Maomao is paid an allowance for her services in the Rear Palace, but she must wait in line with the other lower-ranked residents in order to shop at the caravan. The Courtesans and their ladies-in-waiting get first dibs on the shops in a part of the palace starved for shopping and eager to get in on the newest fashion trends.
It’s only Maomao that notices that all of the belts on Gyokuyou’s new dresses are very high. That’s the new style, but it will also more easily reveal Gyokuyou’s baby bump, and her pregnancy is not public. With a few words she’s able to get both the lady and Hongniang to understand, and inform the merchants accordingly.
Xiaolan asks Maomao to join her when they finally have time off on the last day of the caravan, resulting in a wonderfully adorable shopping date. Maomao can’t afford the glassware Xiaolan is ogling, but she does buy her some cute new hair ties. Yes, Maomao, this is what having a little sister is like. Enjoy it.
Maomao also crosses pathes with Shisui, Xiaolan’s purple-haired, yellow-eyed co-worker who was also nimble and quick enough to capture a stray kitten. Maomao also learns she’s very good at drawing insects. My first thought is that Shisui, who has arrived so suddenly in Maomao’s life, is actually Lady Loulan in disguise. We shall see.
Suspicions also mount in Maomao’s head throughout the episode. First the garments that could expose Gyokuyou’s pregnancy, then the smell of the fashionable new oils all the women are now wearing—like rose oil, which pregnant women should avoid. After collecting scents from the Crystal Pavilion, she’s called out by Lihua’s chief lady-in-waiting Shin.
This lands her in trouble with Jinshi, but Maomao assures him she had a good reason to sniff everyone. Many items have entered the Rear Palace via the caravan that aren’t harmful in small amounts or when used normally, but can be toxic in greater amounts and if used abnormally. It reminds her of the lead makeup that claimed Lihua’s child, and the food that poisoned Lishu due to her allergy.
Maomao has data points, but isn’t sure where coincidence ends and the pattern of a plot against the Rear Palace (and by extension the Emperor) begins. She just knows that a series of coincidences ends up being an assassination plot that she only barely managed to prevent…but just because that was it last time doesn’t guarantee it’s that this time.
That is, except for the fact this is The Apothecary Diaries, so it’s most likely a plot. We may be served red herrings here or there (could Hongniang really be working against Gyokuyou?) but the bottom line is that subtle things are happening in a place so controlled that the only way to do anything sinister is through subtle means.
Maomao seemingly offends Jinshi about jasmine’s negative effects on male fertility, causing him to storm out shortly after drinking her jasmine tea. That’s a shame, because in order to foil whatever is happening, these two need to talk and work together and compare notes.
More importantly, Maomao will need Jinshi’s authority to foil anything; acting alone without sufficient intel or evidence will only get her punished, or worse, lead others not to trust her.
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip