?
**[19:14] Gaoshun & Hongniang**
Please don't do that!
**[19:17] Jinshi**
Haha, just joking.
**[19:19] Maomao**
* What a reprehensible joke to make*
* in front of the emperor's concubine.*
**[19:23] Maomao**
* But if he approached someone with*
* an impassioned blush on that face...*
**[19:30] Maomao**
* It'd immediately captivate*
* any person, male or female.*
**[19:33] Maomao**
*He does have a great face, after all.*
**[19:36] Maomao**
It's quite strong, so please
limit it to one piece at a time.
**[19:40] Maomao**
Too many could excessively increase
blood flow and cause nosebleeds.
**[19:44] Gyokuyou**
Maybe you can make some for the emperor,
to avoid things getting too dull.
**[19:48] Maomao**
It should be around three times
more potent than the usual tonic.
**[19:53] Gyokuyou**
Three times? Does she mean duration...?
**[19:56] Maomao**
Let's pretend I didn't hear that.
**[19:59] Maomao**
Also, please only use it when you are
alone with the person in mind.
**[19:59] Gyokuyou**
Three times... Three times...
**[20:04] Jinshi**
I see.
**[20:06] Gyokuyou**
Well, I'll take my leave now.
**[20:12] Hongniang**
So she can make drugs?
**[20:16] Gyokuyou**
How reliable.
**[20:22] Maomao**
It's finally over.
**[20:29] Jinshi**
Good work.
**[20:39] Jinshi**
Thank you.
**[20:46] Maomao**
I see.
**[20:48] Maomao**
I hope there aren't any victims.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:45] Narrator**
* Next time: "The Unsettling*
* Matter of the Spirit."*
***SIGN*** Episode 3: The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
# E3 - The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G31UXW19X/the-unsettling-matter-of-the-spirit)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:33] Lady-in-Waiting A**
That can't be!
***SIGN*** Episode 3: The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
**[01:35] Lady-in-Waiting A**
A reward?!
**[01:41] Fuyou**
I understand.
**[01:45] Lady-in-Waiting B**
Lady Fuyou!
**[01:46] Lady-in-Waiting A**
Please, wait!
**[02:24] Yinghua**
Wow, that's cold!
**[02:25] Guiyuan**
We've been at the capital for a while now,
**[02:27] Guiyuan**
but the morning cold
is still hard to get used to.
**[02:30] Yinghua**
I miss the sand and sunlight back home.
**[02:33] Ailan**
The mornings and nights
were cold back west as well, though.
**[02:36] Guiyuan**
Ah, the Western Capital...
**[02:38] Guiyuan**
It feels like a long time ago.
**[02:40] Guiyuan**
And yet, Lady Gyokuyou's
palace entry feels like yesterday.
**[02:44] Ailan**
By the way, my father gave me some good news.
**[02:48] Ailan**
Apparently, trade between the western
and central capitals is on the rise.
**[02:52] Guiyuan**
The emperor really does love Lady Gyokuyou.
**[02:55] Yinghua**
It's the family home of
the emperor's favorite concubine.
**[02:58] Yinghua**
Surely the central officers
can't ignore that.
**[03:01] Ailan**
Cleaning the kitchen? We'll help.
**[03:05] Yinghua**
No, we have to split up or
we'll never finish the work.
**[03:08] Yinghua**
It's not like we can rely
on other servants.
**[03:10] Ailan**
Yes, I remember how bad it was
back when she was pregnant,
**[03:13] Ailan**
like that time there was
a poison needle in her dress.
**[03:16] Yinghua**
Part of it is likely because she's
the princess of a foreign land.
**[03:20] Guiyuan**
It's fine. We have one extra
lady-in-waiting now, right?
**[03:26] Yinghua**
Maomao, what are you making?
**[03:29] Maomao**
It's a cold remedy.
**[03:30] Yinghua**
Wow, you can make those too?
**[03:33] Yinghua**
The new lady-in-waiting is so talented.
**[03:40] Yinghua**
Hey, are you sure you don't need anything?
**[03:43] Yinghua**
Are you eating well?
**[03:44] Maomao**
Thanks to you, yes...
**[03:46] Yinghua**
Please don't keep your troubles to yourself!
**[03:48] Maomao**
Sure...
**[03:51] Yinghua**
By the way, did you hear the new
rumor everyone's talking about?
**[03:56] Maomao**
No.
**[03:58] Yinghua**
They say there's a spirit
haunting the rear palace.
**[04:01] Maomao**
A spirit?
**[04:02] Xialoan**
I heard that one! The ghostly lady
in white, right?
**[04:06] Maomao**
So, it's famous?
**[04:07] Xialoan**
All of the servants, eunuchs,
and concubines are talking about it!
**[04:12] Xiaolan**
I think it started a few weeks ago.
**[04:14] Xiaolan**
They say a ghostly lady in white
dances in the air under the moonlight!
**[04:20] Xiaolan**
And she appears every night
at the eastern castle walls!
**[04:26] Maomao**
Huh...
**[04:28] Maomao**
The castle walls completely
surround the rear palace.
**[04:32] Maomao**
The only way to enter is through the four
gates on the north, south, east and west.
**[04:39] Maomao**
The gates are always guarded,
and the walls are surrounded by a moat.
**[04:44] Maomao**
Sneaking in or out would be impossible.
**[04:47] Maomao**
They say that sunken in the moats are...
**[04:55] Maomao**
The corpses of concubines
who tried to escape.
**[04:59] Maomao**
In other words, just your typical ghost story.
**[05:03] Xiaolan**
What should I do if I see the spirit for real?
**[05:05] Maomao**
It's just a rumor.
**[05:11] Maomao**
Excuse me. Could you
take a look at this medicine?
**[05:14] Guen**
Hey, little lady. One moment.
**[05:18] Maomao**
* To think that he was so wary*
* of me just a short while ago.*
**[05:22] Maomao**
* When he found out I can make medicine,*
* he started allowing me to do it here.*
**[05:28] Maomao**
*He also gives me the ingredients I need.*
**[05:31] Maomao**
*He even makes me tea.*
**[05:33] Maomao**
*Should he really be so laid back?*
**[05:37] Guen**
Sorry to make you wait.
**[05:41] Maomao**
Wow...
**[05:42] Guen**
You like salty better than sweet, right?
**[05:45] Jinshi**
May I have some as well?
**[05:48] Guen**
Right away!
**[05:53] Jinshi**
Good work.
**[05:55] Maomao**
It's the least I could do.
**[05:58] Maomao**
*Does this guy have nothing better to do?*
**[06:01] Maomao**
* Shouldn't he be at the Domestic*
* Service Department as a eunuch?*
**[06:03] Maomao**
* Instead, he wanders around the entire*
* rear palace like he's on surveillance duty...*
**[06:09] Maomao**
* In that case, he must outrank*
* the Matron of the Serving Women.*
**[06:14] Maomao**
* He could be the emperor's guardian,*
* but he's too young for that.*
**[06:20] Maomao**
* Ah. He must be the emperor's*
* "personal favorite."*
**[06:26] Jinshi**
Are you thinking something
inappropriate right now?
**[06:29] Maomao**
Huh? You're imagining things.
**[06:32] Jinshi**
Doctor, could you fetch me this?
**[06:41] Maomao**
So, what do you really want?
**[06:45] Jinshi**
Have you heard about the spirit haunting?
**[06:48] Maomao**
A few rumors, yes.
**[06:49] Jinshi**
How about sleepwalking?
**[06:54] Maomao**
Sleepwalking...
**[06:56] Jinshi**
Seems like I got your attention.
**[07:02] Jinshi**
How can it be cured?
**[07:04] Maomao**
I don't know. There's no medicine
that cures somnambulism.
**[07:08] Jinshi**
Is there a cure other than medicine?
**[07:11] Maomao**
My specialty is medicine.
**[07:15] Jinshi**
That's too bad.
**[07:20] Jinshi**
That's truly, truly too bad.
**[07:23] Maomao**
*Yuck! He's so persistent!*
**[07:30] Maomao**
I'll do my best.
**[07:44] Maomao**
*This guy doesn't come off like a eunuch.*
**[07:49] Gaoshun**
Lady Maomao.
**[07:51] Maomao**
Please don't call me "Lady."
You outrank me by quite a bit.
**[07:56] Gaoshun**
In that case, how's Xiaomao?
**[07:59] Maomao**
*A "Xiao" nickname? That was a sharp turn.*
**[08:02] Gaoshun**
Could you stop glaring down at
Master Jinshi like he's an insect?
**[08:08] Maomao**
*Yikes, he knows.*
**[08:10] Gaoshun**
When he returned earlier,
**[08:12] Gaoshun**
he told me, ecstatically, how you stared
at him like he was a venomous caterpillar.
**[08:19] Maomao**
I'll be more careful.
**[08:24] Gaoshun**
If someone unprepared saw him
like that, they might pass out.
**[08:30] Maomao**
*To each their own, I guess...*
**[08:40] Gaoshun**
Over there.
**[08:51] Maomao**
A moonlit cotton rose...
**[08:53] Gaoshun**
That's a good guess.
**[08:57] Gaoshun**
That is Concubine Fuyou.
**[09:00] Gaoshun**
She's a mid-ranking concubine,
**[09:02] Gaoshun**
scheduled to be bestowed
to a military officer as a reward.
**[09:14] Guen**
It's been two years, I think.
**[09:16] Guen**
She's a timid princess.
**[09:19] Guen**
She's supposed to be a skilled dancer,
but stumbled at her first showing.
**[09:23] Guen**
The emperor hasn't laid a finger on her,
and she shut herself in ever since.
**[09:30] Guen**
I guess some things can't be avoided, but...
**[09:34] Ladies-in-Waiting**
Lady Fuyou!
**[09:34] Guen**
A bestowal? I feel sorry for her.
**[09:38] Maomao**
* She started sleepwalking over the shock*
* of being treated as a reward?*
**[09:41] Maomao**
* They do say illness is a result*
* of an unbalanced mind...*
**[09:46] Maomao**
*No, I need more information.*
**[09:49] Maomao**
*Maybe I'll take another look at her.*
**[09:52] Maomao**
Where is Concubine Fuyou's room?
**[09:55] Guen**
Her building is on the north side.
**[09:57] Maomao**
Thank you. And thank you for the snacks.
**[10:01] Guen**
Leaving already?
**[10:05] Guen**
I hope she feels better.
**[10:08] Guen**
I heard she's a princess
from a small vassal state.
**[10:10] Guen**
I'm sure she doesn't want to go back.
**[10:14] Maomao**
Go back?
**[10:15] Guen**
Oh, yes. She's...
**[10:18] Lady-in-Waiting**
I feel sorry for Concubine Fuyou.
**[10:21] Low-rank Concubine**
Yes, being given away to a military officer?
**[10:24] Low-rank Concubine**
I shudder at the mere thought.
**[10:36] Maomao**
She seems very different from how
she looked dancing on that wall.
**[10:41] Gaoshun**
Yes. I was surprised too,
the first time I saw her.
**[10:45] Gaoshun**
She's very unassuming most of the time.
**[10:49] Maomao**
She really is like a cotton rose.
**[10:52] Gaoshun**
A cotton rose?
**[10:54] Maomao**
Yes.
**[10:55] Maomao**
The fuyou flower,
also known as the cotton rose,
**[10:58] Maomao**
blooms as a large white flower in the morning.
**[11:00] Maomao**
However, by evening, it turns a deep pink.
**[11:06] Gaoshun**
So, the flower changes its appearance
over the course of a single day?
**[11:11] Maomao**
Yes.
**[11:18] Xiaolan**
The spirit story?
**[11:20] Maomao**
Yeah, I wanted to hear more about it.
Do you know anything else?
**[11:26] Xiaolan**
Well, I heard she first
appeared on the north side.
**[11:31] Maomao**
Huh? The north side?
**[11:33] Serving girl**
Xiaolan! Laundry!
**[11:35] Maomao**
She moved from the north to the east?
**[11:36] Xiaolan**
Coming!
**[11:37] Xiaolan**
Gotta go.
**[11:37] Maomao**
Also...
**[11:39] (Flashback) Guen**
Oh, yes. She's...
**[11:42] Maomao**
I knew it. Concubine Fuyou is...
**[11:50] Maomao**
My dad would tell me not to speak up
based on just speculation, but...
**[11:57] Maomao**
Not much is known about
somnambulance, or sleepwalking.
**[12:01] Maomao**
It is said that it's caused by stress.
**[12:03] Maomao**
The patient moves about
in their sleep, as if they're awake.
**[12:08] Maomao**
A while ago, at the brothels,
I saw a courtesan with the same illness.
**[12:15] Maomao**
She was a cheerful person,
skilled at poetry.
**[12:18] Maomao**
She even received a purchase offer.
**[12:22] Maomao**
However, that offer fell through.
**[12:25] Maomao**
She started roaming the brothel at night,
as if possessed by a demonic spirit.
**[12:39] (Flashback) Courtesan A**
Why hello. What's wrong, everyone?
**[12:43] Maomao**
She had no recollection of the night before.
**[12:47] Jinshi**
And then what happened?
**[12:49] Maomao**
Nothing. When the purchase offer was
rescinded, the sleepwalking stopped.
**[12:55] Gyokuyou**
So... That courtesan
didn't want to get sold off?
**[13:01] Maomao**
It's possible.
**[13:03] Maomao**
The offer was made by a wealthy merchant,
**[13:06] Maomao**
but not only did he have a wife and
children, he had grandchildren as well.
**[13:10] Maomao**
Also, she only had one year left on her term.
**[13:18] Gyokuyou**
Perhaps Concubine Fuyou was the same.
**[13:21] Jinshi**
Hmm. Is that really it?
**[13:29] Maomao**
That's it.
**[13:31] Jinshi**
Really?
**[13:35] Gaoshun**
*Please, stay calm.*
**[13:37] Maomao**
I'll get back to work.
**[13:47] Maomao**
* From that day on, Concubine Fuyou*
* was forbidden from leaving her room.*
**[13:52] Maomao**
* Until the day of her bestowal,*
* eunuchs were placed to watch her.*
**[14:00] Maomao**
I hope it works out.
**[14:07] Gyokuyou**
Isn't Maomao behaving strangely lately?
**[14:12] Hongniang**
Is she?
**[14:21] Gyokuyou**
I can tell.
**[14:23] Gyokuyou**
There must be something.
**[14:32] Gyokuyou**
Concubine Fuyou is leaving today, right?
**[14:37] Maomao**
That is what I've heard.
**[14:56] Gyokuyou**
Hey.
**[14:57] Gyokuyou**
You can tell me the truth, you know.
**[15:04] Gyokuyou**
I won't get upset, since I'm the one who asked.
**[15:11] Maomao**
This is all just speculation,
so could you keep this between us?
**[15:16] Gyokuyou**
My lips are sealed.
**[15:21] Maomao**
Do you remember the story of
the courtesan I told you before?
**[15:25] Gyokuyou**
The sleepwalker?
**[15:27] Maomao**
Yes.
**[15:28] Maomao**
There was actually another courtesan
**[15:31] Maomao**
whose purchase offer was
called off for the same reason.
**[15:34] Maomao**
She later received another purchase offer,
**[15:39] Maomao**
but since she was ill,
the price was cut in half.
**[15:46] Maomao**
However, it was all fraud.
**[15:49] Gyokuyou**
Fraud?
**[15:51] Maomao**
The two men who made
the purchase offers knew each other.
**[15:56] Maomao**
The woman pretended to be sick
to call off the first offer.
**[16:01] Maomao**
Then, the real purchaser
made a bid at half the first price.
**[16:07] Maomao**
If they wanted to be together,
the man lacked the silver,
**[16:11] Maomao**
and the woman still had time left on her term.
**[16:15] Gyokuyou**
So, you're saying Concubine Fuyou
is the same as that courtesan?
**[16:19] Maomao**
Concubine Fuyou and the military officer
**[16:22] Maomao**
are childhood friends
who grew up in the same homeland.
**[16:25] Gyokuyou**
Huh?
**[16:26] Maomao**
I heard the man showed his valor in
a battle against barbarians the other day.
**[17:03] Maomao**
When asked what he wished as a reward,
**[17:05] Maomao**
he strongly insisted on
receiving Concubine Fuyou.
**[17:12] Maomao**
He must have fantasized about it
even before he left home.
**[17:17] Maomao**
As a military officer, he could never
propose marriage to a princess.
**[17:22] Gyokuyou**
But then, she was pulled
into the rear palace...
**[17:27] Maomao**
And the princess also had feelings
for her childhood friend.
**[17:31] Maomao**
So, that could be why she failed at her dance,
**[17:34] Maomao**
to avoid attracting
the attention of the emperor.
**[17:38] Maomao**
And as intended, the emperor never
touched her. Her body is still pure.
**[17:46] Maomao**
That said, it's entirely possible
**[17:48] Maomao**
that the emperor would show
interest in Concubine Fuyou,
**[17:50] Maomao**
now that she's scheduled to be given away.
**[17:53] Gyokuyou**
And so, she feigned somnambulism...
**[17:57] Gyokuyou**
I can't say anything about
the emperor. It's entirely possible.
**[18:02] Maomao**
The barbarian battle took
place in the eastern region.
**[18:05] Maomao**
And Concubine Fuyou's
nightly dance took place on...
**[18:09] Gyokuyou**
The eastern gate?
**[18:12] Maomao**
She was probably wishing for his safe return.
**[18:15] Maomao**
Again, all speculation.
**[18:50] Gyokuyou**
Hey, Maomao.
**[18:52] Maomao**
Yes?
**[18:54] Gyokuyou**
Would it make me a terrible woman
if I said I envy Concubine Fuyou?
**[19:08] Maomao**
*That night, Concubine Fuyou was beautiful.*
**[19:16] Maomao**
* She didn't seem at all like the nondescript*
* princess I saw during the day.*
**[19:26] Maomao**
No, I wouldn't say that.
**[19:55] Gyokuyou**
Let's go.
**[19:57] Maomao**
Yes.
**[20:19] Maomao**
If love makes a woman beautiful,
**[20:25] Maomao**
what kind of medicine would it make?
**[20:55] Emperor**
I have a request for the rumored apothecary.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "The Threat."*
***SIGN*** Episode 4: The Threat
# E4 - The Threat
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GN7UD2E4M/the-threat)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
**[01:30] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
How dare you try to feed
Lady Lihua such lowly food!
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:34] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Only the most luxurious foods
suit our Lady Lihua.
**[01:39] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
I'd hesitate to even *show* this to her!
***SIGN*** Episode 4: The Threat
**[01:42] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Who would ever think Lady Lihua
would enjoy something like this?
**[01:45] Maomao**
*Yikes. What a pain.*
**[01:45] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
We know best what Lady Lihua likes to eat.
**[01:49] Maomao**
* I'd never have come to the Crystal*
* Pavilion if I'd had a choice, but...*
**[01:50] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
How dare you try to sneak this
past us, servant. Shame on you.
**[01:55] Narrator**
* The night the emperor*
* visited the Jade Pavilion...*
**[02:23] Maomao**
There is no poison.
**[02:26] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[02:31] Emperor**
Wait.
**[02:33] Maomao**
* Uh-oh, the emperor directly addressed me*
* for the first time.*
**[02:36] Emperor**
I have a request for the famous apothecary.
**[02:40] Maomao**
*Famous? I have a bad feeling about this.*
**[02:43] Maomao**
Yes.
**[02:44] Emperor**
Concubine Lihua is not well.
Could you look after her?
**[02:49] Maomao**
*By "look after her," he means "cure her."*
**[02:54] Maomao**
* The word of the emperor*
* is the word of the heavens.*
**[02:57] Maomao**
* If I declined, that would be*
* grounds for my beheading.*
**[03:00] Maomao**
Yes, Your Majesty.
**[03:03] Maomao**
* Why would he say that in*
* front of another concubine?*
**[03:08] Maomao**
*His Majesty really is "an emperor" by nature.*
**[03:13] Maomao**
* That said, it's pretty incredible that they*
* treat me like this. I'm here by imperial order.*
**[03:18] Maomao**
* Since they serve Lady Lihua, I suppose*
* they hate me as a servant of Lady Gyokuyou.*
**[03:24] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[03:25] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Get out if you're done cleaning!
**[03:28] Maomao**
*Boing boing.*
**[03:31] Maomao**
*Oh, well. Guess I have to cook it again.*
**[03:36] Xiaolan**
Maomao, are you at the Crystal Pavilion now?
**[03:39] Maomao**
Yeah, I'm looking after Lady Lihua.
**[03:41] Xiaolan**
I see. Lady Lihua hasn't recovered yet...
**[03:46] Maomao**
The whitening powder's poison
must still be in her system.
**[03:49] Xiaolan**
The poisonous powder, huh?
I heard it was banned.
**[03:54] Xiaolan**
I heard the eunuchs took away all
the remaining powder in the rear palace.
**[03:59] Maomao**
I see. Good.
**[04:02] Xiaolan**
But a request from the emperor?
You're awesome, Maomao. I was surprised!
**[04:09] Maomao**
* He must really not trust the doctor*
* to rely on a girl like me.*
**[04:15] Xiaolan**
Maomao, you're going
to the kitchen later, right?
**[04:17] Maomao**
Yeah.
**[04:18] Xiaolan**
Good luck with the cooking!
**[04:20] Maomao**
Thanks.
**[04:26] Maomao**
Right!
**[04:28] Maomao**
* In looking after Lady Lihua, the first thing*
* I set out to do was to improve her diet.*
**[04:30] Maomao**
Um, excuse me.
**[04:32] Cook**
Yes?
**[04:32] Maomao**
* First I needed to expel*
* the poison still in her body.*
**[04:36] Maomao**
*To do this, a porridge with lots of fiber,*
**[04:39] Maomao**
*plus a diuretic tea sounds good.*
**[04:41] Maomao**
Not this. Not this either. This one...
**[04:45] Maomao**
And this one, too. But not this one...
**[04:51] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Enough is enough!
**[04:53] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
This is no place for lowly girls like you.
**[04:57] Maomao**
*Boing boing.*
**[04:59] Maomao**
*This is going to take a while.*
**[05:02] Maomao**
*In that case, let's try...*
**[05:04] Maomao**
This one, that one, the other one, and this.
**[05:11] Lady-in-Waiting 3**
How many times do I have to tell you?!
**[05:12] Maomao**
Well, first, she needs to eat
something easy to digest—
**[05:15] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
No way! Sick people need *nutritious* food,
not cheap stuff like that. Obviously.
**[05:22] Maomao**
*So that's her usual meal.*
**[05:24] Maomao**
*Sure, it's nutritious,*
**[05:27] Maomao**
* but it's too heavy for a sick*
* person's weakened stomach.*
**[05:30] Maomao**
*That's not hard to understand.*
**[05:33] Maomao**
*Why won't anyone stop them?*
**[05:36] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Lihua, your meal is ready.
**[05:40] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
We brought you all the things
you like. Please try to eat.
**[05:50] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Lihua?!
**[05:51] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Oh no, what do we do?!
**[05:52] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Quick, bring water!
**[05:54] Lady-in-Waiting 3**
Are you all right, Lady Lihua?!
**[05:55] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Lihua, please have some water.
**[06:02] Lady-in-Waiting 4**
This is your fault, lowly servant!
**[06:04] Lady-in-Waiting 5**
Your presence ruins the atmosphere!
**[06:06] Lady-in-Waiting 6**
Get out! Now!
**[06:09] Maomao**
*Boing boing.*
**[06:12] Maomao**
* I won't even be able*
* to get near her at this rate.*
**[06:16] Maomao**
*Now, what shall I do...*
**[06:24] Maomao**
If I could at least do an examination...
**[06:26] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
No need. What if you make things worse?!
**[06:32] Maomao**
*At that rate, she's bound to wither and die.*
**[06:36] Maomao**
*People die unless they eat.*
**[06:40] Maomao**
* She probably lost the will to live*
* after losing her child.*
**[06:50] Maomao**
*How many days do I have left,*
**[06:52] Maomao**
* before my head bids farewell to my body*
* for defying the emperor's order?*
**[06:57] Jinshi**
It seems like you're in a bit of a bind.
**[07:01] Maomao**
Does it appear that way to you?
**[07:03] Jinshi**
It does appear that way to me.
**[07:06] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Master Jinshi?!
**[07:09] Lady-in-Waiting 4**
What's with that girl?
**[07:11] Lady-in-Waiting 5**
Why is she with Master Jinshi...?
**[07:12] Maomao**
An annoying misunderstanding...
**[07:18] Jinshi**
Let's go inside, for now.
**[07:22] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Oh...
**[07:22] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
M-Master Jinshi?!
**[07:23] Lady-in-Waiting 4 & 5**
Eek!
**[07:24] Jinshi**
It's not befitting of beautiful
and talented ladies like you
**[07:27] Jinshi**
to ignore the emperor's arrangements.
**[07:32] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Oh! Oh no, we aren't ignoring...
**[07:33] Lady-in-Waiting 4**
Whoa! Eek!
**[07:34] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Right. We were just, um...
**[07:35] Lady-in-Waiting 5**
H-Hey!
**[07:38] Maomao**
It's scary how women can change so quickly.
**[07:48] Jinshi**
There. Now go.
**[08:20] Maomao**
*She does have the will to eat.*
**[08:23] Maomao**
*But she's weaker than I thought.*
**[08:26] Maomao**
*Maybe she can handle rice water instead.*
**[08:32] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[08:35] Maomao**
*The same shade as before...*
**[08:57] Maomao**
Are you the one in charge of
the concubine's makeup?
**[09:00] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Indeed I am.
**[09:02] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
We want Lady Lihua to always be beautiful.
**[09:05] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
That is our duty as ladies-in-waiting.
**[09:08] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
It's all for Lady Lihua. Obviously.
**[09:11] Maomao**
I see.
**[09:14] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
What's wrong with you?!
**[09:16] Maomao**
Huh? Just punishing an idiot, obviously.
**[09:19] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Ouch! You're hurting me! Stop! It hurts!
**[09:31] Maomao**
The poison will infect your
whole body after a while.
**[09:34] Maomao**
You should be glad. You'll be pretty too,
**[09:38] Maomao**
just like your beloved Lady Lihua.
**[09:41] Maomao**
Pale, bloodless skin, sunken eye sockets,
a body unable to even eat...
**[09:48] Maomao**
Don't you understand why this stuff was banned?!
**[10:01] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
I j-just thought it would
make Lady Lihua happy—
**[10:06] Maomao**
I told you, it's *poison*.
**[10:08] Maomao**
There are no thoughts in your head.
You just think you know everything.
**[10:14] Maomao**
Who would be happy poisoned with
the same thing that killed their son?!
**[10:29] Maomao**
Go rinse your mouth and wash your face.
**[10:33] Maomao**
Hey! This is bad for the patient.
**[10:37] Maomao**
Clean this floor up immediately!
**[10:39] Ladies-in-Waiting**
Y-Yes!
**[10:44] Jinshi**
It truly *is* scary, how women
can change so quickly.
**[10:49] Maomao**
Oh...
**[10:52] Maomao**
*I've really done it now...*
**[10:55] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Let's go.
**[10:59] Maomao**
*Lady Lihua's health was worse than I thought.*
**[11:03] Maomao**
* I started by changing from*
* porridge to rice water.*
**[11:06] Maomao**
* I forced the food into her mouth and*
* had her swallow slowly, repeatedly.*
**[11:12] Maomao**
* No sense in worrying about*
* manners at a time like this.*
**[11:17] Maomao**
* I did some ventilation, which thinned out*
* the incense, revealing the smell of the sick.*
**[11:22] Maomao**
Those incompetent fools can't even
wipe down their mistress properly?
**[11:25] Maomao**
How do they even call
themselves ladies-in-waiting?
**[11:28] Maomao**
There's so much they could have been
doing before worrying about incense.
**[11:34] Maomao**
Hey. Hot water and cloth, now.
**[11:37] Ladies-in-Waiting 2 & 3**
Y-Yes.
**[11:41] Maomao**
You all, get to work.
**[11:42] Ladies-in-Waiting 4; 5; 6**
Y-Yes!
**[11:50] Maomao**
*I had her drink tea every chance I could find.*
**[11:52] Maomao**
* Frequent urination helps flush*
* the poison out of her body.*
**[11:56] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Um, are you sure Lady Lihua isn't in pain...?
**[12:00] Maomao**
It doesn't matter, she must drink.
**[12:03] Maomao**
* She began to eat more, so I increased*
* the amount of rice grains in the water.*
**[12:08] Maomao**
When she began to be able to swallow
them, I added soup and ground fruit.
**[12:14] Maomao**
* I heard the lady-in-waiting*
* was put in confinement.*
**[12:19] Maomao**
* Apparently, she'd hid*
* the powder for Lady Lihua.*
**[12:25] Maomao**
* The eunuch who was supposed to recover*
* the powder was punished by flagellation.*
**[12:46] Jinshi**
You seem tired.
**[12:49] Maomao**
Yes. Unlike a certain someone, I'm quite busy.
**[12:53] Gaoshun**
We brought gifts.
**[12:57] Maomao**
Thank you!
**[13:00] Maomao**
Wow!
**[13:02] Maomao**
*He really knows what I want!*
**[13:04] Maomao**
* It's considerate people like him*
* who become good husbands.*
**[13:08] Maomao**
*He is a eunuch, though.*
**[13:11] Maomao**
*Compared to him...*
**[13:17] Jinshi**
Do you need help with anything?
**[13:20] Maomao**
Well...
**[13:23] Jinshi**
What is it? Tell me anything.
**[13:27] Jinshi**
Over there, they need help. Someone please.
**[13:31] Jinshi**
Everyone, please hurry.
**[13:33] Eunuchs**
Yes!
**[13:35] Gaoshun**
A steam bath?
**[13:37] Jinshi**
Apparently, sweating is good for her.
**[13:40] Gaoshun**
Is it useful?
**[13:42] Jinshi**
I suppose it is.
**[13:44] Maomao**
We have to use whatever we have.
**[13:56] Lihua**
You... Why...
**[14:01] Maomao**
Yes, what is it?
**[14:04] Lihua**
Why wouldn't you...
**[14:09] Lihua**
let me just die?
**[14:14] Maomao**
You could stop eating, then.
**[14:19] Maomao**
But you eat the porridge
because you want to live.
**[14:42] Lihua**
I see.
**[14:58] Lihua**
You're right.
**[15:48] Maomao**
You.
**[15:50] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
I was released from confinement and am
permitted to serve Lady Lihua once again.
**[15:57] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
I will never make that mistake again. Ever.
**[16:02] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
I will take your place now. Please rest.
**[16:07] Maomao**
All right.
**[16:16] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Lihua.
**[16:21] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Lihua.
**[16:27] Lihua**
Ah...
**[16:33] Lihua**
Can you get me some water, if you could?
**[16:41] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Yes.
**[16:46] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Yes!
**[16:53] Maomao**
* After about two months, Lady Lihua*
* recovered enough to be able to walk by herself.*
**[17:02] Maomao**
*She has self-respect, but isn't arrogant.*
**[17:06] Maomao**
* After that matter with the prince,*
* I imagined her as a selfish princess,*
**[17:11] Maomao**
* but as it turns out, she has*
* a personality befitting a concubine.*
**[17:50] Maomao**
I will take my leave tomorrow morning.
**[17:54] Lihua**
I see.
**[17:56] Maomao**
I've already spoken to your
ladies-in-waiting about your food
**[17:59] Maomao**
and other things to be careful of.
**[18:03] Lihua**
Hey. Am I incapable of birthing another child?
**[18:10] Maomao**
I don't know. Perhaps you should try.
**[18:14] Lihua**
But His Majesty's love for me is gone.
**[18:18] Maomao**
I was sent here by a direct
order from the emperor.
**[18:22] Maomao**
Once I return to the Jade Pavilion,
perhaps the emperor will visit you.
**[18:29] Lihua**
I ignored those words of
advice and let my child die.
**[18:34] Lihua**
Will I be able to win
against Concubine Gyokuyou?
**[18:37] Maomao**
It's not a matter of winning and losing.
**[18:42] Maomao**
There are hundreds,
thousands of flowers in the world,
**[18:45] Maomao**
but who can decide whether a peony
or a bellflower is more beautiful?
**[18:52] Lihua**
I have neither her jade eyes
nor her bright hair.
**[19:00] Maomao**
You have other... assets.
**[19:04] Maomao**
Not just the sheer size, but the shape
and tension are truly magnificent.
**[19:09] Lihua**
Huh?
**[19:11] Maomao**
Could you lend me your ear?
**[19:14] Lihua**
Y-Yes.
**[19:30] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[19:37] Maomao**
* The knowledge I left with Lady Lihua*
* was a secret technique taught to me*
**[19:37] Lady-in-Waiting**
Lady Lihua, what's wrong?
**[19:41] Ladies-in-Waiting**
Lady Lihua?!
**[19:42] Maomao**
*by my big sisters at the brothel.*
**[19:44] (Flashback) Pairin**
You should learn this, just in case!
**[19:47] (Flashback) Young Maomao**
Huh?
**[19:49] Maomao**
* Unfortunately, I don't have the sizable*
* fruits to employ the technique.*
**[19:54] Maomao**
*It's perfect for Lady Lihua, though.*
**[19:59] Maomao**
I hope it turns out to be useful.
**[20:07] Maomao**
I'm back.
**[20:10] Gyokuyou**
Welcome back.
**[20:12] Yinghua**
Maomao, are you all right?!
**[20:14] Guiyuan**
You've gotten so thin.
**[20:16] Ailan**
It must have been very hard.
**[20:18] Jinshi**
* She completed the emperor's*
* mission all by herself. Impressive.*
**[20:26] Narration**
* There was a period after that where*
* the emperor's visits to the Jade Pavilion*
**[20:29] Narration**
*decreased in frequency quite significantly.*
**[20:34] Gyokuyou**
Finally, released from sleep deprivation.
**[20:39] Narration**
* Maomao couldn't keep a straight face,*
* but that's another story.*
**[21:00] Eunuch**
It's a curse...
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narration**
Next time: "Covert Operations."
***SIGN*** Episode 5: Covert Operations
# E5 - Covert Operations
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GK9U3MJDV/covert-operations)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 5: Covert Operations
**[02:18] Basen**
I yield.
**[02:23] Jinshi**
You've improved, Basen.
**[02:25] Basen**
No...
**[02:27] Basen**
My brute force is still no match
for your techniques, Master Jinshi.
**[02:32] Jinshi**
But that force of yours is quite astounding.
You truly carry the Ma clan's blood.
**[02:40] Jinshi**
How's the apothecary doing, Gaoshun?
**[02:44] Gaoshun**
What specifically do you mean?
**[02:46] Jinshi**
Has she gained weight?
**[02:48] Gaoshun**
I believe she has regained some, yes.
**[02:51] Jinshi**
I see. Well...
**[02:54] (Flashback) Maomao**
Don't you understand why this stuff was banned?!
**[02:57] (Flashback) Maomao**
I told you, it's *poison*.
**[02:59] Jinshi**
It was unexpected, seeing that side of her.
**[03:03] Gaoshun**
Are you all right, sir?
**[03:04] Jinshi**
Hmm? What?
**[03:06] Gaoshun**
You seem very concerned.
**[03:13] Gaoshun**
No, it's nothing.
**[03:25] Maomao**
I knew I'd find it!
**[03:28] Maomao**
Yes!
**[03:31] Maomao**
Oh! Over here, too!
**[03:33] Maomao**
And here, too!
**[03:36] Maomao**
Where should I eat it? The kitchen?
**[03:39] Maomao**
But I don't want people
asking where I found it...
**[03:42] Maomao**
Oh, but before that...
**[03:45] Xiaolan**
Wow, looks so good!
**[03:47] Xiaolan**
Thanks as always, Maomao!
**[03:50] Xiaolan**
It's so kind of your higher-ups to share snacks
with you every time there's a tea party.
**[03:57] (Flashback) Yinghua**
You need to eat more!
**[03:58] (Flashback) Guiyuan**
Gain more weight!
**[04:00] (Flashback) Ailan**
Don't be shy!
**[04:04] Xiaolan**
Oh, did you hear?
**[04:06] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[04:07] Xiaolan**
I heard a palace servant
**[04:09] Xiaolan**
was able to seduce a military officer
who was famous for hating women.
**[04:13] Maomao**
Huh...
**[04:14] Xiaolan**
Guess how she did it.
**[04:16] Maomao**
Who knows?
**[04:18] Xiaolan**
They say she used an aphrodisiac!
**[04:20] Maomao**
Aphro...disiac?
**[04:27] Maomao**
*That one.*
**[04:28] Xiaolan**
What's wrong, Maomao?
**[04:29] Maomao**
N-Nothing. It's not related. Probably.
**[04:36] Maomao**
Good morning.
**[04:38] Guen**
Oh, hey little lady! What's going on today?
**[04:42] Maomao**
There's a secret I'd like to discuss with you.
**[04:44] Guen**
What is it?
**[04:46] Maomao**
This.
**[04:49] Guen**
Wow! Those are fresh matsutake mushrooms!
**[04:51] Maomao**
I'm glad to see you seem to like it.
**[04:53] Guen**
We'll need charcoal!
And some soy paste and salt!
**[04:58] Maomao**
* Somehow, I've ended up being*
* buddy-buddy with the quack doctor.*
**[05:07] Guen**
Oh, how irresistible!
**[05:09] Maomao**
I think it's ready.
**[05:11] Maomao**
Pour on some soy paste, add some salt...
**[05:16] Maomao**
Here.
**[05:21] Guen**
Delicious!
**[05:22] Maomao**
*Now he's an accomplice.*
**[05:25] Maomao & Guen**
Delicious!
**[05:28] Eunuch A**
D-Doctor!
**[05:31] Eunuch A**
A c-curse...
**[05:33] Eunuch A**
Can you make a medicine that cures curses?
**[05:36] Maomao**
A curse?
**[05:38] Guen**
What do you mean?
**[05:39] Eunuch A**
It's this.
**[05:43] Maomao**
That's quite a bad rash.
Maybe an ointment, for starters?
**[05:48] Guen**
Could you make some?
**[05:50] Maomao**
Understood.
**[05:52] Guen**
So, what's this curse you mentioned?
**[05:55] Eunuch A**
It was two nights ago.
**[05:59] Eunuch A**
Trash that comes out of the rear palace
**[06:01] Eunuch A**
is burned in the pit on the west side.
**[06:04] Eunuch A**
I was doing work as usual that day, when...
**[06:09] (Flashback) Eunuch A**
What's that?
**[06:13] (Flashback) Eunuch A**
A woman's dress? The bottoms of the
sleeves are burnt.
**[06:17] (Flashback) Eunuch A**
And wood writing tablets...?
**[06:19] Eunuch A**
I was a little curious, but I just
threw it in the fire anyway. Then...
**[06:39] Eunuch A**
It's a curse! That must be
what got to my hands!
**[06:44] Maomao**
Was the fire this color?
**[06:51] Maomao**
Or perhaps this color?
**[06:55] Maomao**
This would do the same thing.
**[06:58] Guen**
Little lady, what is that?
**[07:01] Maomao**
It's similar to how fireworks work.
**[07:03] Maomao**
Some things change the color
of a flame when burned.
**[07:07] Eunuch A**
Then, what about my hands?
**[07:09] Maomao**
There was probably something
on the wood tablets.
**[07:13] Maomao**
I think it caused the rashes
when you touched them.
**[07:16] Maomao**
Try this medicine, and let us know how it goes.
**[07:19] Eunuch A**
Oh, thank you.
**[07:21] Guen**
The little lady's medicines
work like a charm!
**[07:24] Guen**
You'll be better in no time!
**[07:27] Jinshi**
Well done as always, apothecary.
**[07:30] Guen**
Master Jinshi!
**[07:33] Guen**
I'll make you some tea.
**[07:37] Maomao**
Greetings, Master Jinshi.
What business do you have with me today?
**[07:41] Jinshi**
Do you mean I shouldn't talk
to you unless I have business?
**[07:45] Maomao**
Of course not.
**[07:49] Jinshi**
Follow me for a moment.
**[07:52] Guen**
Thank you for waiting, Master Jinshi—
**[07:55] Guen**
Oh.
**[08:01] Jinshi**
How many colors are there?
**[08:03] Maomao**
I can't say specifically.
**[08:05] Jinshi**
Then, how does one apply these colors?
**[08:09] Maomao**
With salts, you can dissolve them in water.
**[08:12] Maomao**
Some will dissolve in
other things, like oil.
**[08:17] Maomao**
But this is outside my area of expertise.
**[08:20] Jinshi**
I see.
**[08:22] Maomao**
If that's all, please excuse me.
**[08:25] Jinshi**
Wait.
**[08:27] Maomao**
What is it?
**[08:29] Jinshi**
I like them teapot-steamed.
**[08:34] Jinshi**
I'm counting on you, apothecary.
**[08:36] Maomao**
*So, he knew...*
**[08:39] Maomao**
I'll see if I can find more tomorrow.
**[08:50] Jinshi**
Find everyone who's suffered burns
on their arms recently.
**[08:54] Gaoshun**
Understood.
**[08:56] Maomao**
The colored wood tablets are
probably some kind of code.
**[09:00] Maomao**
People would only use something like
that for... something secret?
**[09:05] Maomao**
What would that be?
**[09:09] Maomao**
None of my business. Nothing a food
taster should be concerned about.
**[09:17] Hongniang**
Thank you. Oh, please take that over there.
**[09:22] Maomao**
I'm back.
**[09:24] Hongniang**
Welcome back.
**[09:26] Yinghua**
Maomao! Nice timing.
**[09:27] Hongniang**
Over there, please.
**[09:29] Yinghua**
Try this on, would you?
**[09:31] Maomao**
Huh? I have a bad feeling about this...
**[09:37] Maomao**
What is this?
**[09:39] Yinghua**
Isn't it obvious? It's your dress
for the garden party.
**[09:42] Maomao**
Garden party?
**[09:44] Yinghua**
Twice a year, the emperor and his
high officials gather in the courtyard
**[09:48] Yinghua**
to enjoy food and entertainment.
**[09:51] Hongniang**
The emperor isn't married yet,
so he has no empress consort, right?
**[09:56] Hongniang**
In that case, it's customary to bring
the upper first-rank concubines.
**[10:01] Maomao**
Upper first-rank concubines...
***SIGN*** Current Emperor
***SIGN*** (Contender for Empress Consort)
***SIGN*** Upper First-Rank Concubine
**[10:03] Hongniang**
The four high-ranking concubines who are
the best contenders for the empress consort.
**[10:12] Hongniang**
Concubine Gyokuyou, Precious Consort.
**[10:14] Hongniang**
Concubine Lihua, Wise Consort.
**[10:17] Hongniang**
Concubine Lishu, Virtuous Consort.
**[10:19] Hongniang**
Concubine Ah-Duo, Pure Consort.
**[10:22] Hongniang**
Last time, Lady Gyokuyou
Lady Lihua couldn't attend,
**[10:24] Hongniang**
because they had just given birth.
**[10:26] Hongniang**
So this time, they decided
to invite all four concubines.
**[10:29] Maomao**
And what do we do there?
**[10:32] Hongniang**
Well, nothing, actually.
**[10:38] Gyokuyou**
We're invited as guests.
We just have to follow the emperor.
**[10:43] Hongniang**
Some officials come by
to pay their respects.
**[10:46] Hongniang**
So, don't forget to smile.
**[10:48] Maomao**
Huh...
**[10:51] Maomao**
Is everyone required to attend?
**[10:53] Yinghua**
Of course!
**[10:56] Yinghua**
This is Princess Lingli's
first public appearance,
**[10:58] Yinghua**
and a rare event with all four
high-ranking concubines!
**[11:01] Yinghua**
This is a war! We have to brace ourselves!
**[11:05] Yinghua**
Let's do this!
**[11:08] Maomao**
* Lady Gyokuyou has so few*
* ladies-in-waiting to start with.*
**[11:11] Maomao**
*The newbie can't sit this out.*
**[11:14] Maomao**
* Besides, if there's a meal,*
* the taster is indispensable.*
**[11:18] Yinghua**
I guess you do need to
stuff the chest area a little.
**[11:22] Yinghua**
I want to bulk up your waist, too. Is that okay?
**[11:25] Maomao**
I'm in your hands.
**[11:28] Yinghua**
We'll be doing some nice makeup, too!
**[11:31] Yinghua**
You should hide your freckles occasionally.
**[11:36] Maomao**
Staying outside in the strong winds,
**[11:39] Maomao**
watching the entertainment, eating the food,
**[11:41] Maomao**
smiling at the officials who come by...
**[11:45] Maomao**
I'll definitely need an iron
bladder for this one.
**[11:50] Maomao**
In that case...
**[12:01] Maomao**
Good.
**[12:03] Hongniang**
That smells nice.
**[12:06] Hongniang**
What are you making?
**[12:08] Maomao**
It's candy made of ginger and oranges.
**[12:10] Hongniang**
Candy?
**[12:11] Maomao**
Orange peels improve blood flow,
and ginger warms the body.
**[12:17] Hongniang**
Wait, is it for the garden party?!
**[12:20] Maomao**
Yes. I also made this, just in case.
**[12:24] Maomao**
I sewed pockets into my underrobe.
**[12:27] Maomao**
By putting pocket warmers in there,
it should help me withstand the cold.
**[12:30] Hongniang**
Maomao!
**[12:32] Maomao**
Huh?
**[12:32] Hongniang**
Please, make enough for everyone!
**[12:36] Maomao**
S-Sure...
**[12:42] Maomao**
* I guess getting too used to custom*
* can stifle the simplest ideas.*
**[12:48] Maomao**
*A little work can make things better.*
**[12:53] Maomao**
Come in.
**[12:54] Jinshi**
I'd like to ask for one, myself.
**[12:56] Gaoshun**
Me too, please...
**[12:58] Maomao**
Okay.
**[13:00] Seamstress**
Please teach me how to make that.
**[13:02] Cook**
Please.
**[13:04] Maomao**
*The emperor's own seamstress and cook, too?*
**[13:36] Yinghua**
So cold!
**[13:53] Maomao**
Finally finished.
**[13:56] Maomao**
*So, it's tomorrow.*
**[14:01] Maomao**
Let's make some of those too, just in case.
**[14:06] Gaoshun**
Regarding the search for those
with burns on their arms...
**[14:09] Jinshi**
No luck yet?
**[14:13] Gaoshun**
I'm sorry.
**[14:15] Jinshi**
I hope the garden party goes smoothly...
**[14:39] Ladies-in-Waiting Trio**
Wow...
**[14:42] Yinghua**
You're beautiful, Lady Gyokuyou!
**[14:44] Guiyuan**
Crimson looks so good on you!
**[14:46] Ailan**
Such wonderful beauty...
**[14:49] Maomao**
No wonder they say crimson suits her
better than anyone in all the land.
**[14:52] Hongniang**
Yes, you outshine all others.
**[14:56] Gyokuyou**
Thank you. And for you all...
**[15:01] Gyokuyou**
Here. I have to mark you, to make
sure you don't attract any bad bugs.
**[15:07] Gyokuyou**
Maomao.
**[15:10] Gyokuyou**
Remember, Maomao. You are *my* lady-in-waiting.
**[15:17] Maomao**
Uhm, thank you.
**[15:21] Yinghua**
Got her!
**[15:24] Maomao**
Um, wait.
**[15:25] Guiyuan; Ailan**
Makeup time!
**[15:28] Gyokuyou**
Time to become as cute as you can be!
**[15:30] Yinghua**
We'll wipe off your face
and apply some scents.
**[15:32] Yinghua**
Then we'll deal with your freckles...
**[15:34] Guiyuan**
There.
**[15:38] Ailan**
Huh?
**[15:39] Guiyuan**
Maomao?
**[15:40] Yinghua**
No...
**[15:41] Hongniang**
Why?
**[15:43] Gyokuyou**
Maomao, you're...
**[15:46] Maomao**
Ah...
**[15:47] Maomao**
*They caught me.*
**[15:50] Gyokuyou**
All right, let's go.
**[16:12] Jinshi**
Concubine Lishu, I look forward to
seeing you later in the garden party.
**[16:16] Lishu**
Yes, Master Jinshi.
**[16:26] Jinshi**
Last is the Precious Consort, Lady Gyokuyou.
**[16:32] Gaoshun**
*He seems to favor Concubine Gyokuyou.*
**[16:35] Gaoshun**
*Could it be because of his favorite toy?*
**[16:39] Gaoshun**
*He can be so troublesome.*
**[16:45] Gyokuyou**
Maomao, you've helped out quite a bit.
**[16:48] Maomao**
Glad to be of service.
**[16:50] Jinshi**
Greetings, Concubine Gyokuyou.
**[16:52] Gyokuyou**
Oh, greetings.
**[16:54] Jinshi**
My lady, you certainly
look wonderful in crimson.
**[16:58] Jinshi**
Your gorgeous, yet somewhat mysterious
style must stem from your jade eyes.
**[17:06] Gyokuyou**
Thank you.
**[17:12] Jinshi**
Now, to check in on the princess...
**[17:24] Maomao**
Greetings, Master Jinshi.
**[17:30] Jinshi**
Oh, it's you, apothecary.
**[17:32] Jinshi**
Are you wearing makeup?
**[17:34] Maomao**
No, I'm not.
**[17:36] Jinshi**
Your freckles are gone.
**[17:38] Maomao**
Yes, I removed them.
**[17:40] Jinshi**
You covered them with makeup, you mean?
**[17:41] Maomao**
I removed my makeup. That's why they're gone.
**[17:46] Jinshi**
That doesn't make any sense.
You're contradicting yourself.
**[17:50] Maomao**
* Ugh, what a bother.*
* I should have just nodded along.*
**[17:55] Maomao**
Every day, I put dried clay
on my face to add freckles.
**[18:00] Maomao**
I already had makeup on every
time you saw me before this.
**[18:04] Maomao**
Cosmetics aren't just for making
a face more beautiful.
**[18:08] Jinshi**
Why would you do such a thing?
**[18:12] Maomao**
You really want to know?
**[18:15] Maomao**
It's to prevent being
dragged into a back alley.
**[18:20] Maomao**
I lived near the brothels, but not
every man left sexually satisfied.
**[18:24] Maomao**
Some had empty wallets, violent
tendencies, and venereal diseases.
**[18:28] Maomao**
A short, skinny, ugly girl
rarely becomes a target.
**[18:34] Jinshi**
Were you ever dragged away?
**[18:35] Maomao**
Attempts were made. Instead, I got kidnapped.
**[18:43] Maomao**
My makeup was faded. They seemed
to think I was borderline marketable.
**[18:49] Jinshi**
I see.
**[18:51] Jinshi**
I'm sorry we couldn't police them.
**[18:55] Maomao**
I don't particularly care.
**[18:57] Maomao**
A buyer can't tell if you were kidnapped, or just sold off
legally so there'd be one less mouth to feed.
