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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I never intended for you to meet my mother.

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I had to pretend you were the new
apothecary to get out of that situation.

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Father says Mother
wasn't like this in the past,

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but who knows?

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She's been the way she is
from the day I was born.

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Bullying my sister,
bullying the young ladies-in-waiting,

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corrupting other women related to her...

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Father never said anything. He can't.

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He can't push back.

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He just waits, forever, for her to forgive him.

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Devouring her husband
after giving birth to a child...

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She's like an insect.

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No, insects are far better.

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They only do that to allow
their children to live.

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I don't want to be like my mother.

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Shisui refused to become a mother,
enough to willingly take abortion medicine.

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Shisui only has one mother.
But she doesn't want to be like Shenmei.

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That's her prime motivation...

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I did some research into you, Maomao.

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Your father's a high-ranking official,
and you were raised by a former doctor.

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You're similar to my sister.

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I have no father or mother. Just a dad.

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Yes, that's similar to what my sister said.

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Yes, you're right.

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My sister probably
isn't really my sister, either.

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My father is a scheming tanuki, after all.

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He must have been plotting
something by having my sister,

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who has imperial blood in her,
under his control.

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Therefore, my sister has nothing
to do with the Shi clan.

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Lies.

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When she makes this face,
they look really similar.

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Shisui really loves her sister, Suirei.

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That's why, even after all that's happened,

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she claims they're unrelated, to protect her.

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But that logic won't work at all.

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Suirei is far too involved in all of
the incidents that have happened so far.

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Hey, Maomao...

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If these kids were insects,

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they'd have survived
the winter, don't you think?

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If they were insects...?

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Insects never survive the winter.
They only leave behind their children.

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I see it now.

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That's why she brought me here.

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Shisui's not...

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Shisui won't be coming back anymore.

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Shisui...

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You should just run.

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Just throw it all away,
and escape with Suirei.

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Politics, your parents, the clan,
just throw it all away.

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I don't care about other people, either.
I'm the most important person to me.

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Do you realize how much I went through
after being dragged here?

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But, still...

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Why can't I stop myself from
reaching out to her?

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Don't stop me!

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I have my own duties.

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What difference will it make?

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I have my own pride.

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Just throw that away.

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Hey, Maomao...

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If there was an unknown poison in front of you,

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and you were told you had
just one chance to drink it,

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what would you do?

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Swallow it in one gulp.

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Right?

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She's going...

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But...

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I don't know what to tell her!

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Shisui!

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At least let me wish you good luck.

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Good luck?

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That's not like you.

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Yes, it's rare. Really...

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Give this back to me some day. It was a gift.

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That's unreasonable. I might sell it off.

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If you do, that's fine.

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In my collar? Not my hair?

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You'll be too flamboyant if you
put any more in your hair.

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You have soot on your face and hair.

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You're right, I look like a tanuki.

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Thank you, Maomao.

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Please take care of the rest.

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"Take care of the rest." Right.

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We go back in time, briefly.

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Episode 46: Royal Guard

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Time is of the essence!

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If you were just a little later, I would
have dragged you out physically!

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Father, theoretically, if you were to treat
an imperial family member that way,

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would you be the only one punished for it?

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Lahan.

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Yes, what is it?

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Did you realize that Jinshi and I
were the same person?

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Yes. Height, weight, chest, waist...

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It's quite rare for two people
to have the exact same measurements.

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You are extremely beautiful. Unfortunate
that you weren't born a woman.

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Now, explain to us the plan
to take that stronghold.

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This area is known for
its rich forestry resources,

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and has been under the Shi clan's
control for many generations.

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According to our investigation, a supply
of metal has been flowing to Shishou.

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Additionally, the hot springs
nearby provide ample sulfur.

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There are caves too, which provide saltpeter.

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Sulfur and saltpeter...
They can make gunpowder from that.

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We can expect Shishou to have
gunpowder weapons ready for war.

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Feifas?

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Those aren't well-suited
for defensive fighting.

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To take out a group of enemies
from atop a wall...

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Cannons.

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We can expect some heavy casualties
trying to approach the stronghold.

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That's troubling.

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In theory, however,

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it's possible to neutralize them without
letting them use the cannons.

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Or so our math-head thinks.

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What do you propose?

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First, we take out their gunpowder reserves,
to prevent them from using their cannons.

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It is a somewhat eccentric method, but...

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I see.

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This is a very economical method.

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But...

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There is one problem.

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What issue is there?

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The royal guard, launching a surprise attack?

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The royal guard.

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The emperor's finest soldiers.

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We must fight with dignity,
as befits that status.

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I agree with the Grand Commandant.

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I want to minimize the damage.

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Understood.

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Right. Lahan.

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Yes.

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You will need to approach
that girl differently from now on.

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I know.

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Master Lakan, the scouts are reporting in.

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The snow will stop by nightfall.

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We should be able to launch our strike then.

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Get the fire lancers in position.

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Yes, sir!

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Just wait, Maomao. Papa's coming to save you!

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I can't sleep.

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There's still some time before
the royal guard attacks, yet...

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She indulges in her hedonism
within my earshot, on purpose.

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She gathers virtuous wives and
child-raising mothers on purpose,

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to watch them fall into
depravity with male prostitutes.

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She wasn't always like this.

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The royal guard hasn't made its move yet.

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What was that shock, then?

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The gunpowder workshop in the basement?!

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I have to do something!

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I know this, yet I do nothing. How pathetic.

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I haven't slept well at all
for two decades, now.

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That was when all of my pain started.

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I must ask you to do something for me.

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I want you to take my daughter as your wife.

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I had her exiled as the daughter
born as a result of

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adultery between Taihou and the doctor.

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I made her live such a hard life.

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Even though she deserved to be
raised as a princess in the palace,

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free from all worries.

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I had no intention of taking a wife,

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but I couldn't decline a request
from the rapidly weakening emperor.

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Shishou, you are my most loyal supporter.

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If you accept this, I will grant you any wish.

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I had a fiancée who'd
entered the rear palace.

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If you would truly grant any wish...

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I accepted the late emperor's daughter
as my wife, and Suirei was born.

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Then, my fiancée Shenmei
returned from the rear palace,

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and this is how that turned out.

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What was that noise from earlier?

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I'm going to find out right now.

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What is this, Loulan?!
You're absolutely filthy!

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I won't take that from you, Mother.

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Nor from any of you,
who have descended into decadence,

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leaving your children behind.

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Loulan?!

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Is this... really my daughter?

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I thought she was just a doll,
always obedient to Shenmei

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and dressing as Shenmei ordered her to.

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I'm sorry, Dear Sister. I'm late.

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It's like she's done this
dozens of times before.

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I knew Shenmei resented Suirei.

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But was this level of abuse commonplace?

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While I was serving at the palace...

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What a pathetic father I am.

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Father.

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As a final act, take responsibility
for once in your life.

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Loulan...

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You're the tanuki master
of a village of foxes.

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Let's pull off one last trick.

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What is this?!

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An avalanche?!

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The armory...

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We can't fight without it!

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No gunpowder, either. I burned it all.

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Loulan, you—

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You knew we had no chance to win.

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Father.

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I will see Mother off.

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Take responsibility...

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She's right.

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It's my responsibility.

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The armory's buried under the snow!

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Get more men over here!

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There's no time before the royal guard arrives!

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We're under attack!

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The royal guard?! When?!

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Fend them off!

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The enemy is in disarray! Strike them now!

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Don't kill those who have
no will to fight. Capture them!

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There's fewer soldiers than I expected.

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Most of the soldiers who were
supposed to defend the front

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returned to the building to fight the fire.

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We push on.

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Yes, sir!

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Who'd have thought this tactic
would go so well...

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Also, who'd have thought Shishou,
known for his wiles in the palace,

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would make the mistake of
holing up in a place like this.

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Moreover...

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The little lady's boss, the eunuch
with the beauty of a heavenly goddess,

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showing up as the leader of the royal guard...

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Everyone was shocked to the core.

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Some may think this is not
the strategy befitting the royal guard,

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a proud force led by
an imperial family member.

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However, this is the best strategy
to minimize our casualties.

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That is my decision. I will accept
any criticism that it is a sneak attack!

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Really, what goes on in their heads?

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Those who come up with plans like
these, and those who accept them.

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Hey, you! What's it like in there?

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I have to put out the fire,
or else the lady will...

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Please, wait!

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You wish to speak?

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Yes.

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I'll allow it.

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Thank you.

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This smoke means we shouldn't linger here.

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Everyone inside will come out before long.

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I know.

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But there may be some inside who are trapped.

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We'll go search in your stead, then.

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I can't stay out of this.

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It would be great if your precious
self could stay somewhere safe...

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Grand Commandant Kan's
daughter is being held here.

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Here?!

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Yes.

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If you let her die...
You'll make a new political enemy.

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Yes, indeed.

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I'll just do my job, then.

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Is that...?

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No way. There's no way he would be here.

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The royal guard will arrive any moment now.

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I might get mistaken as a member
of the Shi clan if I stay here.

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But...

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Please take care of the rest.

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I should have run.

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What an idiot I am.
I'm in no position to criticize Shisui.

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I hope whoever busts in here is reasonable!

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Sorry to trouble you, but could you
protect me, Master Jinshi?

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Are you hurt? That blood...

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It's fine. It's not mine.

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That's not fine!

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It's just snake blood.

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Snake?

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I missed this atmosphere.

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Hey, is that...

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Crown Prince!

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I am no longer crown prince.
Lady Gyokuyou gave birth to a prince.

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Crown Prince...

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So that's who Master Jinshi really was.

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The emperor's younger
brother is 19 years old.

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I thought Master Jinshi was
supposed to be 25, but...

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Master Jinshi, you're younger than you look.

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Lihaku! Are you here?!

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Yes, sir!

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I'll leave this to you.

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I have a question for you.

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You resemble a girl who works
in the palace, called Maomao.

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That's me.

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What are you doing here?

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I was kidnapped.

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Wait, so is your father...

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Please don't say his name.
Just "that old guy" is fine.

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Right.

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Well, sorry about that!

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If you say so, then that must be it.

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You're quite a mess. Look at all that blood.

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It's snake blood.

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Don't get hurt or anything, okay?

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That old guy got all worked up and
threw out his back. He can't move.

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Were the avalanche and the surprise
attack timed with it his plan, too?

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Yeah.

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Hmm?

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Is someone asleep here?

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Children. But they're not breathing.

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I think they drank poison.

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I see. Even if they did survive,
they'd all be executed.

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Women, children, it doesn't matter.

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I don't like it.

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Are the remains of the executed left to rot?

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No, they're cremated and then buried.

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Could they at least be allowed
to rest with their mothers?

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That's not my job.

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It's like they're asleep.

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Hey! I need a hand here!

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Yes, sir!

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Master Lihaku?

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We can't just leave them here, right?

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I can't give them a proper funeral,
but I could bury them nearby, secretly.

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Wouldn't you be punished for that?

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Dunno. If something happens,
help bail me out, okay?

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Me, help you? How...

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Oh, I know! Just go up to that old guy
and call him "Papa" or something.

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He'll let you—

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Sorry, never mind.

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What was that whistle for?

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To signal that I fulfilled an order.

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Let's go.

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Getting you out safely

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is my job.

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I'll do what Shisui entrusted me with.

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That's all.

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Next Time

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Next time: "The Shi Clan."

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Episode 47: The Shi Clan