The Apothecary Diaries
| The Apothecary Diaries | |
 First light novel volume cover, featuring Maomao | |
| 薬屋のひとりごと (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Novel series | |
| Written by | Natsu Hyūga |
| Published by | Shōsetsuka ni Narō |
| Original run | October 27, 2011 – present |
| Novel | |
| Written by | Natsu Hyūga |
| Illustrated by | Megumi Matsuda |
| Published by | Shufunotomo |
| Imprint | Ray Books |
| Demographic | Female |
| Published | September 26, 2012 |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Natsu Hyūga |
| Illustrated by | Touko Shino |
| Published by | Shufunotomo |
| English publisher |
|
| Imprint | Hero Bunko |
| Demographic | Male |
| Original run | August 29, 2014 – present |
| Volumes | 15 |
| Manga | |
| Written by |
|
| Illustrated by | Nekokurage |
| Published by | Square Enix |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Monthly Big Gangan |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | May 25, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 14 |
| Manga | |
| Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō | |
| Written by | Natsu Hyūga |
| Illustrated by | Minoji Kurata |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| Magazine | Monthly Sunday Gene-X |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Original run | August 19, 2017 – present |
| Volumes | 18 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Norihiro Naganuma |
| Written by | Norihiro Naganuma |
| Music by |
|
| Studio | |
| Licensed by | |
| Original network | NNS (Nippon TV) |
| Original run | October 22, 2023 – present |
| Episodes | 24 |
The Apothecary Diaries (Japanese: 薬屋のひとりごと, Hepburn: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, "Apothecary's Soliloquy") is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyūga and illustrated by Touko Shino. Since 2011, it has been serialized online on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. In the following year, it was acquired by Shufunotomo, who initially published the series as a novel with a single volume in 2012 and then as a light novel series in 2014.
It has been adapted into two manga series in 2017, with one published by Square Enix in Monthly Big Gangan, and another one published by Shogakukan in Monthly Sunday Gene-X. The light novel is licensed digitally in North America by J-Novel Club and in print by Square Enix, and the manga illustrated by Nekokurage is also licensed by Square Enix. An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM aired from October 2023 to March 2024. A second season is set to premiere in 2025.
Premise
Set in a fictional country based on Imperial China during the Tang dynasty,[4] the series follows Maomao, a young girl working as an apothecary in the red-light district, who was kidnapped and sold to the Imperial Palace as a servant. However, she still retains her curious and eccentric personality and plans to work there until her years of servitude are over, without drawing the attention of anyone. One day, after hearing rumors that the emperor's newborns and concubines are critically ill, she begins to investigate the cause. Using her experience as an apothecary she successfully solves the mystery of their illness. Even though she intends to remain anonymous, her actions eventually catch the attention of an influential eunuch, and soon she finds herself solving various mysteries for the royal court.
Characters
Main characters
- Maomao (猫猫)
- Voiced by: Aoi Yūki[5][6] (drama CD, anime) (Japanese); Emi Lo[7] (English)
- The plain-looking daughter of an apothecary who lives on the outskirts of the city who provides her services to a brothel in the capital and its courtesans. After being kidnapped by bandits who sell her to the Imperial Palace, she is accidentally dragged into palace intrigue, using her knowledge of poisons, medicine, plants, and basic chemistry to become an unofficial forensic pathologist, in addition to becoming a lady-in-waiting and poison taste-tester for one of the Emperor's concubines. While Jinshi is in love with her, she does not reciprocate at all, often looking at him with disgust, resenting his ways of involving her in palace intrigue. Instead she prefers to spend time testing out different poisons and medicines on herself. Even so, she often helps him solve whatever mystery he brings to her attention.
- Jinshi (壬氏)
- Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai[5] (drama CD), Takeo Ōtsuka[8] (anime) (Japanese); Kaiji Tang[7] (English)
- A eunuch who runs most of the administration of the rear palace, where the Emperor's concubines and their respective staff reside. Both men and women alike are attracted to his visage, but he finds himself attracted to Maomao, the only person he has met who does not unconditionally love him. Later it is revealed that Jinshi is not an eunuch, he merely pretends to be one to hide his identity as the Emperor's younger brother while consuming anaphrodisiacs on a daily basis. Behind his face lies a shrewd mind that tries to balance his duties to the Emperor while improving his own station within the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Palace
The Emperor's Concubines
- Gyokuyō (玉葉)
- Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa[5] (drama CD), Atsumi Tanezaki[9] (anime) (Japanese); Molly Zhang[7] (English)
- Known as the Precious Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. She has bright red hair and brilliant jade green eyes and is the mother of an infant daughter and later a son. She took Maomao as a Lady-in-waiting as thanks for warning her about the poisoned makeup. She is also one who supports Jinshi and Maomao. She resides in the Jade Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Lihua (梨花, Rifa)
- Voiced by: Yui Ishikawa[9] (Japanese); Trina Nishimura[7] (English)
- Known as the Wise Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. She has dark blue hair and gave birth to his heir. However, when she ignored Maomao's warning about her poisoned makeup, her infant son died and she herself nearly passed away. After Maomao later nursed her back to health, she became more friendly to her. She later gave birth to a healthy son. She resides in the Crystal Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Lishu (里樹, Rīshu)
- Voiced by: Hina Kino[9] (Japanese); Reshel Mae[10] (English)
- Known as the Virtuous Consort, she is the youngest of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines. Due to political reasons, she becomes the mother-in-law of the older Pure Consort. She has food allergies but her ladies-in-waiting think she is just picky with her food, making it a point to subtly bully her until Maomao suggests death from food allergies is as bad as poisoning and could lead to the execution of those responsible. She resides in the Diamond Pavilion in the Rear Palace.
- Ah-Duo (阿多, Ā Duo)
- Voiced by: Yūko Kaida[9] (Japanese); Monica Rial[7] (English)
- Known as the Pure Consort, she is one of the Emperor's four high-ranking concubines, who resides in the Garnet Pavilion in the Rear Palace. She has a close relationship with Lishu. It is implied that she is the mother of Jinshi. She would later leave the rear palace to live in a detached palace in the south.
- Loulan
- Ah-Duo’s replacement as the Pure Consort. Behavior-wise, she is aloof and seems not to care.
Other members
- Gaoshun (高順)
- Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda[5] (drama CD), Katsuyuki Konishi[9] (anime) (Japanese); Alex Hom[7] (English)
- Jinshi's loyal attendant, often supporting him and Maomao more quietly.
- Guen (虞淵)
- Voiced by: Mitsuru Ogata[5] (drama CD), Mitsuaki Kanuka[9] (anime) (Japanese); Jim Foronda[7] (English)
- Guen is the palace's doctor, whom Maomao refers to at first as a quack. Though he was a bit hesitant around Maomao, he comes to accept and befriend her later.
- Jiaojiao (嬌嬌)
- Voiced by: Mari Hino[5] (drama CD)
- Lihaku (李白, Rihaku)
- Voiced by: Kenji Akabane[9] (Japanese); Seth Fuentes[10] (English)
- A soldier who happened to give Maomao a hairpin during the garden party. She requested him to escort her outside of the palace walls in exchange for time at the Verdigris, which caused misunderstanding on Jinshi's part.
- Xiaolan (小蘭, Shaoran)
- Voiced by: Misaki Kuno[9] (Japanese); Bree Han[7] (English)
- A servant at the rear palace who is Maomao's close friend. Whenever she and Maomao comes together, she sometimes share the latest gossip and intel from all over the palace.