**[19:05] Jinshi**
Doesn't that make you angry?
**[19:07] Maomao**
Obviously, it does. But it's not your fault.
**[19:16] Jinshi**
I'm sorry.
**[19:20] Maomao**
*He's being straightforward for once.*
**[19:30] Maomao**
That hurts.
**[19:32] Jinshi**
Sorry. It's yours.
**[19:37] Jinshi**
See you at the party.
**[19:50] Maomao**
A man's hairpin? Why?
**[19:54] Yinghua**
Wow! So nice!
**[19:57] Guiyuan**
I'm jealous!
**[19:58] Ailan**
I want one, too!
**[20:00] Maomao**
* I could give it away,*
* but how would I split this?*
**[20:03] Gyokuyou**
Oh, you broke our promise already.
**[20:10] Gyokuyou**
You're no longer mine alone.
**[20:16] Maomao**
Um, what does that mean—
**[20:21] Gyokuyou**
It's starting.
**[20:49] Maomao**
*The garden party begins.*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "The Garden Party."*
***SIGN*** Episode 6: The Garden Party
# E6 - The Garden Party
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G50UZXP1N/the-garden-party)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:34] Lady-in-Waiting 1**
There's just no sense of decency.
**[01:37] Lady-in-Waiting 2**
So picky with her food.
**[01:41] Kanan**
It's not like it's going to
kill her or anything.
***SIGN*** Episode 6: The Garden Party
**[01:48] Yinghua**
So cold!
**[01:48] Ailan**
The pocket warmers certainly help, but...
**[01:51] Maomao**
Not having anything to do
in this cold is quite an ordeal.
**[01:56] Guiyuan**
The wind is so cold!
**[02:00] Maomao**
*Couldn't we get a tent or something?*
**[02:42] Maomao**
This arrangement seems made to instill
rivalry between the four concubines.
**[02:51] Guiyuan**
Look, that's the Empress Dowager.
**[02:54] Maomao**
She seems very youthful.
**[02:57] Guiyuan**
She is young. She gave birth
to the emperor when she was...
**[03:03] Maomao**
* Wow, she must have worked*
* really hard to give birth...*
**[03:05] Guiyuan**
The Empress Dowager has two children,
the emperor and his younger brother.
**[03:12] Guiyuan**
The rumor is that the brother is
too sick to leave his house.
**[03:18] Guiyuan**
I think he was here until
a few moments ago, though...
**[03:21] Maomao**
I see.
**[03:22] Yinghua**
Huh?!
**[03:24] Yinghua**
Who are you calling basic?!
**[03:25] Yinghua**
We ladies-in-waiting serve our mistresses!
**[03:28] Yinghua**
What's the point in dressing up?!
**[03:30] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Pfft. Did you hear that?
**[03:33] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
Having ugly servants hurts
the mistress, obviously.
**[03:38] Yinghua**
Grr!
**[03:41] Maomao**
*Those are Lady Lihua's ladies-in-waiting.*
**[03:44] Guiyuan**
Oh, Yinghua. And so, the proxy war begins.
**[03:49] Guiyuan**
Let's go.
**[03:51] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
I guess you can't help it, seeing
how you hired that ugly girl.
**[03:55] Maomao**
*"Ugly girl?" Does she mean me?*
**[03:58] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
Having someone like that
around is truly a shame.
**[04:01] Yinghua**
What did you say?!
**[04:04] Ailan**
Yinghua!
**[04:05] Guiyuan**
Calm down!
**[04:07] Maomao**
* They haven't noticed? And after all the fun*
* we shared at the Crystal Pavilion, too...*
**[04:13] (Flashback) Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
If you keep acting up,
I'll tell my father about you!
**[04:21] (Flashback) Maomao**
I'll have to do things to your body that
you'd never tell your father about, then.
**[04:26] (Flashback) Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
N-No!
**[04:31] Maomao**
*It was just a bit of courtesan-style humor.*
**[04:37] Yinghua**
Apologize to Maomao!
**[04:46] Maomao**
Heh.
**[04:50] Yinghua**
Wh-What, nothing to say all of a sudden?
**[04:52] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
W-Well, I guess that's enough for now!
**[04:57] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
You should thank me!
**[05:00] Yinghua**
What's her problem?
**[05:02] Yinghua**
Hey Maomao, are you all right?
**[05:05] Yinghua**
Your real face is so pretty,
but those bullies...
**[05:08] Maomao**
It doesn't bother me. That aside, isn't it
time to change your pocket warmers?
**[05:14] Ailan**
*Not only did she grow up in poverty,*
**[05:16] Ailan**
* her distrust of men is strong enough*
* to make her ruin her own face...*
**[05:20] Guiyuan**
* She endured two months of awful*
* bullying at the Crystal Pavilion...*
**[05:25] Yinghua**
* Yet she won't complain at all,*
* and instead looks after us...*
**[05:30] Ailan; Yinghua; Guiyuan**
* It's only natural that the benevolent*
* Master Jinshi looks after her!*
**[05:36] Maomao**
*They're being delusional again.*
**[05:43] Ah-Duo's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Have you no decency? A crimson dress?
**[05:47] Maomao**
Another proxy war.
**[05:50] Yinghua**
Ah, the Virtuous and
Pure Consorts' servants.
**[05:52] Yinghua**
They don't get along, either.
**[05:55] Yinghua**
The Virtuous Consort is
fourteen and arrived later,
**[05:58] Yinghua**
the Pure Consort is thirty-five
and has been here the longest.
**[06:01] Yinghua**
No wonder they don't get along.
**[06:03] Guiyuan**
Besides, they used to be
daughter- and mother-in-law.
**[06:06] Maomao**
Daughter- and mother-in-law?
**[06:08] Guiyuan**
Um... It's a bit complicated.
***SIGN*** Ah-Duo
Pure Consort
***SIGN*** Previous
Emperor
***SIGN*** Empress Dowager
***SIGN*** Current Emperor
***SIGN*** Lishu
Virtuous Consort
**[06:11] Guiyuan**
Before, one was the previous
emperor's concubine,
**[06:14] Guiyuan**
and the other was our
current emperor's concubine.
**[06:18] Guiyuan**
But the previous emperor passed away, right?
**[06:21] Yinghua**
The previous emperor's concubine
left the palace once,
**[06:24] Yinghua**
but returned as the current
emperor's concubine.
**[06:28] Maomao**
The previous emperor
passed away five years ago.
**[06:30] Maomao**
Back then, Concubine Ah-Duo
was thirty years old,
***SIGN*** 30 years old
**[06:34] Maomao**
and Concubine Lishu was nine.
***SIGN*** 9 years old
**[06:38] Maomao**
* I guess it's all politics, but becoming*
* a concubine at nine? Wow.*
**[06:41] Yinghua**
Unbelievable, right? Being
a mother-in-law at nine years old.
**[06:45] Maomao**
Nine... Mother...
**[06:49] Maomao**
M-Mother?!
***SIGN*** Ah-Duo
Pure Consort
***SIGN*** Lishu
Virtuous Consort
***SIGN*** Empress Dowager
***SIGN*** Current Emperor
***SIGN*** Previous
Emperor
***SIGN*** Ah-Duo
Pure Consort
***SIGN*** Lishu
Virtuous Consort
**[06:54] Maomao**
The one who was the previous emperor's
concubine was Lady Lishu?!
**[07:16] Maomao**
So that's the young mother-in-law?
**[07:19] Hongniang**
As you probably saw,
Lady Lishu is still very young.
**[07:25] Maomao**
Yes, I see that.
**[07:27] Maomao**
* Normally, a white dress would*
* suit the Virtuous Consort,*
**[07:30] Maomao**
*but that dark pink color...*
**[07:32] Maomao**
* It obviously clashes with*
* Lady Gyokuyou, the Precious Consort.*
**[07:36] Maomao**
*Maybe she can't read the room?*
**[07:42] Hongniang**
Thank you for the pocket warmers.
We'll certainly need them again.
**[07:45] Maomao**
Yes.
**[07:49] Lihua's Ladies-in-Waiting**
It's freezing...
**[07:56] Maomao**
Hold these if you're cold.
**[08:03] Maomao**
Here.
**[08:05] Maomao**
Here!
**[08:14] Yinghua**
You're too kind.
**[08:16] Yinghua**
Suggesting sharing the warmers with
the Crystal Pavilion ladies-in-waiting...
**[08:20] Ailan**
And getting Lady Gyokuyou's permission, too.
**[08:23] Maomao**
Well...
**[08:27] Maomao**
A hairpin?
**[08:29] Yinghua**
It's how they try to recruit talented
workers hidden in this flower garden.
**[08:34] Maomao**
Huh.
**[08:35] Yinghua**
It has another hidden meaning, though.
**[08:38] Maomao**
I see.
**[08:40] Yinghua**
I said, there's a *hidden meaning*!
**[08:44] Maomao**
Meaning, huh?
**[08:53] Lihaku**
Please have this, young lady.
**[09:00] Maomao**
* I guess he's handing them out to everyone*
* to make sure no servant feels ashamed.*
**[09:08] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[09:09] Lihaku**
I'm Lihaku! Good to meet you!
**[09:15] Maomao**
Like a big dog...
**[09:16] Lihaku**
Woof! Woof!
**[09:18] Yinghua**
Did he give you that? Let me see!
**[09:20] Maomao**
Just a participation award.
**[09:23] Lihua**
I believe you should have more.
**[09:30] Lihua**
It's been some time.
**[09:31] Maomao**
Yes, my lady, it has been a long time.
**[09:40] Lihua**
That's all for today.
**[09:42] Lihua's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Lady Lihua...?!
**[09:44] Lihua**
We'll take our leave. Have a pleasant day.
**[09:51] Guiyuan**
Lady Gyokuyou won't like this.
**[09:54] Yinghua**
What an understatement.
**[09:57] Ailan**
What will you do with all these hairpins?
**[10:11] Maomao**
*Oh.*
**[10:15] Maomao**
*He looks pretty good there.*
**[10:19] Maomao**
*I guess he's higher up than I thought.*
**[10:21] Maomao**
* He doesn't seem out of place*
* among the military officers.*
**[10:26] Maomao**
*Oh look, that officer from earlier.*
**[10:29] Maomao**
* He's at the very edge, but given*
* his age, I guess that's still impressive?*
**[10:34] Maomao**
* Our glittering eunuch*
* isn't there, but who cares?*
**[10:44] Maomao**
*More importantly, food tasting.*
**[10:50] Maomao**
*No clouding on the contact point.*
**[10:55] Maomao**
*No strange smells.*
**[10:58] Maomao**
*But swallowing is part of the job as taster...*
**[11:05] Maomao**
*Now to rinse out the mouth with water... Hmm?*
**[11:20] Maomao**
*The life of the food taster is expendable.*
**[11:24] Maomao**
* I guess I'm the only one*
* that enjoys eating poison.*
**[11:28] Maomao**
*You know what would be good? Puffer fish.*
**[11:30] Maomao**
*Sneak in some innards in the soup...*
**[11:34] Maomao**
* That stinging sensation*
* on the tongue is so wonderful.*
**[11:43] Maomao**
*Oops. Must concentrate.*
**[11:44] Maomao**
* This vinegar fish-and-vegetable dish*
* is the emperor's favorite.*
**[11:48] Maomao**
*I saw it a few times at the rear palace.*
**[11:50] Maomao**
* Usually it includes blueback,*
* but it's jellyfish today.*
**[11:56] Maomao**
*The cook responsible for the emperor's food*
**[11:58] Maomao**
* would never mistake*
* the emperor's favorite ingredient.*
**[12:01] Maomao**
* Lady Gyokuyou has no prominent*
* likes or dislikes, either.*
**[12:05] Maomao**
*Seems like the server messed up.*
**[12:24] Maomao**
*I guess she doesn't like fish.*
**[12:27] Maomao**
* She can't refuse to eat it.*
* Not in front of the emperor.*
**[12:38] Maomao**
*I wish I hadn't seen that.*
**[12:42] Military Official 1**
Did you see that, Lihaku?
**[12:44] Military Official 1**
One of the food tasters
is really excitable.
**[12:47] Lihaku**
Where's the fun in watching
someone eat while terrified?
**[12:52] Military Official 1**
Come on, just look.
**[12:55] Lihaku**
Huh? That taster... it's that girl from earlier.
**[13:23] Lihaku**
J-Just how delicious is that?
**[13:35] Maomao**
This is poison.
**[13:43] Crowd**
The Precious Consort's soup was poisoned?!
**[13:45] Minister**
Poison?! Are you sure?
**[13:45] Crowd**
Concubine Gyokuyou?!
**[13:47] Minister**
The taster swallowed it!
**[13:49] Crowd**
Minister!
**[13:50] Crowd**
What are you doing?!
**[13:52] Jinshi**
*Formal attire is too tight.*
**[13:56] Lihaku**
Hey! The minister drank
the soup and collapsed!
**[14:03] Jinshi**
The apothecary...
**[14:08] Maomao**
Phew.
**[14:10] Jinshi**
Apothecary!
**[14:12] Maomao**
Good day, Master Jinshi.
**[14:15] Jinshi**
Your day seems better than mine.
**[14:18] Maomao**
* Oh no, I got too excited about*
* the poison. It's like I smiled at him.*
**[14:25] Maomao**
What are you doing?
**[14:27] Jinshi**
Taking you to the infirmary!
**[14:29] Maomao**
I coughed up the poison. I feel quite well.
**[14:34] Maomao**
*I would have loved to swallow it, though.*
**[14:37] Maomao**
* If I did, the poison would have coursed*
* through my body by now, and...*
**[14:42] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, uh...
**[14:45] Jinshi**
What is it?
**[14:46] Maomao**
Give me the rest of the soup.
**[14:50] Jinshi**
You're an idiot.
**[14:52] Maomao**
I'm just eager to improve.
**[14:56] Jinshi**
After you left, someone tried the soup to see
if it was really poisoned, and collapsed.
**[15:01] Maomao**
Who was that stupid?
**[15:04] Jinshi**
A minister. Now it's become a huge incident.
**[15:09] Maomao**
Use this, then.
**[15:12] Maomao**
It's an emetic agent.
**[15:13] Maomao**
I made it strong enough to
turn your stomach inside out.
**[15:17] Jinshi**
Isn't that *also* a poison, then?
**[15:27] Maomao**
*A new hairpin?*
**[15:29] Maomao**
*So the eunuchs gets hairpins, too?*
**[15:32] Maomao**
* His collar is a little disheveled, too.*
* Plus his normal glitter is gone.*
**[15:39] Maomao**
*Is that why he wasn't at the party?*
**[15:44] Maomao**
* But right now, he's acting*
* his age more than usual...*
**[15:48] Maomao**
*Or rather, he looks quite a bit younger.*
**[15:54] Maomao**
*I prefer him like this, somewhat.*
**[16:03] Maomao**
*Really does the trick!*
**[16:04] Maomao**
*The palace infirmary has some good drugs!*
**[16:08] Jinshi**
Are you all right?
**[16:12] Maomao**
Yes, I'm all empty.
**[16:17] Jinshi**
Well, let's talk about who
poisoned Concubine Gyokuyou.
**[16:23] Maomao**
I'd like for you to bring
someone to talk about that.
**[16:27] Jinshi**
Who?
**[16:28] Maomao**
Lady Lishu, the Virtuous Consort.
**[16:34] Lishu**
Master Jinshi, how may I be of service?
**[16:37] Jinshi**
I'm sorry to bring you to this inelegant place.
**[16:40] Jinshi**
This lady-in-waiting wanted to speak with you.
**[16:45] Lishu**
Huh?!
**[16:47] Lishu**
Hmph. A lady-in-waiting?
**[16:53] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[16:58] Maomao**
I knew it.
**[17:01] Maomao**
Is it fish that you can't eat?
**[17:06] Jinshi**
What is this?
**[17:08] Maomao**
Some people have things they cannot eat.
**[17:11] Maomao**
In my case, I can't have buckwheat.
**[17:15] Jinshi**
Yet you eat poison?
**[17:17] Maomao**
Leave me alone. I tried to build a tolerance.
**[17:22] Maomao**
However, it made my throat swell
and it was hard for me to breathe.
**[17:27] Maomao**
Even a little bit caused rashes,
so it was hard to adjust the amounts,
**[17:32] Maomao**
and I took a long time to heal.
**[17:34] Maomao**
That's what I mean by "cannot eat."
**[17:37] Maomao**
Lady Lishu, how is your stomach?
**[17:41] Maomao**
I can get you a laxative if you....
**[17:47] Lishu**
How did you know?
**[17:49] Maomao**
It was clear that the rear palace
prepared the food for the garden party.
**[17:54] Maomao**
However, the vinegar dish used
a different ingredient from the usual one.
**[17:58] Maomao**
It seems like Lady Lishu's dish got swapped
with Lady Gyokuyou's dish by mistake.
**[18:04] Lishu**
I see.
**[18:05] Maomao**
Is it mackerel that you can't eat?
**[18:10] Lishu**
Yeah...
**[18:15] Maomao**
This isn't about just liking
or disliking certain foods.
**[18:18] Maomao**
It was just hives this time, but sometimes,
it can cause difficulty in breathing.
**[18:25] Maomao**
Feeding her this knowingly...
**[18:28] Maomao**
would be the same as poisoning her.
**[18:39] Maomao**
You're her food taster, correct?
**[18:42] Kanan**
Y-Yes!
**[18:45] Maomao**
I've taken note of what to be
careful of in an emergency.
**[18:51] Maomao**
Of course, avoiding these
foods entirely is best.
**[18:57] Maomao**
Please take a look.
**[19:02] Maomao**
It's not difficult.
**[19:04] Maomao**
However, if something goes wrong,
not even the palace doctor could fix it.
**[19:11] Maomao**
It could become deadly.
**[19:15] Maomao**
Please keep that in mind.
**[19:22] Maomao**
*That should have scared her enough.*
**[19:33] Jinshi**
What was that about?
**[19:36] Maomao**
I am of lowly birth. Please don't touch me.
**[19:41] Jinshi**
You're the only one that says that to me.
**[19:43] Maomao**
Well, everyone's just being kind to you.
**[19:48] Maomao**
Anyway, I must report to Lady Gyokuyou. So...
**[19:53] Jinshi**
Wait. Why did you call the food taster in, too?
**[19:59] Maomao**
What do you mean?
**[20:00] Jinshi**
Don't play dumb. You asked me to bring her.
**[20:03] Maomao**
To tell her what to be careful of.
**[20:06] Jinshi**
So, you're saying the servers made the error?
**[20:11] Maomao**
I don't know. I'm a mere lady-in-waiting.
**[20:17] Jinshi**
At least answer me this.
**[20:21] Jinshi**
The target was the Virtuous
Consort, Lady Lishu, right?
**[20:26] Maomao**
Assuming none of the other
dishes were poisoned.
**[20:29] Jinshi**
I see.
**[20:48] Maomao**
What a day.
**[20:50] Gaoshun**
Is this related to the matter of
the wooden tablets from the other day?
**[20:55] Gaoshun**
The lady-in-waiting who came earlier
had no burns on her.
**[21:01] Jinshi**
Who could it be...?
**[21:06] ---**
Not just some superficial sweetness
**[21:12] ---**
I want more warmth than I can even use, oh
**[21:18] ---**
Having these selfish idealistic thoughts
**[21:23] ---**
I swallowed them again today
before putting them into words
**[21:28] ---**
Still in my memories,
the scent of fragrant olive
**[21:33] ---**
The color of twilight in the city
**[21:36] ---**
We were laughing...
**[21:41] ---**
Filled with sadness,
the tears welled up in my eyes
**[21:53] ---**
I found a glow during those days
**[22:01] ---**
I guess I took everything for granted
**[22:06] ---**
The wind was so loud I covered my ears
**[22:18] ---**
I gotta stop being like that
**[22:26] ---**
Even if I stumble over the words of love
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Homecoming."*
***SIGN*** Episode 7: Homecoming
# E7 - Homecoming
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GWDU8EXQ3/homecoming)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:35] (Flashback) Maomao**
Dad!
**[01:40] (Flashback) Maomao**
Dad!
***SIGN*** Episode 7: Homecoming
**[01:53] Maomao**
I wonder if Dad's doing okay.
**[01:59] Maomao**
Right. Yesterday, after the garden party...
**[02:02] (Flashback) Yinghua**
What are you talking about?!
**[02:04] (Flashback) Ailan**
The minister who ate the poison
is in terrible condition!
**[02:07] (Flashback) Guiyuan**
You're sick. Get lots of sleep!
**[02:10] Maomao**
Thanks to them, I got a good deal of sleep.
**[02:13] Maomao**
But sleeping until noon is too much.
**[02:21] Maomao**
I can't go without makeup now.
**[02:28] Gyokuyou**
Oh.
**[02:29] Gyokuyou**
You could have taken a day off.
**[02:32] Maomao**
I can't allow myself to do that.
Please put me to work.
**[02:36] Gyokuyou**
Oh? Your freckles.
**[02:38] Maomao**
I'm uncomfortable without them.
Can I keep them on?
**[02:42] Gyokuyou**
I understand.
**[02:44] Gyokuyou**
Everyone kept demanding to know
who that lady-in-waiting was.
**[02:49] Maomao**
My apologies.
**[02:51] Gyokuyou**
It's fine.
**[02:52] Gyokuyou**
Anyway, Gaoshun came by this morning
and hasn't left. What do you want to do?
**[02:56] Gyokuyou**
He seemed bored, so I asked him
to pull up some weeds.
**[03:01] Maomao**
Weeds...
**[03:02] Maomao**
* Back at the garden party, he was*
* in a pretty high-ranking seat.*
**[03:06] Maomao**
*I guess he really is caring.*
**[03:09] Maomao**
* He must win the hearts of*
* the ladies-in-waiting in his own way.*
**[03:15] Maomao**
May I use the parlor?
**[03:19] Gyokuyou**
Sure. Hongniang.
**[03:22] Hongniang**
Yes.
**[03:22] Maomao**
* Is it just me, or is Hongniang*
* being sparkly-eyed, too?*
**[03:27] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi wanted me to bring you this.
**[03:31] Maomao**
This is the soup that Lady Gyokuyou
was supposed to drink, right?
**[03:35] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[03:36] Maomao**
How kind of him.
**[03:39] Gaoshun**
Please don't eat it.
**[03:40] Maomao**
I won't.
**[03:42] Maomao**
Silver corrodes quickly.
This is oxidized and no longer tasty.
**[03:48] Gaoshun**
Tasty...
**[03:50] Maomao**
Did you pick this up with your hands?
**[03:52] Gaoshun**
No, I didn't touch the bowl.
**[03:55] Gaoshun**
I only picked up the contents
in a spoon to see if it was poison.
**[03:58] Gaoshun**
*Shoop shoop shoop.*
**[03:58] Gaoshun**
After that, I immediately
wrapped it in cloth.
**[04:02] Maomao**
One moment, please.
**[04:04] Maomao**
*Clip clip clip.*
**[04:06] Maomao**
*Clunk clunk clunk.*
**[04:08] Gaoshun**
Cotton, powder, and a brush.
**[04:10] Maomao**
Yes.
**[04:11] Gaoshun**
What will you do with these?
**[04:13] Maomao**
In the apothecary I used to work at,
**[04:15] Maomao**
we used to put dyes on containers
that weren't supposed to be touched.
**[04:20] Maomao**
This is a similar technique.
**[04:22] Maomao**
It's simple. I put some powder
on this cotton ball.
**[04:27] Maomao**
I dust the bowl with it...
**[04:29] Maomao**
Finally, I brush off the excess.
**[04:36] Maomao**
And there.
**[04:36] Gaoshun**
There's some white marks.
**[04:39] Maomao**
That's where a human hand made contact.
**[04:42] Maomao**
When you touch this with
your fingers, it leaves a mark.
**[04:46] Maomao**
It's especially visible on silver,
which is easily corroded.
**[04:50] Maomao**
That's why you thoroughly
wipe silver items before use.
**[04:54] Gaoshun**
In other words, the finger
marks remaining here
**[04:57] Gaoshun**
were from people who touched
the bowl after it was wiped clean?
**[05:01] Maomao**
Indeed.
**[05:03] Maomao**
The size and placement of the finger marks
allows us to guess how they held it.
**[05:09] Maomao**
The bowl was held...
**[05:12] Gaoshun**
What is it?
**[05:17] Maomao**
Nothing.
**[05:19] Maomao**
The bowl was held by four people, I think.
**[05:23] Gaoshun**
Four people.
**[05:25] Maomao**
First, three people who touched
the side of the bowl.
**[05:28] Maomao**
The one who poured the soup,
**[05:31] Maomao**
the one who carried it,
**[05:33] Maomao**
and Lady Lishu's taster.
**[05:36] Maomao**
But there was one more.
**[05:38] Maomao**
An "outsider" that touched
the rim of the bowl.
**[05:41] Maomao**
I believe this unknown
person poisoned the food.
**[05:47] Gaoshun**
If that's true, why is the taster's finger
mark on the high-rank concubine's bowl?
**[05:53] Maomao**
That's simple. Lady Lishu's taster swapped it
on purpose as a form of harassment,
**[06:00] Maomao**
not knowing it was poisoned.
**[06:01] Gaoshun**
Swapped it?
**[06:04] Maomao**
It's bullying.
**[06:05] Gaoshun**
A lady-in-waiting is bullying
a high-ranking concubine?
**[06:08] Maomao**
Sounds like you can't believe it.
**[06:10] Gaoshun**
Can you explain?
**[06:13] Maomao**
Let me first say that this is all
just conjecture on my part.
**[06:18] Gaoshun**
That's fine.
**[06:19] Maomao**
Do you remember Lady Lishu's
dress during the garden party?
**[06:23] Gaoshun**
Yes. I believe it was a flashy pink color.
**[06:27] Maomao**
Normally, you'd think that if a concubine
**[06:29] Maomao**
picked a color that would clash
with Lady Gyokuyou's dress,
**[06:32] Maomao**
her ladies-in-waiting would
recommend another one.
**[06:35] Maomao**
Or, at least, they'd wear something
that matches it themselves.
**[06:40] Maomao**
However, all of her servants
were wearing white.
**[06:46] Maomao**
That makes Lady Lishu appear like
a buffoon who can't read the room.
**[06:52] Maomao**
Ladies-in-waiting should
allow their mistress to shine.
**[06:55] Maomao**
Come to think of it, that day...
**[06:57] (Flashback) Ah-Duo's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Have you no decency? A crimson dress?
**[07:04] Maomao**
Lady Ah-Duo's ladies-in-waiting
**[07:07] Maomao**
were scolding Lady Lishu's
servants for not doing their jobs.
**[07:10] Maomao**
The rear palace is full of enemies,
**[07:12] Maomao**
so the only people a concubine can
truly trust are her ladies-in-waiting.
**[07:17] Maomao**
I suspect the ladies-in-waiting recommended
that dress to their young Lady Lishu,
**[07:23] Maomao**
and she wore it without realizing
they'd done it to humiliate her.
**[07:26] Maomao**
She didn't suspect a thing.
**[07:28] Gaoshun**
Not only that, but she also tried to swap
the food to further harass Concubine Lishu?
**[07:35] Maomao**
Yes, though she was unaware it was poisoned.
**[07:38] Maomao**
It ended up saving her.
**[07:42] Maomao**
But it's still quite distasteful.
**[07:46] Gaoshun**
Why would they do such a thing?
**[07:48] Maomao**
Lady Lishu became the previous
emperor's concubine at a very young age.
**[07:52] Maomao**
Then she left the rear palace
soon after. Her situation is unique.
**[07:55] Maomao**
A wife must sacrifice everything
to devote to her husband.
**[07:58] Maomao**
We are all taught this from a very young age.
**[08:01] Maomao**
I guess, from that perspective,
to wed her deceased husband's son
**[08:05] Maomao**
is an indecency beyond words.
**[08:09] Maomao**
I think the mark near the bowl's edge
**[08:12] Maomao**
was left by the person who added the poison.
**[08:15] Maomao**
They must have held the edge
while stirring in the poison.
**[08:18] Gaoshun**
I see.
**[08:20] Maomao**
Your fingers must not touch the area
that noble lips are supposed to go.
**[08:25] Maomao**
That is the teaching of Hongniang.
**[08:27] Maomao**
That's all I came up with.
**[08:31] Gaoshun**
May I ask one more thing?
**[08:34] Maomao**
What is it?
**[08:37] Gaoshun**
Why did you try to protect that
taster yesterday?
**[08:43] Gaoshun**
I'm just curious. This isn't
an investigation or anything.
**[08:50] Maomao**
The life of a serving girl is worthless
compared to that of a concubine.
**[08:58] Maomao**
Especially if that life
belongs to a food taster...
**[09:08] Gaoshun**
I'll try to explain this to Master Jinshi.
**[09:11] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[09:16] Maomao**
Well, I should be thankful, since she
did go out of her way to make the swap.
**[09:23] Maomao**
I was able to taste that poison thanks to her.
**[09:26] Maomao**
I really should have swallowed that soup.
**[09:35] Gaoshun**
That is all.
**[09:36] Jinshi**
I see. You always impress me
with how you word things.
**[09:41] Gaoshun**
Is that so?
**[09:43] Jinshi**
This is clearly an inside job, right?
**[09:46] Gaoshun**
The situation indicates as much, yes.
**[09:50] Jinshi**
You make it sound so simple.
**[09:53] Jinshi**
I haven't had time to sleep
at all because of this.
**[09:55] Jinshi**
I haven't even been able to change clothes.
**[09:57] Jinshi**
I want to stop thinking.
**[09:59] Gaoshun**
Your natural self is showing.
**[10:01] Jinshi**
Who cares? There's nobody here.
**[10:04] Gaoshun**
I am here.
**[10:05] Jinshi**
Can you cut me some slack?
**[10:07] Gaoshun**
No.
**[10:09] Jinshi**
Nothing I say will move you, huh?
**[10:11] Gaoshun**
We've had a long relationship.
**[10:13] Jinshi**
It's not easy having someone
look after you since you were born.
**[10:18] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi, you forgot
to remove your hairpin.
**[10:21] Jinshi**
Oh, oops. Totally forgot.
**[10:24] Gaoshun**
It was hidden in your hair.
**[10:26] Gaoshun**
I don't think anyone noticed your true status.
**[10:29] Jinshi**
Take care of it for me.
**[10:32] Gaoshun**
You're treating it roughly again.
**[10:36] Gaoshun**
It's something only special individuals
can wear, so please take care of it.
**[10:41] Jinshi**
I know.
**[10:43] Gaoshun**
You don't.
**[10:46] Gaoshun**
Excuse me.
**[10:53] Jinshi**
Let's do this...
**[10:58] Xiaolan**
Oh right, did you get any hairpins?
**[11:01] Maomao**
A few.
**[11:04] Xiaolan**
I see!
**[11:06] Xiaolan**
So, now...
**[11:08] Xiaolan**
You can get out of the rear palace!
**[11:12] Maomao**
Huh? What did you say?
**[11:14] Xiaolan**
You can get out of the rear palace?
**[11:17] Maomao**
More details please!
**[11:20] Xiaolan**
Yes...
**[11:24] Xiaolan**
You can't meet men from the outside
while at the rear palace,
**[11:27] Xiaolan**
but if you get special permission,
a man can escort a female worker outside.
**[11:32] Maomao**
I see, so that's what the hairpins
they hand out at the garden party means.
**[11:36] Xiaolan**
Exactly! You can also use the hairpin to ask
someone to take you out of the rear palace.
**[11:43] Maomao**
I see. Thanks, Xiaolan. I'll give it a try.
**[11:49] Xiaolan**
No problem.
**[11:51] Xiaolan**
Maomao, thanks for the hawthorn!
**[11:54] Xiaolan**
It was yummy!
**[12:00] Maomao**
*I received a total of four hairpins.*
**[12:03] Maomao**
*Two are from men.*
**[12:06] Maomao**
Or rather, since one of the two
lost his important parts,
**[12:08] Maomao**
maybe I shouldn't call him a "man"?
**[12:11] Jinshi**
*Apothecary!*
**[12:14] Maomao**
Right!
**[12:20] Eunuch 1**
Master Lihaku, a lady from
the rear palace sent you this.
**[12:23] Lihaku**
Oh, understood.
**[12:26] Lihaku**
* Yikes, did she take that*
* consolation hairpin seriously?*
**[12:31] Lihaku**
* But if it's a pretty lady,*
* it would be a waste...*
***SIGN*** Jade Pavilion
Maomao
**[12:36] Lihaku**
I only gave out one hairpin
at the Jade Pavilion...
**[12:39] Lihaku**
Which means...
**[12:43] Lihaku**
That one?
**[12:45] Lihaku**
Wonder how I should turn her down...
**[12:51] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[12:55] Maomao**
Thank you for waiting.
**[12:57] Lihaku**
Huh? Who are you?
**[12:59] Maomao**
I get that a lot.
**[13:01] Lihaku**
Do people ever tell you that
makeup changes you drastically?
**[13:04] Maomao**
I get that a lot, too.
**[13:08] Lihaku**
But anyway, you called me up...
**[13:11] Maomao**
I'd like to go back to my family.
**[13:14] Lihaku**
Your family?
**[13:15] Lihaku**
Do you know what this means?
**[13:18] Maomao**
I was told that I could go home temporarily,
as long as you can vouch for me.
**[13:23] Lihaku**
You're quite bold.
**[13:25] Lihaku**
You, a mere lady-in-waiting, are demanding
that I, a military officer, vouch for you?
**[13:29] Maomao**
Yes.
**[13:32] Lihaku**
And you summoned me just for that?
**[13:36] Maomao**
Yes.
**[13:37] Lihaku**
I don't know if you're dauntless or clueless.
**[13:42] Lihaku**
So, little girl, you're trying to
exploit me for your homecoming?
**[13:48] Maomao**
No, I believe I can offer you
something valuable in exchange.
**[13:53] Lihaku**
Huh?
***SIGN*** Verdigris House - Introduction Letter - Pairin Verdigris House - Introduction Letter - Joka Verdigris House - Introduction Letter - Meimei
**[13:57] Maomao**
Could I interest you in a flower-viewing
session at the Verdigris House?
**[14:02] Lihaku**
Th-The Verdigris House?!
You've gotta be kidding!
**[14:05] Lihaku**
A night at that super high-class brothel
could cost a year of my salary!
**[14:08] Maomao**
If you're worried, you can show them
one of these introduction letters.
**[14:12] Maomao**
Pairin. Joka. Meimei.
**[14:17] Lihaku**
Th-That's even less believable!
**[14:19] Lihaku**
Those are the Three Princesses that not even
the highest-rank officials can afford!
**[14:22] Maomao**
If you can't believe it, that's just too bad.
**[14:25] Lihaku**
Huh?!
**[14:26] Maomao**
My deepest apologies for
having wasted your time.
**[14:29] Lihaku**
W-Wait...
**[14:30] Maomao**
It's very unfortunate, but I'll just
have to ask someone else.
**[14:33] Maomao**
Please forget I mentioned this.
**[14:37] Lihaku**
*She has other contacts?!*
**[14:40] Lihaku**
*Hairpins with rose quartz and silver?!*
**[14:43] Lihaku**
* They're obviously from*
* people who far outrank me.*
**[14:46] Lihaku**
*Just who is this girl?!*
**[14:48] Lihaku**
*In that case, what she said might be...*
**[14:50] Lihaku**
*No, it's too suspicious!*
**[14:53] Lihaku**
*But if it* is *true, I'll never get another
chance to meet the Three Princesses again...*
**[14:59] Lihaku**
*What should I do?!*
**[15:03] Maomao**
So, what will it be?
**[15:13] Lihaku**
I lose.
**[15:15] Yinghua**
Congratulations, Maomao!
**[15:17] Yinghua**
Who would have thought
you'd go before any of us...
**[15:20] Ailan**
I'm so glad!
**[15:22] Guiyuan**
You must've met someone nice!
**[15:24] Maomao**
Uh, thank you?
**[15:26] Yinghua**
Why are you so casual about this?!
**[15:28] Maomao**
Don't worry, I'll bring back souvenirs.
**[15:31] Yinghua**
How'd you meet this guy?
**[15:33] Maomao**
Um, coincidence?
**[15:35] Hongniang**
I'm pretty sure she has no idea
what the hairpin means.
**[15:39] Gyokuyou**
Yes, I'm sure of it. I feel so
sorry for a certain someone.
**[15:46] Gyokuyou**
This is so amusing.
**[15:50] Gyokuyou**
I wonder what kind of face he'll make...
**[15:52] Hongniang**
I suspect some turmoil in the future...
**[15:56] Narrator**
* Jinshi was finally able to finish up*
* his work and find time to visit*
**[16:01] Narrator**
*the day after Maomao had already left.*
**[16:04] Gyokuyou**
Maomao took off with someone.
**[16:15] Gyokuyou**
On a three-day homecoming.
**[16:18] Maomao**
* The pleasure district where*
* I grew up isn't far away.*
**[16:23] Maomao**
* It's walking distance from the rear palace,*
* just beyond the walls and moats.*
**[16:30] Maomao**
*A carriage? How extravagant.*
**[16:32] Maomao**
* Well, the Three Princesses*
* of the Verdigris House are*
**[16:35] Maomao**
*idolized by the population. Worshiped, even.*
**[16:40] Maomao**
* Just being able to meet*
* them would be an honor.*
**[16:43] Lihaku**
Oh, there it is...
**[16:47] Lihaku**
The pleasure district!
**[16:51] Maomao**
* There are girls who enter the brothels,*
* wanting to become like them.*
**[16:56] Maomao**
*But it's not easy.*
**[16:59] Maomao**
* Even if they become a serving girl,*
* a courtesan-in-training,*
**[17:01] Maomao**
*there's no guarantee that they'll make it.*
**[17:06] Lihaku**
So, this is the Verdigris House...
**[17:08] Maomao**
Yes.
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[17:09] Lihaku**
It's very dignified.
**[17:12] Maomao**
It's a long-standing, reputable brothel,
**[17:14] Maomao**
providing everything from middle-
to super-high-rank courtesans.
**[17:19] Maomao**
Hey, long time no see, Grams.
**[17:22] Maomao**
How has everyone—
**[17:28] Old Lady**
What do you mean,
"long time no see?!" Stupid girl.
**[17:31] Lihaku**
Are you okay?! What's with this old woman?!
**[17:35] Maomao**
This is the old madam,
proprietor of the Verdigris House.
**[17:39] Maomao**
I remember this used to help me
spit out all the poison I tried.
**[17:43] Old Lady**
So, is this the good customer?
**[17:46] Old Lady**
He's got a handsome face and a good build.
**[17:50] Old Lady**
I heard you're a rising star, too.
**[17:52] Maomao**
Hey, why say that out loud to his face?
**[17:56] Old Lady**
Hey, get Pairin.
**[17:59] Old Lady**
She should be making tea today.
**[18:00] Serving Girl**
Yes, ma'am!
**[18:01] Lihaku**
Pairin...
**[18:02] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, how strong are your arm muscles?
**[18:06] Lihaku**
I do train pretty regularly.
**[18:09] Maomao**
*This could be...*
**[18:11] Serving Girl**
This way, please.
**[18:14] Lihaku**
I'm getting nervous...
**[18:16] Maomao**
Make a good impression, okay?
**[18:18] Lihaku**
Yeah.
**[18:21] Old Lady**
So, why'd you vanish for ten
whole months without a word?
**[18:27] Maomao**
I had no say in the matter.
Didn't you read the letter I sent?
**[18:31] Old Lady**
Of course I read it! That's why
I'm taking care of that guy for you,
**[18:33] Old Lady**
even though we're introduction only!
**[18:35] Maomao**
I know, I know. I got half of my pay at
the rear palace early, as a special deal.
**[18:43] Old Lady**
This isn't enough for Pairin.
**[18:47] Maomao**
Can we say it's enough for just some tea?
**[18:49] Old Lady**
Idiot! Pairin won't leave
those muscles alone.
**[18:54] Maomao**
I knew it. But that's not
something I can control...
**[18:57] Old Lady**
That won't fly! I'll add it to the tab.
**[19:00] Maomao**
I could never afford that...
**[19:02] Old Lady**
In that case, bring more good customers.
**[19:05] Old Lady**
Similar to that guy. Young, so that we can
drain him over a long period of time.
**[19:09] Maomao**
*Would a eunuch be an acceptable customer?*
**[19:12] Maomao**
* No way. The courtesans*
* would pull out all the stops*
**[19:15] Maomao**
*and put the brothel out of business.*
**[19:17] Maomao**
* But I'd feel bad for Gaoshun*
* or the quack doctor...*
**[19:22] Old Lady**
Maomao, your old man should be
at home. Go visit him already.
**[19:30] Maomao**
* Cross just one street, and the face of*
* the town changes dramatically.*
**[19:35] Maomao**
* Rough shacks, beggars,*
* and syphilitic streetwalkers.*
**[19:41] Maomao**
Things haven't changed.
**[19:57] Maomao**
I'm home, Dad.
**[19:59] Luomen**
Welcome home. You were out for a while.
**[20:05] Maomao**
I'm finally home.
**[20:08] Maomao**
Yeah, on that day, I was out
getting dyes for my freckles, when...
**[20:25] Maomao**
I still have time left on my term, so I'll
go back to the rear palace in two days.
**[20:29] Luomen**
I see.
**[20:30] Maomao**
I'm sleepy, but I also want a bath.
**[20:33] Luomen**
You should borrow a bath at
the Verdigris House tomorrow.
**[20:38] Maomao**
Yeah, I'll do that.
**[20:58] Luomen**
The rear palace? What a twist of fate.
**[21:06] ED Lyrics**
*Not just some superficial sweetness*
**[21:12] ED Lyrics**
*I want more warmth than I can even use, oh*
**[21:18] ED Lyrics**
*Having these selfish idealistic thoughts*
**[21:23] ED Lyrics**
* I swallowed them again today*
* before putting them into words*
**[21:28] ED Lyrics**
* Still in my memories,*
* the scent of fragrant olive*
**[21:33] ED Lyrics**
*The color of twilight in the city*
**[21:36] ED Lyrics**
*We were laughing...*
**[21:41] ED Lyrics**
* Filled with sadness,*
* the tears welled up in my eyes*
**[21:53] ED Lyrics**
*I found a glow during those days*
**[22:01] ED Lyrics**
*I guess I took everything for granted*
**[22:06] ED Lyrics**
*The wind was so loud I covered my ears*
**[22:18] ED Lyrics**
*I gotta stop being like that*
**[22:26] ED Lyrics**
*Even if I stumble over the words of love*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Wheat Stalks."*
***SIGN*** Episode 8: Wheat Stalks
# E8 - Wheat Stalks
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GG1U249Z2/wheat-stalks)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 8: Wheat Stalks
**[01:48] Maomao**
Oh, right, I'm home.
**[01:56] Maomao**
So sticky...
**[01:58] Maomao**
Dad...
**[02:01] Maomao**
Must be out in the field.
**[02:09] Maomao**
I wish he'd stop working the field at his age,
**[02:15] Maomao**
but he just really enjoys making
medicine out of the herbs he grows.
**[02:25] Maomao**
Don't break it.
**[02:28] Maomao**
I don't know you. Are you
a servant at a different brothel?
**[02:32] Maomao**
My dad's—
**[02:32] Servant A**
Come with me!
**[02:33] Maomao**
Hey!
**[02:41] Servant A**
Big Sis! I brought the apothecary!
**[02:44] Mob Courtesan**
Hurry!
**[02:45] Maomao**
*This smell...*
**[02:51] Courtesan B**
Apothecary! I made them
throw up already, but...
**[02:57] Maomao**
Right!
**[03:00] Maomao**
The man isn't breathing!
**[03:02] Maomao**
The woman's breathing is too weak.
**[03:04] Maomao**
We'll check if there's any
vomit left in their throats.
**[03:07] Maomao**
You check her.
**[03:07] Courtesan B**
Y-Yes!
**[03:10] Maomao**
*No pulse. Nothing clogging the throat.*
**[03:20] Maomao**
*Just saliva.*
**[03:34] Courtesan B**
Bring water!
**[03:35] Maomao**
No water! Bring charcoal. Charcoal!
**[03:38] Servant A**
Y-Yes!
**[03:49] Maomao**
Great way to start the morning.
**[03:53] Maomao**
Wow, I need a bath...
**[03:55] Courtesan B**
Thank you, apothecary. They're both stable now.
**[03:59] Maomao**
Wait, leave that alone.
**[04:01] Courtesan C**
Even what they threw up on?
**[04:03] Maomao**
There could still be poison in it.
**[04:05] Courtesan C**
Poison...
**[04:08] Courtesan B**
I'll go make some tea.
**[04:16] Maomao**
* The two who collapsed here were*
* a courtesan and her customer.*
**[04:20] Maomao**
* The room was filled with*
* the scent of alcohol and tobacco.*
**[04:25] Maomao**
*Two bottles.*
**[04:27] Maomao**
*Broken glass cups.*
**[04:30] Maomao**
This is... a wheat stalk?
**[04:34] Maomao**
*A pipe and some tobacco leaves.*
**[04:37] Maomao**
They really went out of
their way to cause trouble.
**[04:40] Servant A**
I've got the charcoal...
**[04:42] Maomao**
Good. Also, get me a text plate
and something to write with.
**[04:45] Servant A**
Huh?
**[04:48] Maomao**
My dad should be out in the fields,
near the southern wall.
**[04:52] Maomao**
Bring him over here later.
**[04:54] Servant A**
Got it.
**[05:06] Maomao**
You're late, Dad.
**[05:08] Luomen**
This girl was worried about my leg.
**[05:12] Maomao**
I crushed the charcoal.
**[05:14] Luomen**
Yes, let's mix it with the herbs
and give it to them immediately.
**[05:18] Courtesan B**
Can you drink this?
**[05:22] Courtesan A**
What about him...?
**[05:23] Courtesan B**
He's safe. He had the medicine, too.
**[05:27] Luomen**
Your treatment's not bad.
**[05:29] Maomao**
"Not bad," huh?
**[05:33] Maomao**
* Dad's able to deduce two or three things*
* from a single piece of information.*
**[05:40] Luomen**
What kind of poison do you think this was?
**[05:42] Maomao**
*Here goes!*
**[05:50] Maomao**
* Dad sometimes tries to*
* make me learn stuff this way.*
**[05:55] Maomao**
Tobacco leaves are deadly poisons.
**[05:57] Maomao**
That would be what they'd use
in a double suicide.
**[06:00] Luomen**
You didn't have them drink water, right?
**[06:03] Maomao**
Water would make things worse, right?
**[06:05] Luomen**
Correct. Gastric juices can prevent
the intake of poison in some cases,
**[06:09] Luomen**
so diluting it might make things worse.
**[06:12] Luomen**
However, what if this poison
was already soaked in water?
**[06:18] Maomao**
*There are no leaves in the vomit.*
**[06:20] Maomao**
*I missed that. Maybe I'm still half asleep.*
**[06:24] Maomao**
* If the poison was soaked in water,*
* sometimes diluting it with more water is good.*
**[06:28] Maomao**
*Got it. Lesson learned.*
**[06:32] Generous Old Lady**
Sorry for the trouble.
**[06:34] Maomao**
* Serving us snacks reserved for customers?*
* That's quite generous of her.*
**[06:41] Maomao**
* I see, it prevents lipstick*
* from getting on the cup.*
**[06:48] Generous Old Lady**
You really saved us. This is just
a small token of our gratitude.
**[06:53] Luomen**
Oh no, that's too much—
**[06:54] Maomao**
Dad, can you afford rent this month?
**[06:57] Luomen**
Ah, in that case...
**[06:58] Maomao**
*Jeez, you old man...*
**[07:05] Maomao**
* Must have been a double suicide.*
* Not exactly rare in the pleasure district.*
**[07:09] Maomao**
*A man who can't afford to buy out a courtesan,*
**[07:11] Maomao**
*and a courtesan with time left on her term.*
**[07:13] Maomao**
* People like that often reach*
* this same conclusion.*
**[07:16] Maomao**
*Still, that man was very well-dressed.*
**[07:20] Maomao**
*He had a handsome face, too.*
**[07:22] Maomao**
* Didn't seem like someone who'd be*
* short on money or women.*
**[07:25] Maomao**
* Dad wouldn't approve of me*
* judging through stereotypes, but...*
**[07:30] Maomao**
*He didn't seem like someone*
**[07:32] Maomao**
* who'd drink poison with a courtesan*
* out of despair for their future.*
**[07:39] Maomao**
I'm going to go check on them.
**[07:42] Maomao**
The man seemed to be in worse condition...
**[07:52] Maomao**
What are you doing?!
**[07:58] Servant A**
Don't stop me! This guy deserves to die!
**[08:19] Courtesan B**
Wh-What are you doing?!
**[08:25] Courtesan B**
Apothecary, may I speak with you?
**[08:34] Courtesan B**
That man was always a problem customer.
**[08:38] Courtesan B**
He'd sweet-talk a courtesan and
insinuate that he would buy her out.
**[08:41] Courtesan B**
When he got tired of her, he'd just dump her.
**[08:44] Courtesan B**
He was widely hated. Some woman
tried to stab him, even.
**[08:49] Courtesan B**
He'd been poisoned in the past, too.
**[08:51] Courtesan B**
But his rich merchant father pampers him.
**[08:55] Courtesan B**
He settles everything with money.
**[08:59] Courtesan B**
Recently, he asked his father to hire
guards for him to travel to the brothels with.
**[09:04] Courtesan B**
This girl's older sister got dumped by him, too.
**[09:08] Courtesan B**
She was so happy she could live with him,
**[09:12] Courtesan B**
but on the day of the buy-out,
he suddenly canceled on her.
**[09:19] Courtesan B**
That's why, I think, she couldn't forgive him.
**[09:22] Courtesan B**
The courtesan who drank the poison
today was close to her, as well.
**[09:26] Maomao**
So, you want me to pretend
I didn't see anything?
**[09:28] Maomao**
If he's such a problem, why not just ban him?
**[09:31] Courtesan B**
It's the courtesan who fell for him.
**[09:35] Maomao**
In that case, I suppose
word of a double suicide
**[09:37] Maomao**
would make matters worse for the brothel.
**[09:41] Maomao**
*So, they served us the good snacks*
**[09:42] Maomao**
* because we prevented a rich merchant's*
* son from dying on the premises.*
**[09:47] Maomao**
*And...*
**[09:50] Maomao**
*That must have felt unfair to her.*
**[09:57] Maomao**
I understand.
**[10:01] Maomao**
*I just happened to be home today,*
**[10:04] Maomao**
* but if the girl shops with us often, perhaps*
* she knew when my dad is usually away.*
**[10:11] Maomao**
* Normally you'd call for*
* a doctor at a time like that,*
**[10:14] Maomao**
* but she went out of her way*
* to find a missing apothecary.*
**[10:18] Maomao**
*That servant girl is scarier than she looks.*
**[10:24] Luomen**
It's too bad your homecoming
turned out this way.
**[10:28] Maomao**
Dad, show me that money from earlier.
**[10:30] Luomen**
Hmm?
**[10:31] Maomao**
Yep, all there.
**[10:33] Maomao**
*As expected, including hush money.*
**[10:36] Maomao**
*Something bothers me, though.*
**[10:39] Maomao**
* Judging from the stories,*
* the man is pretty clever.*
**[10:43] Maomao**
* Would someone like him join*
* a double suicide over romance?*
**[10:48] Maomao**
Was it a forced suicide? No, a man who'd
been poisoned before wouldn't easily—
**[10:55] Luomen**
Maomao, you shouldn't
speak based on conjecture.
**[11:00] Maomao**
Dad, you already figured out
what really happened, right?
**[11:07] Maomao**
* Let's try to recall what was at*
* the scene and what I might have missed.*
**[11:13] Maomao**
*Tobacco leaves are deadly poisons.*
**[11:14] Maomao**
* This would be what they would*
* use in a double suicide.*
**[11:16] Luomen**
* However, what if this poison*
* was already mixed in water?*
**[11:20] Courtesan B**
*It's the courtesan who fell for him.*
**[11:22] Servant A**
*This guy deserves to die!*
**[11:25] Courtesan B**
* The courtesan who drank the poison*
* today was close to her as well.*
**[11:28] Maomao**
* I see, it prevents the lipstick*
* from getting on the cup.*
**[11:38] Maomao**
*This wasn't a double suicide.*
**[11:41] Maomao**
*It was murder.*
**[11:49] Maomao**
Poisoned water, wheat stalks,
two separate drinks with different colors...
**[11:59] Luomen**
It's already over.
**[12:03] Maomao**
I know.
**[12:08] Maomao**
*Murder, not a double suicide.*
**[12:10] Maomao**
* And it's the courtesan*
* who tried to kill the man,*
**[12:14] Maomao**
*using drinks laced with tobacco poison.*
**[12:18] Maomao**
* But the man was cautious enough*
* to have guards around.*
**[12:22] Maomao**
*How did she get him to drink the poison?*
**[12:26] Maomao**
*Simple. She took a sip as well.*
**[12:29] Maomao**
* If the courtesan was safe,*
* the man would drink, too.*
**[12:33] Maomao**
* But if she drank the poison,*
* she'd be in danger herself.*
**[12:38] Maomao**
*That's why she used a trick.*
**[12:40] Maomao**
*Two drinks, one cup.*
**[12:44] Maomao**
* Different drinks have varying*
* thicknesses and weights.*
**[12:49] Maomao**
* By pouring a lighter drink*
* slowly over a heavy drink,*
**[12:53] Maomao**
*you can create a pretty-looking, layered drink.*
**[12:55] Maomao**
* She used that as a small parlor*
* trick to impress her guest.*
**[12:59] Maomao**
* Then, she used the wheat stalk to drink just*
* the lower layer, without raising suspicion.*
**[13:19] Maomao**
* Afterwards, she drank from*
* the upper layer as well.*
**[13:22] Maomao**
*Just a little bit, so it wouldn't kill her.*
**[13:25] Maomao**
*She didn't want to end up dead herself.*
**[13:32] Maomao**
* She did the act in the morning to*
* increase the odds that he would die,*
**[13:37] Maomao**
*and she would survive.*
**[13:39] Maomao**
*And conveniently, someone came to witness it.*
**[13:44] Maomao**
* She appeared fragile,*
* but she's actually quite clever.*
**[14:14] Servant A**
What are you doing, Big Sis?!
You should stay in bed!
**[14:18] Maomao**
* The servant girl did*
* behave a bit strangely.*
**[14:21] Maomao**
*In order to make sure the man didn't survive,*
**[14:23] Maomao**
*she went to an apothecary, not a doctor.*
**[14:26] Maomao**
* She even took her time*
* bringing my dad over.*
**[14:29] Maomao**
* Wasn't she worried that*
* her "Big Sis" would die?*
**[14:33] Maomao**
* Wasn't she worried that someone close*
* to her would die again, like her real sister?*
**[14:39] Maomao**
* It's almost as if she knew*
* the courtesan would survive.*
**[14:43] Maomao**
*Or am I over-thinking this?*
**[14:46] Maomao**
* In addition, the other courtesan*
* was sympathetic to the servant girl.*
**[14:50] Maomao**
*Plus, the very generous madam...*
**[14:52] Maomao**
*Once I start doubting, there's no stopping.*
**[14:57] Maomao**
*Could they all have been...*
**[15:03] Maomao**
I shouldn't speak based on conjecture.
**[15:08] Maomao**
*I really missed this pleasure district,*
**[15:11] Maomao**
* but in essence, it's no different*
* from the rear palace.*
**[15:14] Maomao**
*It's both a garden and a cage.*
**[15:18] Maomao**
*The stale, trapped air poisons everyone.*
**[15:22] Maomao**
*The courtesans also eat the poison around them*
**[15:26] Maomao**
*to become a sweet poison themselves.*
**[15:32] Maomao**
*I don't know what'll happen to that courtesan.*
**[15:35] Maomao**
* Maybe the annoying customer*
* will assert that she tried to poison him.*
**[15:40] Maomao**
* Maybe the brothel will accuse him*
* of ruining their merchandise instead.*
**[15:47] Maomao**
Well, whatever.
**[15:48] Maomao**
You can't live life in this neighborhood
worrying about every little thing.
**[15:54] Meimei**
Maomao.
**[15:57] Maomao**
Meimei.
**[16:01] Meimei**
You're going back to the rear palace already?
**[16:03] Maomao**
I have a year left on my term.
**[16:06] Maomao**
I also have work to do
that I can't force on others.
**[16:09] Meimei**
That's too bad. You just got back.
**[16:13] Meimei**
Everyone was worried
when you suddenly went missing.
**[16:17] Meimei**
Pairin, Joka, and even the old lady.
**[16:19] Meimei**
Really? She never said...
**[16:23] Meimei**
She acted like usual, right?
It's because you came back.
**[16:27] Maomao**
I see.
**[16:31] Meimei**
Oh no, did I make you
all sentimental? There, there!
**[16:35] Maomao**
Come on, Meimei!
**[16:41] Meimei**
Maomao, did you visit the annex?
**[16:46] Maomao**
I'll go later.
**[16:59] Luomen**
Take care of yourself.
**[17:01] Maomao**
You, too.
**[17:02] Maomao**
I'm off.
**[17:05] Maomao**
* My three-day homecoming*
* was over before I knew it.*
**[17:13] Pairin**
I'm so sad to see you go so soon!
**[17:16] Pairin**
Right, Master Lihaku?
**[17:18] Lihaku**
Yes! I'm so sad, too!
**[17:21] Maomao**
*Looks like he had a good dream.*
**[17:23] Maomao**
* Once you have a taste of the heavenly dews,*
* there's no turning back to reality.*
**[17:28] Maomao**
* I'm sure they'll squeeze him dry,*
* gently but thoroughly.*
**[17:32] Maomao**
* That said, I'm the one that has to cover*
* for the amount that I couldn't pay up front.*
**[17:37] Old Lady**
Let me know when you're coming home next.
**[17:41] Maomao**
*And thus, my next buyer has been determined.*
**[17:50] Maomao**
*What's with the intense stare?*
**[17:53] Maomao**
*I'd better make my escape.*
**[17:55] Maomao**
I'll go get changed.
**[17:57] Yinghua**
Tell us...
**[17:58] Ailan**
Everything...
**[17:59] Guiyuan**
Later!
**[18:04] Jinshi**
I'll be waiting for you in the parlor.
**[18:20] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[18:25] Maomao**
*For some reason, he seems really upset.*
**[18:29] Maomao**
*Am I over-thinking it?*
**[18:32] Maomao**
*I hope I'm over-thinking it.*
**[18:33] Maomao**
*Let's go with that.*
**[18:36] Maomao**
*Why are we alone, anyway?*
**[18:39] Jinshi**
So, you went home, huh?
**[18:42] Maomao**
Yes.
**[18:43] Jinshi**
How was it?
**[18:45] Maomao**
Everyone's doing well,
so I was glad for that.
**[18:49] Jinshi**
I see.
**[18:50] Maomao**
Yes.
**[18:52] Jinshi**
What is this Lihaku fellow like?
**[18:56] Maomao**
He was my guarantor.
**[18:59] Maomao**
*How does he know that name?*
**[19:03] Jinshi**
Do you even know what that means?
**[19:07] Maomao**
Yes. Only a higher-ranking official with
a good record can serve as a guarantor.
**[19:17] Jinshi**
Did he give you a hairpin?
**[19:19] Maomao**
He was passing out several,
so I took one as a consolation prize.
**[19:23] Jinshi**
So, I lost to a consolation prize, huh?
**[19:29] Jinshi**
I thought I gave you one too,
but I never heard from you.
**[19:34] Maomao**
*Huh?*
**[19:36] Maomao**
* In other words, he's just unhappy*
* because I didn't rely on him instead?*
**[19:42] Maomao**
* Weird. It's obviously way better*
* to not get involved in any trouble.*
**[19:48] Maomao**
* Is he so bored that he wants attention,*
* even if it'll cause problems?*
**[19:53] Maomao**
I'm sorry. I couldn't think of
a repayment that you'd enjoy.
**[20:02] Jinshi**
What repayment?
**[20:04] Jinshi**
Did you give something to this Lihaku guy?
**[20:07] Maomao**
Yes, I granted him a night
of blissful dreams.
**[20:13] Jinshi**
A night...
**[20:15] Maomao**
He seemed very happy.
**[20:17] Maomao**
I worked hard, so I'm pleased with myself.
**[20:24] Maomao**
What are you doing?
**[20:26] Maomao**
Let's wipe you off before it stains.
**[20:28] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[20:30] Maomao**
You should get this washed right away.
**[20:36] Maomao**
I'll clean up the cup right
away, too. Don't touch it.
**[20:43] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[20:44] Maomao**
*Whoosh.*
**[20:52] Maomao**
Ow!
**[21:06] ED Lyrics**
*Not just some superficial sweetness*
**[21:12] ED Lyrics**
*I want more warmth than I can even use, oh*
**[21:18] ED Lyrics**
*Having these selfish idealistic thoughts*
**[21:23] ED Lyrics**
* I swallowed them again today*
* before putting them into words*
**[21:28] ED Lyrics**
* Still in my memories,*
* the scent of fragrant olive*
**[21:33] ED Lyrics**
*The color of twilight in the city*
**[21:36] ED Lyrics**
*We were laughing...*
**[21:41] ED Lyrics**
* Filled with sadness,*
* the tears welled up in my eyes*
**[21:53] ED Lyrics**
*I found a glow during those days*
**[22:01] ED Lyrics**
*I guess I took everything for granted*
**[22:05] ED Lyrics**
*The wind was so loud I covered my ears*
**[22:18] ED Lyrics**
*I gotta stop being like that*
**[22:25] ED Lyrics**
*Even if I stumble over the words of love*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Suicide or Murder?"*
***SIGN*** Episode 9: Suicide or Murder?
# E9 - Suicide or Murder?
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G0DUNDPJM/suicide-or-murder)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:38] Bureaucrats**
That man can't be trusted!
***SIGN*** Episode 9: Suicide or Murder?
**[01:40] Bureaucrats**
That'd create other issues.
**[01:49] Kounen**
Drinks! Bring more booze...
**[01:52] Bureaucrat A**
Wow, he's changed a lot.
**[01:55] Bureaucrat A**
Seeing his face makes the drinks taste bad.
**[01:59] Bureaucrat B**
On that, I can agree.
**[02:07] Kounen**
Hey... Thanks.
**[02:19] Gaoshun**
How much longer are you going to sulk?
**[02:22] Jinshi**
I'm not sulking.
**[02:24] Gaoshun**
Please don't forget that
you're still on the job.
**[02:27] Jinshi**
I understand.
**[02:29] Gaoshun**
*He doesn't understand.*
**[02:32] Gaoshun**
* The one known as Jinshi does not*
* respond in such a childish way.*
**[02:37] Gaoshun**
* The one known as Jinshi does not*
* attach himself so strongly to a toy.*
**[02:42] Gaoshun**
Here is some more work.
**[02:48] Gaoshun**
*It took considerable effort to get*
**[02:50] Gaoshun**
* Concubine Gyokuyou to stop laughing*
* uncontrollably and explain.*
**[02:55] (Flashback) Jinshi**
Misunderstanding...?
**[02:58] Gaoshun**
* The payment she gave in return*
* for acting as her guarantor*
**[03:01] Gaoshun**
*was a meeting with a star courtesan.*
**[03:02] Gaoshun**
*Who knew that girl had such connections?*
**[03:05] Gaoshun**
* Who knows what image*
* the master had in his mind?*
**[03:10] Gaoshun**
*Youth is a scary thing.*
**[03:13] Gaoshun**
* That said, to put so much effort*
* into finishing work quickly...*
**[03:18] Gaoshun**
*And going out to meet her...*
**[03:21] Gaoshun**
* Only to find out she had left*
* for home with another man...*
**[03:24] Gaoshun**
*That must have been quite a shock, for sure.*
**[03:34] Gaoshun**
They should put more thought into these...
**[03:38] Gaoshun**
* Many bureaucrats try to pass bills*
* that benefit them personally.*
**[03:43] Gaoshun**
* I feel sorry for my master, who has to do*
* extra work for those useless bills.*
**[03:55] Subordinate**
Master Jinshi!
**[03:56] Gaoshun**
It's already after hours. Can this wait?
**[03:59] Subordinate**
It's not about work... Well...
**[04:08] Jinshi**
Sir Kounen?!
**[04:09] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi.
**[04:11] Jinshi**
Let's go!
**[04:15] Gyokuyou**
That's terrible news...
**[04:18] Maomao**
*Someone high up bit the dust.*
**[04:21] Maomao**
* Maybe this is callous, but I can't*
* sympathize with someone*
**[04:25] Maomao**
*who I've never met or heard of.*
**[04:27] Maomao**
* A man past the age of fifty,*
* who died from drinking too much.*
**[04:32] Maomao**
*Clearly self-inflicted.*
**[04:36] Maomao**
* Since he went out of the way to make*
* the head lady-in-waiting leave...*
**[04:42] Jinshi**
Apothecary, do you think
the alcohol was really what killed him?
**[04:46] Maomao**
*I knew he'd ask.*
**[04:49] Maomao**
Anyone who likes alcohol should know that
overindulgence in drink is poison in essence.
**[04:54] Maomao**
Drinking constantly can sicken the organs.
**[04:58] Maomao**
Drinking too much in one
sitting can lead to death.
**[05:02] Jinshi**
It was a party for a group of co-workers,
and I heard he had a lot to drink.
**[05:05] Maomao**
That could kill him.
**[05:08] Jinshi**
But Sir Kounen could
really handle his drink.
**[05:10] Jinshi**
I don't think overindulgence would kill him.
**[05:16] Maomao**
*The man who died was named Kounen.*
**[05:18] Maomao**
* He was a dynamic warrior*
* who drank entire jars of alcohol,*
**[05:21] Maomao**
*and had a well-liked personality, to boot.*
**[05:23] Jinshi**
Gaoshun.
**[05:25] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[05:26] Jinshi**
This is the drink from that party.
**[05:31] Maomao**
*Ooh, booze!*
**[05:33] Jinshi**
The specific jar that Sir Kounen drank from
**[05:35] Jinshi**
got dropped on the floor
and the contents were lost.
**[05:39] Maomao**
So, if that jar had poison in it,
we'd have no way of knowing.
**[05:44] Jinshi**
Indeed...
**[05:46] Maomao**
* How modest. He realizes*
* he's asking for the impossible.*
**[05:51] Maomao**
* He should just be excessively*
* shiny like his usual self.*
**[05:54] Maomao**
* For a while now, Master Jinshi has seemed*
* much more childish than before.*
**[06:04] Maomao**
*It's both sweet and salty.*
**[06:07] Maomao**
* Like someone took a sweet*
* drink and added salt to it...*
**[06:12] Jinshi**
What's wrong?
**[06:13] Maomao**
It's a distinct taste.
**[06:15] Jinshi**
Yes. Sweet, isn't it?
That's how Master Kounen liked it.
**[06:19] Jinshi**
He had a serious sweet tooth.
**[06:21] Jinshi**
He'd never lay a finger on even
the finest smoked meats and rock salts.
**[06:26] Maomao**
Huh...
**[06:27] Jinshi**
I heard he used to love spicy foods, but
suddenly developed a sweet tooth one day.
**[06:32] Jinshi**
Even his meals became all sweets.
**[06:35] Maomao**
That'll cause diabetes.
**[06:37] Jinshi**
Stop spoiling my nostalgia with reality.
**[06:40] Jinshi**
You're having more?
**[06:42] Maomao**
*From spicy to sweet, huh?*
**[06:46] Maomao**
Were there salts available at the party?
**[06:48] Jinshi**
Yes. Rock salts, moon cakes, and dried meat.
**[06:54] Jinshi**
Do you want those, too?
**[06:56] Maomao**
No, I'll be done with the drink by then.
**[06:59] Jinshi**
That's not what I meant...
**[07:01] Maomao**
Can you get the jar that
Master Kounen was drinking from?
**[07:04] Jinshi**
It's broken and in pieces.
**[07:07] Maomao**
That's fine.
**[07:14] Maomao**
Also, there's one thing
I want you to look into.
**[07:24] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[07:29] Gaoshun**
Here is the report.
**[07:31] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[07:37] Maomao**
I knew it.
**[07:40] Jinshi**
Here's the bottle.
**[07:49] Jinshi**
Is it safe to lick that?
**[07:51] Maomao**
There's no poison here.
**[07:59] Jinshi**
Salt?
**[08:00] Maomao**
Yes. Master Jinshi, you mentioned how Master
Kounen suddenly developed a sweet tooth, right?
**[08:08] Maomao**
And that he only ate sweet foods after that?
**[08:10] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[08:11] Maomao**
Yet this jar contained so much salt
that it left crystals behind when it dried.
**[08:19] Maomao**
Salt is essential to the human body,
but too much salt can also be poisonous.
**[08:24] Jinshi**
So, the cause of his death is...
**[08:26] Maomao**
Given the amount he drank,
and the salt included,
**[08:30] Maomao**
it's easy to conclude this was the cause.
**[08:33] Jinshi**
Yes, but you should be able to tell
if something tasted this salty—
**[08:38] Maomao**
But he didn't. Please take a look at this.
**[08:42] Maomao**
It's a report on Master Kounen's lifestyle.
**[08:47] Maomao**
Judging from what's written here,
**[08:49] Maomao**
it seems like Master Kounen
lost his ability to taste salt.
**[08:53] Jinshi**
Oh, no...
**[08:55] Maomao**
Kounen seemed like a serious
and skilled bureaucrat,
**[08:59] Maomao**
with a stoic personality.
**[09:05] Maomao**
Many years ago, he lost his wife
and child to an epidemic.
**[09:11] Maomao**
From that day on, he was all work, all day.
**[09:14] Maomao**
His only forms of entertainment
were drinking and sweets.
**[09:19] Maomao**
There is an illness that
eliminates the sense of taste.
**[09:22] Maomao**
It can be caused by
an unbalanced diet or stress.
**[09:25] Maomao**
Serious people will sometimes
repress their feelings,
**[09:27] Maomao**
and that stress could lead to illness.
**[09:30] Jinshi**
So, who put the salt in the bottle?
**[09:35] Maomao**
That's not for me to determine.
**[09:39] Maomao**
However, there was also salt
in the drink I had yesterday.
**[09:44] Maomao**
It could have been put there
by someone at the party
**[09:47] Maomao**
who didn't like sweet drinks.
**[09:50] Maomao**
Alternatively, there are many who
resent overly serious coworkers.
**[09:55] Maomao**
Maybe they put some salt in the drink
**[09:58] Maomao**
because they didn't like him and
wanted to pull a little prank.
**[10:03] Maomao**
But because he kept drinking
seemingly without issue,
**[10:07] Maomao**
perhaps they kept adding more,
hoping he would notice.
**[10:12] Jinshi**
Gaoshun.
**[10:13] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[10:15] Gaoshun**
Understood.
**[10:18] Maomao**
*I'm a coward.*
**[10:20] Maomao**
* I've practically named the culprit at this*
* point, given the amount of hints I dropped.*
**[10:26] Maomao**
* But I don't want to be directly*
* responsible for someone getting punished.*
**[10:31] Jinshi**
Sorry for your trouble. Thank you.
**[10:34] Maomao**
It's fine.
**[10:36] Maomao**
*An obsidian tassel...*
**[10:38] Maomao**
*He's in mourning.*
**[10:41] Maomao**
Was he such a person of high esteem?
**[10:44] Jinshi**
Yes. He helped me a lot when I was younger.
**[10:52] Maomao**
*He seems like a normal young man.*
**[10:55] Maomao**
*I guess he is human, after all.*
**[11:00] Jinshi**
Oh, right.
**[11:02] Maomao**
Huh?
**[11:05] Jinshi**
Here's your reward.
**[11:06] Maomao**
A bottle?
**[11:07] Jinshi**
Yes. It's not the same
as the one from yesterday.
**[11:11] Maomao**
Booze!
**[11:12] Jinshi**
Don't drink it out in the open.
**[11:14] Maomao**
Yes! Thank you!
**[11:23] Jinshi**
You don't seem all that grateful.
**[11:25] Maomao**
Is that so? Perhaps you
should return to your work.
**[11:31] Maomao**
*That reaction... I bet he's slacking off.*
**[11:33] Maomao**
Perhaps you should finish it
before it starts piling up.
**[11:36] Jinshi**
I *am* working seriously...
**[11:38] Maomao**
What kind of work?
**[11:39] Jinshi**
For example, there's a certain bill.
**[11:43] Jinshi**
The idea is to set an age limit
for alcohol consumption,
**[11:46] Jinshi**
to prevent young ones from
losing themselves in drink.
**[11:49] Maomao**
Huh?
**[11:50] Jinshi**
The bill proposes a ban on drinking
alcohol until the age of twenty.
**[11:59] Maomao**
Master Jinshi...
**[12:01] Maomao**
Please, please don't pass that bill!
**[12:08] Jinshi**
Hmm. Well, it's not something
I can decide on my own.
**[12:11] Maomao**
M-Master Jinshi!
**[12:45] Eunuch A**
Doctor!
**[12:49] Eunuch A**
This way!
**[12:55] Guen**
There it is!
**[13:02] Maomao**
We're lucky it's winter now.
**[13:04] Maomao**
She's still in good shape,
despite being a drowned corpse.
**[13:07] Guen**
How can you look directly at her?
**[13:09] Maomao**
Where was she found?
**[13:11] Eunuch 1**
She was floating in the outside moat.
**[13:13] Eunuch 1**
From her dress, we assumed
she was a servant at the rear palace.
**[13:16] Maomao**
*I see. That's why they called our doc.*
**[13:19] Maomao**
* But a doctor in charge of*
* autopsies acting like this...*
**[13:22] Maomao**
*He truly is a quack.*
**[13:23] Guen**
Little lady, can I leave this to you?
**[13:26] Maomao**
Nope.
**[13:27] Guen**
Huh?
**[13:27] Maomao**
I've been ordered to not touch corpses.
**[13:30] Jinshi**
That's unexpected.
**[13:32] Guen**
Master Jinshi!
**[13:34] Maomao**
Greetings, Master Jinshi.
**[13:37] Jinshi**
You don't seem to be
uncomfortable around corpses.
**[13:39] Maomao**
I've gotten used to them.
**[13:41] Maomao**
The pleasure district is just
one street away from lawless chaos.
**[13:44] Jinshi**
Why can't you touch corpses?
**[13:47] Maomao**
My teacher told me not to.
**[13:49] Jinshi**
Is it an aversion to death?
**[13:51] Maomao**
No...
**[13:53] Maomao**
It's because humans can become
medicinal ingredients, too.
**[13:57] (Flashback) Lakan**
Given your curiosity, once you give that a try,
**[13:59] (Flashback) Lakan**
it wouldn't be long before
you start digging up graves.
**[14:02] (Flashback) Lakan**
Do not cross that line, ever.
**[14:05] (Flashback) Maomao**
Y-Yes.
**[14:07] Jinshi**
I see.
**[14:09] Maomao**
*What a rude response.*
**[14:11] Jinshi**
Doctor, could you please
do a proper autopsy?
**[14:14] Guen**
Understood...
**[14:18] Guen**
Eek!
**[14:19] Maomao**
"Eek," indeed...
**[14:23] Maomao**
* She's tall. Hard wooden shoes...*
* Bandages on one foot...*
**[14:29] Maomao**
*Fingers are all red.*
**[14:33] Maomao**
*It must have been cold in that water.*
**[14:42] Jinshi**
The girl was a servant and was
working normally yesterday.
**[14:47] Jinshi**
The guard believes she climbed the wall
last night and threw herself in.
**[14:52] Jinshi**
A suicide.
**[14:54] Maomao**
Suicide...
**[14:57] Jinshi**
What do you think?
**[14:58] Maomao**
I can't tell if she committed suicide,
**[15:00] Maomao**
but I think it was impossible
for her to do it alone.
**[15:03] Jinshi**
What do you mean?
**[15:05] Maomao**
There were no ladders on the wall,
and no other climbing tools.
**[15:10] Maomao**
The rear palace walls are at least
four times my height.
**[15:14] Jinshi**
So, you mean she couldn't
have climbed it without tools.
**[15:17] Maomao**
In most cases.
**[15:19] Maomao**
Strictly speaking, scaling the wall
without tools is possible.
**[15:24] Maomao**
Do you remember the ghost issue
from a while ago?
**[15:28] Maomao**
Concubine Fuyou?
**[15:29] Maomao**
Yes.
**[15:30] Maomao**
I was wondering how she climbed the wall,
**[15:34] Maomao**
so I did a thorough investigation of it.
**[15:38] Maomao**
That's where I found the protrusions
that I believe the craftsmen used.
**[15:44] Maomao**
That said, it would be difficult
for most regular women,
**[15:47] Maomao**
especially those with
bound feet, like that servant.
**[15:52] Maomao**
* Foot binding is a custom where*
* small feet are considered beautiful.*
**[15:57] Maomao**
*It's not done on all women,*
**[16:00] Maomao**
* but I do occasionally see the distinct*
* walking style in the rear palace, too.*
**[16:04] Jinshi**
If it's not suicide,
**[16:07] Jinshi**
are you saying it's murder?
**[16:08] Maomao**
I don't know that.
**[16:11] Maomao**
But I think it's fairly certain that
she was alive when she fell in the moat.
**[16:16] Maomao**
She must have clawed at
the walls to try to climb out.
**[16:19] Maomao**
Her fingers were bloodied and red.
**[16:25] Jinshi**
Yes...
**[16:27] Maomao**
Suicide, or murder...
**[16:38] Maomao**
*I would never think to take my own life.*
**[16:43] Maomao**
*I'd hate if someone killed me, too.*
**[16:47] Maomao**
* If I died, I wouldn't be able*
* to test any more drugs or poisons.*
**[16:53] Maomao**
*But if I were to die...*
**[16:58] Jinshi**
What are you thinking about?
**[17:00] Maomao**
About what kind of poison I would use to die.
**[17:03] Jinshi**
Are you trying to die?!
**[17:05] Maomao**
Not at all. But nobody knows when they'll die.
**[17:11] Maomao**
Even if it's not something they
wished for, a malicious third party
**[17:15] Maomao**
can cause an undesired death.
**[17:18] Maomao**
Like with Master Kounen.
**[17:22] Maomao**
*Nobody knows when it could happen.*
**[17:26] Maomao**
*There is no way to resist fate...*
**[18:42] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[18:44] Jinshi**
What is it?
**[18:48] Maomao**
If you're ever tasked with executing me,
can you make sure it's with poison?
**[18:53] Jinshi**
Where'd *that* come from?!
**[18:54] Maomao**
If I made a mistake, you would
probably be the one to give the order.
**[19:10] Maomao**
*Did I step in it just now?*
**[19:13] Maomao**
I'm sorry, it's not my place to say.
**[19:16] Maomao**
I won't complain if it's
a hanging or a beheading.
**[19:19] Jinshi**
No, really, why are you saying all this?!
**[19:23] Maomao**
Because I'm a commoner.
**[19:25] Maomao**
My life is easily taken away
over the slightest mistake.
**[19:28] Jinshi**
I would never do such a thing.
**[19:30] Maomao**
It's not a "would-or-would-not"
type of issue. It's "can-or-cannot."
**[19:36] Maomao**
*Looks like I struck a nerve there.*
**[19:40] Maomao**
If there's no further
business, I'll excuse myself.
**[20:00] Maomao**
*Later, I heard through rumors*
**[20:04] Maomao**
* that the dead servant was at the garden*
* party where the poisoning took place.*
**[20:09] Maomao**
* They found a will with*
* some relevant content in it,*
**[20:12] Maomao**
*so the case was closed as a suicide.*
**[20:22] Gaoshun**
The report from the other day is finally ready.
**[20:25] Jinshi**
It's been two months since I asked for
you to find someone with burns on their arms.
**[20:30] Jinshi**
You took too long.
**[20:31] Gaoshun**
I'm very sorry.
**[20:33] Jinshi**
So, who is it?
**[20:36] Gaoshun**
Yes. It's actually higher up than I thought.
**[20:40] Gaoshun**
Fengming, from the Garnet Pavilion.
**[20:47] Gaoshun**
Head lady-in-waiting under Concubine Ah-Duo.
**[20:53] Jinshi**
I see.
**[20:55] Jinshi**
You're excused.
**[21:02] Jinshi**
Concubine Ah-Duo...
**[21:06] ED Lyrics**
*Not just some superficial sweetness*
**[21:12] ED Lyrics**
*I want more warmth than I can even use, oh*
**[21:18] ED Lyrics**
*Having these selfish idealistic thoughts*
**[21:23] ED Lyrics**
* I swallowed them again today*
* before putting them into words*
**[21:28] ED Lyrics**
* Still in my memories,*
* the scent of fragrant olive*
**[21:33] ED Lyrics**
*The color of twilight in the city*
**[21:36] ED Lyrics**
*We were laughing...*
**[21:41] ED Lyrics**
* Filled with sadness,*
* the tears welled up in my eyes*
**[21:53] ED Lyrics**
*I found a glow during those days*
**[22:01] ED Lyrics**
*I guess I took everything for granted*
**[22:06] ED Lyrics**
*The wind was so loud I covered my ears*
**[22:18] ED Lyrics**
*I gotta stop being like that*
**[22:26] ED Lyrics**
*Even if I stumble over the words of love*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Honey."*
***SIGN*** Episode 10: Honey
# E10 - Honey
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GEVUZXMN0/honey)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 10: Honey
**[01:52] Xiaolan**
I heard about the servant
who drowned. It was a suicide!
**[01:56] Xiaolan**
She was a servant at the Garnet Pavilion.
**[01:59] Xiaolan**
I heard she was the one who poisoned
Lady Lishu's food at the garden party...
**[02:03] Xiaolan**
I wonder if she did it because
she served Concubine Ah-Duo?
**[02:07] Maomao**
You mean, Pure Consort Ah-Duo?
**[02:09] Xiaolan**
Yeah. She's going to lose her title
as one of the four consorts
**[02:12] Xiaolan**
to be replaced by a new,
younger concubine, I hear.
**[02:16] Maomao**
* Concubine Ah-Duo is one year older*
* than the emperor, at 35 years old.*
**[02:22] Maomao**
* She had a male baby with the emperor once,*
* back when he was still a prince, but lost him.*
**[02:27] Maomao**
* It's too bad, but the whole rear palace*
* system is built for creating many babies.*
**[02:33] Maomao**
Mother of a dead male baby.
**[02:37] Maomao**
* Will the same thing happen to Lady Lihua,*
* if she can't have another baby?*
**[02:42] Maomao**
* There's no guarantee that Lady Gyokuyou*
* will continue to have the emperor's love.*
**[02:48] Maomao**
* Even the most beautiful*
* flowers wilt over time.*
**[02:51] Maomao**
* The flowers of the rear palace are*
* meaningless unless they bear fruit.*
**[02:55] Xiaolan**
I gotta go now.
**[02:57] Maomao**
Oh. Take this, too.
**[02:59] Maomao**
They're leftovers from yesterday's tea party.
**[03:01] Xiaolan**
Thanks!
**[03:02] Xiaolan**
Enough snacks to have leftovers?
Tea parties are awesome.
**[03:08] Maomao**
I'm not so sure.
**[03:10] Maomao**
* A tea party is definitely a form*
* of work for a concubine.*
**[03:14] Yinghua**
Maomao, help us set up!
**[03:16] Maomao**
Another one?
**[03:18] Maomao**
You're working quite hard for this one.
**[03:21] Yinghua**
Obviously. This time,
it's a high-ranked concubine,
**[03:23] Yinghua**
the Virtuous Consort, Lady Lishu!
**[03:26] Maomao**
* The politics of the rear palace*
* is well-represented here.*
**[03:30] Gyokuyou**
Welcome, Concubine Lishu.
**[03:34] Lishu**
Thank you.
**[03:36] Maomao**
*Non-stop probing of each other's thoughts.*
**[03:40] Maomao**
* Is it part of the nature of being a woman*
* to be cautious of the same sex?*
**[03:45] Maomao**
* To be honest, they seem more wary*
* than when the emperor is here.*
**[03:50] Maomao**
* The way Lady Gyokuyou gleans*
* information through polite conversation*
**[03:54] Maomao**
*shows how skilled of a concubine she is.*
**[03:57] Maomao**
* I heard she sends the information*
* she gathers to her family back home.*
**[04:00] Maomao**
* Being a trade hub, it must be*
* important to understand the times.*
**[04:14] Maomao**
*The taster at the garden party.*
**[04:16] Maomao**
* I'm glad to see she hasn't been*
* too harshly punished.*
**[04:20] Maomao**
*I'm not going to bite her head off or anything.*
**[04:24] Maomao**
* The other servants aren't paying*
* attention to their mistress at all.*
**[04:28] Maomao**
* That said, it doesn't seem like they're*
* actively harassing her, either.*
**[04:32] Maomao**
* If my report to Master Gaoshun*
* was mistaken, that's fortunate.*
**[04:37] Gyokuyou**
Do you have any issues with sweets?
**[04:40] Lishu**
I love sweets.
**[04:42] Gyokuyou**
Great.
**[04:45] Gyokuyou**
It's cold out, so I was
wondering if you'd like this.
**[04:49] Gyokuyou**
It's orange peels boiled
in honey. It'll warm you up.
**[04:56] Gyokuyou**
I hope you like it.
**[05:03] Maomao**
*Hmm? She can't handle honey, either?*
**[05:06] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Is she being a picky eater again?
**[05:08] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
She won't even eat something served to her?
**[05:10] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 3**
I know, right?
**[05:22] Maomao**
Lady Gyokuyou.
**[05:25] Gyokuyou**
Oh, my. Ailan, I'm sorry.
**[05:28] Gyokuyou**
I think this one needs to
be boiled a bit longer.
**[05:31] Gyokuyou**
Let me get you something else.
**[05:33] Gyokuyou**
How about hot ginger water?
**[05:36] Lishu**
Yes, that's fine.
**[05:40] Maomao**
* Unfortunately, it seems like*
* I wasn't wrong about the bullying.*
**[05:48] Yinghua**
We'll clean up here.
**[05:50] Ailan**
Maomao, you can rest.
**[05:53] Maomao**
*I can clean too, you know...*
**[05:56] Jinshi**
How was the tea party for
Concubines Gyokuyou and Lishu?
**[06:00] Maomao**
* I thought it was odd how that*
* tea party happened so suddenly.*
**[06:06] Maomao**
*So, it was this guy's idea, after all.*
**[06:09] Maomao**
They had a enjoyable time.
**[06:12] Jinshi**
I'm not done with you.
**[06:15] Maomao**
Could you please let go?
**[06:19] Jinshi**
Did you hear that
the garden party poisoning
**[06:21] Jinshi**
was done by the Garnet Pavilion
servant who committed suicide?
**[06:26] Maomao**
I heard the rumors.
**[06:29] Jinshi**
Do you think she really committed suicide?
**[06:33] Maomao**
That's not for me to determine.
**[06:37] Jinshi**
Why would a common servant
poison Concubine Lishu?
**[06:43] Maomao**
I don't know.
**[06:51] Jinshi**
Well then, can you go help out at
the Garnet Pavilion, starting tomorrow?
**[06:56] Maomao**
*"Can" I? It's not like I have a choice.*
**[07:03] Maomao**
Understood.
**[07:06] Maomao**
* Mansions are painted in their*
* masters' colors, figuratively speaking.*
**[07:10] Maomao**
* Concubine Gyokuyou's*
* Jade Pavilion feels homey,*
**[07:13] Maomao**
* while Concubine Lihua's*
* Crystal Pavilion felt refined and noble.*
**[07:17] Maomao**
*The Garnet Pavilion, home to Concubine Ah-Duo,*
**[07:20] Maomao**
* was practical and simple,*
* yet polished and classy.*
**[07:24] Fengming**
My apologies for summoning you so suddenly.
**[07:26] Fengming**
I'm looking forward to working
with you over the next three days.
**[07:30] Maomao**
* Master Jinshi didn't tell me*
* to do anything specific.*
**[07:33] Maomao**
*I guess I should just work.*
**[07:35] Ah-Duo**
These are new faces.
**[07:37] Ah-Duo**
Fengming, who are they?
**[07:39] Fengming**
Temporary help for our big cleaning day.
**[07:43] Ah-Duo**
I see. Thanks for the help.
**[07:46] Maomao**
*Ah-Duo, the Pure Consort.*
**[07:49] Maomao**
*She's neither showy nor voluptuous,*
**[07:51] Maomao**
* but she has an androgynous,*
* almost gallant kind of beauty.*
**[07:54] Maomao**
*She's really thirty-five?*
**[07:57] Maomao**
* If she dressed differently,*
* she'd pass as a young civil servant.*
**[08:01] Maomao**
* She'd probably look better in a riding suit,*
* instead of her skirt and dress.*
**[08:15] Maomao**
*Whoa, those longing stares.*
**[08:25] Maomao**
*Does she remind me of someone?*
**[08:32] Maomao**
*Lady Fengming, the head lady-in-waiting.*
**[08:35] Maomao**
* I expected the Pure Consort's*
* head lady-in-waiting*
**[08:37] Maomao**
*to be from an important family,*
**[08:39] Maomao**
*but she's surprisingly approachable.*
**[08:42] Fengming**
Can you air the books out?
**[08:48] Fengming**
You can ask the eunuchs
to handle the heavy items.
**[08:54] Maomao**
* She really is the oldest*
* high-ranking concubine.*
**[08:57] Maomao**
* Despite the efficient look,*
* the mansion has a whole lot of stuff.*
**[09:04] Maomao**
* Similar to the Jade Pavilion, the servants*
* at the Garnet Pavilion are hard workers.*
**[09:08] Maomao**
* Certain fools who are all talk*
* could learn a thing or two.*
**[09:23] Maomao**
Phew.
**[09:27] Maomao**
I guess that's it.
**[09:29] Fengming**
Incredible. You did this much already?
**[09:31] Fengming**
And so thorough, too. Can you
help with the parlor, as well?
**[09:37] Maomao**
Yes.
**[09:38] Maomao**
* She's friendly, observant,*
* and praises others well.*
**[09:42] Maomao**
* Seems like she's skilled at handling*
* others as head lady-in-waiting.*
**[09:53] Maomao**
I haven't done so much
physical labor in a while.
**[09:59] Fengming**
Good work. Thank you for your help today.
**[10:02] Maomao**
You're welcome.
**[10:03] Fengming**
Oh, I know. You'll be
staying here tonight, correct?
**[10:06] Fengming**
Follow me, please.
**[10:16] Maomao**
*A sweet smell?*
**[10:18] Fengming**
Please use this. It'll get cold tonight.
**[10:22] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[10:24] Fengming**
Rest well.
**[10:36] Maomao**
* Master Jinshi didn't tell me*
* to do anything specific.*
**[10:40] Maomao**
*But...*
**[11:01] Maomao**
* Is the mastermind behind*
* the poisoning really here?*
**[11:05] Maomao**
*They really are all hard workers.*
**[11:08] Maomao**
*Not just the ladies-in-waiting, but...*
**[11:10] Garnet Pavilion Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Lady Fengming! We can take care of that!
**[11:14] Fengming**
Don't worry about it.
It's just something I noticed.
**[11:18] Maomao**
*Lady Fengming is the leading example.*
**[11:20] Maomao**
* She's well past her prime,*
* but would have made a great wife.*
**[11:25] Maomao**
* I wonder if she never*
* considered getting married.*
**[11:28] Maomao**
* Did she choose to serve*
* Concubine Ah-Duo for life?*
**[11:33] Maomao**
* Strong loyalty is a possible*
* motive for the poisoning.*
**[11:38] Maomao**
*Now that a new concubine is about to enter,*
**[11:41] Maomao**
* the high-ranking concubine at*
* the most risk is Concubine Ah-Duo.*
**[11:46] Maomao**
* But what if a vacancy*
* opened up elsewhere first?*
**[11:49] Maomao**
* The emperor is only interested*
* in ripened fruit.*
**[11:52] Maomao**
*He doesn't visit Lady Lishu.*
**[11:55] Maomao**
*That's fine, given her age of fourteen,*
**[11:58] Maomao**
* but one could also claim she's not*
* serving her role as concubine.*
**[12:02] Maomao**
* If someone were to poison*
* someone for Concubine Ah-Duo,*
**[12:05] Maomao**
* it wouldn't be out of the question*
* to target Lady Lishu.*
**[12:09] Garnet Pavilion Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Can someone help me out here?
**[12:13] Maomao**
Honey?
**[12:14] Garnet Pavilion Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Lady Fengming's family runs an apiary.
**[12:18] Maomao**
No wonder there's so much honey here,
despite it being so expensive.
**[12:23] Maomao**
* That must have been*
* the sweet smell from last night.*
**[12:32] Maomao**
*Lady Lishu?*
**[12:33] Maomao**
*Accompanied by just the one taster?*
**[12:36] Maomao**
*Why is she at the Garnet Pavilion?*
**[12:38] Maomao**
*Coming to think of it, at the tea party...*
**[12:48] Maomao**
That's what happened at the Garnet Pavilion.
**[12:52] Jinshi**
I see.
**[12:54] Jinshi**
And?
**[12:56] Maomao**
That's it. No "and" or "but."
**[12:59] Maomao**
* I don't know what he wants.*
* I'm just an apothecary.*
**[13:04] Maomao**
* If he wants a spy,*
* he's asking the wrong girl.*
**[13:07] Maomao**
* What's with his casual*
* attitude recently, anyway?*
**[13:15] Jinshi**
Let's change the question, then.
**[13:17] Jinshi**
If one of them could contact the outside
using some special method,
**[13:21] Jinshi**
who would that be, you think?
**[13:23] Maomao**
*What a roundabout way of asking.*
**[13:26] Maomao**
I suppose the only possibility would be
Lady Fengming, the head lady-in-waiting.
**[13:31] Jinshi**
Based on what?
**[13:33] Maomao**
She had bandages around her left wrist.
**[13:36] Maomao**
Those colored text plates were wrapped in
a woman's dress with burns on the sleeves.
**[13:43] Maomao**
*Why would anyone make multi-colored fires?*
**[13:45] Maomao**
*One possibility is that it was a code.*
**[13:49] Maomao**
*Honestly, that gentle head lady-in-waiting*
**[13:52] Maomao**
* didn't seem like she was*
* part of a conspiracy.*
**[13:56] Maomao**
*But that's just my opinion.*
**[14:01] Jinshi**
I suppose that's acceptable.
**[14:04] Maomao**
* I'm sure he knew this already,*
* eating honey so ostentatiously.*
**[14:11] Jinshi**
A good child needs to be rewarded.
**[14:15] Maomao**
I r-respectfully decline.
**[14:17] Jinshi**
No need to be modest.
**[14:22] Maomao**
No, thank you! Please offer it to someone else!
**[14:25] Maomao**
* This guy thinks he can get away with*
* anything because he has a pretty face!*
**[14:29] Maomao**
* Oh, right, that's the kind of*
* pervert he's always been!*
**[14:34] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun!
**[14:37] Maomao**
*He's getting laxatives in his food later!*
**[14:39] Jinshi**
Do you not like sweets?
**[14:40] Maomao**
I like spicy foods.
**[14:42] Jinshi**
But you can eat this, right?
**[14:44] Maomao**
*Damn it, he won't listen...*
**[14:47] Maomao**
* If he weren't so high up,*
* I'd kick him in the groin...*
**[14:49] Maomao**
*Wait, there's nothing to kick there.*
**[14:52] Maomao**
* Should I just accept this as an order?*
* Or escape to maintain my dignity?*
**[15:01] Maomao**
* If this was aconite syrup,*
* I'd have just accepted it.*
**[15:08] Gyokuyou**
*Do you have any issues with sweets?*
**[15:10] Gyokuyou**
*I hope you like it.*
**[15:32] Maomao**
*Honey?*
**[15:33] (Flashback) Garnet Pavilion Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Lady Fengming's family runs an apiary.
**[15:37] Maomao**
*Lady Lishu?*
**[15:39] Maomao**
*Syrup...*
**[15:44] Maomao**
Honey.
**[15:47] Jinshi**
Apothecary?
**[15:49] Gyokuyou**
What are you doing to my lady-in-waiting?
**[15:55] Jinshi**
Concubine Gyokuyou! I was just—
**[15:57] Gyokuyou**
On whose authority are you doing this?
**[16:04] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, this was just a prank gone too far.
**[16:08] Gaoshun**
Could you forgive Master Jinshi?
**[16:11] Maomao**
In that case, next time you can do
the licking for me, Master Gaoshun.
**[16:15] Gaoshun**
L-Licking? That's a bit...
**[16:21] Maomao**
Fine, you get the point.
**[16:23] Maomao**
Also, there are a few things
I want to check on.
**[16:31] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[16:32] Lishu**
Welcome, I—Oh?
**[16:35] Lishu**
Master Jinshi's not with you?
**[16:37] Maomao**
I'm afraid not. Apologies
for the sudden intrusion.
**[16:41] Lishu**
So, what do you want,
Jade Pavilion lady-in-waiting?
**[16:45] Maomao**
I have a question for you.
**[16:53] Lishu**
I remember you from the garden party.
**[16:57] Lishu**
What is it?
**[16:59] Maomao**
Do you dislike honey?
**[17:02] Lishu**
How did you know?!
**[17:04] Maomao**
I saw it on your face.
**[17:08] Maomao**
Did honey upset your stomach in the past?
**[17:11] Maomao**
It's common for someone to get food poisoning
and have trouble with honey after that.
**[17:16] Lishu**
That's not it. I don't remember.
**[17:19] Lishu**
It was when I was a baby.
**[17:21] Lishu**
I heard it was life-threatening.
***SIGN*** Banned
**[17:25] Lishu**
Since then, my nurses told me to not eat it.
**[17:28] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Where are your manners?
Probing Lady Lishu like that.
**[17:35] Maomao**
* Says the lady-in-waiting who didn't even*
* try to protect her at the tea party.*
**[17:38] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
What's with that look?
**[17:39] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
There's no need to listen to her.
**[17:42] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
That's right, she's being rude to
the Virtuous Consort. We should expel her!
**[17:47] Maomao**
* So this is how they paint outsiders as the*
* villain to pretend they are the only allies.*
**[17:53] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
We're always looking out for Lady Lishu.
**[17:54] Maomao**
*It would be easy to trick a naive girl.*
**[17:56] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
Who does she think she is?
**[17:59] Maomao**
* The isolated concubine has nobody*
* to rely on but her ladies-in-waiting.*
**[18:03] Maomao**
*Not knowing she's being harassed...*
**[18:07] Maomao**
*It's a vicious cycle.*
**[18:10] Maomao**
I am here on orders.
**[18:13] Maomao**
If you have objections, please take
them up with Master Jinshi.
**[18:17] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 1**
To Master J-Jinshi?!
**[18:19] Lishu's Lady-in-Waiting 2**
Directly?!
**[18:21] Maomao**
*He owes me this much, at the very least.*
**[18:24] Maomao**
* Let's see what reasons they come up with*
* to approach the pervert eunuch.*
**[18:29] Maomao**
And one more thing.
**[18:33] Maomao**
Are you familiar with Lady Fengming,
**[18:36] Maomao**
head lady-in-waiting at the Garnet Pavilion?
**[18:54] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao?
**[18:55] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, is there
any way I can learn about
**[18:58] Maomao**
past events that happened
in the rear palace?
**[19:04] Maomao**
I can search the court library.
**[19:08] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[19:15] Gaoshun**
*What did she figure out this time?*
**[19:18] Gaoshun**
* She's a smart girl, especially*
* given that she's only seventeen.*
**[19:22] Gaoshun**
*Her knowledge and calm composure...*
**[19:24] Gaoshun**
* Her ability to logically think through*
* and deal with various issues...*
**[19:29] Gaoshun**
* She does have some peculiarities,*
* but it's still impressive.*
**[19:36] Maomao**
Seventeen years ago, when
the current emperor was still a prince...
**[19:41] Maomao**
*He had a son with Concubine Ah-Duo.*
**[19:45] Maomao**
*The baby's already gone, but...*
**[19:48] Maomao**
He was born around the same time
**[19:49] Maomao**
as the prior emperor
and empress dowager's son,
**[19:51] Maomao**
In other words, the current
emperor's little brother.
**[19:55] Maomao**
* That was the only child*
* the emperor had as a prince,*
**[19:58] Maomao**
*and Lady Ah-Duo was his only concubine.*
**[20:01] Maomao**
It says the current emperor and
Concubine Ah-Duo are foster siblings,
**[20:04] Maomao**
so that explains his attachment to her...
**[20:08] Maomao**
But it's surprising to learn a man that
lustful only had one concubine back then.
**[20:13] Maomao**
Sixteen years ago, the baby died.
The baby was delivered by...
***SIGN*** Doctor Luomen
**[20:23] Maomao**
*I did have that hunch.*
**[20:27] Maomao**
* Several of the herbs growing in the rear*
* palace were the same ones I used growing up.*
**[20:34] Maomao**
*Someone must have transplanted them.*
**[20:38] Maomao**
*A man who drags his feet like an old woman.*
**[20:43] Maomao**
* A doctor overqualified for the position*
* of a pleasure district apothecary.*
**[20:49] Maomao**
* A former eunuch with a bone*
* removed from one knee.*
***SIGN*** ...Luomen, expelled...
**[20:55] Maomao**
What were you doing,
**[20:58] Maomao**
Dad?
