01x12 - The Eunuch and the Courtesan

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THE APOTHECARY DIARIES

JADE PAVILIONMAOMAO

What should I do...

- What should we do?

THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION.- What should we do?

THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION.

After Fengming's execution,

her family's assets were confiscated,

and all underwent varying degreesof corporal punishment.

Fengming was determined tobe the sole perpetrator,

so fortunately, her mistressConcubine Ah-Duo was not blamed.

And now, here is the list of Fengming's familymembers and those connected to them.

The list includes thosewho did business with them.

They had many businessesin addition to apiculture.

There are about eighty children of thosefamilies here in the rear palace.

Eighty out of two thousand, huh?

That's quite a hit ratio.

JADE PAVILIONMAOMAO

The family that the apothecary was kidnappedand sold off to was one such family.

If you wish, we could conceal this.

If "I" wish...

Indeed.

It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong.

If I say so, it will be done.

Given how she likes to separatethe commoners from the nobles,

she'd obey any order, no matterhow much she disagrees.

It would be simple to give the order.

I should just simply give the order.

Conceal the facts, and keepher at the rear palace.

But if that goes against her will...

How would she feel, if she learned she'd beenforced to stay in a place she disliked so?

I'm so afraid of the rift betweenthe two of us widening any further.

Master Jinshi.

I thought she was just a convenient pawn.

Mass layoffs?

- Yep.

EPISODE : THE EUNUCH AND THE COURTESAN- Yep.

EPISODE : THE EUNUCH AND THE COURTESAN- The daughters of anyone who did businesswith that family are being let go.

- The daughters of anyone who did businesswith that family are being let go.

And it seems like there's quite a few of them.

Huh...

There are girls around who have to quitall of a sudden and are in a real bind.

I guess that family reallydid a lot of business.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Getting fired now would be bad.

It's just bad timing.

After Lihaku, I haven't been able to sendany more paying customers to the old lady.

If I go back now...

I'm home.

You have a customer!

She'll sell me off for sure!

Maomao?!

Last I checked, the family on mypaperwork were merchants.

If Fengming's family ran an apiary,

there might be some sort of connection...

Master Jinshi!

That's rare. You're out of breath.

Uh...

Calm down. You're red all over.

I would like to talk to you!

Sure. Let's speak inside.

This is about the mass layoffs, I take it?

Yes. What's going to happen to me?

Here's the list.

JADE PAVILIONMAOMAO

So, I'm being let go.

What do you want to do?

I thought she was just a convenient pawn.

As Lady Gyokuyou's lady-in-waiting,

I can test for poisons andhang out in the medical office.

I have to admit I'm enjoying my current life.

But I'm just a servant, after all.

I'm in no position to request to stay.

I have to make sureI don't appear like I'm begging.

I am a mere servant.

I'll do as you order, whether it bemanual labor, cooking, or tasting.

As I order...

Yes. I'll do my best, if ordered to do so.

If I take a pay cut, so be it.

As long as I can buy time before gettingsold off, I'll figure something out.

So please, don't fire me!

Understood.

Do you mean...

I'll make sure you're compensated.

Huh?

Negotiation failed. Maomao is let go.

There we go.

How long are you going to stay like that?

Perhaps you should haveordered her to stay.

Not another word.

A week after being fired,

Xiaomao went home to the pleasure district.

I heard she politely went around

saying her farewells to every singleplace she had business with.

You're going to regret this.

Finding a new toy to replace his favoriteone has always been a challenge.

No! I want that one!

Or perhaps...

That girl should not be treatedas the same as a toy.

He only let her go becausehe didn't want to treat her as a tool.

What a troublesome master he is.

If finding a replacement won't do...

Perhaps I can speak to that m*llitary officer.

Wah, wah, boo-hoo, sob, sob...

You do look much better without your freckles.

You can use my lipstick.

I never thought I'd be goingto a party with Maomao.

My workplace tonight is a noble'sparty outside the brothel.

Calling a courtesan to one'sown mansion costs quite a sum.

In addition...

A night of drinks with one ofthe Verdigris House's Princesses

costs what most make in a year.

So to call on all three at once...

I guess there's no limit tohow rich a rich person can be.

I'm going with you, but justso you look better by comparison.

Here you go, Maomao.