- Fengming (風明, Fonmin)
- Voiced by: Noriko Hidaka[11] (Japanese); Sally Vahle[10] (English)
- Ah-Duo's lead lady-in-waiting whose family owns an apiary. Despite her showing as an exemplary and respected lady-in-waiting, there is a secret behind her, which could be the reason Lishu fears her, even with just the mention of her name.
- Lakan (羅漢, Rakan)
- Voiced by: Takuya Kirimoto[12] (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo[10] (English)
- He is said to be a tactician of the emperor's army. This monocle-wearing official is the head of the La clan, to which Maomao belongs, as he is her biological father.
- Suirei (翠苓)
- Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka[12] (Japanese); Veronica Laux[10] (English)
- Suirei is a former court lady in the outer court. She is the first daughter of Shishou, Loulan's half-sister.
- Rikuson (陸孫)
- Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama[13] (Japanese); Charles Nguyuen[10] (English)
- A subordinate of Lakan who is sent to become Gyokuyou's aide.
- Empress Dowager
- Voiced by: Mamiko Noto[14]
Others
- Meimei (梅梅)
- Voiced by: Megumi Han[9] (Japanese); Rebecca Danae[7] (English)
- One of "The Three Princesses" of the famous Verdigris (緑青館, Rokushō-kan), a super high-class brothel where Maomao once worked, and treats Maomao as a sister.
- Pairin (白鈴)
- Voiced by: Ami Koshimizu[9] (Japanese); Ciarán Strange[7] (English)
- One of the famous "Three Princesses" and the most popular courtesan of the Verdigris brothel who also acts like a sister to Maomao when she visits. It is later revealed Pairin breastfed Maomao as a baby so at times her sisterly affection for Maomao is more motherly than the other princesses
- Joka (女華)
- Voiced by: Hiroki Nanami[9] (Japanese); Monica Flatley[7] (English)
- The third of the famous "Three Princesses" of the ultra-exclusive Verdigris brothel.
- Madam (やり手婆, Yarite Baba)
- Voiced by: Kimiko Saitō[9]
- An old woman who owns the Verdigris brothel and offered Maomao a place to work, treating her like a granddaughter. She has a deal with Maomao not to make her a courtesan as long as she sends the princesses plenty of rich customers from the rear palace.
- Luomen (羅門, Rwomen)
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Yanaka[9] (Japanese); Stephen Miller[7] (English)
- Maomao's adoptive father. She later knew from court records that he is a former court doctor who was banished from the rear palace. He is revealed to be one of a rare few to have been sent abroad by the empire to study medicine.
- Fengxian (鳳仙, Fonshen)
- Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima[15] (Japanese); Caitlin Glass[10] (English)
- Formerly the Verdigris's most valuable courtesan, she contracted a disease due to the nature of her profession, which made her of no use to the brothel. She is Maomao's biological mother, who once nearly killed her in her infancy, and whose attack is the reason for Maomao's crooked little finger. Maomao visits her regularly to help manage her disease through Luomen's medicine.
- Shishou
- Voiced by: Chō[14]
- Loulan’s father who is also an influential politician.
Media
Novel
Originally, the series was only published by Natsu Hyūga on the user-generated web novel site Shōsetsuka ni Narō in October 2011. The publisher Shufunotomo acquired the series and then published it on their Ray Books imprint as a novel with a single volume on September 26, 2012, illustrated by Megumi Matsuda.[16]
Light novel
In 2014, Shufunotomo began to publish the series again, illustrated by Touko Shino. This time, it was published as a light novel in their Hero Bunko imprint, which is mostly made of acquired Shōsetsuka ni Narō titles. Since then, the series continued to get more volumes with the story continuing, unlike the previous novel version which had just one volume. J-Novel Club announced in November 2020 that it had licensed the light novel series.[17] In October 2023, Square Enix announced that it would release the light novels in print starting in May 2024.[18]
Volumes
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 29, 2014[19] | 978-4-07-298198-6 | February 14, 2021 (ebook)[20] May 14, 2024 (print)[21] | 978-1-71-836118-8 (ebook) 978-1-64-609272-7 (print) | ||
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| 2 | January 31, 2015[22] | 978-4-07-410821-3 | June 3, 2021 (ebook)[23] August 6, 2024 (print)[24] | 978-1-71-836120-1 (ebook) 978-1-64-609273-4 (print) | ||
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| 3 | June 29, 2015[25] | 978-4-07-401176-6 | September 14, 2021 (ebook)[26] November 5, 2024 (print)[27] | 978-1-71-836122-5 (ebook) 978-1-64-609274-1 (print) | ||
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| 4 | September 30, 2015[28] | 978-4-07-403100-9 | January 5, 2022[29] | 978-1-71-836124-9 | ||
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| 5 | April 30, 2016[30] | 978-4-07-416947-4 | May 9, 2022[31] | 978-1-71-836126-3 | ||
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| 6 | November 30, 2016[32] | 978-4-07-420788-6 | October 10, 2022[33] | 978-1-71-836128-7 | ||
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| 7 | February 28, 2018[34] | 978-4-07-429772-6 | March 1, 2023[35] | 978-1-71-836130-0 | ||
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| 8 | February 28, 2019[36] | 978-4-07-436884-6 | May 29, 2023[37] | 978-1-71-836132-4 | ||
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| 9 | February 28, 2020[38][5] | 978-4-07-442420-7 978-4-07-441030-9 (LE) | October 9, 2023[39] | 978-1-71-836134-8 | ||
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| 10 | January 29, 2021[40] | 978-4-07-447215-4 | January 18, 2024[41] | 978-1-71-836136-2 | ||
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| 11 | April 30, 2021[42][43] | 978-4-07-448226-9 978-4-07-448440-9 (LE) | May 20, 2024[44] | 978-1-71-836138-6 | ||
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| 12 | July 29, 2022[45][46] | 978-4-07-452400-6 978-4-07-452386-3 (LE) | October 14, 2024[47] | 978-1-71-836140-9 | ||
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| 13 | February 25, 2023[48] | 978-4-07-454379-3 | — | — | ||
| 14 | September 29, 2023[49] | 978-4-07-455775-2 | — | — | ||
| 15 | March 29, 2024[50] | 978-4-07-456728-7 | — | — | ||
Manga
A manga adaptation by Itsuki Nanao and illustrated by Nekokurage began in the 2017 6th issue of Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan, released on May 25, 2017.[51] Square Enix has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on September 25, 2017.[52] As of September 25, 2024, 14 volumes have been published.[53]
In November 2019, Square Enix announced the English language release of the manga in North America under the title The Apothecary Diaries, and began publishing it in December 2020.[54] The manga is also licensed in Indonesia by M&C!.[55]
An alternative manga adaptation, titled Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō (薬屋のひとりごと～猫猫の後宮謎解き手帳～, lit. 'The Apothecary Diaries: The Palace Cloister Mystery-Solving Notebook of Mao Mao'), illustrated by Minoji Kurata, began in Shogakukan's Monthly Sunday Gene-X on August 19, 2017.[56] Shogakukan has compiled its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was published on February 19, 2018.[57] As of March 19, 2024, 18 volumes have been published.[58]
The Apothecary Diaries
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 25, 2017[52] | 978-4-06-388690-0 | December 8, 2020[59] | 978-1-64609-070-9 | ||
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| 2 | February 24, 2018[60] | 978-4-7575-5640-9 | February 9, 2021[61] | 978-1-64609-071-6 | ||
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| 3 | July 25, 2018[62] | 978-4-7575-5794-9 | September 21, 2021[63] | 978-1-64609-072-3 | ||
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| 4 | February 25, 2019[64] | 978-4-7575-5963-9 | December 28, 2021[65] | 978-1-64609-073-0 | ||
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| 5 | July 25, 2019[66] | 978-4-7575-6216-5 | July 12, 2022[67] | 978-1-64609-074-7 | ||
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| 6 | March 25, 2020[68] | 978-4-7575-6581-4 | September 13, 2022[69] | 978-1-64609-086-0 | ||
