01x06 - The Garden Party

[bunniefuu]

THE APOTHECARY DIARIES

THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION. THE NAMES OF ALLCHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ARE IMAGINARY.IT BEARS NO CONNECTION TO SPECIFIC REAL-LIFE EVENTS.

There's just no sense of decency.

So picky with her food.

It's not like it's going tokill her or anything.

EPISODE : THE GARDEN PARTY

EPISODE : THE GARDEN PARTY- So cold!

EPISODE : THE GARDEN PARTY- The pocket warmers certainly help, but...

Not having anything to doin this cold is quite an ordeal.

The wind is so cold!

Couldn't we get a tent or something?

This arrangement seems made to instillrivalry between the four concubines.

Look, that's the Empress Dowager.

She seems very youthful.

She is young. She gave birthto the emperor when she was...

Wow, she must have workedreally hard to give birth...

The Empress Dowager has two children,the emperor and his younger brother.

The rumor is that the brother istoo sick to leave his house.

I think he was here untila few moments ago, though...

I see.

Huh?!

Who are you calling basic?!

We ladies-in-waiting serve our mistresses!

What's the point in dressing up?!

Pfft. Did you hear that?

Having ugly servants hurtsthe mistress, obviously.

Grr!

Those are Lady Lihua's ladies-in-waiting.

Oh, Yinghua. And so, the proxy w*r begins.

Let's go.

I guess you can't help it, seeinghow you hired that ugly girl.

"Ugly girl?" Does she mean me?

Having someone like thataround is truly a shame.

What did you say?!

Yinghua!

Calm down!

They haven't noticed? And after all the funwe shared at the Crystal Pavilion, too...

If you keep acting up,I'll tell my father about you!

I'll have to do things to your body thatyou'd never tell your father about, then.

N-No!

It was just a bit of courtesan-style humor.

Apologize to Maomao!

Heh.

Wh-What, nothing to say all of a sudden?

W-Well, I guess that's enough for now!

You should thank me!

What's her problem?

Hey Maomao, are you all right?

Your real face is so pretty,but those bullies...

It doesn't bother me. That aside, isn't ittime to change your pocket warmers?

Not only did she grow up in poverty,

her distrust of men is strong enoughto make her ruin her own face...

She endured two months of awfulbullying at the Crystal Pavilion...

Yet she won't complain at all,and instead looks after us...

It's only natural that the benevolentMaster Jinshi looks after her!

They're being delusional again.

Have you no decency? A crimson dress?

Another proxy w*r.

Ah, the Virtuous andPure Consorts' servants.

They don't get along, either.

The Virtuous Consort isfourteen and arrived later,

the Pure Consort is thirty-fiveand has been here the longest.

No wonder they don't get along.

Besides, they used to bedaughter- and mother-in-law.

Daughter- and mother-in-law?

Um... It's a bit complicated.

AH-DUO - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- Before, one was the previous emperor's concubine,

AH-DUO - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- and the other was our current emperor's concubine.

AH-DUO - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- But the previous emperor passed away, right?

AH-DUO - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- The previous emperor's concubine left the palace once,

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- but returned as the current emperor's concubine.

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- The previous emperor passed away five years ago.

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- Back then, Concubine Ah-Duo was thirty years old,

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO () - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- Back then, Concubine Ah-Duo was thirty years old,

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO () - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU- and Concubine Lishu was nine.

PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERAH-DUO () - CURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU ()- and Concubine Lishu was nine.

I guess it's all politics, but becominga concubine at nine? Wow.

Unbelievable, right? Beinga mother-in-law at nine years old.

Nine... Mother...

M-Mother?!

AH-DUO - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - LISHU

LISHU - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGERCURRENT EMPEROR - AH-DUO

LISHU - PREVIOUS EMPEROR - EMPRESS DOWAGER- The one who was the previous emperor'sconcubine was Lady Lishu?!

LISHU - PREVIOUS EMPEROR- The one who was the previous emperor'sconcubine was Lady Lishu?!

- The one who was the previous emperor'sconcubine was Lady Lishu?!

So that's the young mother-in-law?

As you probably saw,Lady Lishu is still very young.

Yes, I see that.

Normally, a white dress wouldsuit the Virtuous Consort,

but that dark pink color...

It obviously clashes withLady Gyokuyou, the Precious Consort.

Maybe she can't read the room?

Thank you for the pocket warmers.We'll certainly need them again.

Yes.

It's freezing...

Hold these if you're cold.

Here.

Here!

You're too kind.

Suggesting sharing the warmers withthe Crystal Pavilion ladies-in-waiting...

And getting Lady Gyokuyou's permission, too.

Well...

A hairpin?

It's how they try to recruit talentedworkers hidden in this flower garden.

Huh.

It has another hidden meaning, though.

I see.

I said, there's a hidden meaning!

Meaning, huh?

Please have this, young lady.

I guess he's handing them out to everyoneto make sure no servant feels ashamed.

Thank you.

I'm Lihaku! Good to meet you!

Like a big dog...

Woof! Woof!

Did he give you that? Let me see!

Just a participation award.

I believe you should have more.

It's been some time.

Yes, my lady, it has been a long time.

That's all for today.

Lady Lihua...?!

We'll take our leave. Have a pleasant day.

Lady Gyokuyou won't like this.

What an understatement.

What will you do with all these hairpins?

Oh.

He looks pretty good there.

I guess he's higher up than I thought.

He doesn't seem out of placeamong the m*llitary officers.

Oh look, that officer from earlier.

He's at the very edge, but givenhis age, I guess that's still impressive?

Our glittering eunuchisn't there, but who cares?

More importantly, food tasting.

No clouding on the contact point.

No strange smells.

But swallowing is part of the job as taster...

Now to rinse out the mouth with water... Hmm?

The life of the food taster is expendable.

I guess I'm the only onethat enjoys eating poison.

You know what would be good? Puffer fish.

Sneak in some innards in the soup...

That stinging sensationon the tongue is so wonderful.

Oops. Must concentrate.

This vinegar fish-and-vegetable dishis the emperor's favorite.

I saw it a few times at the rear palace.

Usually it includes blueback,but it's jellyfish today.

The cook responsible for the emperor's food

would never mistakethe emperor's favorite ingredient.

Lady Gyokuyou has no prominentlikes or dislikes, either.

Seems like the server messed up.

I guess she doesn't like fish.

She can't refuse to eat it.Not in front of the emperor.

I wish I hadn't seen that.

Did you see that, Lihaku?

One of the food tastersis really excitable.

Where's the fun in watchingsomeone eat while terrified?

Come on, just look.

Huh? That taster... it's that girl from earlier.

J-Just how delicious is that?

This is poison.

The Precious Consort's soup was poisoned?!

- Poison?! Are you sure?

- Concubine Gyokuyou?!- Poison?! Are you sure?

The taster swallowed it!

Minister!

What are you doing?!

Formal attire is too tight.

Hey! The minister drankthe soup and collapsed!

The apothecary...

Phew.

Apothecary!

Good day, Master Jinshi.

Your day seems better than mine.

Oh no, I got too excited aboutthe poison. It's like I smiled at him.

What are you doing?

Taking you to the infirmary!

I coughed up the poison. I feel quite well.

I would have loved to swallow it, though.

If I did, the poison would have coursedthrough my body by now, and...

Master Jinshi, uh...

What is it?

Give me the rest of the soup.

You're an idiot.

I'm just eager to improve.

After you left, someone tried the soup to seeif it was really poisoned, and collapsed.

Who was that stupid?

A minister. Now it's become a huge incident.

Use this, then.

It's an emetic agent.

I made it strong enough toturn your stomach inside out.

Isn't that also a poison, then?

A new hairpin?

So the eunuchs gets hairpins, too?

His collar is a little disheveled, too.Plus his normal glitter is gone.

Is that why he wasn't at the party?

But right now, he's actinghis age more than usual...

Or rather, he looks quite a bit younger.

I prefer him like this, somewhat.

Really does the trick!

The palace infirmary has some good dr*gs!

Are you all right?

Yes, I'm all empty.

Well, let's talk about whopoisoned Concubine Gyokuyou.

I'd like for you to bringsomeone to talk about that.

Who?

Lady Lishu, the Virtuous Consort.

Master Jinshi, how may I be of service?

I'm sorry to bring you to this inelegant place.

This lady-in-waiting wanted to speak with you.

Huh?!

Hmph. A lady-in-waiting?

Excuse me.

I knew it.

Is it fish that you can't eat?

What is this?

Some people have things they cannot eat.

In my case, I can't have buckwheat.

Yet you eat poison?

Leave me alone. I tried to build a tolerance.

However, it made my throat swelland it was hard for me to breathe.

Even a little bit caused rashes,so it was hard to adjust the amounts,

and I took a long time to heal.

That's what I mean by "cannot eat."

Lady Lishu, how is your stomach?

I can get you a laxative if you....

How did you know?

It was clear that the rear palaceprepared the food for the garden party.

However, the vinegar dish useda different ingredient from the usual one.

It seems like Lady Lishu's dish got swappedwith Lady Gyokuyou's dish by mistake.

I see.

Is it mackerel that you can't eat?

Yeah...

This isn't about just likingor disliking certain foods.

It was just hives this time, but sometimes,it can cause difficulty in breathing.

Feeding her this knowingly...

would be the same as poisoning her.

You're her food taster, correct?

Y-Yes!

I've taken note of what to becareful of in an emergency.

Of course, avoiding thesefoods entirely is best.

Please take a look.

It's not difficult.

However, if something goes wrong,not even the palace doctor could fix it.

It could become deadly.

Please keep that in mind.

That should have scared her enough.

What was that about?

I am of lowly birth. Please don't touch me.

You're the only one that says that to me.

Well, everyone's just being kind to you.

Anyway, I must report to Lady Gyokuyou. So...

Wait. Why did you call the food taster in, too?

What do you mean?

Don't play dumb. You asked me to bring her.

To tell her what to be careful of.

So, you're saying the servers made the error?

I don't know. I'm a mere lady-in-waiting.

At least answer me this.

The target was the VirtuousConsort, Lady Lishu, right?

Assuming none of the otherdishes were poisoned.

I see.

What a day.

Is this related to the matter ofthe wooden tablets from the other day?

The lady-in-waiting who came earlierhad no burns on her.

Who could it be...?

Not just some superficial sweetness

I want more warmth than I can even use, oh

Having these selfish idealistic thoughts

I swallowed them again todaybefore putting them into words

Still in my memories,the scent of fragrant olive

The color of twilight in the city

We were laughing...

Filled with sadness,the tears welled up in my eyes

I found a glow during those days

I guess I took everything for granted

The wind was so loud I covered my ears

I gotta stop being like that

Even if I stumble over the words of love

NEXT TIME

NEXT TIMEEPISODE : HOMECOMING- Next time: "Homecoming."