**[21:06] ED Lyrics**
*Not just some superficial sweetness*
**[21:12] ED Lyrics**
*I want more warmth than I can even use, oh*
**[21:18] ED Lyrics**
*Having these selfish idealistic thoughts*
**[21:23] ED Lyrics**
* I swallowed them again today*
* before putting them into words*
**[21:28] ED Lyrics**
* Still in my memories,*
* the scent of fragrant olive*
**[21:33] ED Lyrics**
*The color of twilight in the city*
**[21:36] ED Lyrics**
*We were laughing...*
**[21:41] ED Lyrics**
* Filled with sadness,*
* the tears welled up in my eyes*
**[21:53] ED Lyrics**
*I found a glow during those days*
**[22:01] ED Lyrics**
*I guess I took everything for granted*
**[22:06] ED Lyrics**
*The wind was so loud I covered my ears*
**[22:18] ED Lyrics**
*I gotta stop being like that*
**[22:25] ED Lyrics**
*Even if I stumble over the words of love*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Reducing Two to One."*
***SIGN*** Episode 11: Reducing Two to One
# E11 - Reducing Two to One
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G7PU4MEJN/reducing-two-to-one)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 11: Reducing Two to One
**[01:44] Fengming**
A letter from Concubine Gyokuyou?
**[01:46] Maomao**
Yes. I was ordered to deliver it directly.
**[01:49] Fengming**
Lady Ah-Duo is away on a tea party.
**[01:56] Maomao**
There's something I would like to
discuss with you, Lady Fengming.
**[02:00] Fengming**
I understand.
**[02:11] Maomao**
* The luggage is all packed up.*
* That must mean, as I thought...*
**[02:15] Fengming**
Please.
**[02:22] Fengming**
So, what did you need today?
**[02:25] Fengming**
We've finished cleaning this place.
**[02:28] Maomao**
When are you moving out?
**[02:32] Fengming**
You're a smart one.
**[02:35] Maomao**
The big clean-up was an excuse.
**[02:38] Maomao**
In order to welcome a new high-ranked
concubine during the new year's celebration,
**[02:42] Maomao**
Concubine Ah-Duo must leave this palace.
**[02:47] Maomao**
Concubine Ah-Duo can't have
children anymore, can she?
**[02:53] Maomao**
What happened when she gave birth?
**[02:55] Fengming**
I fail to see how that's any of your business.
**[02:59] Maomao**
It is my business.
**[03:04] Maomao**
The doctor who attended
that birth was my father.
**[03:10] Maomao**
My guess is the misfortune was
that Concubine Ah-Duo,
**[03:12] Maomao**
the prince's concubine at the time,
**[03:14] Maomao**
gave birth at the same time
as the empress dowager.
**[03:27] (Flashback) Fengming**
When is the doctor coming back?!
**[03:29] (Flashback) Lady-in-Waiting**
He's still at the empress dowager's.
**[03:31] (Flashback) Fengming**
Lady Ah-Duo!
**[03:31] (Flashback) Fengming**
Lady Ah-Duo, it's all right!
Fengming is by your side!
**[03:35] Maomao**
The empress dowager was given higher priority,
**[03:38] Maomao**
and Concubine Ah-Duo's childbirth had to wait.
**[03:47] (Flashback) Fengming**
Lady Ah-Duo.
**[03:49] Maomao**
That must have been when
Concubine Ah-Duo lost her uterus.
**[03:54] Maomao**
The child that was born to Concubine
Ah-Duo then passed away soon after.
**[04:01] Maomao**
Lady Fengming, are you
blaming yourself for that?
**[04:05] Maomao**
You must have been the one taking care of
the baby instead of Concubine Ah-Duo.
**[04:15] Fengming**
You've figured it all out,
**[04:17] Fengming**
despite being the daughter of the quack
who couldn't help Lady Ah-Duo.
**[04:23] Maomao**
You're right.
***SIGN*** ...Luomen, expelled...
**[04:28] Maomao**
It's thought that the cause
of the baby's death was
**[04:30] Maomao**
the same toxic make-up
from the other incidents,
**[04:34] Maomao**
but that's not the case, is it?
**[04:38] Maomao**
That doctor you call a quack
must have banned that powder.
**[04:43] Maomao**
You're a wise person. You wouldn't
have let the baby die from that.
**[04:47] Maomao**
The real cause of death was this.
**[04:52] Maomao**
Many flowers have poison in them,
**[04:56] Maomao**
like aconite or azalea.
**[04:58] Maomao**
Their nectar can be poisonous, too.
**[05:02] Fengming**
I am aware.
**[05:03] Maomao**
But back then...
**[05:06] Maomao**
you weren't.
**[05:07] Maomao**
You didn't realize regular
honey with no poison,
**[05:10] Maomao**
the medicine you thought was good for health,
**[05:14] Maomao**
can be harmful to a newborn baby.
**[05:21] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
Thank you for your help as always, Fengming.
**[05:23] (Flashback) Fengming**
It's no trouble at all, Lady Ah-Duo.
**[05:26] (Flashback) Fengming**
Please rest and recover soon.
**[05:33] Maomao**
And thus, Concubine Ah-Duo's child passed away.
**[05:38] Maomao**
The cause was treated as a mystery.
**[05:40] Maomao**
My father Luomen, the attending
doctor at the time,
**[05:43] Maomao**
was blamed for the repeated mistakes,
including the one at childbirth.
**[05:47] Maomao**
He was expelled from the rear palace.
**[05:50] Maomao**
But later on, you accidentally learned
the true cause of the baby's death.
**[05:57] Maomao**
Someone taught you that honey can be
poisonous to infants, didn't they?
**[06:04] Maomao**
You had to make sure
Concubine Ah-Duo didn't find out.
**[06:07] Maomao**
She couldn't know you were
the one who killed her only child.
**[06:11] Maomao**
So, you tried to eliminate them.
**[06:15] Maomao**
That person is...
**[06:18] Maomao**
Concubine Lishu.
**[06:22] Maomao**
During the previous emperor's reign,
**[06:23] Maomao**
Concubine Lishu was close to
Concubine Ah-Duo, who was her elder.
**[06:28] Maomao**
Concubine Ah-Duo was also
fond of Concubine Lishu.
**[06:31] Maomao**
A young girl, taken from her parents,
**[06:34] Maomao**
and a woman who could no longer give birth.
**[06:38] Maomao**
There may have been a type of
codependency developing.
**[06:42] Maomao**
During that time, you learned
from Concubine Lishu
**[06:44] Maomao**
that she almost died eating honey as a baby.
**[06:49] Maomao**
To make sure Concubine Ah-Duo
never heard that story,
**[06:52] Maomao**
you started to chase Concubine Lishu
away from the Garnet Pavilion.
**[06:56] Maomao**
Later, the previous emperor passed away,
**[06:59] Maomao**
and Concubine Lishu was forced to leave the
rear palace, unaware of why she was chased out.
**[07:06] Maomao**
You must have felt quite relieved.
**[07:09] Maomao**
But Concubine Lishu, who you
thought you'd never see again,
**[07:13] Maomao**
returned to the rear palace.
**[07:16] Maomao**
As another high-ranking concubine.
**[07:18] Maomao**
As a threat to Concubine Ah-Duo's status.
**[07:22] Maomao**
That insolent child tried to visit
Concubine Ah-Duo many times,
**[07:26] Maomao**
as if trying to be with her mother.
**[07:29] Maomao**
To protect Concubine Ah-Duo,
who is incapable of childbirth,
**[07:32] Maomao**
and to hide the issue with the honey...
**[07:36] Maomao**
You poisoned Concubine Lishu's soup.
**[07:43] Fengming**
What do you want?
**[07:46] Maomao**
There's nothing.
**[07:50] Fengming**
Anything. Just ask.
**[07:59] Maomao**
You must know that's meaningless.
**[08:21] Fengming**
Hey. Do you know what's most precious
to the person most precious to you?
**[08:31] Fengming**
The moment I met Lady Ah-Duo,
**[08:34] Fengming**
I knew I would never serve anyone else again.
**[08:38] Fengming**
Despite being a woman,
**[08:39] Fengming**
she had a strong will, and the ability
to speak on even grounds with the prince.
**[08:44] Fengming**
I had nothing but the deepest
respect for Lady Ah-Duo.
**[08:47] Fengming**
Compared to me, who just followed my
parents' orders to become a lady-in-waiting,
**[08:52] Fengming**
she was such an astonishing person.
**[08:56] Fengming**
Despite that, I...
**[08:58] Fengming**
I took what was most precious
to her with my own hands...
**[09:03] Fengming**
I took him away!
**[09:05] Fengming**
The baby that Lady Ah-Duo loved so dearly!
**[09:10] Fengming**
With these hands!
**[09:12] Fengming**
Back then...
**[09:14] Fengming**
Lady Ah-Duo told us this.
**[09:17] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
Do not blame yourselves for this.
**[09:19] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
Babies can die for any
reason until they're seven.
**[09:23] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
Even the slightest illness
can easily kill them.
**[09:26] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
My baby simply followed
the will of the heavens.
**[09:36] Fengming**
And yet, I knew she cried
herself to sleep every night!
**[09:50] Maomao**
* What was her mental state like, as she served*
* Lady Ah-Duo for the past sixteen years?*
**[09:55] Maomao**
* Without having her own partner,*
* sacrificing everything for Concubine Ah-Duo...*
**[10:01] Maomao**
*I can't relate.*
**[10:03] Maomao**
* I don't have it in my heart*
* to keep someone so close.*
**[10:09] Maomao**
* If he hears my story, Master Jinshi*
* will surely apprehend Fengming.*
**[10:14] Maomao**
* There's no way she'd*
* escape capital punishment.*
**[10:18] Maomao**
*She's a smart woman. She knows all of that.*
**[10:24] Maomao**
I have a suggestion.
**[10:30] Maomao**
The only thing I can do is to take
your two motives and make it one.
**[10:35] Maomao**
It won't change the results.
**[10:37] Maomao**
But if that's still preferable
to you, please hear me out.
**[10:53] Maomao**
So tired...
**[10:55] Maomao**
A bath... No, it's too late for that.
**[10:58] Maomao**
Guess I can at least get changed.
**[11:02] Maomao**
I wore layers of stiffened
oil paper, just in case.
**[11:06] Maomao**
Glad I didn't need it.
**[11:08] Maomao**
Getting slashed would hurt.
**[11:13] Jinshi**
And so, Fengming turned herself in.
**[11:17] Jinshi**
Do you know anything about it?
**[11:19] Maomao**
What do you mean?
**[11:20] Jinshi**
I heard you had Gaoshun
collect some information.
**[11:24] Maomao**
Yes. I'd hoped to figure something
out, but it was all for naught.
**[11:30] Jinshi**
Fengming's motive, as you said,
was to try to make sure
**[11:34] Jinshi**
Concubine Ah-Duo could stay in the
position of one of the four concubines.
**[11:38] Maomao**
I see.
**[11:39] Jinshi**
But Concubine Ah-Duo has already been
determined to leave the rear palace.
**[11:44] Jinshi**
She'll live in the detached
palace to the south.
**[11:48] Maomao**
Does this incident have
anything to do with that?
**[11:51] Jinshi**
No, the decision was made a while ago.
**[11:54] Jinshi**
It was the emperor's call.
**[11:56] Maomao**
I see.
**[11:59] Maomao**
This flower.
**[12:01] Jinshi**
Hongniang came by earlier to put it on display.
**[12:05] Maomao**
Yes, it's out of season.
**[12:17] Jinshi**
It's sweet.
**[12:18] Maomao**
Poisonous, though.
**[12:21] Maomao**
It's not lethal. Don't worry.
**[12:26] Maomao**
*My suggestion to Fengming, back then...*
**[12:31] Maomao**
* The poisoning of Concubine Lishu.*
* The cause of death for the baby.*
**[12:34] Maomao**
*If these two motives become one,*
**[12:37] Maomao**
* she could hide the cause of the baby's*
* death from Concubine Ah-Duo.*
**[12:42] Maomao**
*Even if her own death is inevitable...*
**[12:45] Maomao**
* That was the best I could do,*
* as a girl with no power.*
**[13:04] Maomao**
I can't sleep.
**[13:07] Maomao**
Maybe I'll take a walk.
**[13:30] Maomao**
*Fengming was executed.*
**[13:33] Maomao**
* Concubine Ah-Duo is set to leave*
* the rear palace tomorrow.*
**[13:37] Ah-Duo**
Oh, someone beat me here?
**[13:42] Ah-Duo**
You're that girl who came
to help clean the other day.
**[13:46] Maomao**
I'll leave right away.
**[13:48] Ah-Duo**
No.
**[13:49] Ah-Duo**
Care to join me for a drink?
**[13:52] Maomao**
Whoa! Booze!
**[13:55] Maomao**
Thank you very much.
**[14:06] Ah-Duo**
Pretty masculine, aren't I?
**[14:08] Maomao**
I feel like you're giving
that impression on purpose.
**[14:13] Ah-Duo**
You're an honest one.
**[14:16] Ah-Duo**
After my son left me, I became
the emperor's friend, not his concubine.
**[14:24] Ah-Duo**
Or rather, I *returned* to being his friend.
**[14:29] Ah-Duo**
I never thought I'd become a concubine.
**[14:34] Ah-Duo**
I was a concubine in name only,
given the role out of pity.
**[14:38] Ah-Duo**
I wanted to hand it off to someone
else as soon as possible.
**[14:42] Ah-Duo**
Why cling to it for so long...?
**[14:45] Maomao**
* She probably would have said the same*
* things to whoever she'd met up here.*
**[14:56] Ah-Duo**
It must have been cold in that water.
**[15:00] Ah-Duo**
It must have been painful.
**[15:07] Maomao**
You're probably right.
**[15:09] Ah-Duo**
Stupid, don't you think?
**[15:13] Maomao**
Perhaps she was.
**[15:16] Ah-Duo**
We're all stupid.
**[15:25] Maomao**
Perhaps we are.
**[15:36] Maomao**
*I think I get it now.*
**[15:40] Maomao**
*That servant was indeed a suicide.*
**[15:44] Maomao**
*Concubine Ah-Duo noticed that.*
**[15:47] Maomao**
*Maybe Fengming helped set it up.*
**[15:51] Maomao**
*To take suspicion away from Concubine Ah-Duo,*
**[15:54] Maomao**
* the servant chose to sink down*
* into the cold water.*
**[15:57] Maomao**
*To keep her secret hidden,*
**[15:59] Maomao**
*Fengming chose to step up to the gallows.*
**[16:04] Maomao**
* Regardless of Concubine*
* Ah-Duo's own wishes,*
**[16:06] Maomao**
* there are those who*
* sacrifice their lives for her.*
**[16:11] Maomao**
I should go now, too.
**[16:17] Jinshi**
What are you doing?
**[16:23] Maomao**
Ow... Who's that? You startled me.
**[16:25] Jinshi**
My bad.
**[16:28] Maomao**
Master Jinshi? Why are you here?
**[16:31] Jinshi**
I should ask the same of you.
**[16:33] Maomao**
I'm sorry. I'll get up now—
**[16:37] Maomao**
Could you let go?
**[16:40] Maomao**
Let go, please.
**[16:43] Jinshi**
Don't wanna. It's too cold.
**[16:45] Maomao**
You'll catch a cold without a coat.
Please go back to your room.
**[16:50] Maomao**
Are you drunk?
**[16:52] Jinshi**
I had to. I was sharing a drink with someone.
**[16:54] Maomao**
*Sharing, huh?*
**[16:57] Jinshi**
The host invited me to drink,
**[16:59] Jinshi**
loaded me up full of booze,
**[17:01] Jinshi**
then just took off.
**[17:04] Jinshi**
When she finally came back,
**[17:06] Jinshi**
she told me she was satisfied
now, and threw me out.
**[17:10] Maomao**
* I didn't know anyone in this rear*
* palace could treat this guy like that.*
**[17:15] Maomao**
*But that's not related to this right now.*
**[17:19] Maomao**
*I don't want to put up with a clingy drunk.*
**[17:22] Maomao**
* Wait... Come to think of it,*
* he did catch me as I fell.*
**[17:28] Maomao**
* Maybe it's rude to just make him let go*
* of me without even thanking him.*
**[17:33] Maomao**
Master Jinshi—
**[17:45] Jinshi**
Just a little longer.
**[17:47] Jinshi**
Keep me warm, just a little longer.
**[18:07] Maomao**
*Neither of them seem hungover.*
**[18:11] Maomao**
* Concubine Ah-Duo, in order*
* to leave the rear palace,*
**[18:13] Maomao**
* returns the crown signifying*
* her as Pure Concubine.*
**[18:16] Maomao**
* That crown will be bestowed on another girl*
* who will join the rear palace later.*
**[18:28] Maomao**
*Ah, I see.*
**[18:30] Maomao**
*I knew she resembled someone.*
**[18:33] Maomao**
*It's Master Jinshi.*
**[18:36] Maomao**
*Those two might as well swap outfits...*
**[18:41] Maomao**
Swap...
**[18:43] (Flashback) Ah-Duo**
After my son left me...
**[18:46] Maomao**
*"Left me," she said. Not "died"?*
**[18:51] Maomao**
* I can almost interpret that*
* to mean he's still alive.*
**[18:54] Maomao**
* Concubine Ah-Duo's child and*
* the then-empress dowager's child...*
**[18:59] Maomao**
*What if the two babies were swapped?*
**[19:03] Maomao**
* It must have been clear to Concubine Ah-Duo,*
* through her experience in childbirth.*
**[19:07] (Flashback) Luomen**
What are you doing?! I must
tend to Concubine Ah-Duo...
**[19:10] (Flashback) Eunuch**
The empress dowager takes priority!
**[19:11] (Flashback) Fengming**
N-No!
**[19:13] Maomao**
* After all, she was just a nurse's daughter,*
* a childhood friend of the prince.*
**[19:18] Maomao**
* Her son would live a better life*
* as the empress dowager's son.*
**[19:24] Maomao**
* Maybe she wasn't in a state*
* to decide what was right or wrong.*
**[19:29] Maomao**
* But if the decision resulted*
* in her son surviving...*
**[19:33] Maomao**
* That would have been all that*
* Concubine Ah-Duo could have wished for.*
**[19:37] Maomao**
* What if people found out*
* the babies were swapped later?*
**[19:41] Maomao**
*If that was after the one baby had died,*
**[19:44] Maomao**
* that would explain why my dad would be*
* physically punished for not noticing.*
**[19:51] Maomao**
*And if that were the case,*
**[19:53] Maomao**
* it would explain why the emperor's younger*
* brother is in a delicate position,*
**[19:57] Maomao**
* and why Concubine Ah-Duo,*
* who's supposed to be a realist,*
**[20:00] Maomao**
*stayed in the rear palace for so long...*
**[20:06] Maomao**
* Complete nonsense.*
* An idiotic delusion of a story.*
**[20:09] Lishu**
Please, wait!
**[20:10] Kanan**
Lady Lishu!
**[20:15] Maomao**
*As always.*
**[20:18] Maomao**
* As a lonely concubine, to have*
* a lady-in-waiting she can trust...*
**[20:24] Maomao**
*How reassuring that must be.*
**[20:29] Kanan**
Lady Lishu!
**[20:38] Maomao**
* At that moment, her masculine, noble face*
* suddenly took on the expression of a mother.*
**[20:52] Gaoshun**
Here is the list of Fengming's family
and those connected to them.
**[20:57] Jinshi**
I heard she was kidnapped and sold off, but...
***SIGN*** Jade Pavilion
Maomao
**[21:06] ED Lyrics**
*Not just some superficial sweetness*
**[21:12] ED Lyrics**
*I want more warmth than I can even use, oh*
**[21:18] ED Lyrics**
*Having these selfish idealistic thoughts*
**[21:23] ED Lyrics**
* I swallowed them again today*
* before putting them into words*
**[21:28] ED Lyrics**
* Still in my memories,*
* the scent of fragrant olive*
**[21:33] ED Lyrics**
*The color of twilight in the city*
**[21:36] ED Lyrics**
*We were laughing...*
**[21:41] ED Lyrics**
* Filled with sadness,*
* the tears welled up in my eyes*
**[21:53] ED Lyrics**
*I found a glow during those days*
**[22:01] ED Lyrics**
*I guess I took everything for granted*
**[22:06] ED Lyrics**
*The wind was so loud I covered my ears*
**[22:18] ED Lyrics**
*I gotta stop being like that*
**[22:26] ED Lyrics**
*Even if I stumble over the words of love*
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
* Next time: "The Eunuch*
* and the Courtesan."*
***SIGN*** Episode 12: The Eunuch and the Courtesan
# E12 - The Eunuch and the Courtesan
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G9DUE5JGK/the-eunuch-and-the-courtesan)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** Jade Pavilion
Maomao
**[01:33] Jinshi**
What should I do...
**[01:35] Gaoshun**
What should we do?
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:39] Jinshi**
*After Fengming's execution,*
**[01:41] Jinshi**
*her family's assets were confiscated,*
**[01:44] Jinshi**
* and all underwent varying degrees*
* of corporal punishment.*
**[01:49] Jinshi**
* Fengming was determined to*
* be the sole perpetrator,*
**[01:52] Jinshi**
* so fortunately, her mistress*
* Concubine Ah-Duo was not blamed.*
**[01:58] Jinshi**
* And now, here is the list of Fengming's family*
* members and those connected to them.*
**[02:04] Gaoshun**
The list includes those
who did business with them.
**[02:08] Gaoshun**
They had many businesses
in addition to apiculture.
**[02:11] Gaoshun**
There are about eighty children of those
families here in the rear palace.
**[02:15] Jinshi**
Eighty out of two thousand, huh?
**[02:18] Jinshi**
That's quite a hit ratio.
***SIGN*** Jade Pavilion
Maomao
**[02:24] Jinshi**
* The family that the apothecary was kidnapped*
* and sold off to was one such family.*
**[02:30] Gaoshun**
If you wish, we could conceal this.
**[02:32] Jinshi**
*If "I" wish...*
**[02:35] Jinshi**
Indeed.
**[02:37] Jinshi**
*It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong.*
**[02:40] Jinshi**
*If I say so, it will be done.*
**[02:43] Jinshi**
* Given how she likes to separate*
* the commoners from the nobles,*
**[02:46] Jinshi**
* she'd obey any order, no matter*
* how much she disagrees.*
**[02:54] Jinshi**
*It would be simple to give the order.*
**[02:56] Jinshi**
*I should just simply give the order.*
**[02:59] Jinshi**
* Conceal the facts, and keep*
* her at the rear palace.*
**[03:03] Jinshi**
*But if that goes against her will...*
**[03:08] Jinshi**
* How would she feel, if she learned she'd been*
* forced to stay in a place she disliked so?*
**[03:18] Jinshi**
* I'm so afraid of the rift between*
* the two of us widening any further.*
**[03:24] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi.
**[03:27] Gaoshun**
I thought she was just a convenient pawn.
**[03:34] Maomao**
Mass layoffs?
**[03:35] Xiaolan**
Yep.
***SIGN*** Episode 12: The Eunuch and the Courtesan
**[03:37] Xiaolan**
The daughters of anyone who did business
with that family are being let go.
**[03:42] Xiaolan**
And it seems like there's quite a few of them.
**[03:45] Maomao**
Huh...
**[03:47] Xiaolan**
There are girls around who have to quit
all of a sudden and are in a real bind.
**[03:51] Xiaolan**
I guess that family really
did a lot of business.
**[03:55] Maomao**
*I have a bad feeling about this.*
**[03:58] Maomao**
*Getting fired now would be bad.*
**[04:01] Maomao**
*It's just bad timing.*
**[04:02] Maomao**
* After Lihaku, I haven't been able to send*
* any more paying customers to the old lady.*
**[04:07] Maomao**
*If I go back now...*
**[04:09] Maomao**
I'm home.
**[04:11] Maomao**
You have a customer!
**[04:14] Maomao**
*She'll sell me off for sure!*
**[04:17] Xiaolan**
Maomao?!
**[04:25] Maomao**
* Last I checked, the family on my*
* paperwork were merchants.*
**[04:40] Maomao**
*If Fengming's family ran an apiary,*
**[04:43] Maomao**
*there might be some sort of connection...*
**[05:30] Maomao**
Master Jinshi!
**[05:42] Jinshi**
That's rare. You're out of breath.
**[05:46] Maomao**
Uh...
**[05:46] Jinshi**
Calm down. You're red all over.
**[05:49] Maomao**
I would like to talk to you!
**[05:52] Jinshi**
Sure. Let's speak inside.
**[05:57] Jinshi**
This is about the mass layoffs, I take it?
**[05:59] Maomao**
Yes. What's going to happen to me?
**[06:03] Jinshi**
Here's the list.
***SIGN*** Jade
Pavilion
Maomao
**[06:08] Maomao**
So, I'm being let go.
**[06:12] Jinshi**
What do you want to do?
**[06:18] (Flashback) Gaoshun**
I thought she was just a convenient pawn.
**[06:26] Maomao**
*As Lady Gyokuyou's lady-in-waiting,*
**[06:28] Maomao**
* I can test for poisons and*
* hang out in the medical office.*
**[06:31] Maomao**
*I have to admit I'm enjoying my current life.*
**[06:35] Maomao**
*But I'm just a servant, after all.*
**[06:38] Maomao**
*I'm in no position to request to stay.*
**[06:43] Maomao**
* I have to make sure*
* I don't appear like I'm begging.*
**[06:47] Maomao**
I am a mere servant.
**[06:49] Maomao**
I'll do as you order, whether it be
manual labor, cooking, or tasting.
**[06:57] Jinshi**
*As I order...*
**[06:59] Maomao**
*Yes. I'll do my best, if ordered to do so.*
**[07:03] Maomao**
*If I take a pay cut, so be it.*
**[07:06] Maomao**
* As long as I can buy time before getting*
* sold off, I'll figure something out.*
**[07:12] Maomao**
*So please, don't fire me!*
**[07:18] Jinshi**
Understood.
**[07:19] Maomao**
Do you mean...
**[07:21] Jinshi**
I'll make sure you're compensated.
**[07:25] Maomao**
Huh?
**[07:26] Narrator**
*Negotiation failed. Maomao is let go.*
**[07:32] Maomao**
There we go.
**[07:42] Gaoshun**
How long are you going to stay like that?
**[07:46] Gaoshun**
Perhaps you should have
ordered her to stay.
**[07:49] Jinshi**
Not another word.
**[07:53] Gaoshun**
*A week after being fired,*
**[07:55] Gaoshun**
*Xiaomao went home to the pleasure district.*
**[07:59] Gaoshun**
*I heard she politely went around*
**[08:01] Gaoshun**
* saying her farewells to every single*
* place she had business with.*
**[08:06] (Flashback) Gyokuyou**
You're going to regret this.
**[08:09] Gaoshun**
* Finding a new toy to replace his favorite*
* one has always been a challenge.*
**[08:15] (Flashback) Young Jinshi**
No! I want that one!
**[08:19] Gaoshun**
*Or perhaps...*
**[08:21] Gaoshun**
* That girl should not be treated*
* as the same as a toy.*
**[08:25] Gaoshun**
* He only let her go because*
* he didn't want to treat her as a tool.*
**[08:30] Gaoshun**
*What a troublesome master he is.*
**[08:34] Gaoshun**
*If finding a replacement won't do...*
**[08:36] Gaoshun**
*Perhaps I can speak to that military officer.*
**[08:40] Jinshi**
Wah, wah, boo-hoo, sob, sob...
**[08:50] Meimei**
You do look much better without your freckles.
**[08:53] Pairin**
You can use my lipstick.
**[08:56] Joka**
I never thought I'd be going
to a party with Maomao.
**[09:00] Maomao**
* My workplace tonight is a noble's*
* party outside the brothel.*
**[09:05] Maomao**
* Calling a courtesan to one's*
* own mansion costs quite a sum.*
**[09:08] Maomao**
*In addition...*
**[09:10] Maomao**
* A night of drinks with one of*
* the Verdigris House's Princesses*
**[09:12] Maomao**
*costs what most make in a year.*
**[09:14] Maomao**
*So to call on all three at once...*
**[09:18] Maomao**
* I guess there's no limit to*
* how rich a rich person can be.*
**[09:21] Maomao**
I'm going with you, but just
so you look better by comparison.
**[09:26] Meimei**
Here you go, Maomao.
**[09:28] Maomao**
* Because I was paid more than*
* expected when leaving the rear palace,*
**[09:32] Maomao**
* I was able to avoid getting*
* sold off immediately.*
**[09:36] Joka**
That's an important job, too.
**[09:39] Meimei**
Looking forward to it, Maomao.
**[09:41] Pairin**
Oh! So cute.
**[09:43] Old Lady**
It's time! Hurry up! Hmm?
**[09:49] Old Lady**
Well, well, that's not bad at all.
**[09:52] Old Lady**
You could take on customers
of your own too, you know.
**[09:57] Maomao**
* The old lady really wants me*
* to become a courtesan.*
**[10:03] Old Lady**
Go make a fortune!
**[10:05] Maomao**
*I can't recite poetry or play the erhu.*
**[10:08] Maomao**
*Dancing is out of the question.*
**[10:10] Maomao**
* I'm just an apothecary's daughter,*
* with no interest outside of medicine.*
**[10:14] Maomao**
* So why is she so insistent,*
* especially these past few years?*
**[10:38] Maomao**
*This person sure is loaded.*
**[10:42] Maomao**
* Every piece of furniture is*
* unimaginably expensive.*
**[10:45] Maomao**
* I'm sure they wouldn't notice*
* one thing taken as a souvenir...*
**[10:48] Maomao**
*No! Knock it off.*
**[10:50] Guide**
This room, please.
**[11:01] Maomao**
* I heard Master Lihaku introduced us*
* to these high-ranking palace officials.*
**[11:05] Maomao**
*They're younger than I expected.*
**[11:07] Pairin**
Yum.
**[11:09] Meimei**
Come, let's go.
**[11:14] Maomao**
* If he knows so many rich people, he should*
* have introduced them to me sooner.*
**[11:19] Maomao**
* With his connections, I could*
* have lessened my loan amount.*
**[11:24] Maomao**
Anyway, off to work.
**[12:25] Maomao**
* Work is work, but staying*
* all smiles is quite an ordeal.*
**[12:29] Maomao**
*Hmm? Is he bored?*
**[12:33] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[12:34] Jinshi**
Leave me alone.
**[12:37] Jinshi**
I want to be alone.
**[12:39] Maomao**
*Huh? Where have I heard this voice before?*
**[12:49] Maomao**
Master Jinshi?
**[12:53] Jinshi**
Why avoid me?
**[12:54] Maomao**
Please don't touch the courtesans.
**[12:56] Jinshi**
Do people tell you that makeup
changes you considerably?
**[13:00] Maomao**
I do get that a lot.
**[13:02] Jinshi**
Besides, why are you dressed like that?
**[13:04] Maomao**
I'm working part-time.
**[13:06] Jinshi**
As a courtesan?
**[13:08] Maomao**
Yes.
**[13:09] Jinshi**
Does that mean you're...
**[13:11] Maomao**
* This guy is really prone to*
* casting doubt on my chastity.*
**[13:15] Maomao**
I don't take personal customers.
**[13:19] Maomao**
Yet.
**[13:20] Jinshi**
"Yet..."
**[13:22] Jinshi**
So, what if I bought you out?
**[13:25] Maomao**
Huh? What kind of joke is—
**[13:29] Maomao**
That might be a good idea.
**[13:32] Maomao**
Working in the rear palace again
wouldn't be too bad.
**[13:38] Jinshi**
I thought you quit
because you hated it there.
**[13:40] Maomao**
Huh? When did I ever say that?
**[13:44] Maomao**
I tried convincing you to let me stay,
but you fired me anyway.
**[13:48] Maomao**
True, there was a lot of trouble.
**[13:51] Maomao**
But where else would I be able
to perform as a taster?
**[13:55] Maomao**
The only thing I missed
were my poison experiments.
**[14:02] Jinshi**
You should really stop
experimenting with poison.
**[14:05] Maomao**
*He's even more childish today than before.*
**[14:09] Jinshi**
That's right. That's the kind
of person you are.
**[14:12] Maomao**
What does that mean?
**[14:13] Jinshi**
Do people ever say that you
don't express yourself clearly?
**[14:16] Maomao**
I do get that a lot.
**[14:21] Jinshi**
So why flinch?
**[14:23] Maomao**
Rules are rules.
**[14:24] Jinshi**
Can't you bend them a bit?
**[14:26] Maomao**
No.
**[14:26] Jinshi**
It's not the end of the world.
**[14:28] Maomao**
It's ending my spirit.
**[14:29] Jinshi**
Just one hand. Just the tip of my fingers.
**[14:32] Maomao**
* That's right, this guy*
* can be really persistent.*
**[14:37] Maomao**
Fine, just the fingers.
**[14:52] Maomao**
*This guy!*
**[14:54] Maomao**
*The color sticks!*
**[14:57] Meimei**
Goodness, what's this?
**[14:59] Pairin**
Oh, Maomao.
**[15:00] Joka**
I can't watch.
**[15:01] Maomao**
Come on, big sisters!
**[15:03] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun?! What? Huh?!
**[15:07] Maomao**
*I couldn't make sense of any of it.*
**[15:09] Maomao**
* I don't remember much of*
* what happened after that.*
**[15:12] Joka**
So, who was that?
**[15:13] Meimei**
How do you know him?
**[15:15] Pairin**
Not bad, you!
**[15:16] Maomao**
* I do remember that it was really hard*
* answering all my big sisters' questions.*
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[15:27] Maomao**
And...
**[15:28] Maomao**
I should make some, just in case.
**[15:30] Maomao**
Wandering around without
my freckles leads to no good.
**[15:34] Maomao**
That was winter last year...
**[15:40] Maomao**
Getting kidnapped was enough of a surprise,
**[15:42] Maomao**
but to be sold off
to the rear palace, of all places...
**[15:47] Maomao**
Then to get promoted to a lady-in-waiting.
**[15:54] Maomao**
I wanted to lay low until
my term was over, but...
**[15:58] Old Lady**
Maomao. Is it ready?
**[16:01] Maomao**
Yeah, here.
**[16:04] Old Lady**
I need you to take a look at
someone. Can you come with me?
**[16:07] Maomao**
Got it.
**[16:22] Maomao**
*The rear palace, huh?*
**[16:24] Maomao**
* I really wanted to avoid*
* that place at all costs.*
**[16:32] Maomao**
I wonder if everyone's okay.
**[16:39] Maomao**
Oh, I'll get out.
**[16:41] Old Lady**
Take your time. You don't get to
come here all the time.
**[16:45] Maomao**
Yeah.
**[16:51] Old Lady**
What are you going to do from now on?
**[16:54] Maomao**
I'll pay back my loans, I promise.
**[16:55] Old Lady**
That's a given!
**[16:59] Old Lady**
Are you going back to the rear palace?
**[17:03] Maomao**
I don't know.
**[17:06] Maomao**
But... the rear palace and
the brothels are pretty similar.
**[17:11] Old Lady**
Hmm.
**[17:25] Luomen**
Having trouble sleeping?
**[17:28] Maomao**
I'm going to go get some air.
**[17:30] Luomen**
Take care.
**[17:32] Maomao**
I will.
**[18:04] Maomao**
The rear palace and
the brothels are no different.
**[18:08] Maomao**
A garden, and a cage.
**[20:16] Maomao**
What's going to happen from now on?
**[20:26] Maomao**
It's freezing.
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[20:32] Narrator**
* A few days later, a beautiful noble*
* comes to the pleasure district.*
**[20:41] Narrator**
* With him, he brings enough cash*
* to make the old lady's eyes glisten,*
**[20:44] Narrator**
*and for some reason...*
**[20:49] Narrator**
*A strange herb growing from an insect...*
**[20:57] Narrator**
*And in exchange, he asks for a certain girl.*
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
* Next time: "Serving in*
* the Outer Court."*
***SIGN*** Episode 13: Serving in the Outer Court
# E13 - Serving in the Outer Court
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GX9UQJXZN/serving-in-the-outer-court)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
**[00:15] Jinshi**
Are you serious?
**[00:18] Emperor**
So, what would you do?
**[00:20] Emperor**
After all, you're the gardener
maintaining my flower garden.
**[00:28] Jinshi**
*He truly is cunning.*
**[00:35] Jinshi**
*How ironic.*
**[00:38] Jinshi**
* No matter how hard I try,*
* both in intellect and martial arts,*
**[00:41] Jinshi**
* I can only slightly*
* outperform a regular person.*
**[00:44] Jinshi**
* Instead, I am granted an appearance*
* more beautiful than anyone.*
**[00:51] Jinshi**
* The things I truly want*
* are so far out of reach.*
**[00:59] Jinshi**
* I was dissatisfied at first,*
* but I've gotten over it.*
**[01:03] Jinshi**
*My sweet gaze, my sweet voice...*
**[01:07] Jinshi**
*I'll use my superior tools to my advantage.*
**[01:13] Jinshi**
* I'm aware that ultimately, I'm just a child*
* floundering on the emperor's palm.*
**[01:20] Jinshi**
As you wish.
**[01:22] Jinshi**
* I'll manage his rear palace,*
* or whatever else he wants.*
**[01:27] Jinshi**
*That's the only way I can choose my own path.*
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[03:06] Maomao**
I don't need this much, Big Sis.
**[03:08] Meimei**
Sure, sure. Take this, this... Oh! And this, too.
***SIGN*** Episode 13: Serving in the Outer Court
**[03:13] Maomao**
I'm not going to be using lipstick.
**[03:15] Meimei**
What do you mean? Can't you put in
the least bit of effort to look proper?
**[03:19] Maomao**
Only courtesans have to get
prettied up to go to work.
**[03:25] Maomao**
I want to work with herbs...
**[03:27] Maomao**
Ow!
**[03:28] Meimei**
You've landed such a nice job at the palace!
**[03:33] Meimei**
And you're telling me you can't dress up
appropriately for the position?
**[03:37] Meimei**
You have to be thankful
for that every day.
**[03:39] Meimei**
Otherwise, you'll lose your great customers.
**[03:42] Maomao**
*Meimei is really convincing.*
**[03:46] Maomao**
* She's old enough to start considering*
* retirement as a courtesan,*
**[03:49] Maomao**
*but her popularity hasn't waned at all,*
**[03:52] Maomao**
*because she has the intellect*
**[03:54] Maomao**
* to entertain her customers*
* through song, chess, and go.*
**[03:57] Joka**
Maomao.
**[03:59] Pairin**
Wow, what a huge package.
**[04:00] Maomao**
Pairin, Joka.
**[04:09] Joka**
I'm glad you found a good
workplace. Go make a fortune.
**[04:15] Maomao**
Got it.
**[04:17] Meimei**
If you could bring back some paying
customers, that would be great too!
**[04:20] Joka**
Find some good, rich guys.
**[04:23] Pairin**
Someone with vigor, pretty please!
**[04:26] Maomao**
Uh, yeah...
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[04:32] Maomao**
* My new workplace... Or should I say,*
* the workplace I'm returning to,*
**[04:36] Maomao**
* is the area in the palace*
* called the rear palace.*
**[04:40] Maomao**
* It's a garden of women who are there*
* to have children for the emperor.*
**[04:43] Maomao**
* I was supposed to work here*
* as a lowly servant girl, but...*
***SIGN*** You with the freckles, stay here
**[04:46] Maomao**
* I solved the mystery of the dying*
* infant heirs, which drew attention.*
**[04:50] Maomao**
* I was promoted to lady-in-waiting*
* for Lady Gyokuyou,*
**[04:52] Maomao**
* then got sucked into various*
* troubles as a food taster.*
**[04:57] Maomao**
* After that, a bunch of stuff happened,*
* leading to me getting fired.*
**[05:00] Maomao**
*Who would've thought I'd be back again?*
**[05:06] Maomao**
* I succumbed to the allure*
* of the caterpillar fungus,*
**[05:09] Maomao**
* but looking back, that might*
* have been careless of me.*
**[05:12] Maomao**
* Of course, seen from the outside,*
* it's a huge lucky break.*
**[05:16] Maomao**
* I do have some reservations about leaving*
* my dad behind to go live elsewhere for work,*
**[05:20] Maomao**
*but the rules are a lot less strict this time,*
**[05:23] Maomao**
*and I'm not treated as missing anymore.*
**[05:26] Maomao**
*Dad also said I should do as I like, but...*
**[05:34] Maomao**
*What did he mean by that, I wonder?*
**[05:38] Maomao**
I'm home.
**[05:44] Luomen**
They loaded you up, didn't they?
**[05:46] Maomao**
What should I do? I definitely need
my mortar and pestle, and my notebook.
**[05:52] Maomao**
I can't bring less underwear—
**[05:55] Luomen**
Maomao, you probably can't take those with you.
**[05:59] Maomao**
Huh?
**[06:00] Luomen**
You're not a doctor.
**[06:01] Luomen**
Having such things would make you appear
like you're plotting a poisoning.
**[06:09] Luomen**
Come now, don't make that face.
It was your decision to go.
**[06:13] Luomen**
You can't back out now.
**[06:16] Maomao**
Really?
**[06:17] Luomen**
You should be able to gradually get
permission to bring more things in.
**[06:21] Luomen**
Get ready and go to sleep.
Tomorrow is your first day.
**[06:26] Maomao**
Fine...
**[06:40] Luomen**
Well, you haven't done this in a while.
**[06:44] Luomen**
I thought you weren't a baby anymore.
**[06:47] Maomao**
Well, it's cold.
**[06:51] Luomen**
We'll be lonely again.
**[06:53] Maomao**
Not really. This time,
I can come back any time I want.
**[07:01] Luomen**
You're right. You can come
home any time you want.
**[07:07] Maomao**
*I have no mother.*
**[07:09] Maomao**
*But I have a caring dad, a nosy old granny,*
**[07:13] Maomao**
* and a lively group of big sisters*
* to keep me company.*
**[07:18] Maomao**
*I can come home any time.*
**[07:27] Maomao**
Thank you for waiting, Master Jinshi.
**[07:40] Meimei**
Please take care of our little girl.
**[07:43] Pairin**
We got her all dolled up for you.
**[07:46] Old Lady**
Don't you forget, Maomao.
**[07:49] Maomao**
I know. Good customers, right?
**[07:52] Old Lady**
Good. Now go on.
**[07:54] Maomao**
What a way to start the morning.
**[07:58] Maomao**
Let's go.
**[08:01] Jinshi**
Uh, yeah.
**[08:02] Joka**
Take care.
**[08:05] Maomao**
I'm off.
**[08:07] Onlooker A**
She's pretty.
**[08:08] Onlooker B**
Have you ever seen her at
the Verdigris House before?
**[08:15] Maomao**
This is your fault, Master Jinshi.
**[08:17] Jinshi**
Hmm?
**[08:18] Maomao**
I got a lot of unwanted attention.
**[08:20] Jinshi**
That's because you're...
**[08:28] Maomao**
What is it?
**[08:29] Jinshi**
Nothing.
**[08:49] Jinshi**
Good work. May we proceed?
**[08:51] Guard A**
Yes!
**[08:55] Jinshi**
Apothecary. While you're here,
go back to your usual freckled face.
**[08:59] Maomao**
Huh?
**[09:01] Maomao**
Understood.
**[09:13] Coworker A**
Hey, I heard the manager of the rear palace
**[09:16] Coworker A**
bought out a courtesan
from the Verdigris House.
**[09:18] Coworker B**
The Verdigris House? Is that where
the famous Three Princesses are?
**[09:22] Lakan**
The Verdigris House?
**[09:29] Maomao**
*What is this guy doing?*
**[09:34] Maomao**
And this is?
**[09:36] Jinshi**
My house.
**[09:38] Maomao**
Huh?! Why?!
**[09:40] Jinshi**
This is your new workplace.
**[09:44] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, I was under the impression
we were returning to the rear palace...
**[09:49] Gaoshun**
We fired you once already, so we can't
just put you back in the same position.
**[09:53] Gaoshun**
You will be working in the outer court now.
**[09:56] Maomao**
The outer court...
**[09:58] Gaoshun**
Yes. The rear palace is
considered the inner court.
**[10:01] Gaoshun**
The outer court lies outside of that.
**[10:04] Gaoshun**
There are many public offices there.
I'll show you around later.
**[10:09] Suiren**
Welcome home. It must have been cold.
**[10:19] Suiren**
I am Suiren, his attendant.
You must be Xiaomao.
**[10:24] Maomao**
Y-Yes.
**[10:27] Maomao**
*Xiaomao?*
**[10:33] Suiren**
There are two separate buildings,
**[10:35] Suiren**
one with the office and one
with the personal residence.
**[10:38] Suiren**
The area ahead is the young
master's room, but...
**[10:42] Maomao**
*"Young master?"*
**[10:44] Suiren**
You should be all right.
**[10:48] Maomao**
* This room's about the same size as*
* the one I used at the Jade Pavilion.*
**[10:51] Maomao**
*If this place had a stove and a nearby well...*
**[10:55] Maomao**
Still, this place seems too well-built
for a servant girl's quarters.
**[10:59] Suiren**
Xiaomao?
**[11:01] Maomao**
Yes.
**[11:02] Jinshi**
I don't intend to make you do servant labor.
**[11:06] Maomao**
Huh?
**[11:07] Jinshi**
I told you, you're going to
work in the outer court.
**[11:18] Jinshi**
You're going to take the court lady exam.
**[11:21] Maomao**
C-Court lady exam?!
**[11:38] Maomao**
A cotton garment? That's generous.
**[11:53] Maomao**
Good morning, Lady Suiren.
**[11:55] Suiren**
Oh, good morning, Xiaomao.
It's good that you wake up early.
**[12:00] Maomao**
I'll help.
**[12:01] Suiren**
It's fine, I'm almost done.
**[12:04] Suiren**
Can you just help serve?
**[12:06] Maomao**
Yes. Um, where are the other attendants?
**[12:10] Suiren**
There are none.
**[12:12] Suiren**
The office side is fine, but I couldn't let
anyone handle the personal side.
**[12:17] Suiren**
The young master's food is
especially out of the question.
**[12:21] Maomao**
So, you do all of this work by yourself?
**[12:24] Suiren**
We had some new girls a few times,
**[12:27] Suiren**
but well, things happen, and they don't last.
**[12:31] Maomao**
*Did they lace his food with aphrodisiacs?*
**[12:33] Maomao**
*Or try to steal things?*
**[12:35] Suiren**
I mean, who likes finding
unfamiliar underwear in their closet?
**[12:40] Maomao**
Huh?
**[12:42] Suiren**
On top of that, it was made of hair.
**[12:46] Maomao**
That sounds like a lot.
**[12:48] Suiren**
Yes, it certainly was.
**[12:51] Suiren**
Come, young master, please wake up.
**[12:53] Suiren**
It's time for breakfast.
**[13:03] Maomao**
*So much wasted sex appeal...*
**[13:06] Maomao**
* I can see why only Master Gaoshun*
* and Lady Suiren enter this room.*
**[13:11] Maomao**
*A woman who saw this would lose herself easily.*
**[13:14] Maomao**
*A man would pounce on him right away.*
**[13:17] Maomao**
*He truly has a sin-inducing air about him.*
**[13:21] Maomao**
*Sort of like an insect in mating season.*
**[13:24] Maomao**
* I wonder if I could collect this eunuch's*
* scent and sell it as an aphrodisiac?*
**[13:30] Jinshi**
If you want, I can get you a new room.
**[13:34] Maomao**
*What brings this about?*
**[13:36] Maomao**
* I don't get it, but is this my chance*
* to get a stove and well?!*
**[13:43] Maomao**
* He needs to tell me clearly*
* if he wants me to understand.*
**[13:46] Maomao**
* I can manage the stove somehow,*
* so for starters...*
**[13:52] Maomao**
In that case, how about
a stable with a well nearby?
**[13:57] Jinshi**
A stable.
**[13:59] Maomao**
Yes, a stable.
**[14:03] Jinshi**
No stables.
**[14:10] Gaoshun**
So, shall we?
**[14:12] Maomao**
Yes, please.
**[14:15] Maomao**
*Master Jinshi got left behind.*
**[14:19] Maomao**
* I assumed he had nothing to do, since*
* he was always loitering in the rear palace,*
**[14:22] Maomao**
*but he's actually pretty busy.*
**[14:25] Gaoshun**
There are many military officers
on the east side of this area,
**[14:30] Gaoshun**
so please stay away if possible.
**[14:33] Maomao**
Understood.
**[14:35] Maomao**
*The palace he showed me around was huge.*
**[14:37] Maomao**
*I needed more than all my fingers and toes*
**[14:39] Maomao**
* to count all the named buildings*
* and departments.*
**[14:42] Maomao**
*Can I learn them all?*
**[14:45] Maomao**
* My ability to learn about things*
* I'm not interested in is below average.*
**[14:53] Gaoshun**
This is the Director of Waters.
**[14:55] Gaoshun**
It's the department in charge of rivers,
dams, and water utilization projects.
**[14:59] Maomao**
I see.
**[15:02] Maomao**
*The rear palace had more medicinal ingredients.*
**[15:07] Maomao**
* My dad must have planted them*
* while he worked there.*
**[15:11] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, when you become a court lady,
the outer court will be your workplace.
**[15:15] Maomao**
Yes.
**[15:17] Maomao**
*Court lady, huh?*
**[15:28] Suiren**
Oh, good timing, Xiaomao.
**[15:30] Suiren**
Can you take this charcoal to the office?
**[15:33] Maomao**
Yes.
**[15:38] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[15:46] Maomao**
So, this is Master Jinshi's office.
**[15:50] Maomao**
It's not extravagant,
but everything here is top class.
**[15:53] Maomao**
How high up is our young master?
**[16:02] Maomao**
*Sizing up the new girl? Not a good atmosphere.*
**[16:09] Maomao**
* The court ladies of the outer court*
* are like secretaries.*
**[16:13] Maomao**
* They have the right qualifications,*
* background, and education.*
**[16:17] Maomao**
* They're nothing like the hodgepodge*
* of female officials at the rear palace.*
**[16:20] Maomao**
*Which explains their high self-esteem...*
**[16:25] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[16:28] Maomao**
* And therefore, they won't go out of their*
* way to clean, since that's not their job.*
**[16:35] Court Lady A**
Just who do you think you are?
**[16:39] Maomao**
*I guess they grow well when they're fed well.*
**[16:43] Court Lady A**
Are you listening?!
**[16:44] Court Lady A**
Why is someone like *you* assigned
directly to Master Jinshi?!
**[16:50] Maomao**
*I guess staying quiet would irritate them more.*
**[16:55] Maomao**
In other words, you're all jealous of me?
**[17:01] Court Lady A**
Watch your mouth!
**[17:03] Maomao**
*Wrong choice of words.*
**[17:06] Maomao**
*Fine, then.*
**[17:08] Maomao**
Are you implying I'm getting
special treatment?