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| 7 | November 25, 2020[70] | 978-4-7575-6856-3 | December 13, 2022[71] | 978-1-6460-9120-1 | ||
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| 8 | May 25, 2021[72] | 978-4-7575-7271-3 | July 11, 2023[73] | 978-1-6460-9134-8 | ||
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| 9 | November 25, 2021[74] | 978-4-7575-7586-8 | August 15, 2023[75] | 978-1-6460-9135-5 | ||
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| 10 | June 23, 2022[76] | 978-4-7575-7985-9 | November 28, 2023[77] | 978-1-6460-9136-2 | ||
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| 11 | February 25, 2023[78] | 978-4-7575-8324-5 | March 5, 2024[79] | 978-1-6460-9252-9 | ||
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| 12 | September 29, 2023[80] | 978-4-7575-8813-4 | September 3, 2024[81] | 978-1-6460-9296-3 | ||
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| 13 | March 25, 2024[82][83] | 978-4-7575-9027-4 978-4-7575-9028-1 (SE) | March 4, 2025[84] | 978-1-6460-9347-2 | ||
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| 14 | September 25, 2024[53][85] | 978-4-7575-9439-5 978-4-7575-9440-1 (SE) | — | — | ||
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Mao Mao no Kōkyū Nazotoki Techō
| No. | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | February 19, 2018[57] | 978-4-09-157515-9 |
| 2 | July 19, 2018[86] | 978-4-09-157533-3 |
| 3 | September 19, 2018[87] | 978-4-09-157543-2 |
| 4 | February 19, 2019[88] | 978-4-09-157560-9 |
| 5 | June 19, 2019[89] | 978-4-09-157564-7 |
| 6 | November 19, 2019[90] | 978-4-09-157580-7 |
| 7 | February 19, 2020[91] | 978-4-09-157586-9 |
| 8 | June 19, 2020[92] | 978-4-09-157597-5 |
| 9 | October 16, 2020[93] | 978-4-09-157608-8 |
| 10 | February 19, 2021[94] | 978-4-09-157622-4 |
| 11 | June 18, 2021[95] | 978-4-09-157639-2 |
| 12 | October 19, 2021[96] | 978-4-09-157652-1 |
| 13 | February 18, 2022[97] | 978-4-09-157668-2 |
| 14 | June 17, 2022[98] | 978-4-09-157680-4 |
| 15 | November 17, 2022[99] | 97-8-40-9157692-7 |
| 16 | February 25, 2023[100] | 978-4-09-157731-3 |
| 17 | September 29, 2023[101] | 978-4-09-157783-2 |
| 18 | March 19, 2024[58] | 978-4-09-157817-4 |
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on February 16, 2023. It is produced by Toho Animation Studio and OLM, with Norihiro Naganuma directing and supervising the scripts, and Akinori Fudesaka serving as assistant director. Yukiko Nakatani designed the characters, and Satoru Kōsaki, Kevin Penkin, and Alisa Okehazama composed the music.[102][6] The two consecutive-cour series aired from October 22, 2023, to March 24, 2024, on Nippon TV and its affiliates.[8][103] The first opening theme song is "Hana ni Natte" (花になって, "Become a Flower"), performed by Ryokuoushoku Shakai, while the first ending theme song is "Aikotoba" (アイコトバ, "The Spell"), performed by Aina the End.[9] The second opening theme song is "Ambivalent" (アンビバレント), performed by Uru, while the second ending theme song is "Ai wa Kusuri" (愛は薬, "Love is Medicine"), performed by Wacci.[104] Crunchyroll licensed the series outside Asia, in addition to the Middle East, the CIS, and South Asia.[105][106][107] Netflix has licensed the series for streaming in select regions of Asia.[108]
After the airing of the final episode, it was announced that the series would be receiving a second season. It is set to premiere in 2025.[109]
Series overview
Episodes
| No. | Title [110][111] | Directed by [b] | Written by [b] | Storyboarded by [b] | Original air date [112][c] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Maomao" Transliteration: "Maomao" (Japanese: 猫猫) | Akinori Fudesaka | Yūko Kakihara | Norihiro Naganuma | October 22, 2023[d] | |
|
Maomao, the daughter of an apothecary on the outskirts of the city, is kidnapped by bandits and sold to the Imperial Palace as a laundry woman, serving the Emperor's concubines, eunuchs, and respective staff in the Rear Palace. Three months later, Maomao notices a fight between two of the Emperor's concubines, Lihua and Gyokuyou, as rumors swirl around that both of their children are getting sick and dying from a curse. Maomao deduces the cause from the alleged symptoms, and leaves an anonymous message on the windowsill of each concubine to stop using their lead-based face-powder. Lihua ignores the message, and her son later dies. Gyokuyou reads and heeds the message, and her daughter lives. Jinshi, an attractive eunuch, finds out that Maomao was the savior, as she is the only one of the servant girls who is able to read his writing. Jinshi introduces Maomao to Gyokuyou to explain how the face powder was linked to why her daughter became sick, and Gyokuyou thanks her by making her a lady-in-waiting. | ||||||
| 2 | "Chilly Apothecary" Transliteration: "Buaisō na Kusushi" (Japanese: 無愛想な薬師) | Kentarō Fujita | Misuzu Chiba | Norihiro Naganuma | October 22, 2023[d] | |
|
Soldiers trying to pacify an outside village get poisoned while they eat and Jinshi is asked to help decide the fate of the village leader suspected of poisoning them. Maomao begins her new role as lady-in-waiting by meeting the others currently working for Gyokuyou, who take extra pity on Maomao for her bandaged arm and for being given the job of Poison Food Tester. Maomao takes to the task quickly but gets bored after the other ladies pity her and do her share of the chores. Jinshi later asks Maomao to solve the question of the poisoned soldiers, and from the context, Maomao deduces that the type of wood the soldiers burned for kindling gave off poisonous fumes, not the food. Later, Maomao is tasked by Jinshi with designing an aphrodisiac, gaining access to the court doctor's stock of medicines and ingredients. Maomao creates cocoa-based aphrodisiacs but gets distracted collecting medicinal herbs in the garden only to find that three of Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting have eaten some of the chocolates she made out of the excess cocoa mixture ahead of time. According to Maomao, the aphrodisiac has three times the power of the usual tonic, making Gyokuyou tremble in fear when she tried asking her for some for the emperor. | ||||||
| 3 | "The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit" Transliteration: "Yūrei Sōdō" (Japanese: 幽霊騒動) | Kyohei Yamamoto | Hitomi Ogawa | Norihiro Naganuma | October 22, 2023[d] | |
|
Rumors swirl of a mad ghostly woman attacking others in the Outer Palace. Jinshi's attendant, Gaoshun, shows Maomao a mid-level concubine named Fuyou who appears to be dancing on the Eastern wall in the moonlight. She was originally brought before the Emperor, but then failed to impress him and lost his favor and she was then pledged to a General in the Emperor's army. Afterwards, she went mad and began dancing in the moonlight. The next day, Maomao relates a similar story to Gyokuyou and Jinshi, of a courtesan she knew who was about to be purchased by a wealthy client, but the deal fell through, leading to the woman becoming so stressed she began sleepwalking and having no memory of her actions the following day. The day Fuyou is to be sold off to the General, Maomao tells Gyokuyou the rest of the story: the courtesan pretended to be mentally ill so she could lower her own price and be sold to a different man who she actually wanted to marry. Fuyou discovered that the General she was pledged to be a man she loved from her hometown, so she did something similar to fall out of favor with the Emperor and was given to the General as his reward instead. | ||||||
| 4 | "The Threat" Transliteration: "Dōkatsu" (Japanese: 恫喝) | ChiiNa | Yūko Kakihara | ChiiNa | October 29, 2023 | |
|