Because I was paid more thanexpected when leaving the rear palace,

I was able to avoid gettingsold off immediately.

That's an important job, too.

Looking forward to it, Maomao.

Oh! So cute.

It's time! Hurry up! Hmm?

Well, well, that's not bad at all.

You could take on customersof your own too, you know.

The old lady really wants meto become a courtesan.

Go make a fortune!

I can't recite poetry or play the erhu.

Dancing is out of the question.

I'm just an apothecary's daughter,with no interest outside of medicine.

So why is she so insistent,especially these past few years?

This person sure is loaded.

Every piece of furniture isunimaginably expensive.

I'm sure they wouldn't noticeone thing taken as a souvenir...

No! Knock it off.

This room, please.

I heard Master Lihaku introduced usto these high-ranking palace officials.

They're younger than I expected.

Yum.

Come, let's go.

If he knows so many rich people, he shouldhave introduced them to me sooner.

With his connections, I couldhave lessened my loan amount.

Anyway, off to work.

Work is work, but stayingall smiles is quite an ordeal.

Hmm? Is he bored?

Excuse me.

Leave me alone.

I want to be alone.

Huh? Where have I heard this voice before?

Master Jinshi?

Why avoid me?

Please don't touch the courtesans.

Do people tell you that makeupchanges you considerably?

I do get that a lot.

Besides, why are you dressed like that?

I'm working part-time.

As a courtesan?

Yes.

Does that mean you're...

This guy is really prone tocasting doubt on my chastity.

I don't take personal customers.

Yet.

"Yet..."

So, what if I bought you out?

Huh? What kind of joke is—

That might be a good idea.

Working in the rear palace againwouldn't be too bad.

I thought you quitbecause you hated it there.

Huh? When did I ever say that?

I tried convincing you to let me stay,but you fired me anyway.

True, there was a lot of trouble.

But where else would I be ableto perform as a taster?

The only thing I missedwere my poison experiments.

You should really stopexperimenting with poison.

He's even more childish today than before.

That's right. That's the kindof person you are.

What does that mean?

Do people ever say that youdon't express yourself clearly?

I do get that a lot.

So why flinch?

Rules are rules.

Can't you bend them a bit?

No.

It's not the end of the world.

It's ending my spirit.

Just one hand. Just the tip of my fingers.

That's right, this guycan be really persistent.

Fine, just the fingers.

This guy!

The color sticks!

Goodness, what's this?

Oh, Maomao.

I can't watch.

Come on, big sisters!

Master Gaoshun?! What? Huh?!

I couldn't make sense of any of it.

I don't remember much ofwhat happened after that.

So, who was that?

How do you know him?

Not bad, you!

I do remember that it was really hardanswering all my big sisters' questions.

VERDIGRIS HOUSE

And...

I should make some, just in case.

Wandering around withoutmy freckles leads to no good.

That was winter last year...

Getting kidnapped was enough of a surprise,

but to be sold offto the rear palace, of all places...

Then to get promoted to a lady-in-waiting.

I wanted to lay low untilmy term was over, but...

Maomao. Is it ready?

Yeah, here.

I need you to take a look atsomeone. Can you come with me?

Got it.

The rear palace, huh?

I really wanted to avoidthat place at all costs.

I wonder if everyone's okay.

Oh, I'll get out.

Take your time. You don't get tocome here all the time.

Yeah.

What are you going to do from now on?

I'll pay back my loans, I promise.

That's a given!

Are you going back to the rear palace?

I don't know.

But... the rear palace andthe brothels are pretty similar.

Hmm.

Having trouble sleeping?

I'm going to go get some air.

Take care.

I will.

The rear palace andthe brothels are no different.

A garden, and a cage.

What's going to happen from now on?

It's freezing.

VERDIGRIS HOUSE

A few days later, a beautiful noblecomes to the pleasure district.

With him, he brings enough cashto make the old lady's eyes glisten,

and for some reason...

A strange herb growing from an insect...

And in exchange, he asks for a certain girl.

THE APOTHECARY DIARIES

NEXT TIME

NEXT TIMEEPISODE : SERVING IN THE OUTER COURT- Next time: "Serving in the Outer Court."

NEXT TIMEEPISODE : SERVING IN THE OUTER COURT