**[17:12] Maomao**
There's no way that could be right.
**[17:15] Maomao**
Why would he, a heavenly maiden
of a person, fall for an ugly girl like me?
**[17:22] Maomao**
Does the noble figure in your
mind have such bad taste?
**[17:27] Maomao**
Would he go out of his way
to eat meatless chicken bones,
**[17:30] Maomao**
when there are heaps of delicious abalones
and boar meat in front of him?
**[17:34] Maomao**
If that's the case, well, he must
have some *interesting* proclivities.
**[17:39] Maomao**
I don't really get it myself,
but does he truly have "special tastes"?
**[17:44] Maomao**
I see, so it's a "special taste"—
**[17:45] Court Lady A**
T-That's impossible!
**[17:47] Court Lady B**
R-Right!
**[17:48] Suirei**
Why did he hire you, then?
**[17:56] Maomao**
This is the reason.
**[18:04] Maomao**
* I just tried out some burn*
* medicine the other day,*
**[18:07] Maomao**
*so it's really messed up right now.*
**[18:09] Maomao**
*Stings!*
**[18:11] Maomao**
That heavenly maiden
has a heavenly heart, too.
**[18:16] Maomao**
He gives a person like me
a way to make a living.
**[18:22] Court Lady A**
Let's go.
**[18:32] Maomao**
Done and done.
**[18:34] Jinshi**
"Interesting proclivities..."
**[18:37] Jinshi**
Do you get harassed like that a lot?
**[18:41] Jinshi**
Besides, why are you raising your left arm—
**[18:44] Maomao**
I'm off to my next cleaning duty.
**[18:47] Jinshi**
Are you studying?
**[18:49] Maomao**
Sneak, sneak.
**[18:51] Jinshi**
Hey!
**[18:52] Maomao**
Sneak, sneak!
**[19:13] Suiren**
Xiaomao.
**[19:16] Suiren**
Please be quiet.
**[19:25] Narrator**
*And thus, the day of the exams came.*
**[19:31] Jinshi**
Why did you fail?
**[19:34] Maomao**
*Why did you think I'd pass?*
**[19:37] Narrator**
*Maomao became Jinshi's personal servant.*
**[19:42] Gaoshun**
What should we do?
**[19:44] Suiren**
What should we do, indeed?
**[20:17] Maomao**
Ow!
**[20:20] Suirei**
There shouldn't be any reason
for you to go beyond this point.
**[20:24] Maomao**
*Could you say that* before *you hit me?*
**[20:28] Maomao**
* The scent of sandalwood, mixed*
* with another, distinctly bitter smell.*
**[20:44] Maomao**
The military, huh?
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
* Next time: "The New*
* Pure Consort."*
***SIGN*** Episode 14: The New Pure Consort
***SIGN***
# E14 - The New Pure Consort
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GK9U3KW4J/the-new-pure-consort)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
***SIGN*** Episode 14: The New Pure Consort
**[03:07] Hongniang**
Are you serious?
**[03:09] Gyokuyou**
Of course.
**[03:10] Gyokuyou**
Maomao's back. I have to make
the best of that situation.
**[03:18] Maomao**
That should do for now.
**[03:20] Maomao**
* Unlike the rear palace, there are barely*
* any herbs growing in the outer court.*
**[03:25] Maomao**
*I need to work on fixing that.*
**[03:27] Suiren**
Xiaomao.
**[03:28] Suiren**
I thought I asked you to clean the office.
**[03:32] Maomao**
Right away!
**[03:35] Suiren**
Don't spend too much time on gardening.
**[03:39] Maomao**
*She's tough.*
**[03:41] Jinshi**
What's going on?
**[03:42] Gaoshun**
I have no idea.
***SIGN*** Crystal Pavilion
Wise Consort
Lihua
***SIGN*** Jade Pavilion
Precious Consort
Gyokuyou
**[03:44] Jinshi**
Hmm.
**[03:47] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[03:50] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[03:56] Jinshi**
Do you know about the new Pure Consort
who just entered the Garnet Pavilion?
**[04:00] Maomao**
Yes.
**[04:01] Maomao**
* The replacement for*
* Concubine Ah-Duo, who left.*
**[04:07] Jinshi**
Well, the rear palace wants
to educate the concubine.
**[04:12] Jinshi**
And for some reason, they want
you to be the teacher.
***SIGN*** Teacher
Maomao
**[04:17] Maomao**
Hah, that's a funny joke.
**[04:19] Jinshi**
Nobody's joking. Look who recommended you.
**[04:24] Maomao**
Recommended?
***SIGN*** Precious Consort
Gyokuyou
**[04:27] Jinshi**
And here's another.
***SIGN*** Wise Consort
Lihua
**[04:32] Maomao**
Lady Lihua, too?
**[04:34] Maomao**
Oh...
**[04:38] Maomao**
*It was that, huh?*
**[04:39] Jinshi**
I'm counting on you.
**[04:47] Maomao**
*I can't ignore a request from two concubines.*
**[04:52] Maomao**
* They were nice enough to clearly*
* write the payment amount.*
**[04:56] Maomao**
* Our old lady is surely*
* hiking up that price, though.*
**[05:05] Maomao**
*Now's my chance...*
**[05:08] Jinshi**
This is all teaching
material for your class?
**[05:11] Maomao**
Yes. And here's the invoice.
**[05:15] Jinshi**
This seems about right.
**[05:18] Suiren**
I wonder why the ink is
a different color here.
**[05:21] Maomao**
*Yikes!*
**[05:23] Maomao**
*She really is tough.*
**[05:24] Maomao**
* I guess I can't prey on our young master*
* while this old maid is around.*
**[05:28] Jinshi**
What's inside?
**[05:31] Maomao**
* I can't let him see my*
* precious teaching material.*
**[05:35] Jinshi**
F-Fine, I won't look.
**[05:38] Gaoshun**
Do you need help carrying it?
**[05:41] Maomao**
I'm fine.
**[05:42] Maomao**
*If I have to do it, I'm going all the way.*
**[05:48] Maomao**
*It's been a while.*
**[05:51] Maomao**
*It's relaxing, this weird girly atmosphere.*
**[05:53] Mid-Level Concubine 1**
It's Master Jinshi!
**[05:54] Mid-Level Concubine 2**
He's so beautiful as always.
**[06:01] Maomao**
This is quite a crowd.
**[06:03] Jinshi**
They must have heard
the rumors about the lesson.
**[06:09] Jinshi**
Just so you're all aware, only the high-ranking
concubines will be attending today.
**[06:13] Jinshi**
If you have no other business, you may leave.
**[06:20] Maomao**
* Is this eunuch some*
* sort of mythical monster?*
**[06:36] Maomao**
No!
**[06:38] Jinshi**
Why?
**[06:39] Maomao**
Only the high-ranking concubines will
attend the lesson. You said so yourself.
**[06:44] Maomao**
*Dammit, he's built tougher than he looks.*
**[06:47] Maomao**
What we'll discuss is a secret
technique for women only!
**[06:59] Maomao**
*Lady Gyokuyou.*
**[07:01] Maomao**
*Beautiful, as always.*
**[07:02] Maomao**
* Seems like Lady Hongniang*
* hasn't changed, either.*
**[07:06] Maomao**
*Lady Lishu seems very nervous.*
**[07:08] Maomao**
* I guess it's natural, seeing how there are*
* three other high-ranking concubines here.*
**[07:13] Maomao**
* As long as that taster is with her,*
* she should be better off than before.*
**[07:17] Maomao**
* Lady Lihua seems to have recovered*
* fully to her healthy, voluptuous form.*
**[07:23] Maomao**
* Hmm? Is that the lady-in-waiting*
* from the face powder incident...?*
**[07:27] Maomao**
*She doesn't have to be so wary of me.*
**[07:30] Maomao**
*And Concubine Ah-Duo's replacement,*
**[07:33] Maomao**
*the new Pure Consort, Concubine Loulan.*
**[07:36] Maomao**
* Is that flashy southern*
* outfit her usual style?*
**[07:39] Maomao**
* Her face seems northern, but I can't tell*
* what she really looks like under all that.*
**[07:47] Maomao**
* Given her age, the emperor*
* will most likely spend time with her.*
**[07:51] Maomao**
* It seems the power balance at the rear*
* palace shouldn't be negatively affected.*
**[07:56] Maomao**
*Eh. Who cares.*
**[08:00] Maomao**
My name is Maomao. I will be
serving as your instructor today.
**[08:06] Maomao**
What I will be teaching you today
**[08:09] Maomao**
is a secret technique
shared only amongst women.
**[08:12] Maomao**
Please do not share it with others.
**[08:16] Maomao**
Now, here are the learning materials.
**[08:31] Gyokuyou**
Wow!
**[08:42] Lishu**
Oh... Oh...
**[09:09] Gaoshun**
What's going on in there?
**[09:12] Jinshi**
I can't tell.
**[09:14] Maomao**
Phew. Hmm?
**[09:18] Jinshi**
Good work. That took a while.
**[09:20] Maomao**
*This guy was eavesdropping for sure.*
**[09:24] Maomao**
What's wrong?
**[09:27] Jinshi**
What's going on here?
**[09:30] Gyokuyou**
Goodbye, tired routines!
**[09:32] Lihua**
Do this, then this...
**[09:34] Lishu**
No way. No way, ever...
**[09:37] Kanan**
Lady Lishu!
**[09:42] Maomao**
I just taught them, as ordered.
**[09:46] Maomao**
* At least I made the two who*
* recommended me happy.*
**[09:57] Maomao**
*I couldn't tell what she was thinking at all.*
**[10:07] Maomao**
*Use the knowledge as you see fit.*
**[10:09] Jinshi**
Hey, what kind of lecture did you give?
**[10:11] Maomao**
You can ask the emperor later
if he liked it or not.
**[10:15] Jinshi**
Hey.
**[10:32] Maomao**
I'm spent.
**[10:37] Maomao**
Looking forward to that bonus reward!
**[10:49] Soldier**
This way!
**[11:00] Maomao**
I'll stay out of it.
**[11:01] Maomao**
So cold...
**[11:09] Rikuson**
Master Lakan! Master Lakan!
**[11:21] Rikuson**
Master Lakan, there you are.
**[11:25] Lakan**
Hmm.
**[11:27] Rikuson**
Something of interest?
**[11:29] Lakan**
No, nothing at all.
**[11:42] Maomao**
*I wonder what that sound was last night.*
**[11:47] Maomao**
* Even though he's a eunuch, he has work*
* outside of the rear palace as well?*
**[11:53] Maomao**
*It's not like he can just ignore silly bills.*
**[12:01] Maomao**
* It's good paper. I could sell these*
* for a pretty good amount.*
**[12:04] Maomao**
*What a waste, burning it all.*
**[12:07] Maomao**
* The trash burning place is over*
* by the military offices...*
**[12:11] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao.
**[12:14] Gaoshun**
It's cold outside.
**[12:18] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[12:20] Maomao**
*He's so thoughtful. Shame he's a eunuch.*
**[12:28] Gaoshun**
This is from Master Jinshi!
I merely delivered it!
**[12:35] Maomao**
I see.
**[12:36] Maomao**
* He needs permission just to give warm*
* clothes to a servant? What a bother.*
**[12:41] Maomao**
Thank you, Master Jinshi.
**[12:45] Jinshi**
Don't worry about it.
**[12:53] Maomao**
* The outer court is several times*
* larger than the rear palace,*
**[12:57] Maomao**
*yet I see hardly any medicinal herbs growing.*
**[13:00] Maomao**
* I guess the only notable ones*
* are dandelions and mugworts,*
**[13:03] Maomao**
*which are abundant anywhere.*
**[13:07] Maomao**
*It's winter, so they're hard to spot, too.*
**[13:09] Maomao**
* Maybe I'll plant some seeds*
* around here as well.*
**[13:14] Maomao**
Ooh, red spider lily!
**[13:15] Maomao**
Here too! And there, too!
**[13:17] Maomao**
They're so tasty when
the bulb root is put in water.
**[13:21] Maomao**
If I fail to remove the poison, it causes
horrible stomachaches, though.
**[13:26] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[13:27] Maomao**
It's Master Lihaku.
**[13:28] Maomao**
His belt's a different color.
**[13:31] Maomao**
Did he get a promotion?
**[13:33] Lihaku**
Hmm? Oh hey, little lady.
**[13:37] Maomao**
Master Lihaku.
**[13:38] Lihaku**
Accompanying a concubine or something?
**[13:41] Lihaku**
Rare to see you outside the rear palace.
**[13:44] Maomao**
*He doesn't know I got fired.*
**[13:48] Maomao**
* Master Lihaku. He fell in love*
* with Big Sister Pairin,*
**[13:51] Maomao**
* one of the Three Princesses*
* of the Verdigris House.*
**[13:53] Maomao**
* He's working hard to get a promotion*
* for his love. How adorable.*
**[13:58] Lihaku**
Hmm?
**[14:00] Maomao**
* The cost of a night with Pairin is equal to*
* half the annual salary of a commoner.*
**[14:06] Maomao**
* Since that's too expensive,*
* I hear he often visits the Verdigris House*
**[14:11] Maomao**
*to have tea with the servant girls.*
**[14:14] Maomao**
*I never ran into him there.*
**[14:16] Maomao**
* I guess once a man has a taste*
* of the heavenly nectar,*
**[14:20] Maomao**
*he can't help but try to get at least a glimpse.*
**[14:23] Maomao**
*He's really working hard.*
**[14:24] Lihaku**
Hmm? What is it?
**[14:26] Maomao**
Nothing. I've been transferred
from the rear palace
**[14:29] Maomao**
to the personal quarters of a certain official.
**[14:32] Maomao**
Personal quarters?
Who's crazy enough to do that?
**[14:36] Maomao**
Yeah, I wonder the same.
**[14:39] Maomao**
By the way, were you busy with something?
**[14:41] Lihaku**
A little.
**[14:43] Lihaku**
Just a small fire, not rare
at this time of the year.
**[14:46] Lihaku**
I've been brought out to investigate
since they can't determine the cause.
**[14:49] Maomao**
* Unknown cause? So that must be*
* what the noise from last night was.*
**[14:54] Maomao**
Was anyone injured?
**[14:56] Lihaku**
Just the warehouseman.
He's not critically injured, but—
**[14:59] Lihaku**
Hey, don't get too close.
**[15:02] Maomao**
Understood.
**[15:04] Maomao**
* Why wouldn't you expect me*
* to get curious after hearing that?*
**[15:10] Maomao**
*Soot reaching the adjacent building.*
**[15:14] Maomao**
*Shrapnel all over the building.*
**[15:17] Maomao**
*This is more like an explosion than a fire.*
**[15:21] Maomao**
*I see.*
**[15:24] Maomao**
*They suspect arson.*
**[15:27] Maomao**
* That's why Master Lihaku is here,*
* not a lower-ranking official.*
**[15:33] Maomao**
*This isn't just some random warehouse.*
**[15:35] Maomao**
*It's the palace, where the emperor is.*
**[15:39] Maomao**
* Our empire is overall pretty peaceful,*
* but there's always someone with issues.*
**[15:47] Maomao**
*There's the occasional barbarian attack,*
**[15:50] Maomao**
*and a famine or drought here and there.*
**[15:54] Maomao**
* Who knows how long peace with*
* the neighboring nations will last?*
**[15:58] Maomao**
* I'm sure some people in some foreign*
* countries have some complaints.*
**[16:04] Maomao**
Charcoal? No, it's a burnt potato.
**[16:07] Maomao**
What a waste.
**[16:10] Maomao**
So this was food storage.
**[16:24] Maomao**
*Ivory? Looks like a smoking pipe.*
**[16:28] Lihaku**
Quit snooping around by yourself!
**[16:30] Maomao**
A pipe...
**[16:33] Maomao**
*An explosion. Food storage. A pipe.*
**[16:40] Lihaku**
Hey!
**[16:53] Lihaku**
Can you hear me?!
**[16:55] Maomao**
I can hear you.
**[16:57] Maomao**
*I'm just not listening to you.*
**[16:59] Maomao**
Does this warehouse store the same kind
of stuff as the burnt one?
**[17:04] Lihaku**
Yeah. The oldest things go in the back.
**[17:08] Maomao**
Can I have this?
**[17:11] Lihaku**
I suppose so.
**[17:13] Maomao**
And this, too?
**[17:14] Maomao**
I also need a hammer, a saw, and some nails.
**[17:18] Lihaku**
What are you trying to do?
**[17:21] Maomao**
Just a quick experiment.
**[17:28] Maomao**
This will do.
**[17:29] Lihaku**
You're strangely good at this.
**[17:31] Maomao**
I grew up poor. I'm good
at making things I don't have.
**[17:40] Lihaku**
That's flour, right?
**[17:42] Maomao**
Yes. It was in the warehouse.
**[17:49] Subordinate**
Is this what you needed?
**[17:50] Maomao**
Yes. And the flame source I asked for?
**[17:54] Subordinate**
Right here.
**[17:56] Maomao**
Thank you, sir.
**[18:02] Lihaku**
I don't get it.
**[18:03] Maomao**
It's ready. Please stand back. It's dangerous.
**[18:07] Subordinate**
Y-Yes...
**[18:12] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, it's dangerous.
**[18:15] Lihaku**
What danger could there be?
**[18:16] Lihaku**
Whatever you do, I'm a military
officer. How can I be at risk?
**[18:20] Maomao**
Understood. But it really *is* dangerous,
so please do be very careful.
**[18:25] Maomao**
You have to run right away.
**[18:28] Lihaku**
Huh? Run from what—
**[18:35] Lihaku**
Put it out!
**[18:40] Maomao**
See? I told you so.
**[18:46] Lihaku**
So, what caused the explosion?
**[18:50] Maomao**
It was this.
**[18:52] Lihaku**
Flour?
**[18:53] Maomao**
Yes. Fine powder, like wheat
or buckwheat flour, burns easily.
**[18:57] Maomao**
The particles can catch fire when airborne.
**[19:02] Maomao**
This was likely what sparked it.
**[19:04] Lihaku**
A pipe...?
**[19:07] Maomao**
If someone snuck inside to take
a quick smoke in private,
**[19:12] Maomao**
the outside wind could flow in,
blowing the powder into the air.
**[19:15] Maomao**
If the pipe was lit at that time...
**[19:20] Maomao**
The flour filling the air would
catch fire, and cause an explosion.
**[19:27] Maomao**
Please let the warehousemen know
not to smoke in the warehouses.
**[19:32] Lihaku**
How do you know these things?
**[19:35] Maomao**
Once, at the Verdigris House,
I blew up a room I borrowed.
**[19:40] Lihaku**
You...
**[19:42] (Flashback) Old Lady**
You stupid girl!
**[19:45] Maomao**
*The old lady was real scary back then.*
**[19:48] Lihaku**
But powders exploding? How strange.
**[19:53] Maomao**
Almost nothing in the world is truly strange.
**[19:56] Maomao**
Anything that feels strange
is just not yet known.
**[20:00] Lihaku**
Achoo!
**[20:01] Maomao**
Please take care to not catch a cold.
**[20:04] Maomao**
If you do, find Luomen in the pleasure
district. His medicines work well.
**[20:08] Lihaku**
Right.
**[20:09] Maomao**
* Dad's so bad at marketing.*
* I should help him out a little.*
**[20:15] Maomao**
* Hopefully, he'd pay a visit*
* while he's out there for Pairin.*
**[20:20] Maomao**
Well, I'm heading back to work now.
**[20:22] Lihaku**
Sure.
**[20:26] Maomao**
Oh, I accidentally brought this with me.
**[20:30] Maomao**
If I clean this up and put a new mouthpiece
on it, would it be good again?
**[20:34] Maomao**
It might sell for a pretty good price.
**[20:37] Maomao**
That said, it seems too impressive
for a warehouseman to own.
**[20:41] Maomao**
Might be something precious.
**[20:45] Maomao**
Maybe I'll clean it up and give it back.
**[20:54] Official's Younger Brother**
Dammit!
**[20:57] Official's Younger Brother**
I'm worthy, too... Dammit!
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Voice**
*Next time: "Raw Fish."*
***SIGN*** Episode 15: Raw Fish
# E15 - Raw Fish
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GMKUXP04K/raw-fish)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:31] Military Officer 1**
Hey, did you hear about the fire the other day?
**[01:33] Military Officer 2**
Lihaku did a really good job with it.
**[01:36] Military Officer 3**
I never expected he'd be able to solve it.
**[01:39] Military Officer 1**
Actually, I heard a rumor that
a servant girl helped solve it.
**[01:44] Military Officer 3**
A servant girl?
**[01:46] Military Officer 2**
They say she's a personal
attendant of Master Jinshi.
**[01:48] Military Officer 1**
Wow, really?
**[01:50] Military Officer 1**
Didn't Master Jinshi buy out
**[01:52] Military Officer 1**
a courtesan from the Verdigris
House the other day?
**[01:55] Military Officer 1**
I hear she's a beautiful
intellectual with cold eyes.
**[01:59] Military Officer 2**
Yeah, the guys who saw her
wouldn't shut up about her.
**[02:03] Military Officer 1**
Master Lakan?!
**[02:07] Lakan**
Mind telling me more about that?
***SIGN*** Episode 15: Raw Fish
**[02:21] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, could you spare a moment?
**[02:23] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun. What is it?
**[02:27] Gaoshun**
There's something
I'd like you to take a look at.
**[02:31] Maomao**
Records of an old incident.
**[02:34] Maomao**
Ten years ago, at a merchant's home,
**[02:36] Maomao**
there was a food poisoning incident
involving a raw pufferfish dish.
**[02:40] Maomao**
Pufferfish poison...
**[02:42] Maomao**
I love how it tingles and stings.
**[02:44] Maomao**
Oh, I really want some now!
**[02:47] Gaoshun**
I can take you to a place
that serves it sometime soon.
**[02:53] Maomao**
So, what about this?
**[02:55] Gaoshun**
A while ago, I was officially
involved with this case.
**[03:02] Gaoshun**
A colleague asked me for advice, because
a similar incident occurred recently.
**[03:09] Maomao**
A similar incident?
**[03:10] Gaoshun**
A bureaucrat ate pufferfish, raw and seasoned
with vinegar, and fell into a coma.
**[03:16] Maomao**
A coma?
**[03:19] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, my apologies.
**[03:22] Maomao**
Is it appropriate for me to learn about this?
**[03:25] Gaoshun**
That won't be an issue.
You are someone who knows her place.
**[03:31] Maomao**
*In other words, stay silent about this.*
**[03:33] Gaoshun**
Besides, this story involves poison.
Are you sure you want me to stop here?
**[03:40] Maomao**
Please, do continue.
***SIGN*** Pufferfish
**[03:48] Gaoshun**
In this instance, they served
parboiled pufferfish skin and meat.
**[03:53] Gaoshun**
He ate this and fell into a coma.
**[03:57] Maomao**
The meat? Most of the poison is in the gut.
**[04:02] Gaoshun**
Yes, the skin and the meat.
**[04:05] Maomao**
The meat isn't supposed
to have much poison in it...
**[04:08] Maomao**
Maybe it depends on the type of
pufferfish or the environment it's from.
**[04:15] Maomao**
Nothing seems out of place, then?
**[04:17] Gaoshun**
The thing is, in both cases,
this time and in the past,
**[04:21] Gaoshun**
the cook claims they hadn't
used pufferfish in the dish.
**[04:26] Maomao**
That sounds interesting.
**[04:29] Gaoshun**
That's not the only thing in common.
**[04:31] Gaoshun**
The two who fell ill...
**[04:33] Gaoshun**
The bureaucrat from this case
and the merchant from the past one
**[04:36] Gaoshun**
were both gourmets who loved eating rare foods.
**[04:40] Gaoshun**
They both often ate raw fish and
pufferfish was one of their favorites.
**[04:47] Gaoshun**
After the incident, all of the organs
and skin were discovered in the trash,
**[04:53] Gaoshun**
so it was determined that
the guts were never consumed.
**[04:57] Gaoshun**
In both cases, the cooks claimed innocence, said
the pufferfish was served the night before,
**[05:03] Gaoshun**
and that on the day of the incident,
they'd used a different fish.
**[05:08] Gaoshun**
However, there were
no witnesses to provide proof.
**[05:12] Gaoshun**
The bureaucrat ate all the food served,
**[05:15] Gaoshun**
then became intoxicated
and collapsed half an hour later.
**[05:18] Gaoshun**
He was discovered convulsing.
**[05:22] Maomao**
* He did a more thorough*
* investigation than I'd expect.*
**[05:25] Maomao**
* Plenty of other bureaucrats would put*
* in zero effort and just make up a suspect.*
**[05:31] Gaoshun**
What do you think?
**[05:32] Maomao**
The symptoms do sound
like pufferfish poison,
**[05:35] Maomao**
but I can't say for certain
without more details.
**[05:39] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, can you try
to find more information?
**[05:44] Gaoshun**
Understood. I will look into it.
**[05:52] Maomao**
* At this time of year, it's not rare to*
* have food trash sit out for a few days.*
**[05:58] Maomao**
* The testimony of using different fish*
* matches the evidence of the leftovers...*
**[06:04] Jinshi**
What were you talking about?
**[06:07] Jinshi**
That look would wound anyone, even me.
**[06:13] Jinshi**
You seemed to be listening
very eagerly to Gaoshun's story.
**[06:17] Maomao**
People naturally pay attention to
stories that are actually interesting.
**[06:21] Jinshi**
Wait, hold on. You often
cut me off mid-speech—
**[06:24] Maomao**
Oh dear, it's getting late.
With that, I'll take my leave.
**[06:28] Jinshi**
Hey, I'm not done talking—
**[06:30] Suiren**
Oh no, don't move.
**[06:33] Suiren**
Come on, stay still.
**[06:42] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, about the discussion
we had yesterday...
**[06:46] Gaoshun**
These are the cook's notes.
**[06:49] Gaoshun**
According to the servant, it describes
everything served to their master.
**[06:54] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[07:00] Maomao**
"Parboil the fish. Add cut vegetables.
Season with vinegar."
**[07:04] Maomao**
The recipe looks normal.
**[07:08] Gaoshun**
There are several types of
vinegar mixtures outlined,
**[07:11] Gaoshun**
but the list of ingredients lack detail.
**[07:14] Maomao**
That must be because the types of fish
and vegetables available differ by season.
**[07:20] Maomao**
This won't help us understand the key facts
around what was actually used to cook the dish.
**[07:25] Jinshi**
You can't understand?
**[07:28] Maomao**
*He wants to join in.*
**[07:32] Jinshi**
So, what can't you understand?
**[07:37] Suiren**
It will be mealtime soon.
**[07:39] Jinshi**
I know.
**[07:41] Maomao**
*That's quite childish.*
**[07:44] Maomao**
When did the incident occur?
**[07:46] Gaoshun**
About a week ago.
**[07:49] Gaoshun**
Meaning winter vegetables,
so probably radishes and carrots?
**[07:55] Gaoshun**
Actually, I hear they used seaweed.
**[07:59] Maomao**
Seaweed?
**[08:01] Gaoshun**
Seaweed.
**[08:03] Maomao**
* If he likes rare foods, I guess*
* he could have tried strange seaweeds.*
**[08:09] Maomao**
If possible, could I take a look
at the kitchen involved?
**[08:29] Maomao**
I'm here under Master Gaoshun's orders.
**[08:32] Basen**
I'm Basen. I've heard about you.
**[08:36] Maomao**
I am Maomao.
**[08:37] Basen**
We're heading to the mansion now,
but remember, you're my follower.
**[08:41] Basen**
Don't do anything without my permission.
**[08:44] Maomao**
Understood.
**[08:50] Basen**
Once we arrive, the servant there
will show us to the kitchen.
**[08:54] Maomao**
Understood.
**[08:55] Maomao**
*Master Gaoshun sure does work fast.*
**[08:59] Maomao**
*That aside...*
**[09:01] Maomao**
*I've never seen this officer before.*
**[09:03] Maomao**
*He looks familiar, though.*
**[09:07] Maomao**
* He doesn't seem to have*
* a good impression of me.*
**[09:09] Maomao**
*Oh, well.*
**[09:16] Servant**
This is the kitchen.
**[09:22] Servant**
It hasn't been used since the poison incident.
**[09:29] Basen**
Hmm? Hey!
**[09:34] Official's Younger Brother**
Who let you in here?! Get out!
**[09:35] Official's Younger Brother**
What are you doing?!
Did you bring these people here?!
**[09:40] Basen**
I've gotten permission from the mistress,
and this is official business.
**[09:45] Official's Younger Brother**
Is that true?
**[09:47] Basen**
May we continue? Or would that
inconvenience you in some way?
**[09:52] Official's Younger Brother**
Whatever.
**[09:56] Maomao**
Who is that?
**[09:57] Servant**
That is the master's younger brother.
**[10:00] Servant**
After the master fell into the coma,
and the mistress took ill from fatigue,
**[10:05] Servant**
the younger brother manages the mansion.
**[10:09] Maomao**
I see.
**[10:12] Maomao**
Master Basen.
**[10:13] Basen**
Yeah.
**[10:16] Maomao**
*The cook washed all the cooking utensils.*
**[10:21] Maomao**
*Other than that...*
**[10:34] Maomao**
What is this?
**[10:35] Servant**
Ah, the master loved that.
**[10:38] Servant**
It's his favorite. He ate it often.
**[10:40] Servant**
I don't think it's poisonous...
**[10:44] Maomao**
*He doesn't seem to be lying.*
**[10:46] Official's Younger Brother**
So that's that.
**[10:48] Official's Younger Brother**
If you're done here, please leave.
**[10:51] Maomao**
Indeed.
**[10:56] Maomao**
Sorry to bother you.
**[11:02] Basen**
Why did you back down so easily?
**[11:04] Maomao**
I don't consider that backing down.
**[11:10] Basen**
You brought it with you?
**[11:12] Maomao**
This is strange.
**[11:14] Maomao**
This seaweed isn't in season quite yet.
**[11:18] Maomao**
But even if salted and preserved from
last year, it wouldn't last this long.
**[11:24] Basen**
I see.
**[11:26] Maomao**
I don't think it was gathered in our region.
**[11:30] Maomao**
Perhaps it was imported from the south.
**[11:35] Maomao**
It would be good if we could
find out where it came from.
**[11:42] Maomao**
*I think he gets what I mean.*
**[11:44] Maomao**
*In that case, I'll do what I have to do.*
**[11:56] Jinshi**
What's this?
**[11:58] Maomao**
The seaweed I got from the mansion.
**[12:01] Maomao**
I've split it into two
and put it in some water.
**[12:05] Maomao**
*Why is Master Jinshi here?*
**[12:08] Basen**
The seaweed was indeed
imported from the south.
**[12:13] Basen**
According to the servant, the master
never ate that seaweed in the winter.
**[12:20] Gaoshun**
The cook also said this is the same
as the seaweed they normally use,
**[12:24] Gaoshun**
and can't be poisonous.
**[12:26] Maomao**
You can't assume it's not poisonous
just because it's the same seaweed.
**[12:31] Maomao**
Maybe this seaweed
isn't eaten often in the south.
**[12:37] Maomao**
Perhaps a merchant learned that
it's a favorite of this bureaucrat,
**[12:41] Maomao**
and, looking to profit from that,
**[12:43] Maomao**
went out of his way to get some locals
to make a salted version of it?
**[12:48] Jinshi**
Why is that a problem?
**[12:51] Maomao**
Sometimes, poisons can become not poisonous.
**[12:56] Maomao**
For example, eels are originally poisonous,
**[13:00] Maomao**
but by bleeding them out or cooking
them, they become edible.
**[13:04] Maomao**
In the case of this seaweed, I think
it had to be soaked in limewater first.
**[13:09] Maomao**
What I have here is one batch soaked in
limewater, and one batch without that.
**[13:18] Jinshi**
What are you doing?!
**[13:19] Maomao**
It's fine.
**[13:20] Maomao**
Probably.
**[13:21] Jinshi**
What do you mean, "probably"?!
**[13:23] Maomao**
Don't worry. I have
an emetic agent right here—
**[13:27] Jinshi**
Don't say that so proudly!
**[13:29] Jinshi**
Gaoshun!
**[13:30] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[13:31] Maomao**
Hey—
**[13:32] Jinshi**
Vomit, now!
**[13:38] Maomao**
* I wanted to test if the detoxification*
* could be done overnight...*
**[13:43] Maomao**
Um, back on topic.
**[13:46] Maomao**
So, the issue is: who suggested that
the trader bring the salted seaweed?
**[13:54] Maomao**
If the one who ate it imported it himself,
**[13:57] Maomao**
it'd be his own fault, in a sense.
**[14:00] Maomao**
But, if he *didn't*...
**[14:04] Maomao**
Bringing it in from a region
that doesn't eat it
**[14:07] Maomao**
is obviously taking a pretty big risk.
**[14:11] Gaoshun**
I understand.
**[14:13] Maomao**
* The people here are smart.*
* I don't have to elaborate further.*
**[14:19] Maomao**
*I guess that settles it for now.*
**[14:26] Jinshi**
Hey!
**[14:30] Gaoshun**
The culprit was the official's younger brother.
**[14:34] Gaoshun**
When we found where he bought the seaweed,
**[14:36] Gaoshun**
he confessed to being
the one who'd purchased it.
**[14:41] Gaoshun**
His motive was that, being
the younger son, he wasn't treated well.
**[14:45] Gaoshun**
He wanted to remove his older
brother from the picture.
**[14:48] Gaoshun**
A commonplace story.
**[14:49] Maomao**
But how could a person who'd plot to murder
someone for such a thoughtless reason
**[14:55] Maomao**
have learned about the seaweed poison?
**[14:59] Gaoshun**
He happened to hear about it from a person
sitting next to him at a tavern, apparently.
**[15:04] Maomao**
"Happened to," huh? Sure...
**[15:11] Maomao**
In the end, I didn't get to try
the poisonous seaweed...
**[15:16] Maomao**
*By the way, what should I use* it *for?*
**[15:19] Maomao**
* That mushroom the color of dry leaves*
* growing from the dead insect!*
**[15:23] Maomao**
*Should I make medicinal booze?! A pill?!*
**[15:31] Maomao**
Welcome home!
**[15:33] Maomao**
Welcome home!
**[15:45] Gaoshun**
What's going on?!
**[15:47] Maomao**
It's not my fault.
**[15:53] Suiren**
You seem tired.
**[15:55] Jinshi**
I have so much work piled up,
**[15:57] Jinshi**
but there's someone
I just don't get along with.
**[16:00] Jinshi**
We just can't see eye-to-eye.
**[16:02] Maomao**
I never would have thought you'd
ever have trouble with people.
**[16:07] Jinshi**
This man's a razor-sharp
high official in the military.
**[16:11] Jinshi**
He comes from a good family, but even
though he's past forty, he hasn't married.
**[16:15] Jinshi**
He adopted his nephew as his son
and has him handle his household.
**[16:19] Jinshi**
A famous weirdo.
**[16:21] Maomao**
* A forty-plus, high-ranking*
* military officer... and weirdo?*
**[16:26] Jinshi**
His only interests are go, shogi, and rumors.
**[16:32] Jinshi**
He files complaints, barges in,
**[16:35] Jinshi**
and keeps extending deadlines
on decisions that need to be made.
**[16:39] Jinshi**
I think he has it out for me for some reason.
**[16:42] Jinshi**
He's been camping in my office
for several days in a row.
**[16:47] Maomao**
*Okay, let's forget about this!*
**[16:49] Maomao**
*No good can come from dwelling on this.*
**[16:55] Maomao**
*However, no matter how hard I try to forget,*
**[16:58] Maomao**
*as usual, my bad hunches are correct.*
**[17:01] Jinshi**
This matter was settled already.
**[17:04] Lakan**
Flower viewing in the winter is difficult.
**[17:06] Lakan**
I thought this would be better instead.
**[17:10] Jinshi**
*This man is Lakan. He is a strategist.*
**[17:14] Jinshi**
* It seems like the reason*
* he's confronting me*
**[17:17] Jinshi**
* is because I made Maomao, who is connected*
* to the Verdigris House, my servant.*
**[17:22] Lakan**
Come to think of it, I have an old
acquaintance in the Verdigris House.
**[17:27] Jinshi**
* That's unexpected. I thought*
* he had no interest in romance.*
**[17:33] Jinshi**
What kind of courtesan is she?
**[17:37] Jinshi**
*Shoot, I asked without thinking.*
**[17:39] Lakan**
She was a good courtesan.
**[17:41] Lakan**
She was very good at go and shogi.
I could beat her in shogi, but never in go.
**[17:48] Lakan**
Defeating our master strategist?
She must have been good.
**[17:52] Lakan**
I considered buying her out,
**[17:55] Lakan**
since I felt I would never meet
another woman as interesting as her.
**[18:00] Lakan**
But sometimes, things just don't work out.
**[18:04] Lakan**
Two rich men with curious tastes
endlessly tried to outbid each other.
**[18:10] Jinshi**
Is that so?
**[18:12] Jinshi**
* It's said, at times,*
* buying out a courtesan*
**[18:14] Jinshi**
*could cost about as much as a small palace.*
**[18:17] Lakan**
She was a strange courtesan.
**[18:20] Jinshi**
*Where is he trying to go with this story?*
**[18:24] Lakan**
She would sell her skills, but never herself.
**[18:27] Lakan**
In fact, she didn't treat
guests as customers at all.
**[18:31] Lakan**
Even when pouring tea,
she had an arrogant look,
**[18:36] Lakan**
like she was being charitable
to a lowly peasant.
**[18:39] Lakan**
But there were many with curious tastes
who were head over heels for her.
**[18:44] Lakan**
Myself among them, naturally.
**[18:47] Lakan**
That chill down my spine
was truly irresistible.
**[18:55] Lakan**
Oh, how I wanted to try
to force myself on her one day.
**[19:03] Lakan**
In the end, I couldn't give up on her,
**[19:06] Lakan**
so I had no choice but
to use a bit of a dirty trick.
**[19:10] Jinshi**
Meaning?
**[19:11] Lakan**
If something's too expensive,
you simply lower its value.
**[19:16] Lakan**
I made her less exquisite.
**[19:21] Lakan**
Do you know how I did that?
**[19:25] Jinshi**
Why play hard-to-get all of a sudden?
**[19:33] Lakan**
Well, before I get into that,
I have a favor to ask.
**[19:38] Jinshi**
What is it?
**[19:40] Lakan**
I heard that the servant girl you hired
recently is quite intriguing.
**[19:46] Lakan**
They say she has a strange
knack for solving puzzles.
**[19:52] Lakan**
I was acquainted with a metalworker
who was the palace purveyor.
**[19:58] Lakan**
He suddenly passed away a few days ago,
**[20:01] Lakan**
and failed to name a proper successor.
**[20:04] Lakan**
He had three children who
were also his apprentices.
**[20:08] Lakan**
Unfortunately, he died before passing on
his secret techniques to his children.
**[20:14] Lakan**
He left a puzzling will, which might be a hint.
**[20:19] Lakan**
That's been bothering me for a while.
**[20:23] Jinshi**
Where are you going with this?
**[20:25] Lakan**
Nowhere special, really.
**[20:29] Lakan**
I just wonder if there's some way
to learn that secret technique.
**[20:35] Lakan**
Perhaps, for example,
**[20:37] Lakan**
by having your clever servant girl take a look.
**[20:47] Jinshi**
Well... I suppose I could hear the whole story.
**[20:59] Maomao**
That's a lot of rain.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Lead."*
***SIGN*** Episode 16: Lead
# E16 - Lead
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GVWU071Z9/lead)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:31] Jinshi**
This is a bit troublesome...
**[01:34] Maomao**
Huh?
**[01:34] Maomao**
* He usually doesn't hesitate*
* to bring trouble my way.*
**[01:39] Maomao**
*How out-of-character for him.*
**[01:43] Maomao**
What is it?
**[01:44] Jinshi**
Well...
**[01:46] Jinshi**
It's something related to
an acquaintance of an acquaintance.
**[01:51] Jinshi**
A metalworker who was
the palace purveyor passed away
**[01:54] Jinshi**
without passing on his techniques to
his sons, who were also his apprentices.
**[02:00] Jinshi**
They say some of those techniques
were completely secret and unknown.
**[02:06] Maomao**
So, you want to figure out
the metalworker's secret technique.
**[02:11] Jinshi**
You make it sound so simple.
**[02:14] Jinshi**
Besides, why are you so
enthusiastic this time around?
**[02:19] Maomao**
Does it seem that way?
**[02:23] Jinshi**
The metalworker's three sons
were all his apprentices.
**[02:28] Jinshi**
As the father died, it's said that one of
the sons will take his place as the purveyor.
**[02:33] Jinshi**
There were distribution instructions
for the father's mementos in his will.
**[02:38] Jinshi**
The workshop shack for the eldest son.
**[02:41] Jinshi**
Furniture with excellent workmanship
for the second son.
**[02:45] Jinshi**
A fishbowl for the youngest son.
**[02:47] Jinshi**
And one final note: "You all should have
a tea party together, like old times."
**[02:54] Maomao**
A tea party? What a mysterious will.
**[02:59] Maomao**
Did he mean a literal tea party?
Or does that have another meaning?
**[03:05] Jinshi**
The sons have no idea after
hearing the will, either.
**[03:08] Maomao**
The mementos seem very unbalanced, too.
**[03:13] Maomao**
A shack, furniture, and a fishbowl?
**[03:16] Maomao**
The younger the son,
the lower the value, it seems.
**[03:21] Maomao**
What were those items like?
**[03:23] Maomao**
I haven't heard the details. But...
**[03:28] (Flashback) Lakan**
If that piques your interest,
here is the address.
**[03:33] Jinshi**
He said, if it piques your interest,
you should go take a look.
**[03:40] Maomao**
*How well-prepared.*
**[03:42] Maomao**
* It's like he expected this*
* to happen. Interesting.*
**[03:47] Maomao**
If I can have time tomorrow...
**[03:52] Jinshi**
Yeah...
**[03:53] Maomao**
* I'll probably get more work*
* on my plate when I get back.*
***SIGN*** Episode 16: Lead
**[04:02] Maomao**
Oh, that's...
**[04:05] Maomao**
*Basen, was it?*
**[04:07] Basen**
Like the last time, you're my follower.
**[04:11] Basen**
Don't do anything unless I allow it.
**[04:13] Maomao**
Understood.
**[04:16] Maomao**
* Like last time, he only*
* says the bare minimum.*
**[04:20] Maomao**
*I don't think he likes me much.*
**[04:23] Maomao**
*If he's harmless, I don't mind.*
**[04:30] Youngest Son**
Coming.
**[04:34] Youngest Son**
Master Basen. We've been
notified of your visit.
**[04:39] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[04:45] Youngest Son**
Ah, yes, that belonged to my father.
**[04:48] Youngest Son**
He had a strange hobby,
collecting weird things.
**[04:51] Maomao**
Huh...
**[04:53] Basen**
Is that the workshop shack?
**[04:56] Youngest Son**
Yes. That said, we do our work
in the main house now.
**[05:00] Youngest Son**
The shack is used as a tea house
for the craftsmen.
**[05:06] Youngest Son**
Come in.
**[05:07] Youngest Son**
Hey, I brought the guests.
**[05:10] Eldest Son**
Yeah.
**[05:11] Second Son**
Thank you for coming out.
**[05:13] Maomao**
* These must be the elder brothers, and*
* the first man must have been the youngest.*
**[05:18] Basen**
The furniture is placed strangely.
**[05:21] Basen**
Hey.
**[05:22] Maomao**
*Indeed...*
**[05:23] Maomao**
* Having things in the center*
* like this would get in the way.*
**[05:26] Maomao**
*The room still looks kind of nice though,*
**[05:29] Maomao**
* probably because of how the table*
* weirdly brings the room together,*
**[05:32] Maomao**
*and how classy this chest of drawers looks.*
**[05:38] Maomao**
*There's metalwork on the corners.*
**[05:42] Maomao**
* The top row has three drawers. A keyhole*
* in the center drawer in the second row.*
**[05:46] Maomao**
*A different metal is used as an accent here...*
**[05:51] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[05:52] Maomao**
*Is this bolted in place?*
**[05:55] Second Son**
Hey, that's mine.
**[05:57] Second Son**
You're free to look, but don't touch.
**[06:01] Maomao**
* Right, the second son was given*
* furniture as his memento.*
**[06:05] Second Son**
Hmph!
**[06:06] Maomao**
* If this chest is the*
* aforementioned furniture,*
**[06:09] Maomao**
*then this man must be the second son.*
**[06:12] Maomao**
* Which must mean that the*
* tall man is the eldest son.*
**[06:20] Maomao**
*The window placement is strange, too.*
**[06:22] Maomao**
*It's western-style, and strangely tall.*
**[06:25] Maomao**
* Despite the ample sunlight*
* that could have come in,*
**[06:28] Maomao**
*the huge chestnut tree outside ruins it.*
**[06:32] Maomao**
* The sunlight that gets in is*
* filtered through the branches.*
**[06:35] Maomao**
* And this is the only spot*
* that gets that light.*
**[06:39] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[06:40] Maomao**
* This mark. Was something*
* placed here for a long time?*
**[06:44] Eldest Son**
Can you really figure out
what our father left behind?
**[06:49] Basen**
That's...
**[06:56] Basen**
You'd have to elaborate on
your end for us to know more.
**[07:02] Eldest Son**
It's exactly as you heard.
**[07:04] Eldest Son**
Our father kicked the bucket without
giving us the secret technique.
**[07:08] Eldest Son**
And the only thing he left me is this shack.
**[07:11] Second Son**
And for me, this chest of drawers.
**[07:15] Youngest Son**
F-For me, this.
**[07:17] Maomao**
*Made of glass, so it's expensive.*
**[07:20] Maomao**
* I assumed the fishbowl would*
* be wooden, or ceramic at best.*
**[07:24] Maomao**
* In that case, I guess all*
* the mementos have some value.*
**[07:30] Second Son**
What was he thinking?
**[07:34] Second Son**
Thanks for this gift, but it only has
one key, which doesn't fit the keyhole.
**[07:39] Basen**
Doesn't fit the keyhole?
**[07:41] Second Son**
This is probably the key for the center
row, but it won't fit the keyhole.
**[07:47] Second Son**
The three drawers on top are
supposed to open with the same key,
**[07:51] Second Son**
but the actual key is nowhere to be found.
**[07:54] Second Son**
What's the point of inheriting it?
**[07:57] Eldest Son**
I'm in the same boat. What's the point of getting
this shack if I can't move the chest out?
**[08:03] Eldest Son**
What a bother.
**[08:05] Youngest Son**
Dad was...
**[08:07] Youngest Son**
D-Dad was probably thinking...
**[08:10] Eldest Son**
I envy you. You got something
you could easily sell.
**[08:15] Second Son**
Yeah. It's not much, but it'd still be
worth enough to live off of for a while.
**[08:21] Eldest Son**
I don't get Dad at all.
**[08:23] Second Son**
What possible benefit could there
be to having tea party now?
**[08:29] Maomao**
*Hmm, now what should we do?*
**[08:31] Maomao**
* The two elder brothers don't*
* seem too fond of the youngest.*
**[08:37] Mother**
All of you, stop this!
**[08:39] Mother**
That's no way to behave in front of guests.
**[08:42] Mother**
I'm so sorry. I don't know when
they started acting this way.
**[08:46] Mother**
The two older boys have become so cynical.
**[08:50] Mother**
And the youngest can't
even express his opinions.
**[08:53] Mother**
My husband was worried about
them until the moment he died.
**[08:59] Maomao**
*I guess being worried about your kids,*
**[09:01] Maomao**
* no matter how old they get,*
* is part of being a parent.*
**[09:07] Mother**
Please enjoy the tea. Excuse me.
**[09:16] Maomao**
* They all moved. I guess*
* they each have a set position.*
**[09:22] Maomao**
* I suppose it must be just habit,*
* in order to not block the window.*
**[09:26] Maomao**
* This time of day, the sunlight*
* comes through the window.*
**[09:30] Maomao**
* If the sunlight reached a little*
* further, it might hit the chest...*
**[09:34] Maomao**
* But there's no sign of sun*
* damage on the chest.*
**[09:37] Maomao**
*Sun damage...?*
**[09:40] Basen**
Hey.
**[09:45] Maomao**
* The sunlight doesn't come in*
* for too long of a time.*
**[10:01] Maomao**
*Is something stuck inside?*
**[10:03] Basen**
Did you figure something out?
**[10:05] Maomao**
*Ah! I was thinking he looked familiar.*
**[10:09] Maomao**
*He looks like Gaoshun!*
**[10:15] Basen**
So?
**[10:17] Maomao**
The center drawer
with the lock won't open, right?
**[10:21] Maomao**
It used to open, but apparently
it got stuck after Dad worked on it.
**[10:27] Maomao**
And there's only one key?
**[10:29] Second Son**
Just this one.
**[10:31] Second Son**
Dad said if we broke the lock,
it would break whatever's inside.
**[10:36] Second Son**
So we can't force it open, either.
**[10:41] Maomao**
*The mementos given to each son.*
**[10:44] Maomao**
*A shack, a chest of drawers, and a fishbowl.*
**[10:48] Maomao**
*The chest is bolted down in the shack.*
**[10:51] Maomao**
*The chest has drawers that can't be unlocked.*
**[10:53] Maomao**
And...
**[10:55] (Flashback) Jinshi**
"You all should have a tea party
together, like old times."
**[11:02] Maomao**
Could it be...?
**[11:11] Maomao**
Excuse me. Was the fishbowl
originally placed there, on that shelf?
**[11:17] Youngest Son**
Huh? Um, yes.
**[11:19] Youngest Son**
We used to have a goldfish
in it, and put it here.
**[11:24] Youngest Son**
If it got too cold, the goldfish would die,
**[11:26] Youngest Son**
so in the winter, we'd only put it here during
tea parties, when the sunlight kept it warm.
**[11:30] Youngest Son**
Around this time of day, actually.
**[11:32] Youngest Son**
We haven't had any goldfish
for the past few years, though.
**[11:37] Maomao**
Hmm.
**[11:41] Basen**
Hey, you!
**[11:42] Maomao**
I'm going to go ask for some water.
**[11:45] Basen**
Darting off without my permission again!
**[11:53] Maomao**
You filled it with water, like this?
**[11:56] Youngest Son**
Yes. This pattern should face this way.
**[12:04] Maomao**
I knew it.
**[12:05] Second Son**
H-Hey! What is this?!
**[12:10] Maomao**
Don't touch that!
**[12:12] Maomao**
I'm sorry. It could blind you
if it shined into your eyes.
**[12:16] Maomao**
Also, please step back, as you're blocking it.
**[12:18] Maomao**
You won't be able to unlock it.
**[12:33] Maomao**
It seems like the chestnut tree
is casting a shadow now.