The Emperor made a direct request for Maomao to take care of Lady Lihua, but repeated attempts to treat her are thwarted by her ladies-in-waiting and kicks her out of her room repeatedly. Jinshi notices Maomao's problem and decides to intervene, charming the ladies into allowing Maomao to treat Lihua without any interferences, starting with a special diet which aims to purge her body of the poison caused by the beauty powder her lead lady-in-waiting was secretly using. Maomao punishes the lead lady-in-waiting by slapping and pouring the powder on her for carelessly using it, forgetting that it was banned for being poison and that is what killed Lihua's son. The said head lady-in-waiting is able to return to her post after being detained for awhile (Maomao took over as lead for the duration), declaring she will not repeat her mistakes, while the eunuch who was ordered to recover the banned powder got whipped as punishment. Maomao asks Jinshi to build a sauna, as she adds regular steam baths to Lihua's treatment regimen. Lihua fully recovers in two months. When Maomao is set to return to Lady Gyokuyou, she teaches Lihua a technique her brothel sisters taught her to gain back the Emperor's favors, as she has the "assets" to do it. As a result, the Emperor began to less frequently visit Gyokuyou, allowing her to take it easy. | ||||||
| 5 | "Covert Operations" Transliteration: "Anyaku" (Japanese: 暗躍) | Gaku Shiga | Misuzu Chiba | Akinori Fudesaka | November 6, 2023 | |
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As Maomao and Guen (the court doctor) enjoy some grilled matsutake mushrooms, someone comes into the clinic asking for a cure to a "curse." Maomao gives the patient some ointment to heal the rashes on the patient's arms. Jinshi calls her to ask her opinion on a few substances, as he is also on the hunt for what caused the "curse." The day of the garden party is fast approaching, and, this time, all of the Emperor's top-tier consorts will be attending, including Concubines Lihua and Gyokuyou. That also means Maomao has to attend as Gyokuyou's lady-in-waiting. When applying her makeup, which is something she tried to avoid, the other ladies-in-waiting reveals a secret, and Jinshi finds out: her freckles are her makeup, which acts as a camouflage and deterrent against would-be rapists, since she did work around a brothel. He is also able to find more about Maomao's background. Jinshi is so enthralled by her looks that he even gives her one of his hairpins, which made Gyokuyou, who "marked" her earlier with a necklace, a bit jealous as "she is no longer hers alone." The garden party begins, but, unknown to everyone, a sinister force is lurking in the background. | ||||||
| 6 | "The Garden Party" Transliteration: "Enyūkai" (Japanese: 園遊会) | Wataru Nakagawa | Hitomi Ogawa | Wataru Nakagawa | November 12, 2023 | |
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Amidst the hubbub of the garden party, Maomao is caught in the proxy wars between the concubines' ladies-in-waiting, with one of Lihua's ladies talking smack about her, not knowing she is just in front of her. She also experiences getting two more hairpins, one of them is from Lady Lihua herself. She also learns of the supposed rift between the consorts Ah-Duo and Lishu, where, due to politics, the very young Virtuous Consort becomes mother-in-law to the way-older Pure Consort. Things rear its ugly head when Maomao finds Gyokuyou's soup poisoned, and a minister later falls due to the same poison. Jinshi sees her coughing up the poison and takes her to the infirmary. Asking about the poisoning, Maomao asks Jinshi for Lishu and her poison taste tester, where she finds that she is allergic to mackerel. Knowing that the rear palace prepared the food, the vinegar used in Lishu's dish may have gotten swapped with that of Gyokuyou's by accident. Maomao knows Lishu's lead lady-in-waiting may have had a hand, but preferred not to magnify it, giving her a list of the foods Lishu cannot eat instead. Jinshi notices it, though, and asks Maomao if Lishu is the target of the poisoning. | ||||||
| 7 | "Homecoming" Transliteration: "Satogaeri" (Japanese: 里帰り) | Tadao Ōkubo | Yūko Kakihara | Norihiro Naganuma | November 19, 2023 | |
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With the events following the garden party, namely the poisoned minister, Maomao had to rest (because she had some of the poison herself) until she gets bored and asks Gyokuyou if she could use the parlor. Gaoshun, on Jinshi's request, came by and brought that same silver bowl containing the poisoned soup, wrapped in cloth, taking care not to hold the bowl itself. Using a similar technique she used in her former workplace, Maomao dusted the bowl for fingerprints using powder, a cotton ball, and a brush. She finds four fingerprints, but sees another set, on the bowl's edge, which belongs to an outsider who may have poisoned the soup. This, adding to the fact about Lishu's clothes clashing with that of Gyokuyou, leads her to think Lishu is the victim of bullying, and by her own ladies-in-waiting, knowing that the rear palace is full of enemies. The poisoned soup was supposed to up the ante, but Lihua's taster swapped her bowl for that of Gyokuyou's, saving her from getting poisoned. Later, Maomao learns from Xiaolan about the significance of the hairpins—as a "ticket" to getting favors. She asks Lihaku, the soldier who gave Maomao a hairpin during the party, for an escort outside. Lihaku, not able to recognize her, is dismissive of Maomao, but he cannot resist her offer of meeting anyone of "The Three Princesses," the best courtesans at the Rokushoukan brothel (her former workplace), not to mention seeing that she has two more higher-ranking contacts, so he agrees. Maomao is then able to visit her father, who thinks her being employed at the rear palace is a twist of fate. | ||||||
| 8 | "Wheat Stalks" Transliteration: "Mugiwara" (Japanese: 麦稈) | Kentarō Fujita | Yuniko Ayana | Kentarō Fujita | November 26, 2023 | |
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Coming from a walk in their medicinal herb fields, Maomao sees a servant girl banging at their door who grabs her the moment she sees her and asks for her help. She is taken to a brothel where she arrives at the scene of a double poisoning incident involving a courtesan and a well-dressed customer. Maomao manages to rid both victims of the poison. Maomao asks the girl for her father, and, after decoding the scene, Maomao learned that it was tobacco poisoning that almost killed the victims in what appears to be a double suicide. Stepping out of the room where the brothel's madam met both her and her father, Maomao later sees the servant girl trying to plunge a knife down the well-dressed customer's chest, which she prevents as the girl is desperate to kill him. Maomao later finds out from another courtesan that the customer, the son of a wealthy merchant, is a sweet-talking liar who seduces and later jilts women in the brothel, emotionally abusing them. One of them is the girl's older sister, and the courtesan who was with the customer and who poisoned him is a close friend of hers. Maomao pieces everything together even after the fact is done: it was an attempted murder, as, somehow, the courtesan tricked the customer into drinking a poisonous infusion made with tobacco leaves. What she did that day actually saved the brothel from humiliation after preventing the death of the influential merchant's son, hence the hush money and the luxurious snacks the madam gave them. After some "pampering" by Meimei at the Rokushoukan baths, Maomao visits a room at the annex of the brothel, where an unconscious woman is in bed. She heads back to the rear palace after three days, where a very agitated Jinshi welcomed her aside from Lady Gyokuyou and her ladies-in-waiting. Misunderstandings and Maomao's choice of words concerning Lihaku shocked Jinshi, much to Gyokuyou's amusement. | ||||||
| 9 | "Suicide or Murder?" Transliteration: "Jisatsu ka Tasatsu ka" (Japanese: 自殺か他殺か) | Akira Koremoto | Misuzu Chiba | Norihiro Naganuma | December 3, 2023 | |
