# E18 - Lakan
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/watch/GPWUKVM5Z/lakan)
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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.
**[01:33] 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