**[12:39] Maomao**
It's hot. Also, there's a strange smell.
**[12:42] Second Son**
Hey, what's the meaning of all this?!
**[12:44] Maomao**
Now, please unlock this drawer with that key.
**[12:48] Second Son**
I told you, it doesn't fit.
**[12:51] Maomao**
Please.
**[12:52] Second Son**
Hmph.
**[12:58] Second Son**
W-What's going on?!
**[13:01] Maomao**
Did your father happen to suffer from
persistent anemia and stomachaches?
**[13:06] Youngest Child**
Yes, that's correct.
**[13:08] Maomao**
Nausea and depression, as well?
**[13:11] Youngest Child**
Those, too.
**[13:13] Maomao**
I don't know much about metalwork,
**[13:17] Maomao**
but do you use solder in this workshop?
**[13:20] Youngest Child**
Yes, we do.
**[13:22] Basen**
What does that mean?
**[13:23] Maomao**
I just followed the instruction from the will,
to have a tea party like you used to.
**[13:33] Maomao**
A mold for a key.
May I remove it from the mold?
**[13:37] Second Son**
S-Sure.
**[13:39] Maomao**
*It's still warm, and soft.*
**[13:43] Maomao**
* The metal stuck in the keyhole*
* must have melted from the heat,*
**[13:47] Maomao**
* and flowed into the mold*
* below it before hardening.*
**[13:58] Second Son**
It's open!
**[13:59] Eldest Son**
What's inside?
**[14:02] Second Son**
What is this?!
**[14:04] Maomao**
* This bluish crystal seems to be the same*
* kind as the one near the entrance.*
**[14:11] Second Son**
Dammit! What does he mean, get along?
**[14:14] Second Son**
We all just got played by his final prank!
**[14:18] Eldest Son**
What a bother!
**[14:20] Youngest Son**
Lead and tin...?
**[14:23] Maomao**
* I knew a grumpy craftsman of a customer who said*
* techniques should be seen and stolen.*
**[14:29] Maomao**
* I took that seriously and tried to make*
* my own medicine based on what I saw my dad do.*
**[14:34] Maomao**
*I ended up poisoning myself, and...*
**[14:36] (Flashback) Luomen**
You should ask first.
**[14:38] Maomao**
*That was the lesson he taught me.*
**[14:41] Maomao**
* It seems like the youngest son was the only*
* one who understood his dead father's intent.*
**[14:46] Maomao**
* I've heard that, by mixing several*
* different types of metals together,*
**[14:50] Maomao**
* solder melts at a temperature lower than*
* that of the individual metals originally.*
**[14:55] Maomao**
*Of the three chunks, two were lead and tin.*
**[14:58] Maomao**
* Those and whatever this third thing is*
* might mix to create a new metal.*
**[15:05] Maomao**
* Also, the light was*
* concentrated by the fishbowl,*
**[15:09] Maomao**
*but it wasn't heated for very long.*
**[15:12] Maomao**
*The melting point must be very low.*
**[15:16] Maomao**
* The differently-sized*
* drawers might represent*
**[15:18] Maomao**
* the ratio at which*
* the metals should be mixed,*
**[15:22] Maomao**
*but I don't need to comment on that.*
**[15:25] Eldest Son**
What kind of will is this? Let's go.
**[15:28] Second Son**
What a waste of time.
**[15:31] Youngest Son**
Wait, guys!
**[15:34] Youngest Son**
It's not a prank.
**[15:36] Eldest Son**
What is it, then?!
**[15:38] Youngest Son**
Dad really did leave a will to make
the three of us get along again!
**[15:46] Youngest Son**
So I want the three of us
to continue working together!
**[15:58] Eldest Son**
Together? The three of us?
**[16:01] Eldest Son**
What a joke. You're different from us.
**[16:05] Second Son**
You have talent. Dad actually
cared about you, and only you.
**[16:11] Youngest Son**
T-That's not true!
**[16:14] Youngest Son**
Dad always trusted you two!
**[16:18] Youngest Son**
He always told me...
**[16:21] Youngest Son**
Chang, you're always so calm
and accurate with any work you do.
**[16:26] Youngest Son**
Dad said he could rely on you for anything,
because you don't make mistakes!
**[16:29] Youngest Son**
Tzu, you're good at getting to know people.
**[16:33] Youngest Son**
He said you should be proud of your gift,
the ability to be friendly with anyone!
**[16:40] Youngest Son**
Dad viewed the three of us equally.
**[16:52] Youngest Son**
At least, that's what I think.
**[16:58] Basen**
Excuse us.
**[16:59] Youngest Son**
Oh, um, sorry.
**[17:02] Maomao**
*Father... Well, it's got nothing to do with me.*
**[17:08] Youngest Son**
Thank you.
**[17:11] Maomao**
*But I should tell him just this one thing.*
**[17:14] Basen**
Hey.
**[17:17] Maomao**
There's an apothecary named
Luomen at a brothel called
**[17:20] Maomao**
the Verdigris House
in the pleasure district.
**[17:22] Maomao**
He's also a skilled physician.
**[17:24] Maomao**
If you start to feel unwell,
please pay him a visit.
**[17:28] Youngest Son**
Y-Yes.
**[17:44] Lakan**
Thank you for the other day.
**[17:46] Lakan**
It turned out quite interestingly.
**[17:50] Lakan**
The youngest son truly was
the most skilled, after all.
**[17:57] Jinshi**
*This strategist must have known all along.*
**[18:00] Lakan**
He suddenly started to
show that skill of his.
**[18:05] Lakan**
They say he'll take his father's place and
begin selling his metalworks to the palace.
**[18:11] Lakan**
The older two sons are no longer
going to work as craftsmen.
**[18:17] Jinshi**
Is that...
**[18:18] Lakan**
It can't be all that bad.
**[18:21] Lakan**
They took the hint from
their dead father, perhaps.
**[18:27] Lakan**
The eldest will take care of bookkeeping.
**[18:29] Lakan**
The second son will find new clients.
**[18:32] Lakan**
They're both going to help
the family from different angles.
**[18:38] Lakan**
In other words, they all found their place.
**[18:45] Jinshi**
*I don't know what happened at the mansion.*
**[18:48] Jinshi**
* The apothecary girl must*
* know and is keeping silent.*
**[18:52] Lakan**
The late metalworker's works
were truly wonderful.
**[18:57] Lakan**
It was a simple metal part, but if used on
a ritual utensil, it would look fabulous.
**[19:06] Jinshi**
Indeed.
**[19:08] Jinshi**
*What an annoying person.*
**[19:10] Jinshi**
* He must know, given my position,*
* ritual utensils don't mean anything to me.*
**[19:15] Jinshi**
I wonder why, master strategist,
you brought up—
**[19:17] Lakan**
Come now, I just didn't want
to keep good talent buried.
**[19:23] Lakan**
Elder or younger brother shouldn't matter.
**[19:26] Lakan**
Those with talent should receive attention.
**[19:32] Jinshi**
*He has a point. Lakan may be a shady man,*
**[19:35] Jinshi**
* but he definitely can*
* discern talent in people.*
**[19:38] Jinshi**
* It can be argued that he used that*
* ability to climb to his current rank.*
**[19:44] Jinshi**
By the way...
**[19:46] Jinshi**
May I hear the rest of that story from earlier?
**[19:49] Lakan**
Which story?
**[19:53] Jinshi**
The one about the courtesan.
**[19:56] Lakan**
Ah, yes! The way to decrease
the value of a courtesan.
**[20:03] Lakan**
You should direct that inquiry
to someone who knows that world.
**[20:10] Lakan**
Oh goodness, the time!
**[20:12] Lakan**
My subordinates would scold me
if I stayed any longer.
**[20:20] Lakan**
Please give this to your serving maids.
**[20:25] Lakan**
It's a good drink, not too sweet.
**[20:28] Lakan**
See you tomorrow.
**[20:37] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi.
**[20:39] Jinshi**
Hmm?
**[20:41] Gaoshun**
I'm sorry to bother you
when you're so tired, but...
**[20:48] Maomao**
Did you need me?
**[20:50] Jinshi**
Do you know much about makeup?
**[20:53] Maomao**
Well, yes, the basics.
**[20:56] Jinshi**
In that case,
**[20:58] Jinshi**
can you do my makeup for me?
**[21:03] Maomao**
Huh?
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "A Jaunt Around Town."*
***SIGN*** Episode 17: A Jaunt Around Town
# E17 - A Jaunt Around Town
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G31UX483Z/a-jaunt-around-town)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:32] Jinshi**
In that case,
**[01:34] Jinshi**
can you put makeup on me?
**[01:37] Maomao**
Huh?
**[01:44] Maomao**
*He definitely doesn't need it.*
**[01:48] Maomao**
*There are many silly wars in history,*
**[01:52] Maomao**
* but several of them were*
* caused by beautiful women.*
**[01:57] Maomao**
* If this man, in all his heavenly*
* beauty, were to put on makeup...*
**[02:02] Maomao**
Are you trying to topple a nation, or what?
**[02:04] Jinshi**
Where'd that come from?!
**[02:05] Jinshi**
Why does your imagination do that?
**[02:09] Jinshi**
How do you make your freckles?
**[02:13] Maomao**
*Ah, he wants to be* less *beautiful, not more.*
**[02:17] Maomao**
I make some powder out of dried clay,
**[02:20] Maomao**
then mix that into oil.
**[02:23] Jinshi**
Can you do that quickly?
**[02:25] Maomao**
Yes, preparing it takes just one night.
**[02:28] Maomao**
It's a bit too dark for you.
**[02:31] Jinshi**
If only there was a drug that can change faces.
**[02:35] Maomao**
Applying lacquer to your face would do it.
**[02:38] Maomao**
But that would be permanent.
**[02:41] Jinshi**
Sounds about right.
**[02:42] Maomao**
If you want to pretend to be a commoner,
**[02:46] Maomao**
that can be managed.
**[02:48] Jinshi**
Do that for me, then.
**[02:50] Jinshi**
I want to look like a completely
different person.
**[02:56] Maomao**
I wonder what he's up to.
**[03:01] Maomao**
That said...
**[03:04] Maomao**
If I'm doing it, I'm going all the way!
***SIGN*** Episode 17: A Jaunt Around Town
**[03:09] Maomao**
Ugh, so cold.
**[03:13] Maomao**
Good morni—
**[03:21] Jinshi**
Why the bad mood
first thing in the morning?
**[03:24] Maomao**
Nothing. I'm sure you're
going to be beautiful all day.
**[03:28] Jinshi**
Is that a new form of sarcasm?
**[03:30] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, do you really want to
become a different person?
**[03:35] Jinshi**
That's what I said last night.
**[03:38] Maomao**
In that case, excuse me.
**[03:47] Suiren**
Oh dear!
**[03:49] Jinshi**
W-What are you doing, all of a sudden?
**[03:51] Maomao**
No commoner burns such expensive incense.
**[03:55] Maomao**
Your current outfit is, at best,
that of a lower-ranking official.
**[04:00] Maomao**
The most exquisite incense from overseas
should not be within your reach.
**[04:05] Jinshi**
How do you know this?
**[04:07] Maomao**
I've trained my sense of smell to separate
medicinal and poisonous herbs.
**[04:12] Maomao**
Do you know how a brothel
identifies good customers?
**[04:14] Jinshi**
No. Is it body build, clothing,
and things like that?
**[04:17] Maomao**
Those too, but one important thing is smell.
**[04:21] Maomao**
Those with multiple showy scents tend to
be rich but have venereal diseases.
**[04:28] Maomao**
Those who smell like livestock
don't bathe and are unclean.
**[04:32] Maomao**
Most new visitors to the Verdigris
House are shooed away.
**[04:37] Jinshi**
Ah.
**[04:38] (Flashback) Lakan**
You should direct that inquiry
to someone who knows that world.
**[04:45] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, can you find
a new set of clothes?
**[04:49] Maomao**
If possible, some that haven't been
washed yet and still smell.
**[04:53] Suiren**
Oh dear.
**[04:55] Gaoshun**
Understood.
**[04:56] Jinshi**
Hey.
**[04:57] Maomao**
While he finds that...
**[05:03] Suiren**
What is that?
**[05:04] Maomao**
Oil and salt.
**[05:06] Maomao**
It dulls the sheen of his hair
and roughens the texture.
**[05:12] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[05:26] Maomao**
That should do.
**[05:29] Suiren**
Goodness, must you use
a fabric scrap to tie it up?
**[05:33] Maomao**
Commoners use whatever is
available, as long as it works.
**[05:37] Gaoshun**
Are you sure this is acceptable?
**[05:42] Maomao**
Sniff. Sniff sniff sniff.
**[05:44] Maomao**
It could be smellier, but this will do.
**[05:48] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, please take your clothes off.
**[05:51] Jinshi**
S-Sure.
**[05:56] Maomao**
* Even though he's like a heavenly maiden,*
* he has a well-balanced, muscular physique.*
**[06:04] Maomao**
May I use those towels?
**[06:06] Suiren**
Of course, but for what?
**[06:09] Maomao**
I'm going to alter his build.
**[06:12] Maomao**
Would you both mind helping me a bit?
**[06:17] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, over there, please.
**[06:19] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[06:20] Maomao**
Lady Suiren, please take this side.
**[06:22] Suiren**
Understood.
**[06:23] Maomao**
Now, with clothes on top of that...
**[06:27] Suiren**
My goodness.
**[06:28] Jinshi**
Wow.
**[06:30] Maomao**
* Having Master Jinshi's face on that*
* awkward body is quite strange.*
**[06:36] Maomao**
Next is the face.
**[06:37] Jinshi**
Huh?
**[06:39] Maomao**
I mixed several dark-colored shades.
**[06:42] Maomao**
I'll use them to make a suntanned
complexion, like a commoner.
**[06:47] Maomao**
Close your eyes, please.
**[06:48] Jinshi**
Yeah.
**[06:53] Maomao**
*So needlessly beautiful, even to the touch.*
**[06:56] Maomao**
* Not a trace of facial hair,*
* nor any pores for that matter.*
**[06:59] Maomao**
* If I applied feminine makeup*
* on him, I wonder...*
**[07:07] Maomao**
*Here it is, the one that Meimei forced on me.*
**[07:11] Jinshi**
Hey, will this take much longer?
**[07:13] Maomao**
Please close your lips,
but don't purse too hard.
**[07:16] Jinshi**
Huh? Right...
**[07:27] Jinshi**
What's wrong?
**[07:29] Maomao**
*I'm glad we were alone here.*
**[07:31] Maomao**
* If anyone else were here,*
* it would have been a disaster.*
**[07:35] Jinshi**
Hey, is something the matter?
**[07:38] Maomao**
No, there's nothing.
**[07:40] Jinshi**
That hurt! What happened?
**[07:42] Maomao**
Nothing happened.
**[07:43] Gaoshun**
Nothing at all.
**[07:44] Suiren**
Right, nothing happened.
**[07:47] Maomao**
Back on track.
**[07:49] Maomao**
Use makeup to paint blotches on the face.
**[07:52] Maomao**
Add circles under the eyes with dark colors.
**[07:55] Maomao**
Add some moles, and draw over
the eyebrows to change their shape.
**[08:02] Maomao**
The remaining makeup can be applied to
other body parts to make the skin blotchy.
**[08:07] Maomao**
Push some under the fingernails
to make the hands look unclean.
**[08:10] Maomao**
*Solid, manly hands.*
**[08:12] Maomao**
*I guess he can't have beautiful lady hands...*
**[08:15] Maomao**
*Hmm? He has calluses.*
**[08:18] Maomao**
* What does he use other than*
* brushes and chopsticks?*
**[08:21] Maomao**
*Does he train in sword or polearm fighting?*
**[08:25] Maomao**
* Not something a eunuch*
* usually needs to do, but...*
**[08:28] Maomao**
* Well, there's no need to ask*
* such a silly question.*
**[08:33] Jinshi**
Wow, that looks dirty.
**[08:36] Maomao**
Please.
**[08:38] Jinshi**
A drink?
**[08:43] Jinshi**
Whoa! What is this?
**[08:45] Maomao**
Please drink it slowly, licking it
like you're wetting your lips.
**[08:49] Maomao**
It will make your lips and throat
swell, to change your voice.
**[08:52] Suiren**
What is it made of?
**[08:53] Maomao**
Several different irritants.
**[08:56] Maomao**
It's very spicy, but don't worry,
it's not poison.
**[09:05] Maomao**
Drink all of it.
**[09:11] Maomao**
The final touch.
**[09:14] Maomao**
Cotton.
**[09:15] Maomao**
Please fill your cheeks with it
to change your face shape.
**[09:22] Maomao**
It's finished.
**[09:29] Suiren**
Wow, young master, is that really you?
**[09:31] Jinshi**
Please don't call me that.
**[09:35] Maomao**
*And yet he's still pretty handsome.*
**[09:38] Maomao**
*Must be hard to have such natural beauty.*
**[09:40] Maomao**
*Anyway, I did the best that I could.*
**[09:46] Maomao**
Now, time to head home! It's been too long.
**[09:50] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, you said you'll
be returning home today, yes?
**[09:53] Maomao**
Yes, I've been granted leave until tomorrow—
**[09:57] Maomao**
*I haven't seen him make that face before.*
**[10:02] Gaoshun**
In that case, Master Jinshi's
destination is on your way.
**[10:07] Maomao**
*Yikes!*
**[10:08] Gaoshun**
Even with his disguise, it would be
suspicious if he had his usual companions.
**[10:14] Suiren**
Oh, that's true.
**[10:17] Gaoshun**
Don't you agree, Master Jinshi?
**[10:20] Jinshi**
You're right.
**[10:23] Jinshi**
It would be great if you could come along.
**[10:25] Maomao**
*No! Master Jinshi likes the idea, too!*
**[10:27] Maomao**
Unfortunately, I don't think it would
improve matters much if I w-were there...
**[10:33] Maomao**
Perhaps having a bland attendant accompany
a bland master would look natural,
**[10:38] Maomao**
but I am also known to be
your personal servant...
**[10:42] Gaoshun**
I think it would be fine.
**[10:44] Suiren**
In that case, why don't you also
wear a disguise, Xiaomao?
**[10:47] Maomao**
Huh?
**[10:48] Gaoshun**
That's a fine idea!
**[10:50] Suiren**
I have all the tools for putting on makeup.
**[10:55] Maomao**
But...
**[10:56] Suiren**
You just have to look completely different
from your usual appearance, right?
**[11:00] Maomao**
Ugh...
**[11:00] Suiren**
Right?
**[11:02] Maomao**
Y-Yes...
**[11:05] Maomao**
*I have such a bad feeling about this...*
**[11:14] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, your posture is too graceful.
**[11:18] Jinshi**
You stop addressing me so formally, too.
**[11:20] Jinshi**
Also, don't say my name.
That would ruin everything.
**[11:23] Maomao**
Then what should I call you?
**[11:26] Jinshi**
Let's see...
**[11:28] Jinshi**
You can call me Jinka, my lady.
**[11:33] Maomao**
Huh?
**[11:35] Jinshi**
I believe that would be appropriate,
given our appearances.
**[11:39] Maomao**
* True, this outfit belongs*
* to Lady Suiren's daughter.*
**[11:44] Maomao**
* Both the fabric and design are nice.*
* Doesn't look outdated or anything.*
**[11:47] Maomao**
* I suppose I could come off as*
* a young lady from a good family.*
**[11:55] Maomao**
*Why is he enjoying this so much?*
**[12:01] Gaoshun**
Here is the map. For Xiaomao...
**[12:05] Jinshi**
I will take care of the young lady.
**[12:09] Gaoshun**
Please.
**[12:15] Maomao**
Well, Master Jinka...
**[12:18] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[12:21] Maomao**
Jinka.
**[12:23] Jinka**
Yes, my lady!
**[12:26] Maomao**
Your posture is too straight.
**[12:34] Maomao**
*"Jinka," huh? Not the strangest of pseudonyms.*
**[12:38] Maomao**
* But to use the character "ka,"*
* for flower, in the name?*
**[12:42] Maomao**
* I guess "Jinshi" isn't a very manly*
* name to begin with, but still.*
**[12:47] Maomao**
* Maybe I should have made him*
* dress up as a woman, after all.*
**[12:52] Maomao**
* No, I can't do that, if I want to*
* maintain peace in our realm.*
**[12:57] Maomao**
Where are we headed?
**[13:00] Jinshi**
A restaurant just outside
the pleasure district.
**[13:02] Jinshi**
I'm meeting an acquaintance there.
**[13:10] Basen**
Why do I have to be the bodyguard?
**[13:14] Basen**
And while hidden? Why would—
**[13:27] Maomao**
* The attendant walking in front of*
* the mistress? He has a lot to learn.*
**[13:31] Maomao**
Jinka.
**[13:33] Jinshi**
Apologies, my lady.
**[13:36] Maomao**
Good.
**[13:41] Maomao**
* Not many leafy vegetables yet,*
* given the season.*
**[13:44] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[13:47] Maomao**
Now that I have my allowance,
**[13:49] Maomao**
perhaps I'll get a chicken too,
and boil them together.
**[13:52] Jinshi**
Grocery shopping?
**[13:54] Jinshi**
In that outfit?
**[14:04] Maomao**
*I wanted to feed my dad.*
**[14:07] Maomao**
* He is an impressive doctor*
* and apothecary, second to none.*
**[14:14] Maomao**
* But for some reason, he has absolutely*
* no sense of profit or loss.*
**[14:18] Maomao**
* That's why he lives in that miserable shack,*
* despite having what should be*
**[14:22] Maomao**
*a lucrative profession.*
**[14:26] Maomao**
*If he were on the verge of starvation,*
**[14:28] Maomao**
* the old lady would probably*
* force-feed him something, but...*
**[14:42] Maomao**
What is it?
**[14:43] Jinshi**
Why are you so silent?
**[14:45] Maomao**
Because there's nothing to discuss?
**[14:51] Maomao**
*Was that the wrong answer?*
**[14:56] Maomao**
Hmm? This smell!
**[14:57] Maomao**
Chicken skewers!
**[14:59] Maomao**
Wait here a moment!
**[15:02] Maomao**
Mister, two skewers please!
**[15:04] Street Merchant**
Gotcha!
**[15:07] Maomao**
Here. Eat it before it gets cold.
**[15:14] Jinshi**
Sure.
**[15:20] Maomao**
*The savory skin, the tasty fat...*
**[15:23] Maomao**
*You can't get this in the palace.*
**[15:26] Maomao**
Aren't you going to eat it?
**[15:28] Maomao**
As you can see, no poison.
**[15:31] Jinshi**
No, I...
**[15:32] Maomao**
Ah.
**[15:34] Maomao**
Here.
**[15:45] Maomao**
How is it?
**[15:46] Jinshi**
Yeah, it's better than I remember
at camp. The salt is good.
**[15:51] Maomao**
* Camp? I thought that type of thing*
* was for soldiers, not eunuchs.*
**[15:58] Maomao**
*He really does seem to be enjoying it.*
**[16:04] Suiren**
Oh, welcome back, Gaoshun.
**[16:07] Suiren**
Please don't touch the suitcase.
I just applied persimmon tannin to it.
**[16:13] Suiren**
The young master's toys are
full of memories, aren't they?
**[16:17] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[16:18] Suiren**
So, how was he?
**[16:21] Gaoshun**
He was extremely pleased.
**[16:25] Suiren**
It was a surprisingly good suggestion, for you.
**[16:30] Suiren**
Once the young master found
a favorite toy, he would never let it go.
**[16:37] Suiren**
If I hid it, he would cry like
the world was ending.
**[16:41] Suiren**
You worked so hard to find him a new toy
to get him to settle down somehow.
**[16:50] Gaoshun**
Fixating on one thing...
**[16:53] Gaoshun**
That is not a luxury that Master
Jinshi is allowed to have.
**[16:58] Jinshi**
Do we have to rush so much?
**[17:01] Maomao**
I thought you're meeting someone.
**[17:03] Maomao**
Isn't it best to arrive early?
**[17:07] Jinshi**
You sound like you want to split
from me as soon as possible.
**[17:11] Maomao**
Do I?
**[17:12] Maomao**
* True, I do want to split from him and go*
* back to buy some radishes and chicken.*
**[17:18] Jinshi**
Is...
**[17:21] Jinshi**
Is life at the palace so bad?
**[17:26] Jinshi**
I'd think it's better than life
out in the pleasure district.
**[17:30] Maomao**
It's certainly not bad.
**[17:34] Maomao**
I left for work of my own free will,
**[17:36] Maomao**
and the room I've been given is quite pretty.
**[17:39] Maomao**
However, I worry about my adoptive
father, who I left all alone.
**[17:46] Maomao**
What's wrong?
**[17:48] Jinshi**
I just didn't expect you to care about
anything other than medicine or poison.
**[17:54] Maomao**
He's also my teacher in the art of medicine.
**[17:56] Maomao**
I need him to stay alive for much longer.
**[17:59] Jinshi**
He must be quite the skilled apothecary.
**[18:03] Maomao**
He knows not just Eastern medicine,
but has studied Western medicine, as well.
**[18:07] Maomao**
I heard he studied abroad,
in the west, when he was young.
**[18:11] Jinshi**
That must mean he was extremely talented.
**[18:15] Jinshi**
Only those chosen by the empire
are allowed to study abroad.
**[18:19] Maomao**
Yes, he's extremely talented.
**[18:21] Maomao**
They say heaven only grants
a person one talent,
**[18:23] Maomao**
but there are some who receive more than one.
**[18:26] Jinshi**
That's quite impressive.
**[18:29] Jinshi**
Why is someone so remarkable working
as a pleasure district's apothecary?
**[18:33] Maomao**
It must be because he's short
on luck, of all things.
**[18:36] Maomao**
He was given two talents, but lost his manhood.
**[18:42] Jinshi**
Are you saying your adoptive
father is a eunuch?
**[18:46] Maomao**
Yes.
**[18:51] Maomao**
*I guess the brothel-style joke didn't land.*
**[18:55] Maomao**
Apparently, because of his study abroad,
**[18:58] Maomao**
he was made a eunuch by the previous empress
dowager, the former emperor's mother.
**[19:04] Jinshi**
Eunuch, apothecary, doctor...
**[19:08] Maomao**
*Did I fail to mention that?*
**[19:11] Maomao**
*Oh, is that it?*
**[19:13] Maomao**
*An inn upstairs from a restaurant.*
**[19:16] Middle-Aged Woman**
Come, stop in!
**[19:18] Middle-aged Man**
Hey, hey, hey.
**[19:20] Maomao**
* I see. Now I get why he had to*
* disguise himself and everything.*
**[19:26] Maomao**
In that case, you could have just
come to the pleasure district.
**[19:29] Jinshi**
Huh? What do you mean?
**[19:31] Maomao**
Nothing.
**[19:34] Jinshi**
Apothecary, do you know the regulars
at the Verdigris House?
**[19:39] Maomao**
Well, the customers that stand out, yes.
**[19:43] Jinshi**
Who are they?
**[19:44] Maomao**
I can't say. I have a duty of confidentiality.
**[19:49] Jinshi**
Then...
**[19:52] Jinshi**
How does one decrease
the value of a courtesan?
**[19:57] Maomao**
That's an unpleasant question.
**[20:04] Maomao**
There are many different ways,
especially with high-class courtesans.
**[20:09] Maomao**
At the Verdigris House,
**[20:10] Maomao**
girls take most of the important
lessons while working as servants.
**[20:13] Maomao**
At that time,
**[20:14] Maomao**
they are separated into those with
beautiful appearances and those without.
**[20:18] Maomao**
The latter, after debuting, immediately
take on customers to sell their bodies.
**[20:23] Maomao**
Those with talent, however,
**[20:24] Maomao**
are taught tea ceremony and given a higher
education with which to entertain patrons.
**[20:29] Maomao**
Their prices go up and up.
**[20:31] Maomao**
Once high enough, they start
to appear only very rarely.
**[20:33] Maomao**
At that point, you get
a top-ranking courtesan,
**[20:36] Maomao**
who costs a year's salary just to have tea with.
**[20:39] Maomao**
Some retain their chastity
until the day they're bought out.
**[20:44] Maomao**
Their value comes from their purity.
**[20:47] Maomao**
Losing that purity would
easily halve their value.
**[20:51] Maomao**
In addition...
**[20:54] Maomao**
A pregnancy would reduce it to nearly nothing.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Lakan."*
***SIGN*** Episode 18: Lakan
# E18 - Lakan
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GPWUKVM5Z/lakan)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:33] Jinshi**
How does one decrease
the value of a courtesan?
**[01:36] Maomao**
A pregnancy would reduce it to nearly nothing.
**[01:49] Maomao**
Is that the place you're looking for?
**[01:56] Maomao**
Now, if you'll excuse me.
**[02:06] Jinshi**
You're leaving now?
**[02:08] Maomao**
Me going in there would ruin all
the work we put into your disguise.
**[02:12] Jinshi**
Right...
**[02:14] Maomao**
Goodbye.
**[02:23] Maomao**
* It's fine. I pulled it off*
* with no apparent emotion.*
**[02:36] Maomao**
Enjoy yourself tonight, good sir.
**[03:03] Maomao**
*A dream of the past...*
**[03:05] Maomao**
*Or rather, from when I was a baby.*
***SIGN*** Episode 18: Lakan
**[03:12] Maomao**
*I bet it's because I talked about it.*
**[03:15] Luomen**
Good morning.
**[03:18] Maomao**
Morning, Dad.
**[03:22] Luomen**
What are your plans for today?
**[03:24] Maomao**
Nothing.
**[03:26] Luomen**
If you're not busy, can you
pay a visit to the Verdigris House?
**[03:32] Maomao**
Sure.
**[03:38] Ukyou**
Hmm? Hey, Maomao. Are you off work?
**[03:43] Maomao**
I got a vacation.
**[03:47] Ukyou**
You're at the apothecary even on your off day?
**[03:51] Maomao**
Just passing by. It's not
the main reason why I'm here.
**[03:54] Old Lady**
Hold it, Pairin!
**[03:56] Pairin**
Haven't we discussed this enough by now?
**[03:58] Pairin**
Oh? Maomao!
**[04:06] Pairin**
Good to see you back!
**[04:08] Maomao**
You're suffocating me, Pairin.
**[04:10] Pairin**
I'm the one suffocating from our
old granny nagging me all the time.
**[04:13] Old Lady**
I'm not done with you!
You have to choose one or the other!
**[04:17] Pairin**
Really?
**[04:18] Maomao**
* I don't know what this is about, but it*
* looks like Pairin has a lot on her plate, too.*
**[04:18] Pairin**
Granny, you're so persistent.
**[04:20] Old Lady**
It's your fault for not making
up your mind. Now decide!
**[04:23] Old Lady**
Besides, you're the one that's making me
bring these offers to you by hanging around!
**[04:27] Pairin**
I didn't ask! You're always so pushy!
**[04:29] Maomao**
*Sneak, sneak, sneak.*
**[04:30] Old Lady**
What do you mean, pushy?!
**[04:33] Old Lady**
Hmm? Was Maomao here?
**[04:36] Ukyou**
She's been here for a little while.
**[04:38] Pairin**
Is she going to the annex?
**[04:56] Maomao**
Good morning.
**[05:00] Maomao**
*She used to hatefully chase me out,*
**[05:04] Maomao**
* but I guess she doesn't*
* have the energy anymore.*
**[05:07] Maomao**
* Or perhaps she's forgotten*
* how to talk entirely.*
**[05:11] Maomao**
* With her illness worsening,*
* her memories are in shreds.*
**[05:22] Maomao**
* Dad's medicine works well, but at this point,*
* it won't even provide temporary relief.*
**[05:28] Maomao**
* Still, giving her the medicine is*
* the only treatment we can think of.*
**[05:36] Ukyou**
That customer is back again.
**[05:41] Old Lady**
He's got a good nose on him.
**[05:44] Old Lady**
Get Meimei in here.
**[05:48] Maomao**
* The Verdigris House is now*
* a reputable establishment,*
**[05:52] Maomao**
* but a decade or so ago,*
* it used to operate in shame.*
**[05:56] Maomao**
* This courtesan served*
* customers during that era,*
**[06:00] Maomao**
* and was unlucky enough*
* to catch syphilis as a result.*
**[06:06] Maomao**
* By the time Dad came to the Verdigris*
* House, the illness was in incubation.*
**[06:13] Maomao**
* If he'd known about the illness,*
* he might have been able to treat her,*
**[06:16] Maomao**
* but nobody trusted a eunuch*
* who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.*
**[06:26] Maomao**
* She had to serve customers.*
* There was no other way to live.*
**[06:28] Maomao**
*That was the law of the courtesan.*
**[06:31] Maomao**
* A few years later, when*
* the rashes started to reappear,*
**[06:35] Maomao**
*the sores spread almost instantly.*
**[06:41] Maomao**
* Since then, this woman has*
* been locked up in this annex,*
**[06:45] Maomao**
*out of sight of the customers.*
**[06:48] Maomao**
* It's quite generous. Courtesans who can't work*
* are usually just thrown out into a ditch.*
**[06:57] Maomao**
* This room's pretty stuffy.*
* Maybe I'll burn some incense, too.*
**[07:20] Maomao**
What is it?
**[07:21] Servant Girl**
Big Sis told me the weirdo
with the monocle is here,
**[07:26] Servant Girl**
so you shouldn't go out there for now.
**[07:29] Maomao**
Right, got it.
**[07:42] Maomao**
* As long as I stay put, that man*
* won't come out here.*
**[07:46] Maomao**
* A long-time customer of the*
* Verdigris House, an old acquaintance...*
**[08:09] Maomao**
Stupid woman.
**[08:23] Meimei**
Thanks for being so patient.
That guy's gone now.
**[08:26] Maomao**
Meimei, did you spend time with him?
**[08:29] Meimei**
Who else can?
**[08:31] Meimei**
Oh, I'm glad Big Sis seems
to be doing well today.
**[08:36] Meimei**
Maomao, you're getting *that* offer again.
**[08:42] Maomao**
I don't see how you put up with him, Sis.
**[08:44] Meimei**
It's not so bad. The old lady
doesn't care as long as he pays up.
**[08:49] Maomao**
That's probably why she keeps
wanting to make me a courtesan.
**[08:53] Maomao**
If I didn't have my job,
I might have been sold off by now.
**[08:58] Meimei**
It's a really good deal, from where I'm standing.
**[09:01] Meimei**
Do you know how rare it is for
a courtesan to get everything they want?
**[09:06] Maomao**
Since our old lady would easily
let the weight of silver overrule that.
**[09:11] Meimei**
Who can blame her? She's saving up
for her boat fare to heaven.
**[09:18] Meimei**
I'm getting older now.
I should start taking this seriously.
**[09:22] Maomao**
* She's not even thirty yet, but as a courtesan,*
* that's retirement age already.*
**[09:28] Maomao**
Why not strike out on your own?
**[09:32] Meimei**
Just a while longer.
**[09:40] Meimei**
I'll keep working here for just a while longer.
**[09:45] Maomao**
* I don't know what's going*
* through Meimei's mind.*
**[09:50] Maomao**
*It's not a rabbit hole I want to delve into.*
**[09:52] Maomao**
*If it's what everyone knows as love,*
**[10:05] Maomao**
* that's an emotion I'm sure I left behind,*
* in the womb of the woman who birthed me.*
**[10:14] Meimei**
Let me scrub your back.
Haven't done that in ages.
**[10:16] Maomao**
Huh? No thanks.
**[10:18] Meimei**
Come on, come on.
**[10:22] Pairin**
Yeah, it's been a while!
**[10:24] Joka**
Let her do it.
**[10:26] Joka**
You're going to be gone again
for a while, right?
**[10:29] Maomao**
Huh?
**[10:31] Meimei**
I'm doing this as a freebie, so you have
to help me find good customers, okay?
**[10:51] Jinshi**
* I didn't expect the meeting place to*
* offer services like in the pleasure district.*
**[10:56] Jinshi**
*That wasn't what I was there for.*
**[11:13] Jinshi**
Apothecary, do you have a moment?
**[11:16] Maomao**
Yes.
**[11:17] Jinshi**
Share this with Suiren.
It's a souvenir from a weirdo.
**[11:23] Maomao**
From a weirdo? Thank you.
**[11:27] Jinshi**
Yeah.
**[11:28] Maomao**
Well then, I'm getting back to work.
**[11:39] Suiren**
Oh, dear.
**[11:44] Suiren**
We're having a vegetarian dinner today,
**[11:46] Suiren**
so Xiaomao, don't eat
any meat or fish, all right?
**[11:52] Suiren**
You're taking a break, but don't
completely lose consciousness.
**[11:57] Maomao**
Right, vegetarian!
**[11:59] Maomao**
* Dammit, I thought working*
* would get my mind off of it.*
**[12:07] Suiren**
Also.
**[12:10] Suiren**
No more hiding weird plants in the warehouse.
**[12:14] Maomao**
*Yikes. She's sharp.*
**[12:16] Suiren**
If you can't find anywhere to put it,
**[12:18] Suiren**
why don't you ask Master Jinshi to
let you use one of the vacant rooms?
**[12:23] Maomao**
No, I can't use a noble person's
home as a medicine cabinet.
**[12:27] Suiren**
Xiaomao, you appear apathetic,
**[12:30] Suiren**
but you're actually very keen when it
comes to knowing where you stand.
**[12:33] Maomao**
I am of lowly birth. It's a small
miracle that I'm even here.
**[12:40] Suiren**
Perhaps.
**[12:42] Suiren**
But remember, just because
a person is of noble birth
**[12:45] Suiren**
doesn't make them inherently
different from the start.
**[12:49] Suiren**
Nobody knows how a person's
life can twist and turn.
**[12:54] Suiren**
Separating everything based only on
status can lead to missed opportunities.
**[12:59] Maomao**
Really?
**[13:00] Suiren**
Yes, really.
**[13:02] Suiren**
Now, back to work.
Can you run an errand for me?
**[13:07] Maomao**
Excuse me!
**[13:09] Maomao**
I've come to pick up some medicine!
**[13:11] Doctor**
Yes, wait just a moment.
**[13:20] Maomao**
* This is nothing like the rear palace pharmacy*
* that the quack doctor was running!*
**[13:24] Maomao**
* This place is close to the military,*
* so they must get a lot of injuries.*
**[13:29] Maomao**
* Ah, this smell that leaves*
* a bitter taste in my mouth...*
**[13:34] Maomao**
* I wonder what they have*
* in the medicine cabinets?*
**[13:37] Maomao**
*I'd love to rummage through this whole place...*
**[13:41] Maomao**
*No. I must control myself!*
**[13:44] Suirei**
What are you doing?
**[13:49] Maomao**
*She's that...*
**[13:52] Maomao**
Just waiting for some medicine.
**[13:56] Doctor**
Suirei!
**[13:59] Suirei**
You're here.
**[14:01] Suirei**
I'm here to resupply
the medicines at the guardhouse.
**[14:03] Doctor**
Right.
**[14:09] Maomao**
*The guardhouse?*
**[14:11] Doctor**
How are you? I'm fine.
**[14:11] Maomao**
* Come to think of it, the last time*
* I saw her was near the military wing.*
**[14:16] Maomao**
* She must smell like herbs*
* because she works there.*
**[14:24] Maomao**
*I wonder why she seems to dislike me.*
**[14:27] Doctor**
Is there anything else you need?
**[14:29] Suirei**
No, nothing else.
**[14:33] Doctor**
A court lady shouldn't be doing this...
**[14:37] Doctor**
F-Forget I said anything!
You need medicine, right?!
**[14:47] Maomao**
I wonder what kind of medicine this is.
**[14:53] Maomao**
Lick!
**[14:55] Maomao**
Potato flour?
**[14:57] Maomao**
This is for Master Jinshi, right?
**[15:00] Maomao**
* Thinking about it, Master Jinshi*
* is pretty mysterious.*
**[15:04] Maomao**
* Not just the work he gets*
* assigned every few weeks,*
**[15:09] Maomao**
*but taking long baths the day before,*
**[15:12] Maomao**
*and burning incense before leaving...*
**[15:15] Maomao**
*The vegetarian food, too.*
**[15:17] Maomao**
*It's like a purification ceremony.*
**[15:19] Maomao**
* Are eunuchs allowed to*
* perform ceremonial rites?*
**[15:22] Maomao**
*It's not out of place for a noble to do that,*
**[15:25] Maomao**
* but if he's of such high rank,*
* why is he a eunuch?*
**[15:29] Maomao**
* Was he also made a eunuch by the unilateral*
* decision of the previous empress dowager?*
**[15:36] Maomao**
*Like my dad?*
**[15:39] Jinshi**
The girl's adopted father
is a eunuch and former doctor.
**[15:43] Gaoshun**
If she studied under a former doctor,
it explains why she's so knowledgeable, but...
**[15:49] Gaoshun**
A eunuch?
**[15:50] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[15:52] Gaoshun**
Did we ever have such a skilled
doctor among the eunuchs?
**[16:02] Lakan**
Pardon me.
**[16:07] Lakan**
Shall we pick up the discussion
from the other day?
**[16:18] Jinshi**
It seems you played quite a few dirty tricks.
**[16:22] Lakan**
How rude! I don't want to
hear that from a thief.
**[16:27] Lakan**
I spent a decade convincing that old madam,
**[16:32] Lakan**
and you stole her out from under my nose.
**[16:36] Jinshi**
So you want your prize returned?
**[16:39] Lakan**
No, I'll pay whatever you ask.
**[16:42] Lakan**
I'm not keen on repeating my past mistakes.
**[16:46] Jinshi**
And if I refuse?
**[16:48] Lakan**
Then there's nothing I can do, is there?
**[16:52] Lakan**
You can count on one hand the number of
people who can defy someone as high up as *you*.
**[16:59] Jinshi**
*As I thought, he does know who I really am.*
**[17:02] Lakan**
I'm just concerned about what
my *daughter* would think, is all.
**[17:09] Jinshi**
*Ugh. So that's really what it is.*
**[17:16] Jinshi**
*I don't want to admit it,*
**[17:18] Jinshi**
*but Lakan is Maomao's father by blood.*
**[17:30] Lakan**
Could you just let her know
I'll be visiting her sometime?
**[17:36] Lakan**
Bye, now.
**[17:46] Jinshi**
Apothecary.
**[17:48] Maomao**
Yes.
**[17:50] Jinshi**
There's an official who wants
to meet you sometime soon.
**[17:53] Maomao**
Who is he?
**[17:55] Jinshi**
It's the weirdo I've been telling
you about. His name is Lakan—
**[18:06] Jinshi**
I'll turn him down somehow.
**[18:09] Maomao**
Thank you. I'll get back to work now.
**[18:17] Jinshi**
I've never seen her make a face like that.
**[18:21] Jinshi**
And I never want to see it again.
**[18:26] Maomao**
*So, he found out.*
**[18:45] Maomao**
This smell...
**[18:46] Maomao**
It's an herb garden!
**[18:48] Maomao**
Here! And there! And there, too!
**[18:53] Suirei**
You again?
**[19:00] Maomao**
*Oh, no. This is way too suspicious.*
**[19:03] Maomao**
Don't worry. I haven't taken anything yet.
**[19:06] Suirei**
Is it safe to assume
from the dirt on your hands
**[19:10] Suirei**
that you were just about to?
**[19:16] Suirei**
I'm not trying to punish you.
**[19:19] Suirei**
This is an unofficial garden, anyway.
**[19:21] Suirei**
But the doctors know about this place too,
**[19:24] Suirei**
so I'd advise against frequent visits.
**[19:27] Maomao**
Are you in charge of this place?
**[19:30] Suirei**
Who knows? I'm just allowed
to plant what I want here.
**[19:35] Maomao**
*She's pulling up the weeds.*
**[19:39] Maomao**
*Suirei, I think her name was?*
**[19:42] Maomao**
* Not that I'm one to talk,*
* but she doesn't seem very excitable.*
**[19:49] Maomao**
What are you planting?
**[19:56] Suirei**
A medicine to resurrect someone.
**[19:59] Maomao**
Is that...?!
**[20:01] Maomao**
* A medicine that can bring*
* the dead back to life...*
**[20:04] Maomao**
* If such a thing exists,*
* I want it more than anything!*
**[20:10] Suirei**
Just kidding.
**[20:12] Maomao**
A joke...
**[20:13] Suirei**
I heard you're an apothecary.
Just how good are you?
**[20:20] Maomao**
I don't know.
**[20:27] Suirei**
A little while from now, I'll be
planting some morning glories here.
**[20:42] Suirei**
Goodbye.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
* Next time: "Chance or*
* Something More."*
***SIGN*** Episode 19: Chance or Something More
# E19 - Chance or Something More
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G2XU0G93G/chance-or-something-more)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
**[01:31] Gaoshun**
Also, regarding today's schedule,
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:34] Gaoshun**
there will be a medium
ceremony in the afternoon.
**[01:37] Jinshi**
Yeah...
**[01:45] Gaoshun**
I think I know what's on your mind.
**[01:49] Gaoshun**
But please, don't forget about work.
**[01:52] Jinshi**
I know.
***SIGN*** Episode 19: Chance or Something More
**[02:00] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, what's wrong?
**[02:03] Lihaku**
We have a problem.
**[02:05] Maomao**
Trouble, is it?
**[02:07] Lihaku**
Remember that fire at the warehouse?
**[02:10] Maomao**
Ah.
**[02:11] Lihaku**
Apparently, a thief broke in to a different
warehouse on the same day.
**[02:16] Lihaku**
I'm sure they were taking advantage
of all the chaos at the time.
**[02:20] Maomao**
A looting. What got stolen?
**[02:27] Maomao**
*Not something to discuss openly, it seems.*
**[02:29] Maomao**
*Sneak.*
**[02:35] Lihaku**
Ceremonial tools. And not just one.
**[02:39] Maomao**
Were they being managed that haphazardly?
**[02:42] Lihaku**
Well, I don't really know.
**[02:45] Lihaku**
There's no knowledgeable
managers right now.
**[02:48] Lihaku**
The last one passed away last year.
**[02:50] Maomao**
What about the current manager?
He must know the basics, right?
**[02:54] Lihaku**
Well, he got food poisoning awhile back.
**[02:59] Maomao**
Food poisoning?
**[03:01] Lihaku**
His favorite seaweed made him
sick and he hasn't woken up.
**[03:05] Lihaku**
He can't come back to work. Trouble, right?
**[03:09] Maomao**
*Where have I heard that before?*
**[03:12] Maomao**
Was it that official who likes rare foods?
**[03:16] Lihaku**
How did you know?
**[03:18] Maomao**
A lot happened.
**[03:20] Maomao**
*Theft at the time of a fire.*
**[03:23] Maomao**
* The warehouse manager is missing*
* due to food poisoning.*
**[03:28] Maomao**
*It's a bit too suspicious to be a coincidence.*
**[03:31] Maomao**
Who was the manager who passed away last year?
**[03:35] Lihaku**
Hmm. I remember that he was
famous for being really by-the-book.
**[03:40] Lihaku**
I forgot his name. I remember he had
a sweet tooth and things like that, but...
**[03:45] Maomao**
Was it Master Kounen, by chance?
**[03:49] Lihaku**
Oh, that's it! Hey, how'd you know?
**[03:54] Maomao**
A lot happened.
**[03:56] Maomao**
* Master Jinshi told me about the*
* tough official with a sweet tooth.*
**[04:01] Maomao**
*The man who died of salt overdose.*
**[04:04] Maomao**
*These are all coincidental?*
**[04:07] Maomao**
*Each incident looks like an accident,*
**[04:10] Maomao**
* but if they were all done*
* in pursuit of some goal...*
**[04:15] Maomao**
So, what can I do for you?
**[04:18] Lihaku**
Right! The main point.
**[04:20] Lihaku**
Remember this? You gave it to me back then.
**[04:23] Maomao**
Ah, from the fire.
**[04:25] Lihaku**
I tried to give it back,
but the owner declined.
**[04:29] Lihaku**
He doesn't want it anymore.
**[04:31] Maomao**
It seems very expensive.
I assumed it was important.
**[04:35] Lihaku**
Apparently, he got it from some court lady.
**[04:39] Maomao**
From a court lady?
**[04:40] Lihaku**
Sounds weird, right?
**[04:42] Lihaku**
Why give this to a random warehouse guard?
**[04:48] Lihaku**
Apparently, the guard escorted
the court lady outside the castle,
**[04:52] Lihaku**
because she was walking alone in the dark.
**[04:56] Lihaku**
She gave him this pipe as a token of gratitude.
**[04:59] Maomao**
Receiving such an expensive item might
compel him to use it right away.
**[05:06] Maomao**
*Start a fire to divert the guards' attention,*
**[05:09] Maomao**
*and break into another warehouse.*
**[05:11] Maomao**
* If the court lady gave the guard*
* the pipe for that purpose...*
**[05:17] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, about that court lady...
**[05:19] Lihaku**
Yeah, I tried to get the details about her.
**[05:22] Lihaku**
But she was wearing a scarf
that hid her face, apparently.
**[05:26] Maomao**
Maybe she was hiding her face intentionally.
**[05:30] Lihaku**
Yeah.
**[05:31] Lihaku**
But she was "quite tall for a woman,
and smelled like medicine."
**[05:38] Lihaku**
I know it's not you, given the height.
**[05:42] Lihaku**
Can you think of anyone else?
**[05:45] Maomao**
*A tall court lady smelling of medicine...*
**[05:50] (Flashback) Luomen**
Don't speak based purely on conjecture.
**[05:54] Maomao**
Were there any more strange incidents
other than the events we mentioned?
**[06:00] Lihaku**
Hmm. I can't say...
**[06:03] Lihaku**
Do you think there's something to find out here?
**[06:06] Maomao**
There could be.
**[06:09] Maomao**
Or there might not.
**[06:11] Lihaku**
Which is it?
**[06:15] Maomao**
Two coincidences can often
occur simultaneously.
**[06:19] Maomao**
Three at once isn't that rare, either.
**[06:23] Maomao**
But when several of them pile up
**[06:26] Maomao**
and become clearly intentional...
**[06:29] Maomao**
What if a person who fits the description
of a tall court lady appeared here?
**[06:36] Maomao**
* This way, even if Suirei's name*
* comes up, it has nothing to do with me.*
**[06:43] Lihaku**
Wow, you're a lot smarter than you look!
**[06:48] Maomao**
Conversely, Master Lihaku, you're as big
a brute as you look, so please go easy on me.
**[06:56] Jinshi**
Looks like fun.
**[06:59] Jinshi**
Looks like fun.
**[07:02] Maomao**
There's nothing fun here.
**[07:05] Lihaku**
I'll take my leave!
**[07:11] Jinshi**
You seem very close to that officer.
**[07:14] Maomao**
Do I?
**[07:16] Maomao**
He just came to talk to me
about some concerns he had.
**[07:22] Maomao**
* I can't say for certain that this has*
* nothing to do with Master Jinshi.*
**[07:29] Maomao**
May I explain the details to you?
**[07:34] Jinshi**
What a strange way they connect.
**[07:37] Maomao**
Yes.
**[07:38] Jinshi**
So, what do you think is behind them?
**[07:41] Maomao**
I don't know.
**[07:42] Maomao**
None of those incidents are certainties.
**[07:45] Maomao**
It's more like setting several traps in
the hopes that some of them work out.
**[07:50] Jinshi**
In that case, do you think
there are other traps?
**[07:54] Maomao**
I can't say for certain.
**[07:57] Maomao**
It's hard to determine which are
accidents and which were plotted.
**[08:01] Maomao**
It's still possible that these
are all just coincidences.
**[08:09] Jinshi**
You're not excited?
**[08:11] Maomao**
Excited?
**[08:15] Maomao**
I'm just a servant. I only do what I am told.
**[08:20] Jinshi**
Hmm.
**[08:23] Jinshi**
In that case, how about this?
**[08:26] Jinshi**
The other day, I visited the trader.
**[08:30] Jinshi**
He told me there's
an interesting item in stock.
***SIGN*** Ox bezoar
**[08:35] Jinshi**
This is what it was called.
**[08:38] Maomao**
Ox bezoar, a medicinal gallstone from a cow!
**[08:41] Maomao**
The most exquisite medicine
only found in one in a thousand cows!
**[08:45] Maomao**
Are you going to give me that?!
***SIGN*** Ox Bezoar
**[08:48] Maomao**
Really?!
***SIGN*** Ox Bezoar
**[08:49] Maomao**
You'd better not be lying!
**[08:53] Jinshi**
Do you want it?
**[08:54] Maomao**
I do!
**[08:55] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao.
**[09:03] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[09:06] Jinshi**
Looks like you're excited now.
**[09:08] Maomao**
Will you really give me this?
***SIGN*** Ox bezoar
**[09:10] Jinshi**
Depends on how well you work.
I'll keep you updated.
**[09:14] Maomao**
Understood.
**[09:16] Maomao**
As you wish, Master Jinshi!
**[09:18] Jinshi**
And so, Gaoshun, take care of it!
**[09:26] Maomao**
This is the incident from the other day.
**[09:29] Maomao**
* The officer who got food poisoning*
* was from the Board of Rites.*
**[09:33] Maomao**
* Which one was the Board of Rites, again?*
* The education and foreign affairs one...?*
**[09:40] Maomao**
* If only I'd studied for*
* the court lady exams properly...*
**[09:44] Officer**
I'll leave these here.
**[09:47] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[09:49] Officer**
No problem. Feel free to ask me
if you have any questions.
**[09:53] Maomao**
Um, what does this division do?
**[09:56] Officer**
Hmm?
**[09:58] Officer**
They deal with ceremonies.
**[10:01] Maomao**
Ceremonies?
**[10:06] Maomao**
Do you have anything to write with?
**[10:08] Officer**
Huh? Y-Yeah.
**[10:10] Maomao**
Ceremonies, ceremonies...
**[10:13] Maomao**
* The food-poisoned official and Master Kounen*
* were both were related to ceremonies.*
**[10:18] Maomao**
* If the incident with the pipe was*
* a way to help steal ceremonial tools...*
**[10:24] Maomao**
* These events, disguised*
* as coincidences, must line up*
**[10:27] Maomao**
*to form an intentional incident, somewhere.*
**[10:30] Maomao**
* If someone went through so much*
* trouble to steal ceremonial tools,*
**[10:34] Maomao**
*it has to be a ceremony of some importance.*
**[10:38] Maomao**
*Medium or higher, most likely.*
**[10:40] Maomao**
* I should find out when all*
* of these ceremonies take place.*
**[10:44] Maomao**
* Come to think of it, Master Jinshi*
* did purify himself often.*
**[10:48] Officer**
If you're interested in ceremonies,
here's something good.
**[10:56] Maomao**
Is this a picture of a ceremonial building?
**[10:59] Officer**
Yes. It's at the west end of the outer
court, and called the Altar of the Sapphire Sky.
**[11:04] Officer**
Quite an interesting design, don't you think?
**[11:07] Officer**
There's a large pillar
hanging from the ceiling.
**[11:12] Officer**
There are these banners
hanging above the central altar.
**[11:16] Officer**
They lower the pillar to
add festive texts every time.
**[11:20] Maomao**
You're very knowledgeable.
**[11:22] Officer**
Yeah. I'm ashamed to admit it, but
before I got assigned to the archives,
**[11:26] Officer**
I was doing more important
work at the Board of Rites.
**[11:29] Officer**
I talked back to my superiors once,
and got demoted to this role.
**[11:35] Officer**
I used to be worried about the build
strength, but I'm glad to know it's fine.
**[11:40] Maomao**
What are you talking about?
**[11:42] Officer**
You see how the pillar is hanging
from the ceiling like this, right?
**[11:46] Officer**
It's big, so I was worried
about it falling down.
**[11:51] Officer**
When I voiced my concerns
about the parts' strength,
**[11:53] Officer**
it got me sent to this place.
**[11:57] Maomao**
*That is indeed scary.*
**[12:00] Maomao**
* If the metal parts fixing the pillar in*
* place broke, and the pillar fell...*
**[12:07] Maomao**
* The person directly underneath performing*
* the ceremony would be at the highest risk.*
**[12:11] Maomao**
*Someone of truly noble birth could be lost.*
**[12:16] Maomao**
Strength issue... Strength...
**[12:19] Maomao**
*What* was *the stolen ceremonial tool, anyway?*
**[12:23] Maomao**
* If something so important went missing,*
* surely they'd make a new one.*
**[12:28] Maomao**
Make a new one...
**[12:32] Maomao**
Excuse me!
**[12:33] Maomao**
When is the next ceremony
taking place at this venue?!
**[12:36] Officer**
When? Well...
**[12:39] Officer**
Oh, today, actually.
**[12:49] Maomao**
* If my predictions are correct, this is a plan*
* that was concocted over a long period of time.*
**[12:56] Maomao**
*Not every piece is likely to work.*
**[12:58] Maomao**
* But by placing numerous traps everywhere,*
* some are bound to work and overlap.*
**[13:02] Maomao**
*And finally, it connected to this.*
**[13:09] Maomao**
*It's just conjecture on my part.*
**[13:12] Maomao**
*But if I happen to be correct...*
**[13:19] Maomao**
There!
**[13:28] Military Officer 1**
Hey!
**[13:30] Military Officer 1**
What are you doing?!
**[13:33] Maomao**
I need to get inside!
**[13:34] Military Officer 1**
No.
**[13:35] Maomao**
This is an emergency!
**[13:37] Military Officer 1**
What right does a servant like you
have to interject in this ceremony?
**[13:42] Maomao**
* He's absolutely right. I'm just*
* a servant with no authority at all.*
**[13:47] Maomao**
*But if something happens, it'll be too late.*
**[13:51] Maomao**
* That's always the case with*
* things that can't be undone.*
**[13:55] Maomao**
There are lives at risk.
Please stop the ceremony.
**[13:59] Military Officer 1**
That's not a decision for you to make.
**[14:01] Military Officer 1**
If you have something to say,
put it in the suggestion box.
**[14:06] Maomao**
That will take too long!
**[14:08] Military Officer 1**
No!
**[14:09] Maomao**
A fatal defect was discovered in the altar!
**[14:13] Maomao**
There is reason to suspect
that someone tampered with it!
**[14:16] Maomao**
If you don't let me in now, you'll regret it!
**[14:20] Maomao**
If, after listening to my
warnings, you still reject...
**[14:25] Maomao**
Oh, I get it, so that's what it is!
**[14:29] Maomao**
I see. You're obstructing me and
waiting for the incident to happen!
**[14:36] Maomao**
In other words, you're in league
with the ones who tampered with the—
**[14:58] Maomao**
*I'm about to lose consciousness.*
**[15:01] Maomao**
* It's only natural for him to get upset,*
* hearing a girl talk to him like that.*
**[15:06] Maomao**
*That was intentional, so it's fine.*
**[15:11] Maomao**
* It's no use. This isn't a big enough of*
* a commotion to stop the ceremony.*
**[15:17] Maomao**
*I'm fine. I can't lose consciousness now.*
**[15:25] Maomao**
Do you feel better now?
**[15:30] Maomao**
Please let me through.
**[15:34] Maomao**
There is a person of the most
noble birth inside, isn't there?
**[15:39] Maomao**
If something happens, you all will
be the ones to lose your heads.
**[15:44] Maomao**
I won't ask you to cancel the ceremony.
**[15:47] Maomao**
Please just let me through.
**[15:51] Maomao**
Just say a rat got in accidentally.
**[15:55] Maomao**
In that case, the only person
getting beheaded will be me!
**[15:59] Military Officer 1**
Why should I trust the words
of a girl like you?!
**[16:02] Lakan**
What about *my* words, then?
**[16:13] Military Officer 1**
S-Sir, you're...
**[16:19] Lakan**
Now, why would you strike
a young girl like that?
**[16:26] Lakan**
She's hurt.
**[16:31] Lakan**
At any rate, why don't you just
go ahead and do as the girl says?
**[16:36] Lakan**
I'll take responsibility.
**[16:39] Maomao**
*I don't even want to see who's behind me.*
**[16:42] Maomao**
* It's perfect timing, as if*
* everything was planned...*
**[16:45] Maomao**
*No, I can't concern myself with that right now.*
**[16:48] Maomao**
*It doesn't matter who this voice belongs to.*
**[16:58] Maomao**
*I must look terrible.*
**[17:00] Maomao**
*I'll ask Master Gaoshun after all this is done,*
**[17:03] Maomao**
*and take a nice, long bath.*
**[17:06] Maomao**
*But first,*
**[17:09] Maomao**
*I have to avoid getting beheaded.*
**[17:56] Maomao**
I made it...
**[18:05] Maomao**
Gotta stitch that...
**[18:08] Jinshi**
Hey.
**[18:14] Jinshi**
What's going on here?
**[18:18] Maomao**
Master Jinshi...
**[18:22] Maomao**
Can I have the ox bezoar now?
**[18:26] Jinshi**
This isn't the time for that.
**[18:30] Jinshi**
What's happened with your face?
**[18:36] Maomao**
*Why is Master Jinshi here...?*
**[18:42] Maomao**
*What's that look on his face?*
**[18:50] Maomao**
Sorry, I need to stitch up my leg first—
**[18:55] Jinshi**
H-Hey!
**[18:58] Jinshi**
Hey, wake up!
**[19:01] Jinshi**
Wake up! Hey!
**[19:04] Jinshi**
Hey! Stay with me.
**[19:06] Jinshi**
Hey!
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Thornapple."*
***SIGN*** Episode 20: Thornapple
# E20 - Thornapple
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G8WUN15WJ/thornapple)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:37] Maomao**
Sandalwood incense...
**[01:40] Maomao**
Master Jinshi's bedroom...
**[01:43] Maomao**
How did I end up here...?
**[01:53] Suiren**
Oh, you're awake.
**[01:57] Suiren**
Don't push yourself.
**[01:59] Suiren**
You had fifteen stitches.
**[02:01] Suiren**
Master Jinshi brought you here,
since it's better here than at the infirmary.
**[02:07] Suiren**
Here you go.
**[02:09] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[02:15] Suiren**
I'm sorry to bother you after you just
woke up, but can you get dressed?
**[02:19] Suiren**
I want to bring everyone in.
**[02:22] Maomao**
Understood.
**[02:24] Basen**
What in the world is going on?!
**[02:27] Gaoshun**
Basen!
***SIGN*** Episode 20: Thornapple
**[02:29] Maomao**
*I mean, his master's life was at risk.*
**[02:33] Maomao**
*That said, I don't deserve to be yelled at.*
**[02:39] Maomao**
I apologize for my lack of manners.
**[02:42] Jinshi**
Don't worry about it.
**[02:43] Jinshi**
So, how did you end up there,
**[02:47] Jinshi**
and how did you know
the pillar was about to fall?
**[02:50] Jinshi**
Do explain.
**[02:54] Maomao**
Understood.
**[02:56] Maomao**
That was an accident caused by
multiple coincidences converging.
**[03:00] Maomao**
But it's as if the coincidences
were drawn together intentionally.
**[03:04] Maomao**
In that sense, it's a conspiracy,
not an accident.
**[03:09] Maomao**
The first coincidence is
the death of Master Kounen,
**[03:11] Maomao**
a high-ranking official
at the Board of Rites, last year.
**[03:18] Maomao**
Next, the fire at a warehouse,
**[03:21] Maomao**
and the theft of some ceremonial tools
at a different warehouse.
**[03:27] Maomao**
And the third is the manager
of ceremonial tools
**[03:30] Maomao**
falling ill due to food poisoning
at around the same time.
**[03:37] Jinshi**
Those were all caused
intentionally by someone?
**[03:41] Maomao**
Probably.
**[03:43] Maomao**
There's also probably
one more important factor.
**[03:46] Jinshi**
What is it?
**[03:48] Maomao**
The stolen ceremonial tools.
**[03:50] Maomao**
During the ceremony, the pillar above
the altar was pulled up by metal wires,
**[03:54] Maomao**
and fixed on to the floor with metal parts.
**[03:58] Maomao**
If the goal was to make this
appear as an accident,
**[04:00] Maomao**
aiming for those metal parts would be effective.
**[04:04] Basen**
If someone stole those,
they'd just make replacements!
**[04:07] Maomao**
Of course they did.
**[04:11] Maomao**
Since they're used in ceremonies,
I'm sure the design was elaborate.
**[04:15] Maomao**
I can think of one artisan
who might have been tasked with it.
**[04:19] Jinshi**
The metalworker who passed away?
**[04:21] Maomao**
Yes. The stolen ceremonial pieces
were rebuilt by the metalworker.
**[04:28] Maomao**
So, what if those metal parts were
designed to break when heated?
**[04:36] Basen**
Idiot! What kind of metal would...
**[04:44] Maomao**
Using the late metalworker's secret technique,
**[04:48] Maomao**
the metal could be made to melt
just by being near an open fire.
**[04:53] Jinshi**
Are you saying the metalworker
was part of this conspiracy?
**[04:57] Maomao**
No, I think he didn't know anything,
**[05:00] Maomao**
and just built the metal parts as ordered.
**[05:04] Maomao**
Perhaps he was asked, "Please build one
of these, but using that special metal."
**[05:10] Maomao**
But if an accident occurs at a ceremony,
of course the metalworker would have doubts.
**[05:15] Maomao**
If the artisan is eliminated
before the incident,
**[05:17] Maomao**
both the identity of his commissioner
**[05:19] Maomao**
and the secret of the easily-melting
metal vanish with him.
**[05:22] Maomao**
That would have been ideal for the mastermind.
**[05:25] Jinshi**
Was he killed?
**[05:27] Maomao**
That I can't tell.
**[05:30] Maomao**
It could be a crime made
to look like an accident.
**[05:35] Maomao**
The customer who had
the metalworker remake the parts
**[05:39] Maomao**
knew the technique that
made that metal possible.
**[05:43] Maomao**
That's all I can say.
**[05:46] Jinshi**
Understood.
**[05:48] Maomao**
* Anyway, who would have thought Master*
* Jinshi would be at that ceremony?*
**[05:53] Maomao**
*If that ceremony continued...*
**[05:58] Maomao**
*Who is this guy?*
**[06:00] Maomao**
* If he's someone worth trying to kill*
* with such a complicated scheme...*
**[06:08] Maomao**
* Knowing the truth would*
* just get me in more trouble.*
**[06:17] Maomao**
*It has nothing to do with me anymore.*
**[06:29] Suiren**
Xiaomao.
**[06:31] Maomao**
Yes.
**[06:33] Suiren**
You have a guest.
**[06:37] Lihaku**
About that incident. A court lady named
Suirei had something to do with it...
**[06:42] Maomao**
*Suirei. I knew it.*
**[06:44] Lihaku**
They found her corpse.
**[06:47] Maomao**
Huh?
**[06:51] Lihaku**
When an officer of justice entered her room,
**[06:53] Lihaku**
she'd already drunk poison
and was collapsed on the floor.
**[06:56] Lihaku**
The doctors have already finished
examining her, and she's confirmed dead.
**[07:01] Maomao**
What next?
**[07:03] Lihaku**
I think they're going to cremate
her corpse tomorrow, coffin and all.
**[07:07] Maomao**
Any other co-conspirators?
**[07:09] Lihaku**
Nobody. Just Suirei.
**[07:13] Maomao**
* She did all of those*
* complicated things by herself?*
**[07:17] Lihaku**
Anyway, it's solved. See ya.
**[07:24] Maomao**
*She poisoned herself and died?*
**[07:27] Maomao**
*That's really it?*
**[07:29] Maomao**
*No, more importantly,*
**[07:32] Maomao**
* was Suirei the type of person*
* to commit suicide?*
**[07:36] Maomao**
* Was she behaving apathetic and unemotional*
* because she knew she had no future?*
**[07:43] Maomao**
*But the way she spoke, as if testing me...*
**[07:47] (Flashback) Suirei**
I'll be planting some morning glories here.
**[07:55] Maomao**
Resurrection medicine...
**[08:02] Maomao**
* I can't leave it as conjecture.*
* I have to know for certain!*
**[08:06] Maomao**
Master Jinshi!
**[08:08] Maomao**
I have a request for you!
**[08:10] Jinshi**
W-What is it?
**[08:15] Maomao**
I'd like to speak to the doctor
who examined the corpse.
**[08:20] Maomao**
At the morgue.
**[08:21] Jinshi**
Why are you smiling...?
**[08:24] Maomao**
*Curiosity got the best of me.*
**[08:33] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi, you don't have
to go in there with her...
**[08:36] Jinshi**
If the apothecary is going, I'm going too.
**[08:40] Gaohsun**
Understood.
**[08:49] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao, here.
**[08:52] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[08:54] Doctor**
My apologies for the long wait.
**[08:57] Maomao**
*I knew it. This doctor did the examination.*
**[09:00] Maomao**
*A court lady he seemed close to is dead,*
**[09:04] Maomao**
*and she's accused of crimes on top of that.*
**[09:06] Maomao**
*No surprise he seems worn out.*
**[09:08] Maomao**
*But is that really all?*
**[09:11] Maomao**
I'll be blunt.
**[09:13] Maomao**
Did the poison ingested by
the court lady include thornapple?
**[09:18] Doctor**
That's...
**[09:20] Maomao**
The small hill near the stable.
**[09:23] Maomao**
Did she not plant thornapple there?
**[09:27] Maomao**
It has a strong poison, but in right
amounts, it can work as an anesthetic.
**[09:32] Maomao**
I'm sure the pharmacy stocks plenty.
**[09:36] Maomao**
*Thornapple looks like a white morning glory.*
**[09:41] Doctor**
I can't say for certain.
**[09:43] Doctor**
It's quite likely, given the symptoms,
but I can't say for certain.
**[09:48] Maomao**
Let's confirm with our own eyes, then.
**[10:03] Doctor**
W-What are you doing?!
**[10:06] Maomao**
Just shut up and watch!
**[10:08] Doctor**
S-Stop!
**[10:12] Maomao**
It's open.
**[10:18] Doctor**
That's... not Suirei?!
**[10:22] Doctor**
It can't be...
**[10:25] Doctor**
It was... It really *was* Suirei...
**[10:29] Maomao**
Are you certain it was Suirei?
**[10:32] Doctor**
There's no way I'd mistake her.
**[10:37] Doctor**
She had no pulse. Her heart wasn't moving.
**[10:41] Doctor**
She was so clean.
**[10:43] Maomao**
In other words, you've been exploited.
**[10:47] Maomao**
You didn't think to cut open her corpse
to find out what poison she used.
**[10:53] Maomao**
That's what Suirei expected.
**[10:55] Doctor**
You!
**[10:57] Maomao**
It wasn't just thornapple that Suirei took.
**[11:01] Maomao**
If we investigated
the drug stocks at the pharmacy,
**[11:04] Maomao**
we should be able to tell what she used.
**[11:07] Maomao**
* I guess the only thing*
* we can fault this doctor for*
**[11:09] Maomao**
*is not keeping track of the drugs properly.*
**[11:13] Jinshi**
What do you mean?
**[11:15] Jinshi**
That the corpse is wrong.
**[11:17] Maomao**
Even if the coffin was supposed to be burned,
**[11:19] Maomao**
it would be too suspicious if it was empty.
**[11:22] Maomao**
She must have placed a different corpse
in a new coffin to replace her.
**[11:28] Jinshi**
Then what about Suirei's corpse?
**[11:30] Jinshi**
Carrying it out would have caused a scene.
**[11:32] Maomao**
There's no need to carry it out.
**[11:35] Jinshi**
What do you mean?
**[11:44] Maomao**
She walked out by herself.
**[11:47] Jinshi**
But wasn't she dead?!
**[11:50] Maomao**
There is a certain drug that can
make a person appear dead.
**[11:53] Maomao**
Are you aware of it?
**[11:54] Doctor**
I've heard about it, but that's just fantasy.
**[11:58] Jinshi**
What is it like?
**[12:00] Maomao**
That drug, which is said
to exist in a faraway land,
**[12:03] Maoamo**
is able to kill a person,
then resurrect them later.
**[12:08] Maomao**
I don't know the details,
**[12:10] Maomao**
but I've heard thornapple and
pufferfish are used as ingredients.
**[12:18] Gaoshun**
Xiaomao?
**[12:19] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, could you
investigate the empty coffins?
**[12:23] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[12:32] Gaoshun**
Fingernail marks.
**[12:34] Maomao**
That must have been the one
with the dead Suirei in it.
**[12:38] Maomao**
By the time her rescuer arrived to open it,
**[12:43] Maomao**
she came back to life.
**[12:45] Maomao**
They set up a different coffin
with another corpse to replace it,
**[12:48] Maomao**
then disguised her as a vendor to walk out.
**[12:54] Jinshi**
They employed such a risky method?
**[12:58] Maomao**
If she got caught, she'd get executed anyway.
**[13:01] Maomao**
I'd take that bet any day.
**[13:03] Jinshi**
I think with you, it would be different...
**[13:06] Maomao**
Since there's no corpse here,
Suirei must have won her bet.
**[13:11] Maomao**
If the replacement corpse got burned,
it would have been a complete victory, but...
**[13:17] Maomao**
*Not on my watch.*
**[13:21] Maomao**
If she's still alive, I'd like to meet her.
**[13:24] Maomao**
*Not to arrest her.*
**[13:26] Maomao**
* The intellect that allowed her to make*
* so many crimes look like accidents.*
**[13:29] Maomao**
*The courage she had to pull it all off.*
**[13:32] Maomao**
* Most of all, the nerves of steel it took*
* to bet her own life to trick us all!*
**[13:40] Maomao**
* A person like that dying so*
* soon would be such a loss!*
**[13:47] Maomao**
*Medicine to bring people back to life!
She* will *teach me how to make it!*
**[13:58] Maomao**
Pardon me.
**[13:59] Jinshi**
W-What is it?!
**[14:02] Maomao**
Can we get my leg stitched up again?
**[14:04] Maomao**
I think the wound reopened.
**[14:06] Jinshi**
Say that sooner!
**[14:15] Lady-in-Waiting**
Lady Loulan.
**[14:32] Jinshi**
* We ended up taking care of*
* the Suirei incident in secret.*
**[14:37] Jinshi**
* Many things remain unclear*
* about the court lady Suirei.*
**[14:42] Jinshi**
* According to the doctor,*
* she was backed by his teacher.*
**[14:47] Jinshi**
* He took note of her talents a few years ago*
* and brought her in as an adopted daughter.*
**[14:52] Jinshi**
*Not much is known about her past before then.*
**[14:56] Jinshi**
This is going to take a long time.
**[15:01] Gaoshun**
I helped Xiaomao get home.
**[15:04] Jinshi**
Sorry to trouble you, as always.
**[15:06] Gaoshun**
We can't let her open up her wound again.
**[15:10] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[15:11] Jinshi**
*But it's not just her wound that worries me.*
**[15:15] Jinshi**
*There's also the matter with Lakan, the weirdo.*
**[15:20] Jinshi**
*It's clear that he's her father,*
**[15:23] Jinshi**
* but given the apothecary's attitude,*
* there must be some issues there.*
**[15:30] Jinshi**
To the rear palace tomorrow, right?
**[15:32] Gaoshun**
Yes.
**[15:36] Gaoshun**
There seems to be no problem.
It's the same as always.
**[15:40] Jinshi**
Meaning it tastes bad.
**[15:46] Gaoshun**
You don't have to drink it
if you don't like it.
**[15:49] Jinshi**
It's a responsibility of mine, as a eunuch.
**[15:52] Gaoshun**
You shouldn't hold your nose
like that in public.
**[15:56] Gaoshun**
It makes you look very young.
**[15:58] Jinshi**
I know.
**[16:00] Jinshi**
* Refined mannerisms, heavenly*
* smiles, and a voice like honey.*
**[16:06] Jinshi**
* The "twenty-four-year-old" man who became*
* a eunuch when the rear palace*
**[16:10] Jinshi**
*became the current emperor's, five years ago.*
**[16:12] Jinshi**
*That's "Jinshi."*
**[16:15] Jinshi**
*From the day I decided to wear this mask,*
**[16:18] Jinshi**
* I've been drinking this medicine*
* to suppress my manhood every day.*
**[16:22] Gaoshun**
It will make you actually impotent one day.
**[16:28] Jinshi**
Hey, same with you!
**[16:30] Gaoshun**
My children are adults now.
I even have another grandchild.
**[16:36] Jinshi**
A grandchild? From your older son?
**[16:39] Gaoshun**
Yes. My youngest son is ready
to get married too, but...
**[16:44] Jinshi**
By youngest, you mean Basen? He's only nineteen.
**[16:48] Gaoshun**
Yes, nineteen, just like you.
**[16:53] Jinshi**
"Jinshi the eunuch" is twenty-four.
**[16:58] Jinshi**
Your look is telling me to
find a wife and end this work.
**[17:04] Gaoshun**
I'd like to have time to
spend with my grandchild.
**[17:07] Jinshi**
I'll do my best.
**[17:22] Loulan**
Greetings, Master Jinshi.
**[17:25] Jinshi**
Another wonderful outfit, I see.
**[17:28] Loulan**
Thank you.
**[17:31] Loulan**
Master Jinshi...
**[17:32] Jinshi**
* The emperor does visit*
* Concubine Loulan often,*
**[17:34] Jinshi**
* but apparently, he doesn't*
* find her very appealing.*
**[17:37] Jinshi**
* Concubine Loulan is very fashionable,*
* changing her hairstyle and makeup often.*
**[17:42] Jinshi**
* Apparently, he can't tell who she is*
* every time he visits her, and gets confused.*
**[17:48] Jinshi**
*Still, he visits her once every ten days.*
**[17:52] Jinshi**
* Concubine Loulan's father is*
* an important high-ranking official*
**[17:55] Jinshi**
* who was the previous*
* empress dowager's favorite.*
**[17:57] Jinshi**
*He needs to be careful around her.*
**[18:02] Jinshi**
* In terms of lacking appeal,*
* Concubine Lishu is similar.*
**[18:05] Jinshi**
* The current emperor despises his*
* predecessor's taste for younger girls.*
**[18:10] Jinshi**
* He doesn't intend to lay a finger*
* on Concubine Lishu.*
**[18:13] Jinshi**
*The empress dowager, who gave birth*
**[18:14] Jinshi**
* to the current emperor*
* when she was just a girl,*
**[18:16] Jinshi**
* also gave birth to another child,*
* some ten-odd years later.*
**[18:21] Jinshi**
* At that time, the doctor spent all his time*
* tending to the empress dowager,*
**[18:25] Jinshi**
*so the birth took place without an issue.*
**[18:29] Jinshi**
* However, Concubine Ah-Duo,*
* who gave birth at around the same time,*
**[18:35] Jinshi**
* received no attention,*
* resulting in the loss of her uterus.*
**[18:39] Jinshi**
* The current emperor's firstborn*
* child was lost soon after.*
**[18:44] Jinshi**
*If that child had survived...*
**[18:49] Jinshi**
*No, it's just a silly delusion.*
**[18:55] Jinshi**
*He just needs to make himself a new prince.*
**[19:00] Gyokuyou**
Oh, you're here.
**[19:03] Jinshi**
You seem exhausted.
**[19:05] Hongniang**
All right, back to work with you all.
**[19:08] Yinghua; Guiyuan; Ailan**
Y-Yes.
**[19:11] Gyokuyou**
To be honest...
**[19:17] Maomao**
The rear palace?
**[19:18] Jinshi**
Yes. Concubine Gyokuyou's
lunar cycle has stopped.
**[19:23] Maomao**
* Lunar cycle. In other words,*
* she might be pregnant.*
**[19:28] Maomao**
Starting when?
**[19:30] Jinshi**
Can you start today?
**[19:32] Maomao**
Yes.
**[19:33] Jinshi**
I'm counting on you.
**[19:36] Maomao**
*This is a good opportunity for me.*
**[19:38] Maomao**
*Men aren't allowed in the rear palace.*
**[19:41] Maomao**
* There's no chance I'd run into that man*
* whose name I can't even stand to hear.*
**[19:46] Maomao**
* Does this mean Master Jinshi*
* is looking out for me?*
**[19:49] Maomao**
*At any rate, more tasting for poisons!*
**[19:53] Suiren**
Oh, you're in a good mood.
**[19:55] Maomao**
Huh? No, not at all!
**[19:58] Suiren**
It's unfortunate. I thought I'd finally found
someone worth cracking the whip on.
**[20:03] Suiren**
Right?
**[20:08] Maomao**
* Life at the rear palace*
* is similar to the last time,*
**[20:12] Maomao**
*tasting for poisons every day.*
**[20:15] Maomao**
This is safe.
**[20:17] Maomao**
* Besides the pause in her menstrual*
* cycle, there's no definite evidence.*
**[20:25] Maomao**
* I'd had this thought during*
* the events with Concubine Ah-Duo,*
**[20:27] Maomao**
* but perhaps he's more than just*
* a lewd middle-aged guy.*
**[20:34] Maomao**
* With Concubine Ah-Duo gone*
* as a trusted adviser,*
**[20:39] Maomao**
* and replaced by a quirky girl who*
* could cause political issues, as well...*
**[20:45] Maomao**
* Someone he can't just ignore, yet would*
* cause trouble if she birthed a child...*
**[20:50] Maomao**
*It all sounds like a headache.*
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[20:54] Servant Girl B**
Hey, did you hear?
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[20:56] Servant Girl A**
What? One of the Three Princesses?
**[20:58] Servant Girl B**
Yes! She's getting bought out!
**[21:01] Lihaku**
Bought... out?
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
* Next time: "How to Buy*
* Out a Contract."*
***SIGN*** Episode 21: How to Buy Out a Contract
# E21 - How to Buy Out a Contract
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GZ7UVE9JQ/how-to-buy-out-a-contract)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:35] Military Officer A**
Come on, Lihaku. Focus!
**[01:38] Lihaku**
Oh, yeah. Sorry.
***SIGN*** Episode 21: How to Buy Out a Contract
**[01:42] Guen**
Cleaning?!
**[01:44] Guen**
You don't have to do that,
you can ask someone else to—
**[01:48] Maomao**
If we asked someone else to do it, and they
swapped out the medicine, what would we do?
**[01:54] Maomao**
There was a doctor at the court pharmacy
**[01:58] Maomao**
that got a pay cut as punishment
for not managing the drugs properly.
**[02:05] Maomao**
We have to clean this up. It'll be
too late once the humidity goes up.
**[02:10] Guen**
Yes...
**[02:21] Guen**
Finally, a good time for a break.
**[02:23] Guen**
Sweets are always great when you're tired!
**[02:26] Maomao**
*This guy must be from a rich family.*
**[02:30] Maomao**
*Sweet potatoes aren't in season,*
**[02:34] Maomao**
* and he uses paper like a plate,*
* like that's completely normal...*
**[02:36] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[02:38] Maomao**
That's some good paper.
**[02:40] Guen**
Oh, can you tell?
**[02:42] Guen**
My family back home
leads our village in making it.
**[02:46] Guen**
We're the palace purveyor.
**[02:49] Guen**
Impressive, huh?
**[02:50] Maomao**
It is indeed impressive.
**[02:52] Maomao**
* I wonder if I can get*
* an acquaintance discount.*
**[02:56] Guen**
We used to make limitless profits
as we produced more.
**[03:03] Guen**
We exported it to other countries, too.
**[03:05] Guen**
My family bought me
any snacks I wanted as a child.
**[03:11] Guen**
But when the previous emperor's
mother banned the cutting of trees,
**[03:16] Guen**
things started to go downhill for us.
**[03:18] Guen**
We started using alternate
materials, which ruined trade.
**[03:23] Guen**
Our family took the blame for that.
**[03:26] Guen**
Since we had no money left,
my older sister went to the rear palace.
**[03:30] Guen**
When my younger sister said she'd go too,
I volunteered to come instead.
**[03:36] Guen**
Becoming a eunuch was less popular
and was worth more money.
**[03:40] Guen**
I never got to see my older sister, though.
**[03:44] Maomao**
*Hmm. He's been through more than I imagined.*
**[03:58] Maomao**
Excuse me. I'm here to continue cleaning.
**[04:01] Guen**
Oh, hey, little lady.
**[04:06] Guen**
My little sister sent me a letter.
**[04:07] Guen**
Our family might not be
the palace purveyor anymore.
**[04:11] Maomao**
*True, this isn't palace quality.*
**[04:16] Maomao**
* Losing purveyor status would be*
* a big deal in terms of sales.*
**[04:21] Guen**
I wonder why?
**[04:23] Guen**
They just told me they came up
with a way to produce more paper.
**[04:27] Maomao**
Produce more? Did they cut some corners?
**[04:32] Guen**
Of course not! They started
using oxen for hard labor.
**[04:38] Guen**
They didn't change
the ingredients nor the process...
**[04:42] Maomao**
*Not the time for cleaning, I guess.*
**[04:45] Maomao**
* Compared to the shoddy*
* stuff sold everywhere,*
**[04:48] Maomao**
* this has no impurities, the fibers are evenly*
* crushed, and it's got consistent thickness.*
**[04:54] Maomao**
* The only issues are scuffing*
* on the surface, and...*
**[04:59] Maomao**
*Its strength!*
**[05:01] Maomao**
What exactly is this unchanged process?
**[05:03] Guen**
It's the same as normal papermaking.
**[05:06] Guen**
However, our family has a special way of
crushing the ingredients and creating glue...
**[05:11] Guen**
Oh, but that's a secret.
**[05:13] Maomao**
*So, he doesn't blab about that.*
**[05:17] Maomao**
Is there special attention paid to the water?
**[05:19] Guen**
Yes. We use stored spring water
to make the glue harden properly.
**[05:25] Guen**
It's for managing the humidity, but...
**[05:28] Guen**
The rest is a secret.
**[05:30] Maomao**
*Oxen, stored spring water...*
**[05:40] Maomao**
Do you use boiled rice water for glue?
**[05:44] Guen**
No, it's wheat flour,
the way it's supposed to be.
**[05:47] Guen**
Otherwise, the hardening is... Oh!
**[05:51] Guen**
Hey little lady, forget I said that, okay?!
**[05:54] Maomao**
Yes.
**[05:56] Maomao**
So, where do you keep the oxen?
**[05:59] Guen**
I don't know about that.
**[06:02] Maomao**
I see.
**[06:06] Maomao**
Here you go.
**[06:07] Guen**
Arrowroot gruel?
**[06:12] Guen**
Little lady, you got the ratio wrong.
**[06:15] Guen**
It's stuck on the cup and hard to drink.
**[06:18] Maomao**
Oh, sorry. I'll teach you how to
make it easier to drink.
**[06:23] Maomao**
Can you repeat after me?
**[06:29] Maomao**
Like this, you lick the spoon and mix.
**[06:32] Guen**
That seems like poor manners.
**[06:41] Guen**
Oh, it's no longer sticky.
**[06:45] Maomao**
Right?
**[06:46] Maomao**
Isn't arrowroot gruel kind of like glue?
**[06:50] Guen**
Hmm, I suppose so.
**[06:53] Guen**
Maybe mixing saliva into glue
would make it less sticky as well.
**[06:58] Maomao**
Exactly.
**[07:01] Guen**
Exactly what?
**[07:03] Maomao**
*This quack really can't take a hint.*
**[07:05] Maomao**
Oxen have lots of saliva in their mouths.
**[07:11] Maomao**
Perhaps you should check *where*
those oxen are getting their water.
**[07:18] Guen**
I must send a letter to my sister!
**[07:22] Maomao**
I'll take my leave for today.
**[07:29] Maomao**
I'm back.
**[07:31] Hongniang**
Oh, Maomao.
**[07:33] Hongniang**
Someone sent a message
that you're needed urgently.
**[07:37] Maomao**
Where should I go?
**[07:40] Lihaku**
How much would it cost
to buy out a courtesan?
**[07:45] Maomao**
*And here I thought it was about Suirei...*
**[07:48] Maomao**
*What a dumb dog.*
**[07:50] Lihaku**
Hear me out, missy!
**[07:52] Lihaku**
At the Verdigris House the other day,
**[07:53] Lihaku**
I heard rumors that one of the Three
Princesses is getting bought out!
**[07:57] Maomao**
*And so he got worried about Pairin.*
**[08:01] Maomao**
The cost really depends.
**[08:03] Lihaku**
Give me the max.
**[08:04] Maomao**
Understood. Please understand that
market prices fluctuate a lot,
**[08:09] Maomao**
so this is just a rough estimate.
**[08:10] Lihaku**
Give it to me straight.
**[08:13] Lihaku**
How much?
**[08:15] Maomao**
This is a tough one.
**[08:17] Maomao**
* The cost of buying out a courtesan is based*
* on how much she could make at the brothel,*
**[08:24] Maomao**
*plus a little extra, then doubled. So...*
**[08:30] Lihaku**
Little missy...
**[08:34] Maomao**
If someone were to buy out Pairin, there are
two candidates who are long-time favorites.
**[08:41] Lihaku**
T-Two...
**[08:43] Maomao**
One is a wealthy merchant,
**[08:46] Maomao**
a pleasant older man who continued to visit
the Verdigris House while it was in trouble.
**[08:51] Maomao**
The other is a high-ranking official,
still young, in his thirties.
**[08:56] Maomao**
She said he's a good partner
for bedtime activities,
**[09:01] Maomao**
but it is a little concerning how
exhausted he seems the next day.
**[09:05] Maomao**
* Thinking about life after being*
* bought out, neither are... Hmm.*
**[09:10] Lihaku**
Exhausted? What do you mean?
**[09:13] Maomao**
*Pairin is not only a great dancer,*
**[09:16] Maomao**
* but is also famous as*
* an invincible warlord in bed.*
**[09:19] Maomao**
* When her "hunger" grows,*
* she'll pounce on anyone...*
**[09:23] Maomao**
*In other words, she's extremely lustful.*
**[09:25] Pairin**
*No!*
**[09:27] Maomao**
*But...*
**[09:30] Lihaku**
But?
**[09:32] Maomao**
* Until my dad took me in, the ones who*
* took care of me at the Verdigris House were*
**[09:37] Maomao**
*the old lady and the Three Princesses.*
**[09:41] Maomao**
* Pairin, who was able to lactate*
* despite never having given birth,*
**[09:48] Maomao**
*is almost like a mother to me.*
**[09:52] Maomao**
* I don't know what her thoughts*
* on the matter are, but...*
**[09:55] Maomao**
* Thinking back on those days,*
* I do think it's a bit of a waste.*
**[10:00] Maomao**
* She's definitely lustful,*
* but she's at least equally maternal.*
**[10:07] Lihaku**
But, what?
**[10:13] Maomao**
* Master Lihaku understands what Pairin*
* does for work, and is still in love with her.*
**[10:18] Maomao**
* He can be a dumb dog, but seems*
* like an honest, hard worker.*
**[10:21] Maomao**
* Trying to get a promotion*
* for his girl is adorable, if stupid.*
**[10:26] Maomao**
*Most of all, he has astonishing stamina.*
**[10:30] Maomao**
Hmm.
**[10:33] Maomao**
*He wouldn't be a bad choice, all considered.*
**[10:37] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, may I ask
how much you're paid?
**[10:41] Lihaku**
What's with that question all of a sudden?
**[10:43] Maomao**
Perhaps 800 silver a year?
**[10:45] Lihaku**
Come on, now.
**[10:47] Maomao**
More like 1,200 then?
**[10:49] Maomao**
*So, roughly 1,000 silver or so a year.*
**[10:52] Lihaku**
Is that not enough?
**[10:53] Maomao**
Afraid not.
**[10:54] Maomao**
They'd ask at least 10,000 in cash.
**[10:58] Lihaku**
T-Ten thousand?!
**[11:00] Maomao**
A cheap courtesan would cost around 400.
**[11:02] Maomao**
One of the Three Princesses of the Verdigris
House? 10,000 silver, at the very least.
**[11:09] Lihaku**
Ten thousand...
**[11:12] Lihaku**
Hey, so... let's say I find that much somewhere.
**[11:15] Lihaku**
You think I'll be able
to buy her out with that?
**[11:18] Maomao**
How likely do I think it is that she'd
dramatically turn you down, you mean?
**[11:26] Maomao**
Fine, fine.
**[11:29] Maomao**
Master Lihaku, could you
take off your clothes?
**[11:34] Lihaku**
If I do, am I less likely to get dumped?
**[11:36] Maomao**
One thing I know for sure is
the body type she likes.
**[11:42] Lihaku**
I'll strip!
**[11:47] Maomao**
Your pants too, please.
**[11:49] Lihaku**
Pants, too?
**[11:50] Maomao**
Yes.
**[11:52] Maomao**
Then, can you raise your arms up to your
shoulders and flex your muscles?
**[11:59] Lihaku**
Like this?
**[12:00] Maomao**
* Pairin's not a picky eater,*
* but she does have preferences.*
**[12:06] Maomao**
*Hmm, not bad...*
**[12:09] Maomao**
Next, lower your arms, then flex again.
**[12:13] Lihaku**
Like this?
**[12:16] Maomao**
*As a good military man, he trains often.*
**[12:20] Maomao**
*Good musculature.*
**[12:23] Maomao**
*He might stand a chance.*
**[12:25] Maomao**
Now...
**[12:27] Maomao**
Now, please remove your final garment!
**[12:30] Lihaku**
Got it!
**[12:34] Jinshi**
What in the world are you two doing?
**[12:38] Maomao**
Greetings, Master Jinshi.
**[12:45] Jinshi**
Now, what exactly were you up to?
**[12:48] Maomao**
* Pretty people are so scary*
* when they're angry.*
**[12:52] Maomao**
What, you ask?
**[12:55] Maomao**
Well, I was summoned to give
my opinion about a matter.
**[12:58] Jinshi**
Why was that man undressed like that?
**[13:01] Maomao**
Nothing improper was going on.
**[13:03] Maomao**
I was just taking a good look.
**[13:07] Jinshi**
A good look? You?
**[13:10] Maomao**
Yes, just looking.
**[13:13] Jinshi**
What for?
**[13:14] Maomao**
What for, you ask?
**[13:16] Maomao**
To see if his body is good enough.
**[13:18] Maomao**
What better way to know
than to inspect him myself?
**[13:21] Jinshi**
If his body is "good enough," you said?!
**[13:23] Maomao**
Yes. Appearances are only a part
of what defines a person,
**[13:28] Maomao**
but being suited to one's
taste is always a plus.
**[13:30] Maomao**
* I wanted to get a final look*
* at his important parts*
**[13:34] Maomao**
*to determine how to appeal to Pairin, but...*
**[13:41] Jinshi**
So, what did you think about
that man's appearance?
**[13:46] Maomao**
It was a very well-balanced body.
**[13:49] Maomao**
He seems like a hard worker
who trains diligently.
**[13:54] Maomao**
I'd guess he's quite a skilled fighter,
even compared to other military men.
**[13:58] Jinshi**
You can read a person's personality
just by their build?
**[14:03] Maomao**
A person's appearance reflects
their daily routines quite accurately.
**[14:07] Maomao**
As an apothecary, it's not rare to get
customers who won't tell us about themselves.
**[14:12] Maomao**
So you learn this naturally on the job.
**[14:15] Jinshi**
Can you tell from looking at my body, too?
**[14:18] Maomao**
Huh?
**[14:19] Maomao**
*Wait, is he jealous of Master Lihaku?*
**[14:23] Maomao**
*Oh, wow. I can't believe this guy.*
**[14:26] Maomao**
*He just wants to brag that he's prettier!*
**[14:30] Maomao**
*I do know he has a beautiful body.*
**[14:33] Maomao**
* I was quite surprised*
* by how well-toned it was.*
**[14:36] Maomao**
*But...*
**[14:38] Maomao**
There'd be no point in
learning about your body.
**[14:43] Maomao**
I don't think you would
get along with my sister.
**[14:49] Jinshi**
Huh?!
**[14:53] Lihaku**
* As I waste time like this,*
* Pairin could get bought out.*
**[14:58] Lihaku**
* But I'm not yet capable of*
* doing anything about it...*
**[15:06] Lihaku**
Pairin...
**[15:10] Lihaku**
Hmm?
**[15:14] Lihaku**
*What in the world is going on?*
**[15:16] Lihaku**
*Jinshi, I think his name was?*
**[15:19] Lihaku**
*He's rumored to be the emperor's favorite...*
**[15:23] Jinshi**
Thank you for your hospitality
with my attendant the other day.
**[15:26] Lihaku**
Oh, you're quite welcome...
**[15:29] Jinshi**
I hear you're romantically
pursuing someone.
**[15:34] Lihaku**
*Did that girl talk?*
**[15:38] Lihaku**
*Is that why he's smiling so much?*
**[15:42] Lihaku**
* At his young age, high status, and being called*
* the most beautiful person in the nation,*
**[15:49] Lihaku**
* the matter of buying out a courtesan*
* must be a joke to him.*
**[15:53] Lihaku**
*I don't mind being made fun of.*
**[15:55] Lihaku**
* But if he insults Pairin,*
* that's a different story.*
**[16:00] Lihaku**
*If he insults her...*
**[16:02] Jinshi**
20,000.
**[16:04] Jinshi**
What would you say if I offered you
the money to buy out your girl?
**[16:12] Lihaku**
What do you mean?
**[16:14] Jinshi**
Precisely what I said.
**[16:22] Lihaku**
I appreciate your generosity,
**[16:24] Lihaku**
but is it alright for you to suddenly
offer that to an officer you barely know?
**[16:29] Jinshi**
My cat can be quite cautious.
**[16:33] Jinshi**
And yet, she's willing to give you advice,
**[16:36] Jinshi**
and consider you as a candidate
for her sister's life partner.
**[16:42] Lihaku**
In other words, if your cautious cat lets
her guard down around me, I'm trustworthy.
**[16:52] Lihaku**
*Did I say something bad?*
**[16:55] Jinshi**
I've heard some stories about you.
**[17:00] Jinshi**
You do come from a good family,
**[17:02] Jinshi**
but it still must have been hard for you to
become a military officer here at the capital.
**[17:06] Jinshi**
I hear you were discovered by our sharp-eyed
strategist and assigned to lead a squad.
**[17:13] Lihaku**
Yes.
**[17:14] Lihaku**
The official story was that
the prior squad leader retired
**[17:17] Lihaku**
and I was simply pushed up, but...
**[17:20] Jinshi**
Wouldn't anybody want to have a good
relationship with a promising officer?
**[17:25] Lihaku**
*Still, 20,000 silver is way too much.*
**[17:29] Lihaku**
* I only really need half as much...*
* no, even just a quarter would do it.*
**[17:40] Lihaku**
I'm very glad to hear
that you think so highly of me.
**[17:44] Lihaku**
I also find your offer quite hard to resist.
**[17:48] Lihaku**
But I can't accept that silver here.
**[17:53] Lihaku**
For you, she might just be a local courtesan,
**[17:56] Lihaku**
but for me, she's the only woman in my world.
**[18:00] Lihaku**
To welcome a wife with
someone else's money...
**[18:07] Lihaku**
What kind of man would that make me?
**[18:14] Jinshi**
I see. Pardon me.
**[18:17] Lihaku**
Huh?
**[18:18] Jinshi**
I may need to speak with you soon.
**[18:22] Jinshi**
Is that alright with you?
**[18:25] Lihaku**
Yes, sir.
**[18:32] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi.
**[18:33] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[18:35] Jinshi**
There was nothing to be
worried about, yes.
**[18:40] Lihaku**
What was that all about?!
**[18:42] Lihaku**
Now, what to do?
**[18:46] Lihaku**
I guess I should show off
at the next training...
**[18:52] Lihaku**
Or perhaps I should ask for more work...
**[18:57] Lihaku**
Or... Right.
**[19:05] Lihaku**
* I'll write to her, even if I don't*
* know when I can see next.*
**[19:14] Lihaku**
* I can't force my will on her.*
* I should hear what she thinks.*
**[19:29] Lihaku**
* I don't care if her response*
* is purely diplomatic.*
**[19:31] Lihaku**
* Believing in her words will*
* help me get through my days.*
**[20:00] Lihaku**
I just have to pursue her in a way I believe in.
**[20:07] Pairin**
* "Despite what the old lady thinks,*
* I'm still in the game.*
**[20:12] Pairin**
* Besides, I'm still waiting*
* for my prince to come for me."*
**[20:18] Maomao**
Yeah, that's what I thought.
**[20:20] Maomao**
If Pairin likes him,
he won't need 10,000 silver.
**[20:26] Maomao**
Beyond that, it's just luck.
**[20:30] Pairin**
* "When a certain someone came and*
* talked about buying people out,*
**[20:33] Pairin**
* I think one of the servant girls*
* got the wrong idea."*
**[20:44] Maomao**
*That man.*
**[20:48] Rikuson**
Master Lakan.
**[20:50] Rikuson**
I finally found you.
**[20:52] Rikuson**
Master Lakan, the meeting is starting.
**[20:56] Lakan**
Blue roses.
**[20:59] Rikuson**
What did you say?
***SIGN*** Next Time
***SIGN*** Episode 22: Blue Roses
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Blue Roses."*
# E22 - Blue Roses
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GD9UV37DZ/blue-roses)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:33] Maomao**
* By the time we started*
* to smell spring in the air,*
**[01:36] Maomao**
* it became certain that*
* Lady Gyokuyou was indeed pregnant.*
**[01:46] Maomao**
* That's curious. Can she tell*
* there's a baby inside?*
**[01:54] Yinghua; Guiyuan; Ailan**
So cute!
**[01:56] Hongniang**
Maybe I also should start to...
**[02:03] Maomao**
*Even if she did get a proposal,*
**[02:05] Maomao**
*they'd probably never let her leave.*
**[02:08] Maomao**
* Being too good at one's job*
* can be a curse at times.*
**[02:16] Maomao**
*Time flies when every day is so fulfilling.*
**[02:21] Maomao**
* In comparison, the two months spent at*
* Master Jinshi's offices felt like forever.*
**[02:30] Maomao**
Would you like to draw pictures again?
**[02:32] Lingli**
Yes!
**[02:38] Maomao**
This is the woolly milkcap,
a poisonous mushroom—
**[02:41] Maomao**
Ow!
**[02:43] Hongniang**
Draw *normal* flowers, please.
**[02:45] Maomao**
*Normal flowers, huh?*
**[02:50] Jinshi**
A blue rose?
***SIGN*** Episode 22: Blue Roses
**[02:52] Lakan**
Yes. Perhaps you've never seen one before?
**[02:56] Lakan**
The striking blue petals are so beautiful.
**[03:01] Lakan**
I used to see them in the palace often.
**[03:05] Jinshi**
Perhaps you were dreaming?
**[03:07] Jinshi**
Blue roses do not exist.
**[03:11] Lakan**
But in fact, they do.
**[03:15] Lakan**
Oh, how I'd love to appreciate them
with everyone again.
**[03:19] Lakan**
What do you think? Could it be done?
**[03:23] Lakan**
With your power, there must be
nothing outside your reach.
**[03:27] Jinshi**
Understood. If such a rose does
indeed exist, I'd like to see it as well.
**[03:33] Lakan**
Then it's settled.
**[03:35] Lakan**
Goodness, I can't wait!
**[03:39] Lakan**
Excuse me.
**[03:44] Lakan**
I hope to see it at next month's garden party.
**[03:49] Gaoshun**
You're already so busy.
You didn't have to take on more work.
**[03:54] Jinshi**
Don't rub it in. Please just go ask
every florist in the nation about this.
**[04:04] Gaoshun**
The florists say that roses are not in season.
**[04:12] Jinshi**
Sorry to call you up so suddenly.
**[04:16] Jinshi**
We were talking about getting
together to admire blue roses.
**[04:21] Maomao**
Blue roses...?
**[04:23] Maomao**
I'm just an apothecary, you know.
**[04:25] Jinshi**
Yes, I'm aware...
**[04:28] Maomao**
* I wonder what prompted this?*
* He seems awfully tired.*
**[04:33] Maomao**
*Roses, huh? I* do *know
a thing or two about them.*
**[04:38] Maomao**
* I've sold them before to make some*
* quick cash with the courtesans. But...*
**[04:44] Maomao**
They really said they saw a blue rose?
**[04:47] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[04:49] Maomao**
Is there some new popular hallucinogen, or...?
**[04:52] Jinshi**
That'd ruin our whole nation!
**[04:54] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi.
**[04:59] Jinshi**
Is it impossible?
**[05:04] Maomao**
What exactly is it that you desire?
**[05:07] Jinshi**
Can you find some by next month's garden party?
**[05:10] Maomao**
Next month? Roses bloom
two months later at the earliest.
**[05:15] Jinshi**
I know...
**[05:18] Jinshi**
I'll find a way to turn him down.
**[05:22] Maomao**
* Master Jinshi's reaction, and this style of*
* forcing people to attempt the impossible...*
**[05:28] Maomao**
Was this brought up by a certain strategist?
**[05:35] Jinshi**
Yes.
**[05:37] Maomao**
Understood. I will take this on.
**[05:40] Jinshi**
Are you sure?
**[05:41] Maomao**
I don't know if I can pull it off,
but I'll try my best.
**[05:45] Maomao**
*I don't want to just run from him.*
**[05:51] Maomao**
* I might as well take a swing at*
* smashing his creepy monocle.*
**[05:56] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, may I make a few requests?
**[06:01] Maomao**
Thank you for allowing me
to use it, Lady Lihua.
**[06:06] Lihua**
I don't mind. You were the one that
had it constructed in the first place.
**[06:12] Maomao**
*It's been a while.*
**[06:14] Maomao**
* I remember back then, I got them to*
* make a steam room for Lady Lihua,*
**[06:18] Maomao**
*who was suffering from poison back then.*
**[06:20] Maomao**
* I'm borrowing it now,*
* but I feel bad using it for free.*
**[06:26] Maomao**
This is the emperor's favorite book.
**[06:29] Lihua**
I appreciate this.
**[06:32] Maomao**
*I'm glad I got it through the brothel.*
**[06:40] Jinshi**
Take that side.
**[06:42] Eunuchs**
Yes, sir!
**[06:43] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[06:44] Jinshi**
Ah, you're here.
**[06:46] Jinshi**
I had them build this as you asked, but...
**[06:48] Jinshi**
What is this for?
**[06:50] Maomao**
We're going to make the roses go mad.
**[06:52] Jinshi**
Make the roses go mad?
**[06:54] Jinshi**
What does that mean, apothecary?
**[07:03] Maomao**
We're going to let the sunlight in,
and blow steam inside through there.
**[07:09] Maomao**
The roses will grow in this warmed room.
**[07:12] Maomao**
This way, the flowers might
mistake it as the time to bloom.
**[07:17] Jinshi**
I see, so they'll "go mad."
**[07:20] Maomao**
I can't guarantee it, though.
**[07:30] Maomao**
Oh.
**[07:33] Xiaolan**
Maomao!
**[07:36] Maomao**
Xiaolan?
**[07:37] Xiaolan**
I'll help, too!
**[07:39] Xiaolan**
Is your leg okay?
**[07:43] Maomao**
*Did he summon her to chaperone me?*
**[07:48] Maomao**
* They did repeatedly tell me*
* not to push myself too hard.*
**[07:53] Maomao**
I'm fine. Sorry to make you help.
**[07:55] Xiaolan**
It's okay. It's been a while since
we've worked together, huh?
**[07:59] Maomao**
Yeah, it has.
**[08:05] Maomao**
*We brought in over one hundred roses.*
**[08:11] Maomao**
This is the last one.
**[08:14] Xiaolan**
Wow, this is a lot!
**[08:17] Maomao**
* We diversified the species, selecting*
* early-blooming ones where possible.*
**[08:21] Xiaolan**
Will they all bloom?
**[08:23] Maomao**
I hope so.
**[08:37] Maomao**
*Temperature control requires utmost care.*
**[08:41] Maomao**
* I got them to send some help, but this is*
* a tough task to delegate to others.*
**[08:48] Maomao**
* If we make a mistake and kill them all,*
* that would be the end of it.*
**[08:56] Maomao**
* On sunny days, we bring them*
* outside to expose them to sunlight.*
**[09:02] Xiaolan**
That must feel good!
**[09:05] Maomao**
Yeah.
**[09:06] Gaoshun**
How are you doing?
**[09:09] Gaoshun**
Here, a gift.
**[09:14] Maomao**
Thank you very much.
**[09:17] Xiaolan**
I get to skip work and
eat snacks? This is great!
**[09:22] Maomao**
This is work too, though.
**[09:27] Xiaolan**
What's with them?
**[09:29] Maomao**
I don't know. Maybe they're just curious.
**[09:32] Maomao**
*Or they want to be scared.*
**[09:37] Xiaolan**
What should I do next?
**[09:40] Maomao**
If a seedling has a lot of sprouts
on it, can you pick a few?
**[09:44] Maomao**
It concentrates the nutrients into the
remaining sprouts and helps prevent sickness.
**[09:49] Eunuchs**
Ah.
**[09:51] Eunuchs**
Whoa!
**[09:55] Xiaolan**
It's fine.
**[10:01] Eunuchs**
Thank you.
**[10:02] Xiaolan**
Don't mention it!
**[10:06] Maomao**
Hurry!
**[10:16] Xiaolan**
It's taking them a long time to bloom.
**[10:24] Maomao**
*On days where it gets cold,*
**[10:31] Maomao**
*I stay up all night to maintain the heat.*
**[10:41] Maomao**
*Weather can't be controlled.*
**[10:55] Xiaolan**
Did you pull another all-nighter?
**[10:58] Maomao**
I did sleep, around dawn.
**[11:00] Xiaolan**
Dawn was just moments ago!
**[11:02] Xiaolan**
I'll do what I can,
so why don't you get some sleep?
**[11:06] Maomao**
I can't leave this alone.
**[11:10] Xiaolan**
They're looking at us again.
**[11:13] Maomao**
*Every single day. Don't they get tired of this?*
**[11:16] Maomao**
*It's irritating.*
**[11:19] Maomao**
*I wonder if I can divert their attention...*
**[11:26] Xiaolan**
Wow! So this is what a manicure is like!
**[11:31] Maomao**
Everyone does it in the pleasure district.
**[11:34] Xiaolan**
It sure is pretty!
**[11:47] Guiyuan**
Oh, you did it too, Maomao?
**[11:49] Guiyuan**
So cute!
**[11:51] Ailan**
It's been popular recently.
**[11:54] Maomao**
Indeed.
**[11:57] Maomao**
* The high-ranking concubines are always*
* at the cutting edge of fashion.*
**[12:08] Hongniang**
Seems like a waste of time.
**[12:12] Maomao**
*Lady Hongniang prefers work over fashion.*
**[12:16] Maomao**
I've finished tasting for poison,
so I'll go back to the Crystal Pavilion now.
**[12:20] Gyokuyou**
Already?
**[12:21] Maomao**
The garden party is coming up soon.
**[12:24] Gyokuyou**
I see...
**[12:26] Hongniang**
Oh, by the way, Lady Gyokuyou
won't be attending this time around.
**[12:31] Hongniang**
We're letting the focus of this event
be Lady Loulan's introduction.
**[12:35] Maomao**
*To hide the pregnancy, right.*
**[12:38] Maomao**
Understood. Excuse me.
**[12:41] Yinghua**
Hey, is everything alright
at the Crystal Pavilion?
**[12:44] Guiyuan**
You look worse for wear every day.
**[12:46] Ailan**
Don't push yourself too hard, okay?
**[12:48] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[13:01] Xiaolan**
Maomao!
**[13:04] Xiaolan**
Maomao, hurry!
**[13:11] Maomao**
A bud...
**[13:12] Xiaolan**
I found it just now.
**[13:14] Xiaolan**
Our first one, finally!
**[13:18] Maomao**
At this rate... We might just make it in time.
**[13:23] Xiaolan**
Maomao? Maomao!
**[13:26] Xiaolan**
Maomao!
**[13:36] Jinshi**
Has the apothecary sent any word?
**[13:38] Gaoshun**
No, nothing.
**[13:40] Gaoshun**
I haven't been able to visit her
for the past few days.
**[13:43] Jinshi**
We were both busy preparing
for the garden party.
**[13:50] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[14:21] Military Officer 1**
So, that's Concubine Loulan,
daughter of Master Shishou.
**[14:29] Bureaucrat 1**
How splendid.
**[14:44] Shishou**
Regarding Concubine Loulan,
**[14:49] Shishou**
is there anything that needs improvement?
**[14:53] Shishou**
Please, hold nothing back.
**[14:59] Loulan**
Please.
**[15:01] Empress Dowager**
Oh.
**[15:14] High Official 1**
Blue roses?!
**[15:15] High Official 2**
It can't be...
**[15:22] Jinshi**
It may be entertaining
**[15:25] Jinshi**
to enjoy the beauty of these buds while
imagining how they look at full bloom.
**[15:30] Emperor**
Yes. They're beautiful.
**[15:34] High Official 1**
Hmph.
**[15:34] Jinshi**
*The attention that "Jinshi" gets.*
**[15:39] Jinshi**
*Unlike some of the worthless officials,*
**[15:42] Jinshi**
* many don't appreciate a young eunuch*
* hoarding attention, no matter how beautiful.*
**[15:50] Jinshi**
*Lust is fine. It's easy to exploit that.*
**[15:57] Jinshi**
*Envy is fine, too. It's manageable.*
**[15:59] Jinshi**
*What's really troubling is...*
**[16:02] Jinshi**
*When I can't tell what they're thinking.*
**[16:05] Jinshi**
* Shishou. Concubine Loulan's father, the man*
* favored by the mother of the former emperor...*
**[16:11] Jinshi**
* Even now, the emperor*
* can't look him in the eye.*
**[16:14] Jinshi**
* That's why I also can't let*
* my smile fade, either.*
**[16:18] Jinshi**
* And besides, the one who's more*
* worrying than Shishou right now is...*
**[16:22] Jinshi**
*That man, Lakan.*
**[16:35] Lakan**
How annoying.
**[16:44] Yinghua**
Are you awake?
**[16:45] Maomao**
Yinghua.
**[16:47] Yinghua**
Don't go to the Crystal Pavilion anymore.
**[16:49] Yinghua**
You always come back looking so exhausted.
**[16:54] Maomao**
I'm sorry.
**[16:56] Jinshi**
You're up.
**[17:01] Yinghua**
Excuse me.
**[17:05] Jinshi**
You can stay seated.
**[17:09] Maomao**
It was hard. I couldn't get them
to fully bloom.
**[17:14] Jinshi**
You're not apologizing to me, are you?
**[17:19] Jinshi**
Never mind. You did well.
**[17:23] Jinshi**
How did you do it, though?
**[17:26] Maomao**
I just dyed them.
**[17:28] Jinshi**
Dyed? But there's nothing on them.
**[17:31] Maomao**
Not on the outside. We dyed them from the inside.
**[17:39] Maomao**
All of these roses were originally white.
**[17:44] Maomao**
We mixed water with several colors
and had the white buds suck them up.
**[17:49] Jinshi**
So that's why there were
many colors, not just blue.
**[17:53] Maomao**
Yes. The leaves ended up coming out
black, so we plucked them all.
**[17:59] Maomao**
Then all we had to do was to fix cotton
soaked in the dyed water to the stems,
**[18:03] Maomao**
so they wouldn't lose their
vibrancy during the garden party.
**[18:07] Maomao**
It really was quite simple.
**[18:09] Maomao**
* What was actually difficult was*
* getting the roses to bloom at all.*
**[18:14] Jinshi**
Simple, indeed.
**[18:17] Maomao**
Also, because some officials might
have picked a quarrel about this,
**[18:22] Maomao**
I went ahead and revealed
the trick to the emperor.
**[18:26] Maomao**
He seemed to enjoy the fact that
he got to know the secret first,
**[18:29] Maomao**
and had a good time listening to me explain.
**[18:32] Jinshi**
So, about the story of the blue roses
being seen in the palace...
**[18:36] Maomao**
There must have been someone with a lot of
free time feeding blue water to the roses.
**[18:44] Jinshi**
Who would do something like that?
**[18:47] Maomao**
Who knows? Maybe they wanted
a gimmick with which to woo women.
**[18:52] Jinshi**
That's unexpected. Are you painting your nails?
**[18:55] Maomao**
It doesn't suit me, though.
**[18:58] Maomao**
* If I had some balsam and woodsorrel,*
* I could have made them look prettier.*
**[19:03] Maomao**
* Balsam is often used to dye fingernails,*
* and woodsorrel is nicknamed cat's foot.*
**[19:08] Maomao**
* Mixing them together and applying them*
* on the fingernails creates a vivid red.*
**[19:12] Maomao**
*But then, even if I made them prettier...*
**[19:15] Maomao**
*This is better than it was before.*
**[19:19] Maomao**
Master Gaoshun, what about
the item I requested?
**[19:22] Gaoshun**
Yes, as you wished.
**[19:25] Maomao**
Thank you.
**[19:28] Maomao**
*Now the stage is set.*
**[19:30] Maomao**
* All I have to do now is catch*
* that nasty creep off guard.*
**[19:39] Lakan**
*I didn't expect my provocation to fail.*
**[19:51] Lakan**
*Most humans only look like go stones to me.*
**[19:55] Lakan**
*Men are black stones, women are white stones.*
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
**[19:59] Lakan**
* Even my subordinates in the military*
* only appear as chess pieces, at best.*
**[20:04] Lakan**
*Most are soldiers, pawns.*
**[20:07] Lakan**
* As they gain ranks,*
* they become cavalry and cannons.*
***SIGN*** River
**[20:11] Lakan**
*Working in the military is easy.*
**[20:14] Lakan**
*I just need to know where to place the pieces.*
**[20:18] Lakan**
* The right pieces in the right places.*
* Most wars can be won by that alone.*
**[20:22] Lakan**
* It's quite easy. Even if I were*
* completely useless,*
**[20:27] Lakan**
* as long as I placed others in the right places,*
* the work would get done on its own.*
**[20:32] Lakan**
*My eyes hurt more than usual today.*
**[20:35] Lakan**
*A red color keeps flickering into my view.*
**[20:40] Lakan**
*Manicures...*
**[20:42] Lakan**
* The manicures in my memories*
* aren't this overly flamboyant crimson.*
**[20:48] Lakan**
*They're the soft color of balsam.*
***SIGN*** Advisor
***SIGN*** Bishop
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
Next time:
"Balsam and Woodsorrel."
***SIGN*** Episode 23: Balsam and Woodsorrel
# E23 - Balsam and Woodsorrel
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GQJUG3W7Z/balsam-and-woodsorrel)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:37] Fengxian**
Sleep, my baby, sleep.
**[01:45] Fengxian**
Where is she? She cries.
***SIGN*** Advisor
***SIGN*** Bishop
***SIGN*** Episode 23: Balsam and Woodsorrel
**[02:06] Maomao**
Would you join me for a few games?
**[02:10] Lakan**
How could I possibly decline
a request from my lovely daughter?
**[02:17] Maomao**
A best-of-five match, no special rules.
**[02:20] Maomao**
In other words, the first to win
three rounds is the victor.
**[02:24] Lakan**
How about handicaps?
Which pieces should I drop?
**[02:28] Maomao**
There's no need for that.
**[02:30] Jinshi**
*She could've just accepted.*
**[02:32] Maomao**
More importantly, let's place a bet. A reward.
**[02:36] Lakan**
Great, right down to business!
**[02:38] Lakan**
If I win, will you come live with me?
**[02:45] Gaoshun**
You promised not to interfere.
**[02:47] Jinshi**
But—
**[02:51] Maomao**
I don't mind.
**[02:52] Maomao**
However, I'm under hire right now.
**[02:55] Maomao**
You'll have to wait until my contract expires.
**[02:57] Lakan**
Hired? You're actually employed right now?
**[03:01] Maomao**
Yes.
**[03:02] Lakan**
Huh...
**[03:06] Maomao**
In exchange, if I win,
**[03:09] Maomao**
could you buy out a courtesan
at the Verdigris House?
**[03:15] Lakan**
Of all the things you could ask...
**[03:17] Maomao**
I won't say who, but the old lady
wants to get rid of an aging courtesan.
**[03:23] Lakan**
So that's your first move.
**[03:26] Lakan**
If that's what it takes, I suppose I must accept.
**[03:31] Lakan**
Is that all, then?
**[03:33] Maomao**
I'd like to add two more rules.
**[03:42] Jinshi**
* From the smell of it,*
* that's a distilled hard liquor?*
**[03:51] Jinshi**
*I have such a bad feeling about this.*
**[03:53] Lakan**
What is that?
**[03:55] Maomao**
A medicine, in small amounts.
**[03:57] Maomao**
Three sips turn it into
a deadly poison, though.
**[04:01] Maomao**
I'll pour it into three of these cups,
**[04:05] Maomao**
then make it so that
we can't tell which is which.
**[04:09] Maomao**
After every match, the winner picks one cup,
and the loser drinks from it in one breath.
**[04:15] Maomao**
That's the first rule.
**[04:17] Jinshi**
*What a brutal rule...*
**[04:20] Maomao**
The second rule is that no matter the reason,
**[04:24] Maomao**
if a player abandons a match, they lose.
**[04:29] Maomao**
Do you accept?
**[04:35] Lakan**
That's fine.
**[04:37] Jinshi**
*Is she trying to shake him?*
**[04:39] Jinshi**
* I guess a regular person*
* would be scared by that.*
**[04:42] Jinshi**
*But...*
**[04:44] Jinshi**
* This is the famous weirdo strategist*
* we're talking about.*
**[04:47] Jinshi**
* I doubt he'd lose his composure*
* from being pressured this way.*
**[04:53] Jinshi**
*What is she thinking?*
**[05:42] Jinshi**
*She lost again!*
**[05:44] Jinshi**
*That's two games in a row.*
**[05:46] Jinshi**
* Since she chose to challenge*
* the invincible chess master in chess,*
**[05:50] Jinshi**
*I thought she had some skill in the game.*
**[05:53] Jinshi**
* It seems like she just knows the rules*
* and has never played a real game before.*
**[05:58] Jinshi**
*Two cups...*
**[06:00] Jinshi**
* She drinks it so eagerly,*
* I can't tell if it's poisoned or not.*
**[06:05] Maomao**
May I play first in the third game as well?
**[06:08] Lakan**
Sure, fine by me.
**[06:12] Jinshi**
*What in the world is she thinking?*
**[06:14] Jinshi**
* She's not going to win the*
* third match, either.*
**[06:17] Jinshi**
*If the two cups she already had were poisoned,*
**[06:21] Jinshi**
*drinking a third would be too risky.*
**[06:24] Jinshi**
*Did Lakan predict this situation already?*
**[06:31] Maomao**
That's checkmate.
**[06:34] Lakan**
I yield.
**[06:36] Maomao**
A win is a win, even if
you let me win, correct?
**[06:39] Lakan**
Yes. I can't risk feeding my daughter poison.
**[06:46] Lakan**
Can you choose a cup?
**[06:48] Maomao**
Please take whichever one you like.
**[06:50] Lakan**
Does this medicine have a special taste?
**[06:54] Maomao**
One sip and you'd notice that it tastes bad.
**[06:58] Jinshi**
*Lakan can lose up to twice.*
**[07:01] Jinshi**
* If even one of those cups*
* has a different taste,*
**[07:03] Jinshi**
* he'd know that his daughter*
* can avoid the poison.*
**[07:07] Jinshi**
* He really does know what he's doing,*
* losing on purpose to do that.*
**[07:12] Lakan**
This one, then.
**[07:29] Lakan**
What an awful taste.
**[07:32] Jinshi**
* It's poisoned! Now there's no risk of*
* the apothecary drinking the third poison.*
**[07:38] Jinshi**
* That means Lakan no longer*
* needs to lose on purpose.*
**[07:44] Jinshi**
*The apothecary has no chance of winning now.*
**[07:47] (Flashback) Lakan**
If I win, will you come live with me?
**[07:51] Lakan**
Also, it's quite warm out.
**[08:09] Jinshi**
What's going on?
**[08:11] Jinshi**
I thought one cup of it was safe!
**[08:13] Jinshi**
Did you actually poison him?!
Do you really hate him that much—
**[08:16] Maomao**
It *is* medicine. Alcohol is the king
of all medicines, isn't it?
**[08:21] Jinshi**
Alcohol? What do you mean?
**[08:23] Gaoshun**
Master Jinshi, it seems like he's just drunk.
**[08:28] Jinshi**
Huh?
**[08:34] Maomao**
He completely abstains from alcohol.
**[08:38] Jinshi**
Come to think of it...
**[08:40] Jinshi**
He always just drinks fruit juice,
I've never seen him drink alcohol.
**[08:45] Jinshi**
So, what was that liquid earlier?
**[08:47] Maomao**
Spirits.
**[08:49] Maomao**
Anyway...
**[08:52] Maomao**
Let's drag this guy out of here and
have him pick a flower from the brothel.
**[09:04] Lakan**
* From the day I was born, I couldn't*
* differentiate between humans.*
**[09:09] Lakan**
* Not only did I mistake*
* my nanny for my mother,*
**[09:12] Lakan**
*I couldn't even tell men and women apart.*
**[09:15] Lakan**
* My father believed me to be useless,*
* and ran off to his mistress in disgust.*
**[09:23] Lakan**
*My mother was desperate to get him back.*
**[09:28] Lakan**
* Because of that, despite being*
* the eldest son of an important family,*
**[09:31] Lakan**
* I was able to live freely,*
* devoting myself to go and chess,*
**[09:35] Lakan**
*which I learned in my spare time.*
**[09:38] (Flashback) Luomen**
Differentiate people based on their voices,
behavior, and build, instead of their faces.
**[09:45] (Flashback) Luomen**
In your case, you can use chess pieces.
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
**[09:48] Lakan**
*My uncle was the only one who understood me.*
**[09:52] Lakan**
* Thanks to my uncle, who*
* is clumsy but very intelligent,*
**[09:56] Lakan**
* I gradually learned to see*
* people's faces as chess pieces.*
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Pawn
***SIGN*** Chariot
**[10:02] Lakan**
* When I started to see*
* my uncle as a Chariot piece,*
**[10:04] Lakan**
*I reaffirmed that he is indeed a great man.*
**[10:09] Lakan**
*After I grew up, thanks to my family name,*
**[10:13] Lakan**
* I was suddenly assigned to lead a squadron,*
* despite having no talent in combat.*
**[10:17] Lakan**
*Even if I was weak,*
**[10:18] Lakan**
* I could more than make up for it*
* by using the men under me effectively.*
**[10:23] Lakan**
* Most of all, playing chess with human pieces*
* was the most fun game I had ever played.*
***SIGN*** Verdigris House
**[10:29] Lakan**
* As I continued my lossless*
* streak in both work and games,*
**[10:33] Lakan**
* I followed my colleagues to a brothel*
* to take on a famous courtesan.*
**[10:39] Lakan**
* In a world full of black and white,*
* that was the only bright color I saw.*
**[10:46] Lakan**
*Her name was Fengxian.*
**[10:49] Lakan**
*The undefeated courtesan of the brothel,*
**[10:52] Lakan**
*versus me, undefeated in the military.*
**[10:54] Lakan**
* The audience would have had*
* a good time no matter who lost.*
**[10:58] Lakan**
* She's strong, but she only fights*
* in her own small world...*
**[11:06] Lakan**
*I lost.*
**[11:08] Lakan**
*I was absolutely thrashed.*
**[11:10] Lakan**
*When was the last time I lost so badly?*
**[11:22] Lakan**
*Ah, so* that's *what a human face looks like.*
**[11:30] Lakan**
* Her defiant eyes, like a balsam flower*
* that would burst if touched...*
**[11:46] Lakan**
*Next time, I won't lose.*
**[11:49] Lakan**
* For several years after that,*
* we continued to meet to play go and chess.*
**[12:01] Lakan**
*Fengxian, who was born at the brothel,*
**[12:03] Lakan**
* had a personality that was*
* almost purely made of pride.*
**[12:07] (Flashback) Fengxian**
I have no mother. A woman did give birth to me,
**[12:12] (Flashback) Fengxian**
but in the pleasure district,
a courtesan can never become a mother.
**[12:18] Lakan**
* Once a talented courtesan gains popularity,*
* the brothel becomes reluctant to sell them.*
**[12:25] Lakan**
*Fengxian fit that profile exactly.*
**[12:29] Lakan**
*Her harsh attitude wasn't for everyone,*
**[12:33] Lakan**
* but she became the favorite*
* of several dilettantes.*
**[12:37] Lakan**
*Her prices gradually rose,*
**[12:40] Lakan**
* and I could only afford to see her*
* once every three months.*
**[12:50] (Flashback) Lakan**
Balsam flower, and... What's that?
**[12:54] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Woodsorrel, also known as cat's foot.
**[12:58] (Flashback) Fengxian**
I hear it's a medicine that helps
treat poisons and insect bites.
**[13:03] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Like the balsam, touching a ripe fruit
causes the seeds to burst.
**[13:10] (Flashback) Lakan**
Interesting.
**[13:13] (Flashback) Fengxian**
When can you come next?
**[13:20] (Flashback) Lakan**
Three months from now, as always.
**[13:23] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Understood.
**[13:27] Lakan**
* That was when I heard about*
* Fengxian being bought out.*
**[13:32] Lakan**
* Fengxian's price was being hiked up by*
* the dilettantes competing against each other.*
**[13:38] Lakan**
* I was on a good career*
* path as a military officer,*
**[13:41] Lakan**
* but since I'd lost the title*
* of heir to my half-brothers,*
**[13:45] Lakan**
*her price was well outside my reach.*
**[13:50] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Would you like to place a bet, for a change?
**[13:53] (Flashback) Fengxian**
If you win, I will give you anything you want.
**[13:57] (Flashback) Fengxian**
If I win, I will take anything that I want.
**[14:02] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Please choose a board.
**[14:06] Lakan**
*A terrible thought crossed my mind.*
**[14:11] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Go, is it?
**[14:13] (Flashback) Lakan**
Yes.
**[14:15] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Meimei, I want to concentrate on this game.
**[14:19] (Flashback) Meimei**
Yes.
**[14:58] Lakan**
*Before I knew it, our hands touched.*
**[15:03] Lakan**
*There were no sweet words from Fengxian.*
**[15:08] Lakan**
*I wasn't the type to offer any, either.*
**[15:10] Lakan**
*In that way, we were quite similar.*
**[15:15] (Flashback) Fengxian**
I want to play go.
**[15:17] Lakan**
* I'd been thinking about how*
* I wanted to play chess, myself.*
**[15:22] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Sleep, my baby, sleep.
**[15:30] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Where is she? She cries.
**[15:38] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Little birds are so innocent.
**[15:45] (Flashback) Fengxian**
Off they fly to somewhere far.
**[15:54] Lakan**
* Three months later, my supposedly intelligent*
* uncle was ousted from his position.*
**[15:59] (Flashback) Father**
First you became a doctor in the
rear palace, and now you're exiled?!
**[16:02] (Flashback) Father**
You bring shame to our family!
**[16:05] Lakan**
*For all his intelligence, he really is clumsy.*
**[16:09] (Flashback) Father**
You used to be close to him.
**[16:12] (Flashback) Father**
Leave the house for a while, go study abroad!
**[16:15] (Flashback) Lakan**
Study abroad...?
**[16:16] (Flashback) Father**
Just in case.
**[16:18] (Flashback) Lakan**
But...
**[16:19] (Flashback) Father**
What?
**[16:21] (Flashback) Lakan**
No, it's nothing.
**[16:24] Lakan**
* There was no way I could speak up*
* against my father, who was also my boss.*
**[16:30] Lakan**
*Around the same time,*
**[16:32] Lakan**
* Fengxian wrote to me that*
* her buyout agreement fell through.*
**[16:36] Lakan**
* I assumed I would be back*
* in six months or so.*
**[16:43] Lakan**
*But, back then...*
**[16:50] Lakan**
* I had no idea it would take*
* three whole years for me to return.*
**[16:59] (Flashback) Lakan**
So many letters from Fengxian...
**[17:16] (Flashback) Lakan**
Mud? No, a branch?
**[17:20] (Flashback) Lakan**
And there's two of them?
**[17:25] (Flashback) Lakan**
No, this is...
**[17:30] Lakan**
*Finger severing...*
**[17:31] Lakan**
* I knew that was a popular*
* way to curse someone.*
**[17:35] Lakan**
*The reason why her deal fell through...*
**[17:38] Lakan**
*The other small finger in the bag...*
**[17:42] Lakan**
*Why didn't I notice?!*
**[17:45] Lakan**
*All I had in my head was go and chess.*
**[17:49] Lakan**
*I couldn't even reach that simple conclusion!*
**[17:57] (Flashback) Lakan**
Where's Fengxian?!
**[17:59] (Flashback) Old Lady**
You!
**[18:00] (Flashback) Old Lady**
Fengxian is gone now!
**[18:02] (Flashback) Old Lady**
Where have you been all this time?!
**[18:04] (Flashback) Old Lady**
You left her for *three whole years*!
**[18:06] (Flashback) Old Lady**
You don't care one bit what happens
to a worthless courtesan, do you?!
**[18:13] Lakan**
*If only I'd put even a little thought into it!*
**[18:16] Lakan**
*The reason why she wouldn't get bought out...*
**[18:20] Lakan**
*The reason was in her belly...*
**[18:23] Lakan**
* By soiling the name of her brothel,*
* her trust and reputation fell to nothing!*
**[18:30] Lakan**
* All she could do was to take*
* customers like a streetwalker,*
**[18:34] Lakan**
*and...*
**[18:44] Lakan**
* No matter how much I lamented,*
* there was no way to turn back time.*
**[18:49] Lakan**
* It was all my fault,*
* for being so short-sighted.*
**[19:06] Lakan**
This is... The Verdigris House?
**[19:12] Meimei**
Are you awake?
**[19:16] Lakan**
Meimei.
**[19:18] Meimei**
Some noble's servant brought you here.
**[19:22] Meimei**
Your face looks terrible. I don't
know if it's more red or blue.
**[19:27] Lakan**
I didn't think I'd end up like this, either.
**[19:30] Lakan**
I wasn't expecting it to
be such a strong liquor.
**[19:35] Lakan**
*Meimei used to be Fengxian's servant girl.*
**[19:41] Lakan**
*I used to play with her a lot.*
**[19:44] Lakan**
* When I complemented her talents,*
* she seemed abashed.*
**[19:48] Lakan**
Come to think of it...
**[19:50] Meimei**
What is it?
**[19:53] Lakan**
No, nothing.
**[19:58] Meimei**
Here you are.
**[19:59] Lakan**
Yes.
**[20:04] Lakan**
So bitter!
**[20:05] Lakan**
What is this?!
**[20:07] Meimei**
Something Maomao made.
**[20:10] Maomao**
*Mix mix, mix mix, mix mix.*
**[20:11] Lakan**
I see, it was Maomao...
**[20:15] Maomao**
Also, Maomao left this box for you.
**[20:28] Lakan**
A withered rose?
**[20:30] Meimei**
Even when withered, it can retain its shape.
**[20:41] Servant Girl**
Big Sis Meimei.
**[20:43] Meimei**
Excuse me.
***SIGN*** Next Time
**[22:46] Narrator**
*Next time: "Jinshi and Maomao."*
***SIGN*** Episode 24: Jinshi and Maomao
# E24 - Jinshi and Maomao
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/G50UZVGWZ/jinshi-and-maomao)
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
**[01:31] Lakan**
*Fengxian...*
**[01:33] Lakan**
*I wanted to be with the daughter she left behind.*
***SIGN*** This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
**[01:36] Lakan**
*That was my only wish.*
**[01:41] Lakan**
*It's only natural for her to hate me.*
**[01:44] Lakan**
*But I still wanted her near me.*
**[01:52] Lakan**
* At any rate, a bet is a bet.*
* I'll have to try again another time.*
**[01:57] Lakan**
But that man...
***SIGN*** Advisor
**[02:00] Lakan**
*I'll never forgive him.*
**[02:01] Lakan**
He put his hand on my daughter's shoulder
three times during that match.
***SIGN*** Advisor
***SIGN*** Advisor
**[02:05] Lakan**
Now, I wonder how to take my revenge...
**[02:09] Lakan**
Hmm?
**[02:09] Old Lady**
Finally awake?
**[02:11] Old Lady**
I hear you're trying to buy out one of our courtesans.
**[02:14] Old Lady**
You realize it'll cost you more than
a few thousand silver, right?
**[02:19] Lakan**
I know. If ten thousand isn't enough,
then twenty, thirty, whatever.
**[02:24] Lakan**
A hundred thousand, though,
might be a bit much.
**[02:27] Old Lady**
Is that so? Then come this way.
**[02:30] Old Lady**
I'll let you have your pick.
**[02:34] Lakan**
Sheesh.
**[02:59] Lakan**
Are you sure you want to include
one of the Three Princesses?
**[03:02] Old Lady**
I told you, you can have your pick.
**[03:05] Old Lady**
Of course, you'd have to pay accordingly.
**[03:08] Lakan**
This is troublesome.
**[03:11] Lakan**
* No matter how beautifully they dress,*
* they all look like go stones to me.*
**[03:16] Lakan**
* In that case, I guess I can request Meimei,*
* since she's been so good to me.*
**[03:30] Meimei**
Master Lakan.
**[03:34] Meimei**
I do hold pride in my work as a courtesan.
**[03:38] Meimei**
If it is me that you desire,
I will accept without hesitation.
**[03:46] Meimei**
But...
**[03:51] Meimei**
If you're going to choose, please choose well.
**[04:00] Fengxian**
Sleep, my baby, sleep.
**[04:07] Fengxian**
Little cuckoo sings as the sun goes down.
**[04:09] Old Lady**
Meimei! I didn't allow you to open that!
**[04:13] Old Lady**
What are you doing?!
**[04:16] Old Lady**
W-Wait!
**[04:23] Lakan**
* A flower that retains its beauty*
* even when withered!*
**[04:28] Lakan**
*If that was supposed to be a message...*
**[04:32] Lakan**
*Could it be?!*
**[04:34] Fengxian**
Sleep, my baby, sleep.
**[04:38] Fengxian**
Where is she? She cries.
**[04:46] Fengxian**
Little birds are so innocent.
**[04:54] Fengxian**
Off they fly to somewhere far.
**[05:03] Fengxian**
Sleep, my baby, sleep.
**[05:10] Fengxian**
Sleep now, and I'll see you tomorrow.
**[05:20] Old Lady**
What are you doing?!
This place is for the sick!
**[05:23] Old Lady**
Get out of here, now!
**[05:24] Old Lady**
Hurry up and pick a courtesan from out there!
**[05:28] Lakan**
Yes. I have to choose, don't I?
**[05:32] Old Lady**
Are you listening to me?!
**[05:43] Lakan**
I want this woman.
**[05:46] Old Lady**
Stop this nonsense!
**[05:48] Lakan**
You're the one who said
I can pick anyone I want.
**[05:51] Lakan**
I'll pay whatever you ask. A hundred thousand,
two hundred thousand, whatever.
**[05:57] Old Lady**
What are you talking about—
**[06:32] Lakan**
Let's play go.
**[06:48] Lakan**
Oh, so that's your move?
**[06:51] Lakan**
Your moves are always so sudden and unexpected.
**[06:54] Lakan**
Maomao must have gotten that from you.
**[07:03] Meimei**
Big Sister, you should have been
honest from the start.
**[07:10] Meimei**
Why so late...
**[07:17] Lakan**
I will buy out this courtesan.
**[07:23] Lakan**
*This woman, beautiful as a balsam flower.*
***SIGN*** Episode 24: Jinshi and Maomao
**[07:39] Maomao**
*Basen was the one that accompanied me to the Verdigris House to drop off that man.*
**[07:46] Maomao**
*I'm tired.*
**[07:49] Maomao**
Hmm?
**[07:50] Basen**
Dammit, the wicked father-daughter duo.
**[07:55] Maomao**
*That's Concubine Loulan.*
**[07:58] Maomao**
* I guess they stayed out here*
* after the garden party.*
**[08:01] Maomao**
*So that must be her father,*
**[08:03] Maomao**
* the one that pushed hard to get*
* his daughter in the rear palace.*
**[08:08] Maomao**
*At any rate...*
**[08:10] Maomao**
* I really wish this guy would quit bad-mouthing*
* high-ranked officials in public.*
**[08:15] Maomao**
* If someone overheard, I might get*
* mistaken for saying it right along with him.*
**[08:20] Maomao**
*I guess he's still young.*
**[08:22] Basen**
Hey.
**[08:24] Basen**
Master Jinshi wants to see you.
**[08:30] Jinshi**
You must be tired.
**[08:32] Maomao**
No, not really.
**[08:34] Suiren**
Oh!
**[08:36] Suiren**
Oh my, you've lost so much weight!
**[08:39] Maomao**
I'm fine.
**[08:42] Suiren**
Here you are, Xiaomao. Eat up.
**[08:46] Suiren**
There's plenty more where that came from.
**[08:52] Jinshi**
I thought you hated our master strategist.
**[08:57] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[09:00] Maomao**
It's not that I hate him.
**[09:02] Maomao**
After all, I'm here because
he was able to land that shot.
**[09:07] Jinshi**
Was there really no other way to phrase that?
**[09:09] Maomao**
It's just facts. I'm not sure
how you imagined it,
**[09:13] Maomao**
but she wouldn't have gotten
pregnant if she didn't want to.
**[09:18] Maomao**
There's drugs to prevent
or abort pregnancies.
**[09:20] Maomao**
Ending it would have been easy, early on.
**[09:23] Maomao**
She must have given birth
because she wanted to.
**[09:27] Maomao**
Rather, perhaps he was the one who was tricked.
**[09:31] Jinshi**
The strategist?
**[09:33] Maomao**
Women are clever.
**[09:35] Maomao**
It's not hard to make a good estimate of
when one is most likely to become pregnant
**[09:39] Maomao**
by tracking blood flow cycles.
**[09:41] Maomao**
As a courtesan, she was able to control
the date of his visits by sending him letters.
**[09:47] Maomao**
* That must have been why she lost her*
* mind when things didn't work out.*
**[09:53] Maomao**
* So much so, that she was*
* willing to hurt herself.*
**[09:58] Maomao**
* Not only that, but she sent*
* the baby's little finger as well.*
**[10:05] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, that man never talks to you
outside your office, does he?
**[10:12] Jinshi**
Now that you mention it...
**[10:13] Maomao**
That man isn't able to recognize human faces.
**[10:16] Jinshi**
Unable to recognize faces? What do you mean?
**[10:19] Maomao**
He can tell the shapes of eyes and mouths,
**[10:22] Maomao**
but he's unable to view
the parts together as a whole.
**[10:24] Maomao**
I hear that everyone's faces
look the same to him.
**[10:27] Jinshi**
That's unfortunate.
**[10:30] Maomao**
Yes, that's what my adopted father
told me too, when he explained it to me.
**[10:35] (Flashback) Luomen**
He's an unfortunate fellow.
It has troubled him all throughout his life.
**[10:40] (Flashback) Maomao**
Huh...
**[10:43] Maomao**
But, for some reason,
**[10:45] Maomao**
he's able to discern my face,
and my adopted father's.
**[10:49] Maomao**
That's why he has that
strange attachment to me.
**[10:54] Maomao**
Master Jinshi,
**[10:55] Maomao**
if that monocled face came at you and told you,
"Call me Papa!", how would you react?
**[11:02] Jinshi**
I'd be tempted to shatter that monocle.
**[11:04] Maomao**
Right?
**[11:07] Maomao**
He keeps stressing that he's my father,
but he's a stud-horse, at best.
**[11:15] Maomao**
* I wonder if he understood the message*
* behind the withered rose?*
**[11:20] Maomao**
*Well, it's fine if he didn't.*
**[11:25] Maomao**
I do dislike him, but I don't hate him.
**[11:28] Maomao**
I'm grateful that I was able
to become Luomen's daughter.
**[11:32] Jinshi**
You seemed pretty disgusted when you saw him.
**[11:36] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, you still have a lot to learn.
**[11:40] Maomao**
When I tried to stop
that ceremony, he helped me.
**[11:45] Maomao**
I think he had the feeling
something was going to happen.
**[11:49] Jinshi**
The strategist? I didn't think he knew
anything about it at that point.
**[11:53] Maomao**
He doesn't collect evidence
to make predictions like I do.
**[11:57] Maomao**
He goes off gut feelings to sense when
something's not right, and he's rarely wrong.
**[12:05] Maomao**
The annoying part is that he's too lazy
to actually do anything himself.
**[12:11] Maomao**
*If that guy actually took action,*
**[12:15] Maomao**
* I might have had the resurrection*
* drug in my hands right now!*
**[12:23] Maomao**
*I know this is just jealousy.*
**[12:26] Maomao**
* He's so talented that my dad would*
* praise him with no caveats.*
**[12:29] Maomao**
*He doesn't realize how blessed he is.*
**[12:34] Maomao**
Hmph!
**[12:36] Maomao**
He will never become your ally, but you
shouldn't make him your enemy, if possible.
**[12:41] Jinshi**
Understood.
**[12:44] Maomao**
What's wrong?
**[12:46] Gaoshun**
Nothing, just...
**[12:49] Gaoshun**
Please remember that
no father *wants* to be disliked.
**[13:00] Maomao**
*A few days after returning to the rear palace,*
**[13:02] Maomao**
*Meimei sent me a package.*
**[13:06] Maomao**
* Inside was a letter*
* describing who bought out who,*
**[13:10] Maomao**
*and a beautiful shawl.*
**[13:13] Meimei**
Listen, Maomao.
**[13:15] Meimei**
When I get bought out,
you have to dance for me.
**[13:27] Maomao**
*To be honest, I wanted to send off Meimei.*
**[13:33] Maomao**
*That courtesan, kinder than anyone else...*
**[15:51] Maomao**
*I'm surprised I still remember all of that.*
**[15:56] Jinshi**
Hey.
**[15:58] Jinshi**
Wha—
**[16:08] Jinshi**
What are you doing?!
**[16:09] Maomao**
Master Jinshi? Why are you here?
**[16:13] Jinshi**
I got a report that another weird
woman was climbing the outer wall.
**[16:17] Jinshi**
I had no choice but to respond.
**[16:19] Maomao**
I thought I was being sneaky, but...
**[16:21] Maomao**
Of course I'd get caught.
**[16:24] Jinshi**
Stop causing trouble.
**[16:26] Maomao**
Why'd you have to be the one to investigate?
They could have just sent someone else.
**[16:32] Jinshi**
A kind guard recognized your face
and came directly to me.
**[16:38] Jinshi**
You might think you're keeping a low profile,
but not everyone agrees. Remember that.
**[16:42] Maomao**
Understood.
**[16:44] Jinshi**
Now, your turn. What were you doing?
**[16:50] Maomao**
In the pleasure district, when sending off
a courtesan who's been bought out,
**[16:54] Maomao**
it's customary for the other
courtesans to dance.
**[16:58] Maomao**
What is it?
**[16:59] Jinshi**
Well, I'm surprised you know how to dance.
**[17:05] Maomao**
I was taught dancing as part of
the bare minimum of education.
**[17:09] Jinshi**
There were rumors on the outside
that the weirdo was buying out a courtesan.
**[17:15] Maomao**
I'm sure there were.
**[17:16] Jinshi**
He also sent a notice of leave.
**[17:19] Jinshi**
He's going to take a vacation
for at least ten days.
**[17:22] Maomao**
What a troublesome man.
**[17:24] Maomao**
My elder sister told me that
they're hosting a banquet
**[17:26] Maomao**
not just for three days and three nights,
**[17:28] Maomao**
but a whole seven days and seven nights.
**[17:32] Maomao**
* There's no way to know how much*
* he spent on the courtesan,*
**[17:35] Maomao**
* but just from the number*
* of lamps being put out,*
**[17:37] Maomao**
* it's only natural to assume*
* it's no normal courtesan.*
**[17:41] Maomao**
* But the actual courtesan being*
* bought out is never seen in public.*
**[17:48] Maomao**
*Rumors of the Verdigris House continue to grow.*
**[17:52] Maomao**
*Just how old Grams planned it.*
**[17:55] Jinshi**
By the way, who did
the strategist buy out, anyway?
**[17:59] Maomao**
Who knows?
**[18:02] Jinshi**
You do.
**[18:04] Maomao**
No matter how beautiful,
she will be no match for you.
**[18:07] Jinshi**
That doesn't answer my question.
**[18:10] Maomao**
*But you still don't deny it.*
**[18:12] Maomao**
* The woman who the man*
* bought out won't last long.*
**[18:18] Maomao**
* Nobody told me about the woman who*
* birthed me during my days at the brothel.*
**[18:24] Maomao**
*The old lady probably kept everyone silent.*
**[18:28] Maomao**
* But those types of things tend to leak out*
* from seemingly small cracks.*
**[18:33] Maomao**
* That I was the reason the Verdigris House*
* almost went out of business, once.*
**[18:38] Maomao**
* My relationship with the woman who always*
* chased me off, ashamed for losing her pride.*
**[18:45] Maomao**
* That nightmare was a thing*
* that really happened in the past.*
**[18:52] Maomao**
*That woman has no memories of being a mother.*
**[18:55] Maomao**
*All she has now is a crooked little finger.*
**[19:01] Maomao**
*None of that matters to me anymore.*
**[19:04] Maomao**
*I'm happy to be Luomen's daughter.*
**[19:09] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[19:10] Jinshi**
What is it?
**[19:13] Maomao**
You can cut off the tip of a finger
and it grows back.
**[19:18] Jinshi**
Is now the time for that?
**[19:21] Maomao**
Whoa!
**[19:23] Jinshi**
W-What happened?!
**[19:25] Maomao**
Looks like my wound opened up.
**[19:27] Jinshi**
Sure looks that way to me, too!
**[19:29] Maomao**
I guess the dancing got my body warmed up.
**[19:33] Maomao**
I have a high pain tolerance,
perhaps due to my drug experiments.
**[19:38] Maomao**
It's fine, I'll stitch it right back up.
**[19:43] Maomao**
Master Jinshi, I can't work like this.
**[19:46] Jinshi**
Don't do that here!
**[19:56] Maomao**
Um, Master Jinshi—Whoa!
**[20:01] Maomao**
Please let me down.
**[20:03] Jinshi**
You'll open up your wound further.
**[20:05] Maomao**
What if someone sees us?
**[20:09] Jinshi**
It's too dark to see, anyway.
**[20:12] Jinshi**
Besides, this is the second time
I'm carrying you like this.
**[20:15] Maomao**
* The other time must have been when*
* I was knocked out from that injury.*
**[20:20] Maomao**
Master Jinshi.
**[20:22] Maomao**
This may not be the best time,
**[20:24] Maomao**
but there's something I've meant
to say for a long time.
**[20:27] Jinshi**
What's this, all of a sudden?
**[20:30] Maomao**
It's a very important thing I have to say.
**[20:42] Jinshi**
Out with it, already.
**[20:46] Maomao**
Master Jinshi...
**[20:55] Maomao**
I'd like that ox bezoar, please.
**[20:59] Maomao**
Ow!
**[21:03] Maomao**
Wait, you don't have it?!
**[21:06] Jinshi**
Don't be absurd!
**[21:08] Jinshi**
I don't even...
**[21:10] Maomao**
*How immature, headbutting me out of nowhere.*
**[21:15] Maomao**
* But I guess he's easiest to talk to*
* when he's being immature.*
**[21:41] Yinghua**
Maomao!
**[21:43] Yinghua**
Master Jinshi's here to see you!
**[21:46] Maomao**
Coming.
**[21:50] Maomao**
Excuse me.
**[21:55] Jinshi**
Are you feeling better now?
**[21:58] Maomao**
Yes. Everyone's very nice to me
at the Jade Pavilion.
**[22:06] Maomao**
So, how may I be of service?
**[22:10] Jinshi**
Well, something interesting came up.
**[22:17] Jinshi**
I'd like to ask something of you.
**[22:20] Maomao**
*Oh, this again.*
**[22:26] Maomao**
So, what is it that you
would like for me to do?
**[22:36] Narrator**
*Maomao's story has just begun.*
**[22:41] Narrator**
* What kind of incident*
* will she get mixed up in next?*
***SIGN*** The Apothecary Diaries
***SIGN*** shad0.7\bord0.8}The Apothecary Diaries*
Season 2 Production Confirmed