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Jinshi is still sulking from the shock after Maomao's homecoming, though slowly recovering after knowing the truth from Gyokuyou, when a eunuch barged into his office reporting of Kounen, a high-ranking official, dying after a heavy drinking session during a party. After investigation, and after reading Kounen's lifestyle history, Maomao concluded that the excessive salt added to his drink, Kounen being mostly a serious sweet tooth, killed him. Salt that could have been placed by someone at the party out of pranking him or because they hated him. She dropped hints as to his killer, but does not want to hold responsibility for naming that person. Jinshi also scores payback on Maomao by teasing her about passing a law on underage drinking, which shocked the liquor-loving apothecary. Later, Guen asked Maomao to perform an autopsy on the body of a servant woman found drowned in the palace moat, but refused because it is taboo for her as an apothecary, as humans can become medicinal ingredients, too. She finds herself middling whether it was a suicide, given the bloody fingers on the victim (out of probably trying to scale the wall surrounding the moat); or a murder, given circumstances surrounding the wall, as it is impossible for a servant woman with wooden shoes and bound foot to scale the wall without tools. It is later ruled out as a suicide due to added evidence, the woman being at the garden party which killed a minister by poisoning. Here, as she collected her thoughts on how easy it was for the victims to pass away, combined with thoughts of her past, Maomao thought about what poison she would use when she dies, which put Jinshi off, and the more when she requests him that if he were to execute her for some reason, it would be by poison. Meanwhile, Jinshi gets a report on whoever else had burns on their arms, relating to the "curse" from two months ago. It was Fengming, Lady Ah-Duo's head lady-in-waiting. | ||||||
| 10 | "Honey" Transliteration: "Hachimitsu" (Japanese: 蜂蜜) | Erkin Kawabata | Hitomi Ogawa | Kazuya Nomura | December 10, 2023 | |
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Rumors circulate around the rear palace about the drowned servant at the Garnet Pavilion, who is accused of poisoning Concubine Lishu's food. Additional gossip suggests that Concubine Ah-Duo may lose her title to a younger concubine. Ah-Duo's complex history is unveiled, revealing her previous connection with the former emperor and her son. During a tea party between Concubines Gyokuyou and Lishu, Maomao observes subtle hints of bullying towards Lishu by her own ladies-in-waiting, seeing her reaction to the honey beverage served to her. Maomao later discovers that Jinshi is behind the tea party, which serves a purpose. Jinshi then sends Maomao to assist Ah-Duo without any specific instructions. After investigating, Maomao reports back to him, linking the events to Fengming's possible ability to send coded messages using colored text plates. Jinshi pranks Maomao with honey, triggering a realization connecting the recent incidents, including Lishu's allergies and the servant's suicide, and even Lishu cautiously walking around the Garnet Pavilion, until Gyokuyou steps in to intervene. Maomao questions Lishu about her allergies and notices her fear when mentioning Fengming, who, during Maomao's stint at her pavilion, seemed approachable and kind and an example to all. Lishu's ladies-in-waiting resist Maomao's probing, but she invokes Jinshi's authority to shut them down and continue. Maomao tasks Gaoshun with checking past records, uncovering information about the emperor's deceased son with Ah-Duo, delivered by a doctor whose name resembles that of Maomao's father, who is revealed to have been expelled. | ||||||
| 11 | "Reducing Two to One" Transliteration: "Futatsu o Hitotsu ni" (Japanese: 二つを一つに) | Yukihiko Asaki | Yūko Kakihara | Norihiro Naganuma | December 17, 2023 | |
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Maomao confronts Fengming about past events involving Ah-Duo's baby and the empress dowager's child. She discovers that Ah-Duo lost the ability to give birth after her first child partially due to the doctor attending another royal birth. Later, Fengming unknowingly killed Ah-Duo's son by feeding him poisonous honey. The death was treated as a mystery, but this and the previous infertility incident led to Maomao's father's expulsion. Lishu, who was nearly poisoned by honey as an infant, reveals this fact to Fengming, which sets the other events in motion. Fengming's loyalty to Ah-Duo and fear that Ah-Duo discovers the truth about her son's death drives her actions, including driving Lishu away from Ah-Duo, and poisoning her during the garden party. Lishu's return and her closeness with Ah-Duo cause tension, but Fengming's motives are revealed out of guilt. Maomao helps Fengming reconcile her two motives, hoping to maintain Ah-Duo's status without revealing the truth about her son's death. However, Ah-Duo is already set to leave the rear palace, on the decision of the emperor. The night after Fengming's execution, Maomao, unable to sleep, encounters Ah-Duo atop the wall where the suicidal servant jumped, and a drunken Jinshi below. Ah-Duo hints at her son's identity, and Maomao inadvertently comforts a crying Jinshi. The next day, Ah-Duo surrenders her title before departing for the detached palace in the south, and, as Lishu bids her a teary goodbye, Maomao realizes that, seeing Ah-Duo and Jinshi face to face, her baby might have been swapped at birth, possibly leading to her father's expulsion for not noticing it. Later, as Jinshi obtains more information about Fengming and her family, his thoughts were also on the circumstances surrounding Maomao's arrival at the rear palace. | ||||||
| 12 | "The Eunuch and the Courtesan" Transliteration: "Kangan to Gijo" (Japanese: 宦官と妓女) | Mitsuyo Yokono | Misuzu Chiba | Norihiro Naganuma | December 24, 2023 | |
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With Fengming's execution, all of her assets were confiscated, and family members, relatives and connections were meted varying degrees of corporal punishment. Meanwhile, Maomao is also included in the resulting mass layoffs as a victim of Fengming's and her family side business of human trafficking. Jinshi is torn between keeping her and fearing it might tear them apart even more because he thinks she hated working at the rear palace. Maomao tried negotiating with Jinshi, since she has not fully paid the madam of the Rokushoukan of her debts (and might turn her into a courtesan) but to no avail. Jinshi came to regret his decision a week later, as all it required to keep her was his order (and he is guilt-tripped further by Gyokuyou), as Maomao returned to the brothel, working part-time as a courtesan. It is during a party thrown by a very rich person outside of the brothel where her sisters Meimei, Joka, and Pairin were requested—a rarity given that it is ludicrously expensive to hire even just one of them—that she meets Jinshi again, where their interaction is noticed by, and became the envy of, her three sisters. There he thought of buying her out of the brothel, which Jinshi did a few days later. Maomao has no idea of the events after also seeing Gaoshun in the same party, but it is implied that it is Gaoshun himself who helped throw the party, after asking Lihaku for help in contacting the Rokushoukan. | ||||||
| 13 | "Serving in the Outer Court" Transliteration: "Gaitei Kinmu" (Japanese: 外廷勤務) | Wataru Nakagawa | Yuniko Ayana | Wataru Nakagawa | January 7, 2024 | |
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Maomao returns to the palace, but this time to work in the outer palace, much to her surprise, as she thought she is returning to the rear palace. Gaoshun explained that, because of her being fired, they cannot just restore her former position. Jinshi asks her to keep using her freckle make-up. Gaoshun introduces her to Suiren, one of Jinshi's personal assistants. Suiren later shows her around Jinshi's residence, while Gaoshun later shows her the rest of the outer palace and the public and government offices. Jinshi intends to have her become a court lady, but she fails the required exams despite studying, making her Jinshi's personal assistant. She also has to contend with the jealous court ladies, which she is able to brush off. She still longs for her practice of apothecary, wanting a more suitable, more spartan quarters and workplace (for as long as she has access to a stove and water), which was denied. Later, as she wanders into the rear palace for medicinal herbs and getting scolded by a court lady with the scent of sandalwood mixed with another, distinctively bitter smell for entering a place she should not enter, someone rather mysterious has her in his watchful eye. | ||||||
| 14 | "The New Pure Consort" Transliteration: "Atarashī Yoshihi" (Japanese: 新しい淑妃) | Akira Shimizu Jun Ōwada | Hitomi Ogawa | Wataru Nakagawa | January 14, 2024 | |
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Maomao, on Gyokuyou's recommendation, is tasked with educating the new Pure Consort Loulan and Wise Consort Lihua on "serving" the Emperor. Jinshi formally assigns her the responsibility. The teaching sessions, attended by Gyokuyou and Lishu as well, focus on subject matter featuring materials from the Old Lady at the Rokushoukan. While Gyokuyou and Lihua handle the content well, Lishu (and Hongniang) are overwhelmed, and Loulan remains nonchalant and snobbish. That night, a fire breaks out in a palace building, and Lakan is at the scene to investigate. The next day, Maomao, wandering near the scene of the incident while being sidelined with getting medicinal herbs, impromptu investigates and suspects arson. She discovers an ivory pipe at the site and concludes that a smoldering ember from it caused the explosion in the food warehouse by igniting the floating wheat dust. She tells Lihaku, who is investigating the incident, to tell personnel not to smoke in the food warehouses. The expensive pipe, however, raises suspicions about the perpetrator's identity. | ||||||
| 15 | "Raw Fish" Transliteration: "Namasu" (Japanese: 鱠) | Kentarō Fujita | Yūko Kakihara | Kentarō Fujita | January 21, 2024 | |
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Gaoshun enlists Maomao's help in investigating a case involving a bureaucrat who falls into a coma after consuming raw fugu seasoned with vinegar, similar to an incident ten years ago. Every detail checks out, save for one, leading her to Gaoshun referring him to a man named Basen, who shows her the kitchen where the food was prepared. Despite interference from the bureaucrat's younger brother, Maomao finds the detail that interested her: the seaweed used in the dish, which was imported from the south. She concludes that it was not properly prepared to rid it of its poisons, causing the bureaucrat's coma. The focus shifts to the seaweed's importer, revealed to be the younger brother seeking revenge for ill-treatment in their household. Meanwhile, Jinshi reveals that the high military official Lakan comes complaining to his office about him appointing someone connected to the Rokushoukan as his servant. Lakan mentioned having an acquaintance at the Rokushoukan who, according to him, is a courtesan "who would sell her skills but never herself;" and whose attitude is kind of similar to Maomao's attitude towards Jinshi. And before he goes on, Lakan seeks Jinshi's help in a matter involving Maomao and her problem-solving skills. | ||||||
| 16 | "Lead" Transliteration: "Namari" (Japanese: 鉛) | So Toyama | Misuzu Chiba | So Toyama | January 28, 2024 | |
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Jinshi tasks Maomao with solving a case involving the will of a metalworker acquainted with Lakan who died unexpectedly, willing specific items to his three sons. The will states that the eldest received the metalworking shack, the second a chest with an inaccessible central drawer, and the youngest a glass fishbowl; and with a note about "continuing to do tea parties as usual." Maomao, accompanied by Basen, takes a look at the metalworking shack and, upon inspecting the inaccessible chest, discovers solder blocking the central drawer's keyhole. Using sunlight concentrated with the youngest's inherited fishbowl, she melts the solder and, after opening it with the key the second oldest has, finds another key inside, opening all the drawers to reveal items, including a bluish chunk of crystal. Initially dismissing it as a bad prank their father played on them, the siblings unite upon the youngest's plea. News later reveals that they continued running their father's metalworking business, with the youngest becoming the father's successor, the eldest handling bookkeeping and the second finding clients. Additionally, Maomao links the bluish crystal to the cause of their father's death, as he works with solder all the time, so, after asking a few more questions about their father's condition before his death, she advises the youngest to seek the help of a doctor, namely her father, just in case. That night, Jinshi asks Maomao if she can do makeup for him. | ||||||
| 17 | "A Jaunt Around Town" Transliteration: "Machiaruki" (Japanese: 街歩き) | Kurabu Kadomatsu | Yuniko Ayana | Kurabu Kadomatsu | February 4, 2024 | |
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Jinshi requests Maomao's help in disguising him to appear less attractive for an incognito stroll through town. Maomao employs various methods, including altering his appearance, scent, and voice, even dulling his hair and clothing to mask his muscular physique and overall identity, because he is too beautiful to hide his identity in a simple disguise. During their walk, with Basen sneaking and snooping around, Jinshi, going by "Jinka," observes Maomao's silence, leading to a conversation about her adoptive father, Luomen. Maomao reveals that Luomen studied abroad, suggesting privilege, revealing his eunuch status, made so due to the previous empress dowager. Jinshi, asking if she knows the regulars at the Rokushoukan, also asks how a courtesan's value decreases. Maomao, bound by confidentiality, hints at the brothel's workings and discloses two ways courtesans lose their value: losing purity halves their worth, while pregnancy reduces it to nothing, shocking Jinshi. | ||||||
| 18 | "Lakan" Transliteration: "Lakan" (Japanese: 羅漢) | Mayu Tanimoto Jun Ōwada | Hitomi Ogawa | Mayu Tanimoto Norihiro Naganuma | February 11, 2024 | |
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Maomao refuses to fully accompany Jinshi to his destination because she, as she is dressed fancily, refuses to blow his cover; and heads home instead for a few days off. Back home, she later awakens from a nightmare, which is actually a scene from her infancy. Her adoptive father, Luomen, sends her on an errand to the Rokushoukan, actually to tend to a woman at its annex. The woman is revealed to be Maomao's mother suffering from syphilis, and Luomen's medicines are their only treatment. It is revealed that the Rokushoukan faced shame in the past due to this situation. Luomen appeared out of nowhere at the time the disease is incubating, but got worse because the brothel hesitated to let him treat her. Lakan, a longtime customer, visits, and Maomao is told to stay hidden in the room while Meimei distracts him. Back at the palace, Suiren tells Maomao that they will be on a vegetarian meal for dinner, and gives her an errand to fetch what was a bag of potato flour from the inner palace pharmacy, where she encounters Suirei, a court lady and the one who caught her wandering around the inner palace. Maomao wonders why is Jinshi performing purification rituals (part of it is the vegetarian dinner Suiren mentioned) everytime before being assigned to work for long periods, him "being a eunuch." Later, Lakan expresses interest in Maomao to Jinshi, causing tension as Lakan is out to get her, so as far as him issuing a veiled threat to Jinshi. He tells Maomao that an official named Lakan is to meet her sometime soon. He retracts his statement when Maomao shoots him the angriest stare she has ever given him. Later, she wanders around the inner palace again and gathering medicinal herbs when Suirei catches her. She claims that she planted the medicinal plants, allegedly for a resurrection medicine, something Maomao desperately desires. | ||||||
| 19 | "Chance or Something More" Transliteration: "Gūzen ka Hitsuzen ka" (Japanese: 偶然か必然か) | Wataru Nakagawa | Yūko Kakihara | Wataru Nakagawa | February 18, 2024 | |
