I’ve learned that with the anime version of Kusuriya no Hitorigoto at least, you never want to make assumptions about what sort of episode you’re looking at. Very often this show will start off with a lighter tone and lull you into complacency, then take a dark and serious turn on a dime. This was certainly an example. We were looking at what for all the world seemed like a pretty normal Nancy Drew subplot, when things got very heavy indeed. But then, those Nancy Drew incidents have a tendency to be more than they seem, generally speaking.
I want to qualify the following statement by noting that I thought this was a superb episode, in dramatic terms. The misdirection was well-played and the third act hit hard (no pun intended). I do think, if I’m honest, that Apothecary is too reliant on coincidence and that this ep was an example of it. Random encounters just happen to be with someone who has relevant information. Conclusions come at literally the last second possible to matter, after months of inaction. It’s somewhat ironic that Maomao was pondering (and explaining to Lihaku) coincidences here.
That aside, it was quite the twist. Lihaku tracks down Xiaomao to notify her that on the same day as the fire they investigated, there was a theft at another warehouse. Also, the pipe she found was never returned to its owner, because he refused to take it back. That looped in a court lady who was almost surely Suirei, who gave it to him. The warehouse manager is the gourmand who got sick from imported seaweed, and the previous one the guy who died from salt poisoning. And the metalwork artisan who died was the one responsible for a heavy pillar above the altar in an important ceremonial hall.
That last one is especially interesting, as it implies another reason why Lakan might have manoeuvred Xiaomao into that case. And just to be clear, when I say I have an issue with coincidences it’s not this I’m talking about – in fact her explanation about how an investigator has to try and differentiate coincidence from conspiracy made perfect sense. It’s more with the fact that the guy she was talking to at the archives just happened to have been a former worker at the ceremonial hall, and one who had expressed safety concerns about that pillar. But it is what it is.
Maomao is such a smart girl, but she definitely has blind spots. Obviously her lust for medical goods (that whole ox bezoar thing). Also with some people close to her – as witness her surprise at seeing Jinshi was the one whose ass she was saving at the ceremonial hall. That said, as she was flashing back to Oyaji telling her not to act based on conjecture, a situation was brewing that would necessitate her doing exactly that. If Maomao hadn’t acted on conjecture Jinshi would very likely be pillar food. Which I guess goes to show that a great detective sometimes has to trust their gut.
That incident outside the hall was ugly to say the least. Of course, no guard in his right mind would take her seriously in that situation. Deliberately provoking him to cause an incident and hopefully stop the ceremony in the process was a calculated move, though I’m certain Maomao didn’t expect the reaction to be that violent. Lakan showing up when he did is, like everything about the man, suspicious and fascinating. I think it’s pretty clear that he was genuinely aggrieved at what had happened to Xiaomao, as witness the perpetual smirk disappearing from his face. But the fact that he showed up when he did (which type of coincidence was that?) suggests he had foreknowledge of what was going to happen. My gut is telling me he wasn’t behind that incident either way, however.
The equation with Maomao and Jinshi has fundamentally changed now, that much is certain. She literally and indisputably saved his life, at great personal risk (and injury). He was already in love with her, but their professional relationship has to be altered as a result of that. The fact that she acted without knowing whose life she was saving is relevant, but in Jinshi’s mind I’m not sure it will matter. Xiaomao was never a simple servant girl, obviously, but whatever she was before, her stature levels up greatly as a result of her actions here.
Vance
February 18, 2024 at 4:10 pmI’ve been suspicious of Suirei since last episode when the doctor that prepared Suirei and Maomao’s medicine said, “A court lady shouldn’t be doing this.” and then immediately told Maomao to forget what he said after noticing that she was there. Suirei is clearly a suspect character, but I did not expect that she was a mastermind behind an assassination attempt on Jinshi’s life.
Suirei did pose the question to Maomao, “Just how good are you?” and shared that she would be planting morning glories at that mound soon. If Kusuriya no Hitorigoto is meant to be a Sherlock Holmes-eque story, maybe that was Suirei trying to size up Maomao as an opponent with the additional context viewers gained from this latest episode.
Nellie
February 18, 2024 at 4:16 pm….Aaaaaand all the Jinshi/Maomao shippers lost their minds.
The impression I got from the previous episodes was that Jinshi’s connection to the Imperial Family was supposed to be a very tightly guarded secret. Perhaps they’re bowing in deference to him simply because they think he’s a civil servant high-ranking enough to conduct ceremonial rites. I would imagine he’s moving slowly because 1)he doesn’t want to jostle her and make her head injury worse and 2)he doesn’t want to trip over his robes.
…. Or maybe the anime team couldn’t resist cranking up the drama.
I wasn’t expecting an assassination attempt when I started this show, that’s for sure.
Guardian Enzo
February 18, 2024 at 4:42 pmAt this point I’m almost sure he’s the current emperor’s son. Way too many hints to that effect.
MFF
February 18, 2024 at 9:31 pmIf we go by the Garden party, publicly it looks like he is the Emperor’s brother.
Thumpthump
February 19, 2024 at 5:51 amHe is still royalty(emperor’s brother) and that is known, now who knows to what extent(emperor’s son -they can’t slap you in the face any more with all the hints) is another thing.
Panino Manino
February 18, 2024 at 10:48 pmI’m saying this for months now, I really like this series, the characters, want to know more about them, but the way it tries to do mysteries and other things is not that good. Xiaomao is no different from an isekai protagonist, the world favors her, other characters are made dumber to make her look smarter and protocol is only relevant when it’s convenient to her character.
But maybe after this episode all this will end and we will be left with only the good parts?
Bel
February 19, 2024 at 6:07 amJinshi’s ceremonial robe basically confirms he’s a member of the emperial family. In ancient China, only royalties are allowed to wear robes decorated with a dragon. I think Lakan wasn’t just reacting to how badly Maomao was hurt at the end of the episode. It’s mentioned in previous episodes that Lakan didn’t know Jinshi’s true identity. It’s possible that he doesn’t know who’s inside the ceremonial hall. Now that he sees Jinshi walking out of there in a dragon robe, it’s a simple matter of putting two and two together.
Guardian Enzo
February 19, 2024 at 8:47 amWas that mentioned? I don’t remember it TBH.
Bel
February 20, 2024 at 1:00 amImplied. My bad.
landofthekwt
February 20, 2024 at 3:14 amThe princess carry of Maomao past the guards to his home by Jinshi trailing blood was very effective . Although it remind me of the ending to Tokyo Ghoul Route A , for some reason this element which was not in manga worked better than that ending which many people panned and became a meme of bad anime endings
Guardian Enzo
February 20, 2024 at 9:10 amAnyone who did that is a philistine as far as I’m concerned.
Nicc
February 20, 2024 at 8:38 amWhew, this was a packed episode. It started simply enough with Lihaku dropping dropping by to ask Maomao about something. It’s something that’s “off-the-record” and it’s about that warehouse fire from a few episodes earlier. At the same time that the warehouse was burning, there was a theft at another warehouse. Something important for a ceremony was stolen, though we don’t get to learn what it was. The pipe from that episode makes a reappearance too as its owner didn’t want it back. It certainly sounds like that person is Suirei, at least based on the eyewitness description. It also puts her at the center of the previous cases that Maomao has been working on. I’m still not sure if Suirei could be the mastermind behind everything, but I guess we may find out in future episodes.
It all leads to having something to do with the ceremonial hall, which were already informed earlier that Jinshi will be there to perform a ceremony. However, there is a trap waiting for him there. Maomao acts on her gut, which turned out to be the correct way to go. I too wasn’t expecting that level of violence with the encounter outside of the ceremonial hall, but indeed no guard worth their salt would just take her words at face value. It was a calculated move on her part, though getting hit like that certainly wasn’t a part of it. Then, Lakan shows up, which I agree was also a calculated move. He looked like he was going to personally execute the guard for beating her like that. It’s a close shave, but Maomao saves the day and indeed their relationship will be very different now.
On a side note, Jinshi wearing that outfit… Man, he was really asking to become a jiangshi if Maomao was too late.
SeijiSensei
February 21, 2024 at 5:40 amI didn’t think Lakan’s presence at the event was suspicious. Lakan seems like a fairly high-ranking personage himself, so I wasn’t surprised to see him there.
Guardian Enzo
February 21, 2024 at 8:12 amBut he wasn’t at the ceremony, he was outside the hall (and showed up after Maomao did).