WEBVTT

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The Apothecary Diaries

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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.

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Rumors tend to take on lives of their own.

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

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Sometimes, rumors become
something else entirely.

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Perhaps things like mythology
and fables are similar.

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Episode 29: Moon Fairy

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I'm off.

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Good luck.

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

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An old shrine-like building nearby...

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And the pond.

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

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They say we are still using
the buildings, walls,

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and underground waterway
that they left behind.

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Guess who?

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Shisui.

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Correct! Did my voice give it away?

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

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Maomao, what are you doing?

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

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

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Stealing food?

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No, actually.

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It's this!

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Cute, right?!

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

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What? Why? It's so cute!

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This place is really great!

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

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

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I see.

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This area has been a trading hub for ages.

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

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Do these become butterflies?

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No, they're moths!

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

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

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You should come see them at night, Maomao!

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They flit around and
sparkle in the moonlight...

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

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That sounds exaggerated...

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Sparkle in the moonlight...?

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Do these moths mate right after they emerge?

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

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

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Mostly, I guess...

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Shisui!

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Huh?

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There's something I need your help with.

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This... This might actually work!

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Is it something bad...?

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

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

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The rear palace is usually off limits to men,

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

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The high-ranking concubines also joined.

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The guests enjoyed the shows
from within their carriages.

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This was done out of concern for the envoys,

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

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

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

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

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They must really be confident.

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The lady further away seems to be a quiet type,

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but the lady closer to me
seems full of confidence

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

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For sure, these two special envoys are on par

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with the high-ranked concubines
in terms of beauty.

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The music and performances
are flashier than usual.

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I guess it's to match the envoys.

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But... They seem bored.

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I guess it's not good enough for them.

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They really do look alike, though.

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

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

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Hmm?

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Greetings.

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

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I would like to be closer to speak to you.

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I hear your brother is not attending today.

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I would have loved to meet him.

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Yikes, that's scary. Super scary.

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

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To receive their love.

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A political machination involving marriage.

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If it would please you—

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Ayla.

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

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My apologies.

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Hongniang.

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Crisis averted. That was too scary.

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

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

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

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

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

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I did the best I could.

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

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Alright, let's go.

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

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but the dancing seemed just average, Aylin.

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The famous four concubines
are hidden behind their blinds.

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

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

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

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What if the emperor wanted us right away?

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This guy...

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Fifty years ago...

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

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What's going on?!

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Where did she go?!

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In fact, who was that?!

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Diana.

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

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The name of a moon goddess
in a western legend.

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It appears to have worked out.

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

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Pulling off a dark cloth in the dark

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will make it seem like
the person suddenly appeared.

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These moths, though, are the finishing touch.

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The glowing lights depicted
in the painting from the old lady

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were actually mature moths.

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

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There were idiots who tampered
with my costume that night.

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They rubbed insect carcasses on it.

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Some insects emit scents
to attract the opposite sex.

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

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

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What a coincidence...

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I have to thank Shisui
and Xiaolan for their help.

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

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

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Master Gaoshun and a few others were close by,

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so they could step in
if something happened.

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That wasn't a sight anyone else should see.

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

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Hey!

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

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Thank you very much, Master Jinshi,

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

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Did it work?

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

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

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My hair is still wet!

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He could do this by himself.

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Fine, then.

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Oh, Maomao!

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I'm about to go off to school!

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Oh, they ended up actually
following through.

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I'm proud to be the first generation!

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Okay, I'm off!

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Good luck.

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I'm bored.

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

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

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This way! No, that way!

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That problem hasn't been
completely solved yet.

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

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Who conspired to get those brought in here?

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I'm looking into it,

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

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Including the women in the Jade Pavilion.

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

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Is it possible the special envoys did this?

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I'm not sure.

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

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

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

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Given the influence her father exerts,

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Concubine Loulan should
be the most important.

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

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since the previous emperor's reign.

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The emperor does visit her often,

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but he doesn't seem too passionate about it.

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Concubine Lihua ranks second
in terms of family power,

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but theirs comes from being
maternally related to the emperor.

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That makes her not as hungry for power.

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She fell ill after losing her prince,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The culprit of the garden
party incident last year

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

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plotted and executed by her alone
against Concubine Lishu.

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

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

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while she was pregnant with Princess Lingli?

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

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that died in the mushroom
incident from the other day.

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But where did that concubine
learn about poisons?

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Suirei...

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They haven't found out what happened to her.

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Why? For what cause?

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Why did she go after Master Jinshi?

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

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Maybe I'll go for a walk.

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Cherry season is almost over.

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

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

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

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I thought it was peculiar,
seeing how the entire

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Crystal Pavilion seems to pick up on trends,

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but I guess every group has one of those.

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I feel a bit sick.

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A cold? Come on.

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

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I was trying to be careful, but...

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

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In that case, after you make the medicine,

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can you take her to the clinic?

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The clinic?

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Not the medical office.

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

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Understood.

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

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It's close to the washhouse.

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

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

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

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A slight fever. Show me your tongue.

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Hmm. It doesn't seem too bad.

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

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but what do you want to do?

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I don't want the concubines to catch it.

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Could I stay overnight, just to be safe?

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Follow me.

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

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I hate this smell.

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

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

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

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Seems like the perfect place
to recover from an illness.

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Use this room.

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Thank you.

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

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Understood.

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

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You, get back to work.

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

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

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Excuse me!

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I really can't stand up to older women.

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But anyway...

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

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In the rear palace, once a woman reaches

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

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

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so they get to stay longer...

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

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Was I saying anything?

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Can I help you?

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

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

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Where were you just now?

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

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

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Did they forget to show you?

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

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from being sold off suddenly.

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

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

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Maybe that should be
the official medical office, too.

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If only it were that easy.

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What do you mean?

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Only men can be doctors.

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Treating a few scratches won't be a problem,

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but only a doctor is allowed
to treat major injuries.

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Also, only doctors
are allowed to make medicine.

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

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What about me?

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We're looking the other way for you.

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Seems like there's
a convoluted backstory here.

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

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so that non-eunuchs can perform medicine...

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Eunuchs, huh?

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

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In other words,

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

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Considering Master Jinshi's age,

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

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

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What's that, now?

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Oops. Did I say that out loud?

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Master Jinshi, there is much work to be done.

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Got it.

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Oh, apothecary.

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Make sure nobody finds out
that you make medicines.

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Understood.

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

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That's medicine, isn't it?

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I smelled medicine on
that servant girl back there.

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

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Next Time

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

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Episode 30: The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time