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Gaoshun informs Jinshi of this afternoon's activities, as he reflects on his recent interaction with Maomao. Meanwhile, Lihaku informs Maomao about a theft of ceremonial tools around the time of the explosion at the warehouse. She finds out that the warehouse manager, the official fond of rare food, is ill from poisoning; and Master Kounen, who died from excessive salt intake, is the former warehouse manager. Maomao senses a connection along with the ivory pipe she found at the burned warehouse. Lihaku mentions that a court lady, tall and smelled like medicine, gave the pipe as a reward to the guard. Maomao has a person in mind which matches that description, but she follows her father's advice not to speculate based on conjecture alone, and seeks more information. She shared her findings with Jinshi, thus directing her to investigate further, in exchange for a reward—an ox bezoar, which just arrived at the pharmacy. Maomao finds out that the food poisoning victim is from the Board of Rites, Maomao links this and the ivory pipe to the ceremonial tools theft. Connecting the tools to Jinshi's purification ceremonies, she rushes to the Altar of the Sapphire Sky for that ceremony, which, according to the archivist who is helping her, is happening at that moment. Hindered by guards, which she suspects is in cahoots with the perpetrators, she is hit with a club but stands up, determined to enter despite losing consciousness. Lakan vouches for her, surprising everyone present, including Maomao. Despite a shot of anger (the man she hates saved her), she rushes inside the building and pushes the person underneath the heavy ornament away from its trajectory as it falls, as it would have killed him. Injured and losing consciousness, Maomao finds out that it is Jinshi that she pushed away, and wonders what he is doing in there as she fell unconscious in his arms. Jinshi then carries the injured Maomao to his house, past by a shocked Lakan. | ||||||
| 20 | "Thornapple" Transliteration: "Mandarage" (Japanese: 曼荼羅華) | Akira Koremoto | Misuzu Chiba | Norihiro Naganuma | February 25, 2024 | |
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Maomao wakes up in Jinshi's bedroom to the scent of sandalwood incense and Suiren tending to her. Suiren later asks Maomao to go meet Jinshi, Gaoshun, and Basen to explain the previous events leading to Jinshi's attempted assassination, which involves Master Kounen's death, the warehouse fire, the theft of ceremonial tools, and the warehouse manager's food poisoning. One of the stolen tools, an accessory that holds a heavy ornament, was had remade by the late metalworker on orders from someone, but with lead, which easily melts in open flame (in this case, a candle), and was installed in place around the time of the failed assassination. Lihaku later informs Maomao of Suirei's death due to poisoning. She asked the coroner, though, if the poison happens to contain thornapple--a drug which, when mixed with pufferfish toxin, is able to stop breathing and heartbeats; and thornapple is plentiful at the court pharmacy, not to mention Suirei growing them at that hill where she first met her. The coroner was certain it was Suirei that he tended to, with no pulse or breathing. Confirming her suspicions, they find another corpse in Suirei's coffin, which was stored in the morgue ready for cremation. Maomao, intrigued and ticked off by Suirei's brains and daring, even the ability to fake her death, seeks to learn the recipe to the "resurrection medicine" she used from her. After dealing with Suirei's case in secret, Jinshi worries about new problems, in addition to potential conflicts with Maomao's biological father, Lakan. Jinshi reveals he takes a concoction to suppress his manhood, which started when the rear palace became the emperor's favorite; along with his true age. The situations of Concubines Loulan and Lishu are explored, and Gyokuyou seeks Maomao's help due to her stopped lunar cycle, which Maomao suspects as Gyokuyou being pregnant, given that the emperor still visits her. With her return to the rear palace to help Gyokuyou, Maomao faces new challenges at the palace with Ah-Duo gone and a quirky new concubine in Loulan as her replacement. Meanwhile, news circulates about one of the Rokushoukan's Three Princesses being bought out. | ||||||
| 21 | "How to Buy Out a Contract" Transliteration: "Miuke Sakusen" (Japanese: 身請け作戦) | Yūshi Ibe | Yuniko Ayana | Masako Sato | March 3, 2024 | |
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Maomao personally takes charge of cleaning up the rear palace pharmacy to make sure it will not be sabotaged. This is after the doctor in charge of the inner court pharmacy was punished with a pay cut for mismanaging it. Guen reveals that his family is the official purveyor of paper to the palace, but ever since the empress dowager banned the cutting of trees, their business went downward as their new formulation resulted in a poor quality paper, and Guen, who now works at the palace as a result (along with an older sister) is looking at losing his family's purveyor status. Maomao helps him improve the paper quality by finding the cause of the poor quality of the paper, which involves the water trough used by the oxen in the paper making process. Later, Lihaku seeks Maomao's advice on buying out a courtesan, particularly Pairin, who is revealed to be Maomao's wet nurse as a baby, owing to her unusual condition. Maomao evaluates Lihaku's physique, which causes a misunderstanding with Jinshi when he barged in unexpectedly. Jinshi offers double the price to help him, but Lihaku declines, as it is not satisfying to obtain Pairin with someone else's money, and later opting for a more traditional approach to pursuing her love. Meanwhile, as Pairin reveals in her letter to Maomao that she is waiting for her prince charming, she also suggests that Lakan may be interested, following rumors about a courtesan from the Rokushoukan being bought out, which ticked Maomao off. | ||||||
| 22 | "Blue Roses" Transliteration: "Aoi Soubi" (Japanese: 青い薔薇) | Erkin Kawabata | Hitomi Ogawa | Erkin Kawabata | March 10, 2024 | |
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As Maomao continues to work for the pregnant Gyokuyou, and tending to her daughter, Princess Xiaoling, Lakan egged on Jinshi again, this time wanting to see blue roses by the time of the next spring party. Jinshi gives in for the sake of not crossing him, so he asks, of all people, Maomao. She accepts the task at hand, because she wanted to rub it in Lakan's face. Using Lady Lihua's sauna as a greenhouse, she attempts to accelerate the flowering of a hundred rose bushes procured and put into place with Xiaolan's help (as she reinjures her leg again). Her tending to the roses includes all-nighters, and is worrying Xiaolan, even Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting. Her efforts, though, were not in vain, as she is able to produce them in time for the spring party that would formally introduce Consort Loulan, as Jinshi sees the roses as his opportunity to stand his ground in front of the emperor as he is surrounded by tricky, envious rivals, and Shishou, Loulan's father, surfaces as a new rival--and he has also Lakan to contend with. Maomao later revealed to Jinshi the secret to the multicolored roses (she also produced roses colored other than blue): by letting the blooms suck in dyed water. It's a secret she revealed to the Emperor beforehand to avoid officials picking a quarrel over it. But she is not done yet, as she is up to catching Lakan off-guard. The episode also shows Lakan's view of people: as chess pieces, with most of them as pawns. As he ponders on his failed provocation, and as he remembers the red, manicured nails of the courtesan he used to play go with, when he is surprised to see Maomao, with painted fingernails, with Jinshi and Gaoshun. | ||||||
| 23 | "Balsam and Woodsorrel" Transliteration: "Hōsenka to Katakumi" (Japanese: 鳳仙花と片喰) | Jun Ōwada | Misuzu Chiba | Kazuya Nomura | March 17, 2024 | |
