01x02 - Chilly Apothecary

[bunniefuu]

Diaries

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 : Chilly Apothecary

Hey!

It's poison!

Damn you! Who's behind this?!

Wait.

Tend to the soldiers first.

Poison?

The food was cooked by the villagers.

The village leader has been put into custody for aiding the barbarians.

Please advise.

Understood. Give me a moment.

As you wish.

By the way...

I heard you hired a new lady-in-waiting to serve Concubine Gyokuyou.

Yes. Concubine Gyokuyou has only four women serving her.

It's too few compared to Concubine Lihua,

who also high-ranking and has over ten.

It hurts her dignity as a high-ranking concubine.

Yes. However, Concubine Gyokuyou is not just bright and gentle,

but also wise and cautious.

She would never hire someone of unknown origin.

Being constantly wary of everyone around them

is the only way an emperor's concubine can survive.

And who is this new lady-in-waiting?

Gaoshun, I found just the right pawn.

It's that freckled servant girl.

Her knowledge of medicine is too valuable to pass up.

I see. But if she were to abuse that knowledge...

I'll make sure she can't do that.

It should be easy.

I suppose I should seduce her a little, just in case.

It's so cool that you get to serve a high-ranking concubine.

Ugh, I really didn't want to.

Apothecary. Are you ready to move?

Yes, I'm on my way to the Jade Pavilion soon.

Did you need something?

No, nothing.

Huh?

Why's he here, then? Nothing better to do?

Be sure to serve Concubine Gyokuyou well.

Excuse me.

Good luck, Maomao!

Ew, gross...

Are you Maomao?

Oh, yes.

I am Hongniang, head lady-in-waiting for Lady Gyokuyou.

For starters, I'll show you around the Jade Pavilion. Follow me.

Yes.

Welcome to the Jade Pavilion. I've been waiting for you, Maomao.

Looks like Xiaoling is happy to see you, too.

We're glad to have you around.

Thank you.

This is the parlor, where we bring guests.

So big...

This is the kitchen. You should be able to do some simple cooking here.

Wow.

This is the living room.

Here are the other ladies-in-waiting. Let me introduce them to you.

Everyone, gather up.

Yes!

Nice to meet you, I'm Yinghua. Ask me anything!

I am Guiyuan. Nice to meet you.

I am Ailan. Very pleased to meet you.

I'm Maomao. Looking forward to working with you.

At the Jade Pavilion, we don't hire any serving girls.

So, we do all the work around here.

It's the least we can do to make sure Lady Gyokuyou lives comfortably.

Then I'll also—

You go ahead and rest in your room.

Huh?

Take it easy.

You have a special task coming up.

Special task?

Maomao, I'll show you to your room.

Um, sure.

Did you see her left arm?

She's hiding it with those bandages, but there are scars under them, right?

She must have been abused by her parents back home,

and sold off to the rear palace...

On top of that, there's that terrible job...

That poor, unfortunate girl!

Wait here until you're summoned, all right?

Hey, um...

I've gotten quite the promotion.

The Jade Pavilion's always been run by a select elite.

So of course a newcomer wouldn't be totally welcome.

But they all looked so...

Sympathetic? Why?

Tasting for poison.

That's your job, apothecary.

Poison! Tasting for poison!

Oops.

Food cooked for the concubine changes hands a few times before being brought here.

It's possible for it to be poisoned during that process.

In fact, when Concubine Gyokuyou became pregnant,

her food was poisoned at least twice.

The taster back then received nerve damage and still can't move her hands or feet.

I see. That's why the others were sympathetic to me.

So... Here you go.

These bowls...

No suspicious colors. Or scents.

No numbness.

I can't detect any poison here.

Back when I lived by the brothels, I ran a lot of experiments on my arm.

Mad scientist.

I've gradually trained my body against poisons, so many of them have no effect on me.

To be honest, detecting poison isn't suited for me.

But in a way, I'm lucky to get this job.

She's laughing...

I think you should switch to silver plates. Those react to poisons.

It's like Master Jinshi said. We used ceramics on purpose to test you.

That was his idea!

Your knowledge applies to both poisons and medicines, then.

I used to work as an apothecary.

If you'd mentioned that you're literate, you would have gotten paid more.

I was kidnapped and brought here,

and I'm incensed that part of my pay gets sent to the kidnappers.

So, you'd rather take less pay than give your kidnappers drinking money, hmm?

Goodness, this was quite expensive.

You couldn't afford it with your lady-in-waiting salary.

How will you send money to your family?

In fact, we might need to charge them.

Ah, I'm so sorry.

Please take it out of the money to my family.

If that's not enough, from my savings, too.

Yes, I'll arrange the paperwork.

By the way, here's hazard pay for your food tasting services.

Almost equal to my regular salary...

Since the kidnappers don't get a cut of this, it all goes to me.

Thank you.

She knows how to motivate her workers.

Don't worry about it!

Rest for now.

We've always been fully staffed.

I'm bored!

I only get called on as taster for two meals and the mid-day tea time.

Now that I have my own room,

if there was a venomous snake or something, I could experiment...

Maomao.

Did you need me, Lady Gyokuyou?

He does, actually.

Ugh.

Why won't this work on her?

How may I serve you today?

I received these from a certain m*llitary officer. Can you taste them?

buns...

It has an aphrodisiac in it.

You can tell without eating it?

It's not harmful. Please feel free to enjoy them.

Given who I received these from, I can't do that.

Perhaps that person might visit you tonight.

Hmm. So you can tell by the smell alone?

Did this guy try to make me eat one knowing they have an aphrodisiac in them?!

I had one more question for you.

Yes, what is it?

A squad of soldiers on a mission to att*ck some barbarians was poisoned the other day.

Poisoned?

Yes. Several fell ill after a meal.

They reported nausea, difficulty breathing, and other ailments.

Nausea and difficulty breathing...

The meal was prepared in a nearby village.

They arrested the village leader for assisting the barbarians,

but an officer diffused the situation,

and has put the decision on hold.

It would be natural to assume the villagers poisoned the soldiers, but...

Master Jinshi, where were they eating?

They were at camp, so they likely ate outside.

Did the villagers provide the plates and chopsticks?

No, the soldiers should have provided their own.

Did you notice something?

This is just my opinion. Let me share something.

This flower is a rhododendron.

Does it taste good?

No, eating it causes nausea and difficulty breathing.

Hey!

As you see, even the rear palace has plants with poison in them.

This one has poison in the leaves, but some have poison in the branches or roots.

Some wood can even emit poison when b*rned.

When b*rned...?

I see.

It's fortunate the bright officer was there.

We could have lost a whole village.

Yes.

If that's all, I'll take my leave.

No, wait.

Is there more?

Can you make an aphrodisiac?

Make? You mean...

Making dr*gs?!

Given time, the proper ingredients, and the right tools,

I could make something like that.

Master Jinshi, where are you headed?

I'm returning to my office. May I help you?

I was wondering if you'd have tea with me in my room...

Unfortunately, I have much work to attend to. Please excuse me.

The servants must not be aware

that Master Jinshi serves as a test of their loyalty to the emperor.

Just because the emperor does not visit her,

she shouldn't try and lure other men to her room.

What an indiscretion.

Indeed.

A concubine cannot simply be beautiful or well-educated.

They must be loyal to the emperor, and be chaste.

But to place you in the rear palace and use your beauty as a test...

Our emperor can be quite severe at times.

We all use whatever is available to us. But...

Not only does she feel no lust for me, but that look...

Glare...

I've never been so harshly looked down on in my life.

Well then, I will take my leave.

Perhaps that person might visit you tonight.

Tonight... Tonight...

I'm leaving now.

Good luck.

Yes!

Pardon me.

The quack doctor, and...

Miss Maomao. Let me reintroduce myself.

I am Gaoshun.

I'm Master Jinshi's assistant.

Pleased to make your acquaintance.

Hello.

It can't be easy assisting that guy.

What is this servant girl doing in my territory?

This way, please.

I have been told you may use anything in this room.

Is that some sort of cursed dance?

What a luxury, being able to use paper so freely.

And also, I need...

Over there?

He's really quick to notice things. Compared to his master...

If you're not going to do anything, just go away.

Here you are.

Thank you.

That's not enough...

What is this?

It's cacao.

If you need more, we'll simply find more.

But it's from the West, and the far southern region, too.

I'm sure there's more in the trading goods storage.

Milk, butter, sugar, honey, and powdered cacao.

That should be enough.

All expensive ingredients.

I wonder what she's making?

A snack, maybe?

What are you all doing?

Get back to work!

We're sorry!

Goodness.

Now to actually make the aphrodisiac!

I had a taste of cacao just once in the past.

This is called "chocolate." Say "ah," Maomao.

Maomao?!

Perhaps a malicious customer wanted to get a popular courtesan's attention.

Unfortunately for him, he got banned by the shrewd old lady.

Looks good.

There.

Now I just cool it and wait for it to harden.

I have a bit left over. Oh, I know.

This probably doesn't need to be cooled.

I guess I should clean up now.

Wait, medicinal herbs?!

There too?! And over there!

Oops, I got a little carried away.

Sorry for the delay!

At least we know it works.

So, what's going on?!

Well, it is what it is...

It's fine, they didn't go all the way—Ow!

So, this is the aphrodisiac?

No, this is.

Then what are the other ones?

A midnight snack for myself.

If you're used to alcohol and other stimulants,

it won't have that much of an effect.

Oh, so it won't be a problem if I ate it?

Please don't do that!

Haha, just joking.

What a reprehensible joke to make in front of the emperor's concubine.

But if he approached someone with an impassioned blush on that face...

It'd immediately captivate any person, male or female.

He does have a great face, after all.

It's quite strong, so please limit it to one piece at a time.

Too many could excessively increase blood flow and cause nosebleeds.

Maybe you can make some for the emperor, to avoid things getting too dull.

It should be around three times more potent than the usual tonic.

Three times? Does she mean duration...?

Let's pretend I didn't hear that.

Also, please only use it when you are alone with the person in mind.

Three times... Three times...

I see.

Well, I'll take my leave now.

So she can make dr*gs?

How reliable.

It's finally over.

Good work.

Thank you.

I see.

I hope there aren't any victims.

Next Time

Next time: "The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit."

Episode : The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit