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The Apothecary Diaries

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.

Rumors tend to take on lives of their own.

The farther and wider they spread, the more distant they get from the truth.

Sometimes, rumors become something else entirely.

Perhaps things like mythology and fables are similar.

Episode 29: Moon Fairy

I'm off.

Good luck.

The ruined peach orchard on the north side of the rear palace...

An old shrine-like building nearby...

And the pond.

A long time ago, this place was home to a different ethnicity of people.

They say we are still using the buildings, walls,

and underground waterway that they left behind.

Guess who?

Shisui.

Correct! Did my voice give it away?

She's so friendly, it's no wonder she's chatty buddies with Xiaolan.

Maomao, what are you doing?

I'd ask the same of you. What are you doing all the way out here?

Me? Oh, I just had some business to tend to.

Stealing food?

No, actually.

It's this!

Cute, right?!

This would typically be considered harassment, so don't do it to others.

What? Why? It's so cute!

This place is really great!

There's so many insects here I've only ever seen in books!

The first time I saw these guys was here, too!

I see.

This area has been a trading hub for ages.

I guess some insects came in along with trade goods and found a home.

Do these become butterflies?

No, they're moths!

They're nocturnal, so you won't see any flying now, but they're really pretty!

I wonder if they were around when the old lady danced.

You should come see them at night, Maomao!

They flit around and sparkle in the moonlight...

It makes you feel like you've wandered into paradise!

That sounds exaggerated...

Sparkle in the moonlight...?

Do these moths mate right after they emerge?

I guess? I heard they die right after maturing because they can't eat.

Hey, can you see which of these moths are male and female?

Mostly, I guess...

Shisui!

Huh?

There's something I need your help with.

This... This might actually work!

Is it something bad...?

A few days later, a banquet was held for the envoys.

It took place in the northern garden, where the "Moon Fairy" appeared 50 years ago.

The rear palace is usually off limits to men,

but a special exception was made to allow male officials to join.

The high-ranking concubines also joined.

The guests enjoyed the shows from within their carriages.

This was done out of concern for the envoys,

to make they didn't attract unwanted attention, but...

Blue eyes, golden hair... they really are pretty.

I knew it. A normal performer would make no impression.

Also, they have their blinds raised all the way up, showing their faces to the emperor.

They must really be confident.

The lady further away seems to be a quiet type,

but the lady closer to me seems full of confidence

that she's the most beautiful woman in the world.

For sure, these two special envoys are on par

with the high-ranked concubines in terms of beauty.

The music and performances are flashier than usual.

I guess it's to match the envoys.

But... They seem bored.

I guess it's not good enough for them.

They really do look alike, though.

I heard they're cousins with a shared grandfather, but they appear like twins.

These two would be able to pull off the mirror trick from Master Gaoshun's story.

Hmm?

Greetings.

I do not want to be so far apart at such a wonderful party.

I would like to be closer to speak to you.

I hear your brother is not attending today.

I would have loved to meet him.

Yikes, that's scary. Super scary.

The special envoys' real goal is to get to the emperor and his brother...

To receive their love.

A political machination involving marriage.

If it would please you—

Ayla.

That's enough. They put on a great show for us. We must enjoy it properly.

My apologies.

Hongniang.

Crisis averted. That was too scary.

Maybe those two have no interest in the legendary beauty their grandfather saw.

"There is no one more beautiful than us." That's what they truly believe.

Maybe the mirrors they sent to the four concubines were actually a provocation.

No matter. My job is to show them the "moon fairy."

The banquet's almost over. How's everything going?

I did the best I could.

Yeah, that's the natural reaction, I guess.

Alright, let's go.

They seem to have made the music more colorful to match us,

but the dancing seemed just average, Aylin.

The famous four concubines are hidden behind their blinds.

The moon fairy that our grandfather saw probably wasn't that impressive, either.

Ayla, that's not something we should be discussing now.

Let's talk about it when we get back to our room.

What if the emperor wanted us right away?

This guy...

Fifty years ago...

I'm guessing that this is what the envoys' grandfather saw.

What's going on?!

Where did she go?!

In fact, who was that?!

Diana.

I wasn't sure I got the pronunciation right, but I guess they got it.

The name of a moon goddess in a western legend.

It appears to have worked out.

Yes, I think we were able to pull off what we intended.

Pulling off a dark cloth in the dark

will make it seem like the person suddenly appeared.

These moths, though, are the finishing touch.

The glowing lights depicted in the painting from the old lady

were actually mature moths.

The old lady said it was a prank pulled on her.

There were idiots who tampered with my costume that night.

They rubbed insect carcasses on it.

Some insects emit scents to attract the opposite sex.

Male moths were attracted to the old lady by the smell.

Their glow made her appear like a moon fairy, dancing with the lights.

What a coincidence...

I have to thank Shisui and Xiaolan for their help.

It took a lot of work to make sure only the envoys saw this.

We had to make sure the carriage driver didn't look this way.

Master Gaoshun and a few others were close by,

so they could step in if something happened.

That wasn't a sight anyone else should see.

That was truly a powerful presentation, enough to topple nations.

Hey!

After I do what you tell me, you just ignore me?

Thank you very much, Master Jinshi,

for swimming all the way to the opposite shore in your heavy outfit.

Did it work?

Yes, I think we responded perfectly to the wishes of the envoys.

I see. Well, it's out of my hands now.

My hair is still wet!

He could do this by himself.

Fine, then.

Oh, Maomao!

I'm about to go off to school!

Oh, they ended up actually following through.

I'm proud to be the first generation!

Okay, I'm off!

Good luck.

I'm bored.

There's not much work to do back at the Jade Pavilion.

The quack doctor seems to be busy with the scented oils issue.

This way! No, that way!

That problem hasn't been completely solved yet.

Individually, they're small, but when combined, they could be poisonous.

Who conspired to get those brought in here?

I'm looking into it,

but the oils were purchased in large quantities by members of all pavilions.

Including the women in the Jade Pavilion.

I had them get rid of any that could become poisonous, but...

Is it possible the special envoys did this?

I'm not sure.

I'm sure "landing a spot as a concubine" was on their list of goals, but...

with their pride destroyed, they have much more to worry about.

There are four high-ranking concubines in the rear palace.

Given the influence her father exerts,

Concubine Loulan should be the most important.

Her father, Shishou, is a favorite retainer who's held that spot

since the previous emperor's reign.

The emperor does visit her often,

but he doesn't seem too passionate about it.

Concubine Lihua ranks second in terms of family power,

but theirs comes from being maternally related to the emperor.

That makes her not as hungry for power.

She fell ill after losing her prince,

but after recovering, she receives the love of the emperor.

Concubine Lishu's family, on the contrary, rose up in power in recent generations.

They're quite ambitious, even sending their young daughter to the previous emperor.

But, unfortunately for them, the emperor likes voluptuous women.

I hear that even after Concubine Ah-Duo left, he hasn't laid a hand on her.

On the other hand, Concubine Gyokuyou receives the most love from the emperor.

In addition to Princess Lingli, she's pregnant with another child from the emperor.

The western nation from which she hails appears to be booming from trade,

but in reality, they say they're not that rich, since the land there is infertile.

Concubine Gyokuyou has had two attempts made on her life through poisoning.

The culprit of the garden party incident last year

was Concubine Ah-Duo's head lady-in-waiting,

plotted and executed by her alone against Concubine Lishu.

It wasn't done for power, but for a more human, personal reason.

But who was behind the previous poisoning attempt on Concubine Gyokuyou,

while she was pregnant with Princess Lingli?

If Lady Hongniang's read is correct, it was the medium-ranking concubine

that died in the mushroom incident from the other day.

But where did that concubine learn about poisons?

Suirei...

They haven't found out what happened to her.

Why? For what cause?

Why did she go after Master Jinshi?

I'm just a taster. There's no need for me to worry about this.

Maybe I'll go for a walk.

Cherry season is almost over.

Hmm? Those are the ladies-in-waiting from the Crystal Pavilion.

What an overreaction. All I did was push them around a little.

That's the only woman who wasn't wearing scented oils at the Crystal Pavilion.

I thought it was peculiar, seeing how the entire

Crystal Pavilion seems to pick up on trends,

but I guess every group has one of those.

I feel a bit sick.

A cold? Come on.

We don't want Lady Gyokuyou or the princess to get it.

I was trying to be careful, but...

You have a slight fever. Should I make some medicine for you?

In that case, after you make the medicine,

can you take her to the clinic?

The clinic?

Not the medical office.

Ailan knows where to go, just take her with you.

Understood.

I didn't know such a place existed on the north side of the rear palace.

It's close to the washhouse.

That's efficient, since you can wash clothes and rugs often.

I'm sorry. I seem to have caught a cold.

A middle-aged court lady? That's rare.

A slight fever. Show me your tongue.

Hmm. It doesn't seem too bad.

You should be fine if you don't push yourself too hard over the next couple of days,

but what do you want to do?

I don't want the concubines to catch it.

Could I stay overnight, just to be safe?

Follow me.

She seems much more professional than the quack doctor, and her diagnosis is sound.

I hate this smell.

It's alcohol. It means this place is kept clean.

There's lots of windows, meaning it has good ventilation.

The place is kept simple, making it easier to clean thoroughly.

Seems like the perfect place to recover from an illness.

Use this room.

Thank you.

Maomao, tell the others I'll be back tomorrow.

Understood.

So, this is how they quarantine the ladies-in-waiting who aren't feeling well.

You, get back to work.

Don't think assisting a sick person gets you out of work.

Or do you want to fold up all of this laundry?

Excuse me!

I really can't stand up to older women.

But anyway...

There seem to be a lot of older court ladies here.

In the rear palace, once a woman reaches

a certain age, she's more or less forced out and replaced.

I guess they need clinic workers to have experience and knowledge,

so they get to stay longer...

Don't walk around while talking to yourself. You'll trip.

Was I saying anything?

Can I help you?

Well, no, I don't have any business.

What's wrong with talking to you if I happen to walk by?

Where were you just now?

The clinic. I didn't know that place existed.

You should have received a guide to all of the places here when you first came.

Did they forget to show you?

I may not have been paying attention, what with being discontent

from being sold off suddenly.

This happened before too, but he seems saddened when he hears this story.

It was more well-established than I expected, so I was surprised.

Maybe that should be the official medical office, too.

If only it were that easy.

What do you mean?

Only men can be doctors.

Treating a few scratches won't be a problem,

but only a doctor is allowed to treat major injuries.

Also, only doctors are allowed to make medicine.

So, that's why I didn't smell any medicine at the clinic.

What about me?

We're looking the other way for you.

Seems like there's a convoluted backstory here.

For the future, we need to be able to come up with a new way to get doctors,

so that non-eunuchs can perform medicine...

Eunuchs, huh?

When the current emperor came into power, he banned the surgery that makes eunuchs.

In other words,

it's only a matter of time before we become seriously understaffed.

Considering Master Jinshi's age,

the ban must have come right around when he was getting it done on him.

How unfortunate. If only he had waited just a few more years...

What's that, now?

Oops. Did I say that out loud?

Master Jinshi, there is much work to be done.

Got it.

Oh, apothecary.

Make sure nobody finds out that you make medicines.

Understood.

If I made a drug that makes them grow back, would I be rich?

That's medicine, isn't it?

I smelled medicine on that servant girl back there.

That girl... She secretly makes medicines, doesn't she?

Next Time

Next time: "The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time."

Episode 30: The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time