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Lakan is challenged by his daughter Maomao to a game of Chinese chess, with her living with him should he win, much to Jinshi's shock; but him buying out an aging courtesan from the Rokushoukan should he lose. A stipulation that the winner takes one of the cups of hard liquor spiked with a drug that turns into poison after three sips and lets the loser drink its contents is added, with abandonment being considered as a defeat. Maomao lost twice in a row, meaning she could have drunk two of the three poisoned cups; but won on the third, which Jinshi thinks was Lakan losing on purpose. He falls after drinking the contents of the cup. Jinshi, thinking he has been poisoned, hears from Maomao that Lakan abstains from alcohol, "the king of medicines," thus making him easily drunk. That made him easier to be taken to the Rokushoukan. Lakan finds himself awake inside the Rokushoukan and tended to by Meimei, Fengxian's former attendant...with something bitter Maomao made for him. She also left him a dried blue rose in a wooden box. More into Lakan's past is revealed. His inability to distinguish people from each other caused his father to consider him useless, running away to his mistress in disgust. This led him to a carefree life, learning chess and Go in his spare time. Only his clumsy but intelligent uncle understood him, teaching him to see people as chess pieces. He used that knowledge to lead a squadron of men despite no actual combat experience, treating them as chess pieces. On a lossless roll, he challenged Fengxian, the Rokushoukan's undefeated go player. He finally recognized a human face--hers--for the first time, as he lost to her. He continued to play with her until the time he hears that she is being bought out due to her popularity. It is then that she gave herself to him. Around that time, his uncle was ousted from his position (whose description sounded like one for Luomen) and he was sent abroad to study for awhile. Around the same time, Fengxian wrote to him that the buyout was cancelled. He thought he'd be away for six months, but it took him three years. When he returned, he found all of Fengxian's unanswered letters, including her mummified severed finger--a form of cursing someone. Horrified, Lakan rushed to the brothel to see her, but, by then, it was too late--Fengxian is gone, as she became pregnant, something he never noticed on the last time they met, and the reason the buyout fell through, soiling her value, forcing her to work like any ordinary courtesan. | ||||||
| 24 | "Jinshi and Maomao" Transliteration: "Jinshi to Maomao" (Japanese: 壬氏と猫猫) | Wataru Nakagawa | Yūko Kakihara | Norihiro Naganuma | March 24, 2024 | |
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Lakan yearns for Maomao's affection, though "he plans revenge on Jinshi for laying his hands on her daughter thrice." Just then, the Old Lady of the Rokushoukan calls him to pick one courtesan from her brothel's lineup. He chooses Meimei but is drawn to an old lullaby from an annex. He rushes towards the door, interpreting the withered blue rose as a message from Maomao, and selects Fengxian, willing to pay any price. Meanwhile, as Maomao and Basen (who helped her bring the drunken Lakan to the Rokushoukan) encounter Loulan and her father on the way back, he tells her to go see Jinshi. She reveals to him that she did that to Lakan out of gratitude, since Fengxian had the option to abort her (using medicine), but she seemed to have wanted her pregnancy. She even deduces that Lakan may have been tricked, with the timing of her letter-sending to Lakan may be a means of controlling his visits--the probable reason why she lost her mind when things did not work out, to a point of harming herself, hence sending her severed finger, as well as the tip of her baby's little finger. She also knows his inability to recognize faces, which was explained to her by Luomen; though she can recognize his and her face, hence Lakan's strange attachment to her. She also reveals her dislike, but not hatred, for him, as, after all, he helped her save him during that purification ceremony, recognizing his ability to make a prediction without gathering information. She envies her father's talent, though she does not like his laziness, which is what she considers the reason why she does not have the formula to Suirei's "resurrection drug." Maomao then warns Jinshi not to make him his enemy, as he would never become his ally. Later, Meimei sends Maomao a dress which she will use when dancing for her during her wedding. While trying it on atop the wall of the rear palace, Maomao nearly falls off a wall when she is surprised to see Jinshi watching. He is there in response to "a kind guard seeing some weird woman climbing the rear palace walls." Jinshi mentions of some weirdo buying out a courtesan who requested a leave of ten days. Maomao knows it's Lakan, but her lips are sealed as to who Lakan bought out--she knows it's her mother, of which she has no memory of her being such. Maomao never got to know her, as the Old Lady asked everyone to keep quiet, though there were leaks about it that almost put the Rokushoukan out of business--except for the times her mother chased her out of the room and the time she cut the tip of her little finger as a baby, things she already gotten over, being happy to be Luomen's daughter. She did mention that the woman Lakan bought out will not last long. When she finds out that her leg wound opened up again and attempted to stitch it, Jinshi grabbed her and jumped off the wall to ground level and carry her back to the palace, which became sort-of a tender moment between the two, until Maomao asked for the ox bezoar he owed her. A few days later, Jinshi comes to the Jade Pavilion with another case for Maomao. | ||||||
Reception
Sales
The Apothecary Diaries was the sixth best-selling light novel series in 2019, with 461,024 copies sold;[113] the fifth best-selling light novel series in 2020, with 527,950 copies sold;[114] and the third best-selling light novel series in 2021, with 496,626 copies sold.[115]
By November 2023, the franchise (including the light novel and its two manga adaptations) had over 27 million copies in circulation.[116] By January 2024, the franchise had over 31 million copies in circulation.[117] By September 2024, the franchise had over 38 million copies in circulation.[118]
Critical response
In her review of the first novel for Anime News Network, Rebecca Silverman gave it an overall grade of B, writing: "It's an enjoyable read, one that gets better as it goes on, and if its pacing is a little too fast, it makes up for it in the way the characters interact and the story unfolds", though she criticized it for lacking in mystery elements despite being of the mystery genre.[119] Silverman also gave the second novel a B grade, describing it as being "still an engaging read" and writing: "Maomao is a wonderful, if at times abrasive, heroine who takes no garbage from anyone, and watching her become more and more involved in the life of the court is interesting."[120]
In his review of the first volume of the manga adaptation for Anime News Network, Theron Martin gave it an overall grade of B+. He praised the art, characters and the use of historical details, and noted several similarities with The Story of Saiunkoku.[121] Silverman gave the second manga volume an overall grade of A−, writing: "The Apothecary Diaries' manga adaptation continues to be an excellent read. The art is beautiful, Maomao's the sort of female character who's actually strong rather than just being a Strong Female Character, and the story has nice continuity."[122]
In 2019, the manga adaptation by Nekokurage ranked ninth on AnimeJapan's "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation" poll.[123] The manga adaptation won the Next Manga Award in the print category.[124] It also ranked fifth on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2020".[125] In 2024, the light novel and manga adaptation by Nekokurage won the Piccoma Award in their respective categories.[126]
Notes
References
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External links
- Web novel at Shōsetsuka ni Narō (in Japanese)
- Light novel official website (in Japanese)
- Manga official website at Monthly Big Gangan (in Japanese)
- Manga official website at Monthly Sunday Gene-X (in Japanese)
- Manga official website at Square Enix Manga & Books
- Anime official website (in Japanese)
- The Apothecary Diaries (light novel) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
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