ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA
THIS STORY IS A FICION, AND ALL NAMES OF FIGURES ND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.
MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
Hey!
It's poison!
You bastard! Who gave you the order?!
Wait.
First, we must treat the soldiers.
-Poison? -The meal was prepared in the village.
We've captured the village chief
for siding with the foreigners. We're awaiting your orders.
Understood. Give me some time.
Yes, sir.
Also...
I hear that you hired
a new lady-in-waiting for Concubine Gyokuyou's palace.
Yes.
Concubine Gyokuyou has four attendants.
Another high-ranking concubine,
Concubine Lihua, has more than ten. It's far too few.
She has to maintain her honor as a high-ranking concubine.
Yes.
However, although Concubine Gyokuyou is a cheerful and calm woman,
she is also intelligent and cautious.
I wouldn't hire just anyone as her attendant.
Being the Emperor's favorite means
she has to remain suspicious all the time.
Her life is always at risk.
So, who is this new attendant?
Gaoshun, I found the perfect chess piece.
It's that freckled maidservant.
She's knowledgeable about medicine. We can use that.
I see.
But what if she uses that knowledge against us?
We just have to make sure that doesn't happen.
It's easy.
Just to be safe, I can use seduction.
I'm so jealous you get to attend to a high-ranking concubine!
I'm not happy about this.
Huh?
Apothecary.
Are you prepared for your move?
Yes. I'm heading to the Jade Pavilion soon.
Did you need anything?
No, I don't need anything.
What?
Then why is he here? Does he have nothing better to do?
Serve Concubine Gyokuyou diligently.
Excuse me.
Good luck, Maomao!
So gross...
You're Maomao?
Yes, ma'am.
I'm the head lady-in-waiting for Lady Gyokuyou, Hongniang.
I'll show you around the Jade Pavilion. Come with me.
Yes.
Welcome to the Jade Pavilion.
We were waiting for you, Maomao.
Looks like Xiaoling welcomes you too.
I look forward to having you around.
Yes, ma'am.
Here is the reception room.
This is where we welcome the guests.
So big...
Here is the kitchen. We can make simple meals here.
Here's the living room.
Let me introduce everyone.
All the Jade Pavilion attendants.
Gather around, everyone!
Yes, ma'am!
Nice to meet you, I'm Yinghua.
Ask me anything, all right?
Hello, I'm Guiyuan. Nice to meet you.
I'm Ailan.
It's very nice to meet you.
I'm Maomao. Thank you for having me.
We don't hire maidservants at the Jade Pavilion.
So we split the tasks and do them ourselves.
It's the least we can do for Lady Gyokuyou
so that she can be comfortable.
-Then I will also... -Oh!
You relax in your room.
Just be comfortable.
Since you'll be doing the special task.
"Special task"?
-Maomao, I'll show you to your room. -All right.
Did you see her left arm?
She tried her best to hide it with bandages, but it's scarred, right?
She was probably abused by her parents back at home,
and was sold off to the rear palace.
And to top it all off, she'll be doing such hard tasks...
Oh, that poor girl!
-Just stay put until you're called. -Um...
Seems like I got promoted way up the ranks.
The Jade Pavilion had a small team of staff.
I knew they wouldn't be welcoming to newcomers.
But those eyes...
Pity?
Why?
Poison tester.
That's your job, Apothecary.
Poison...
Poison tester?
No, stay calm.
The meals prepared for the concubines
are handled by several people before being carried in here.
There's a chance of the meal being poisoned during this process.
When Concubine Gyokuyou became pregnant, her meal was
poisoned twice.
The poison tester back then, an attendant, got nerve damaged and
her arms and legs are still paralyzed.
I see. That's why the attendants pity me...
All right, then.
If you will.
This bowl...
No abnormality in color.
No strange odors.
No numbness, either.
This doesn't seem to be poisoned.
Back at home in the pleasure district,
I tested various poisons on my arms, calling them "experiments."
This mad scientist...
I slowly got my body adjusted to poison,
so most types of poison don't work on me.
Honestly, I'm not suited for the role of a poison tester.
But in a way, I was very lucky to get this position.
She's laughing...
I think you should serve the meals
in silver bowls, since it reacts to poison.
Sir Jinshi was right.
We used ceramic bowls on purpose. He wanted to test you.
This was that man's plot all along?
Your skills can truly become poison and medicine.
I was an apothecary by profession.
If we knew you could write,
you could've gotten a higher salary.
I was kidnapped and brought here.
It infuriates me to think that the kidnappers are still being sent
a part of my salary.
You're saying you don't want to give them drinking money
so badly that you would cut down your own salary.
Oh, no! This is very expensive.
An attendant's salary can't possibly pay for this.
You can't even send an allowance back home.
I should be asking you for money.
Oh, no! I'm sorry, ma'am.
Please take away money from my allowance.
If it's not enough, take away my savings.
All right. I'll handle the paperwork.
Also...
An added salary for poison testers. It's danger money.
About the same pay as my current salary...
Because there's no money going to the kidnappers,
it's actually a raise.
Thank you, ma'am.
She's good at using her carrots.
It's fine!
Just rest!
We already had enough people anyways.
I'm so bored!
I'm only called upon as a poison tester
for the two meals and teatime at noon.
I finally have my own room.
If I had some poisonous snakes, I could do experiments...
