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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.

Episode 30: The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time

Someone wants to see me?

A court lady from the clinic?

Yes, she wants to meet you, Maomao.

I'm sorry. I should have taken the medicine you made for me while I was here,

but she saw me take it last night.

This could be trouble. Only doctors are allowed to make medicine.

My apologies.

Will there be repercussions?

Well, no, that's...

It's just...

Just tell me.

Yes...

She wants to borrow Maomao for a while.

Maomao?

Ailan, please bring Yinghua here.

Huh? Y-Yes.

I've been summoned.

Let's hurry.

With a chaperone, too.

My name is Shenlü.

Green-tinted eyes...

Is she from the western region, like Lady Gyokuyou?

She seemed like a "tough mother hen" type yesterday,

but in a calm setting, she gives a wise, reserved impression.

At any rate, this is intimidating, with the nice tea and everything.

Please excuse me for my attitude yesterday.

I had no idea you worked for the Precious Consort.

It's fine.

"Precious Consort" is the rank name for Lady Gyokuyou.

Court ladies from outside the pavilion often use these titles.

I asked you to visit me to ask for your help.

Please.

There is a servant working for the Wise Consort, Lady Lihua, at the Crystal Pavilion.

I'd like for you to make some medicine for her.

Do you understand what you're saying?!

If people find out that someone who's not a doctor is making medicines...!

I'm quite aware.

What...

I'm sure you have your reasons.

Maomao?!

Please, continue.

Are you sure?

Can you explain the circumstances?

Thank you.

She's a servant girl who frequented this laundry area who I became familiar with.

Around the time the caravan came, she seemed to be fatigued and had a fever.

She also had this strange cough.

I told her to get some serious rest,

but after that, she suddenly went missing.

Did she start using a different laundry area,

or was tasked with something else, perhaps?

Even so, that cough needs to be properly looked at.

So she hasn't even visited the clinic?

Correct. Perhaps her higher-ups didn't allow it.

That's the bad part of the Crystal Pavilion.

If a servant girl had to ask for permission,

she'd have to go to the head lady-in-waiting, not Lady Lihua.

It's quite likely that she asked but was ignored.

It's already been half a month since I last saw her.

Half a month?!

This is getting troublesome.

Does this servant girl really even exist?

I think it does warrant investigation.

A weird cough...

If it's contagious, we have to do something, fast.

It's not a problem that limits itself to the Crystal Pavilion.

I know these types of things catch your eye,

but make sure you get the right permissions first.

You have a bad habit of diving into things head-first.

Yes.

I have to be patient.

I'll first ask Master Jinshi to make the introduction, but for now, what I can do is...

What?! M-Maomao?!

Come on, what did I just say?!

Sorry. I found something I was looking for, and couldn't control myself.

What were you looking for?

It's this.

Unfortunately, the main body got away.

I'm making a drug to make it grow back. To do that...

I want to study how a tail that fell off can grow back...

Huh? Lady Yinghua?

Where are you going?

Lady Shin...

You're supposed to clean the main building.

Are you trying to go to that place again?

I, um...

I told you many times, mind your own business.

I-I'm sorry! I'm truly, truly...

Lady Shin! The doctor from the medical office is here...

The doctor?

What does he want now?

He couldn't save the prince.

How may I help you?

Um... I'd like to meet with the Wise Consort.

I'm sorry. I don't think Lady Lihua wants to see you at all.

B-But...

What a tall... Have I ever seen this court lady before?

I do have a document for the request.

Jinshi

I understand. Please, this way.

Not to overstep, but Lady Lihua is quite well.

Well, um, that's good to hear.

I'm sure her great helpers support her well.

That goes without saying.

All who work at the Crystal Pavilion were born and raised in noble families.

They truly deserve their spot in the emperor's service.

Lady Lihua is a noble from the imperial lineage, as well.

Which also applies to me, and yet...

For our family, it is important for you to earn the love of the emperor.

Do you understand, Lihua, Shin?

Yes.

Yet, why...

Is something wrong?

No, um... I was just wondering what that shed was.

It's just for storage.

Did you do any gardening in the area recently?

No, not in particular.

Was that garden bush always there?

You're wearing perfume today.

Huh...?

Lady Shin.

Pardon me for staying out of touch, and for what happened the other day.

You're from back then...!

Wait!

What are you...

Little lady!

I need hot water! Please go boil some hot water!

G-Got it!

Drink this, slowly.

Why is she being treated like this?

Why not?

Isn't it common sense to quarantine a sick person to make sure the illness doesn't spread?

True, this is a contagious disease, though it's weak.

But if you keep treating her like this, she will die.

Not that the death of a single servant girl would be much trouble for you.

Coming back here reminded me of what happened before,

when Lady Lihua was sick and bedridden.

You were burning incense, as if to hide the smell of the sick.

What's your point?

I felt the exact opposite this time.

You've placed a sick person here to hide the scent of the incense.

Stop!

The ladies at the Crystal Pavilion have too many secrets.

Look, so many trade goods from the caravan that were banned the other day.

Another poor eunuch is going to get a whipping.

Don't let her shake me.

Even though each single item is too weak as a poison,

what would happen if they mixed together?

There's no way this girl can figure out my true goals...!

Lady Shin.

Why are you trying to make an abortion drug?

If I knew I was going to find it on the first visit, I didn't need the disguise.

Since they knew my face, I was afraid this could take a long time.

Thank you for waiting, and for the clothes to change into.

It's fine. We can't have you wearing clothes you wore to treat the sick.

Now, let's go. Everyone is waiting.

What is the meaning of this, Lady Shin?

Some items from the caravan were to be confiscated, as they could make poisons.

That was the clear directive.

Silence, huh?

I'm surprised she can maintain that attitude even towards Master Jinshi.

Lady Shin. Head lady-in-waiting at the Crystal Pavilion, and Lady Lihua's cousin.

She looks a bit like Lady Lihua. A beautiful woman, clearly full of pride.

That must be why she's the head lady-in-waiting.

Beautiful flowers attract the most attention when gathered in one spot.

Given her status, it wouldn't be unnatural to

have her serve as a mid-rank concubine herself.

I'm sure she's well aware of that, as well.

Let's change the question.

What were you trying to do with these banned goods?

I don't know what you're talking about.

It's true, I ordered the sick servant to sleep inside the separate shed.

But that was to prevent the spread of the disease.

I had no idea what was in there.

How is that a crime?

Quarantining the servant girl in the shed was not a crime.

It's unavoidable. That's just how low the value of the life of a servant is.

On the other hand,

for them to suddenly barge in here demanding to see Lady Lihua,

only to then start ransacking our shed, is somehow not a problem?

In fact, the only reason anyone went to that place was to feed the sick.

Conversely, anyone could be there at any time.

How can you prove that these items belonged to me?

We can ask the servant who was there.

The testimony of a barely conscious, feverish servant? Is that trustworthy?

So you were aware that she's feverish.

How kind of you to check in on the health of a lowly servant.

Then, it's no surprise that you have the smell of incense on you.

Even though you had no such scent before.

I can't overstep any more.

I know that, but...

Sometimes, I can get angry, too.

Lady Shin, you have the same smell as this oil today.

This bottle was placed inside a suitcase.

Is the smell strong enough to emanate outside of a closed box?

May I check, just to be sure?

D-Don't touch me!

Apothecary!

It's no big deal.

You're right. I had no right to lay my hands upon you.

Let's have someone else investigate.

Perhaps I could take over from here?

Concubine Lihua...

What would her punishment be?

If she were truly trying to make an abortion drug,

it would be the same as murdering the emperor's child.

And that would be the same, regardless of which concubine's child it was?

Of course.

Even if Shin's target was me?

Concubine Lihua! That's...

I get it now.

Lady Lihua's outfit is similar to the one Lady Gyokuyou is wearing.

No wonder the ladies-in-waiting here are no good.

It's not Lady Lihua's fault.

These types of women were gathered here intentionally...

by the head lady-in-waiting, Shin.

Shin, you've never treated me as a concubine.

I'm not worthy of becoming an empress dowager.

That's what you thought, right?

We didn't know until the last moment which one of us, you or I,

would become the concubine.

What, now you're talking down to me?

That's what I've always hated about you!

I was always better at my studies and manners than you!

And I excel in so many more things than you!

And yet, why does everyone...!

There's a huge gap in breast size... I mean, caliber as a concubine.

"Lihua" and "Shin". "Pear" and "Apricot."

It's like they named them to pair up with each other, with high status and education.

Still, there are fools who let their emotions control them, to the point of grave mistakes.

I guess Lady Shin is just one of those people.

Because you're the daughter of the head of the family?

Is that why you're better than me?! It can't be!

I've been raised to become the empress from the day I was born!

May I consider that a confession?

May you rot childlessly in this garden, Lihua!

Don't touch me! Unhand me, you filthy eunuch! Let go!

Lady Shin, you must love the emperor very much.

Of course I do! What are you saying?!

No, I just thought...

you seemed to love the status of empress more,

unlike Lady Lihua.

What...

So, that's how you felt, Shin.

Sir Jinshi, this head lady-in-waiting has verbally abused her mistress.

Enough to make me raise my hand against her.

As such, I will fire her from my service.

Concubine Lihua? That's...

Oh, is the slap not enough?

In that case, how about this...

Please wait!

I will not!

Well played. She's no longer how she was in the past.

She's no longer the fading, frail woman, waiting for her life's thread to sever itself.

Please ban her from ever entering the rear palace again.

A lenient and generous punishment,

but probably enough of a humiliation for this woman.

Even if she feels resentment, she won't be able to do anything,

after being chased out of the rear palace due to a scandal.

These two will never stand next to each other again.

Use this.

You're bleeding.

I'm fine. It's just some small cuts.

That's not the issue!

I don't want to get blood on such fine silk...

How did you figure out that the sick servant was in the shed?

Given how you went in with a disguise, you didn't know at first, did you?

I had some idea beforehand.

Since she was sick,

she'd be somewhere out of sight, away from the others' bedrooms.

I would never have thought it would be a storage shed, though.

Also, there was a clue.

That garden bush?

Yes. That flower is usually mostly red.

But it's only white right now.

Someone must have picked it out and planted it there.

In feng shui, they say green and white is a combination that brings good health.

I see.

That said, it's quite ironic that they chose the white blossom.

White blossom?

The white powder packed in the seeds can be used to induce an abortion.

They're all over the place!

They're harmless, unless you know precisely how to make the medicine.

Just like the scented oils from today.

How did Lady Shin know that the scented oils could be used as an abortion drug?

A trade good brought in by the caravan, no less.

I doubt she'd confess even if questioned, but...

Apothecary, can I ask you one thing?

Are you saying that someone in this rear palace

is spreading the word that these oils can be used for abortions?

I don't know.

But we can never be too careful.

U-Um...

White blossom...

What happened to the girl in the shed?

She's leaving the rear palace to get proper treatment.

Lady Lihua offered it. She felt responsible.

She's even paying the costs herself.

I see.

It seems like that apothecary was here again.

Yes. You must know everything.

She has done nothing but save me.

Is something wrong?

No...

Next Time

Next time: "The Shrine of Choosing."

Episode 31: The Shrine of Choosing