-Maomao? -Oink?
Did you call for me, Lady Gyokuyou?
He called for you.
Why won't it work on her?
What business do you have today?
I received this from a soldier.
Can you taste test it?
Bao buns?
It contains an aphrodisiac.
You know without eating it?
It won't have any impact on your health.
You're free to enjoy these.
Considering who gave them to me, I can't just eat these...
You may get a visit from that person tonight.
Disappointing. She can tell just by the smell?
This man... He knew it contained an aphrodisiac
and tried to make me eat it?
I want to ask you one other thing.
What is it?
The other day,
there was a foreign combat troop out on an expedition.
-They were poisoned. -Poisoned?
Many of the soldiers that ate the meal
had symptoms of nausea and difficulty breathing. Many got sick.
Nausea and difficulty breathing?
The meal was prepared at a nearby village.
The village head was captured for siding with the foreigners,
but one soldier controlled the situation, and the punishment remains undecided.
Normally, one would think
that the villagers poisoned the meal, but...
Sir Jinshi, where was this meal eaten?
They were camping, so outside.
Were the bowls, chopsticks, and spoons prepared by villagers as well?
No, the soldiers prepared it themselves.
Have you realized something?
This is just an opinion.
This flower is called a rhododendron.
Is it tasty?
No. If you eat it, you get nausea and difficulty breathing.
Hey!
As you can see, there are many poisonous plants even in the rear palace.
With these, the leaves are poisonous,
but some have poison in the branches and roots.
Some plants become poisonous from burning the raw wood.
Just by burning it?
I see...
It was good that a rational soldier was present.
He prevented one village from being burned down.
Yes...
-If we're finished here, I'm off. -No, wait.
Is there anything else?
Will you make a stimulant potion?
Make a potion? In other words...
Medicine preparation?
With time, the ingredients, and the tools,
I can make something with that effect.
Sir Jinshi. Where are you off to?
I'm returning to my office.
Can I help you?
It's nothing... Would you like some tea in my room?
Unfortunately, I have work left to do. Excuse me.
I wonder if the palace women really haven't realized
that you are an investigator who measures their loyalty
to the Emperor.
Inviting other men to bed because the Emperor will not visit them...
-How imprudent. -Truly.
A concubine cannot just be beautiful and well-educated.
They need to be loyal to the Emperor and be chaste.
Placing you in the rear palace
to use your beauty as a test for the concubines' loyalty...
The Lord can be cruel.
He uses what he can.
However... Not only was she not tempted by me, but she saw me
with those eyes...
It's the first time I was regarded with such contempt!
I'll be off then.
You may get a visit tonight...
A visit... A visit...
I'll be off then.
-Yes. Good luck. -Yes, ma'am!
Excuse me.
The quack doctor, and...
Hello. Let me introduce myself.
My name is Gaoshun.
I usually work as an aide to Sir Jinshi.
Nice to meet you.
Hello.
It must be hard to be an aide to "that"...
She's just an attendant... Why...?
Intruding in my territory...
Right this way.
You're free to use whatever you'd like in here.
Is that some kind of cursed dance?
What a luxury to be able to use this much paper.
All right, next up...
This, right?
He's very observant.
Compared to him, his master...
If you're not doing anything, go away!
Here you are.
Thank you.
It's not enough...
-What is this? -This is cocoa.
If this isn't enough, just get more.
These are obtained from the southern lands of the Far West.
We should be able to find it among the trade items.
Milk, butter,
sugar, honey, and powdered cocoa.
All this should be enough.
It's all expensive items.
I wonder what she's making?
Maybe a snack!
What are you three doing?
-Get back to work! -We're sorry!
Geez!
Now, time to prepare the stimulant potion!
I've eaten cocoa once before.
This is called chocolate, Maomao.
Maomao?
An evil customer gifted it to win the affection
of a popular courtesan,
but unfortunately, he was banned from ever entering by Grams.
All set.
I'll chill these, and...
Now, I have to wait for it to harden.
There's some left over.
I know!
No need to chill these.
Now, I'll do the dishes.
Are those medicinal herbs?
Here! And here, too! And here!
I lost track of time.
I'm sorry for being late!
Huh?
What?
At least, now I know it works.
What's going on?
There's nothing to explain...
It's all right. They haven't done anything...
So this is the stimulant we discussed?
No. These are for you.
So what is this?
These are my snacks.
If you're used to alcohol and stimulants,
the effects are not strong.
I see, in that case, there should be no trouble if I eat these.
-Please don't! -Please don't!
I'm kidding.
What an inappropriate statement in front of the Emperor's favorite.
But if that face came to tempt you with flushed cheeks...
I'm sure that most men and women couldn't resist.
He's pointlessly beautiful.
The effects are strong, so please have only one at a time.
Too much will circulate your blood
and give you a nosebleed.
Maybe I'll request some for the Emperor one day.
I have to keep it spicy.
It should be three times more powerful than regular tonics...
Three times?
You mean, he'd last three times as long?
I'll pretend I didn't hear.
Also, please only use this
when you're alone with your love interest.
I see.
All right. I'll be taking my leave now.
She can make medicine, huh?
She's very reliable.
I'm finally finished...
You worked hard.
Thank you.
I see.
I hope there won't be any victims...
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
Next episode, "The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit."
Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi