Last week’s episode was a total snoozefest. But one of the strengths of The Apothecary Diaries is that it doesn’t seem to have extended troughs. A boring ep here and there, but they rarely carry over. And such was the case here, as this week was far more interesting on every level. Both in terms of events themselves, and setting up future developments – two things which seem to have equal importance in a typical Kusuriya no Hitorigoto episode.

As usual, the mystery – especially a supernaturally-themed one – is really the sideshow here. We get a little showdown between Jinshi and Gyokuyou about Maomao’s services – the true meaning of which Maomao and Jinshi fully grasp, but not the concubine. In the end Maomao is off to investigate little Lishu’s ghost story, and indeed she does. But the real story here is – as usual – the appalling attitude of Lishu’s ladies-in-waiting. Her head lady, the former taster Kanan, is in her camp but she seems to be the only one. And sadly she’s really the in-over her head lady-in-waiting more than anything.

The ghost story itself is made short order of by Meitantei Xiaomao. Massive amounts of mold and rot and the newness of the building tip her off that the waterways carrying hot water for the baths pass underneath the building. Everything is explained away easily enough by this except the face of the ghost. That, as it turns out, is due to the “magic” copper mirror Lishu keeps as a mom-ento of her mother and some well-placed moonlight. That mirror is also an excuse for the former chief LIW to show her true stripes and give Jinshi an excuse to go off on her.

I’ve always been bothered by the appalling conditions Lishu has to deal with. But frustrating as it is, I get that it’s difficult for Jinshi to directly intervene. The final confrontation of this sequence is a fascinating one in how it reflects on the two main characters. Maomao isn’t really capable of understanding Lishu’s pain except on a purely intellectual level (a level in which she also understands her inability to do so). And Jinshi reveals, not for the first time, that’s he’s extremely sharp himself. He’s quite ingenious in maneuvering within the confines of his station. He has power, but always has one hand tied behind his back. He knows full well Lishu is screwed, and does what he can to try and improve her station.

The truth of the situation is becoming pretty clear at this point. Maomao now can no longer convince herself that Jinshi is a eunuch, so she turns her powers of denial to his identity. This is the real secret Jinshi needs to tell Xiaomao – not what he is, but who he is. And it’s clear he’s playing the most dangerous game here, trying to establish himself as the successor to the throne. Maomao is a key figure he wants on his side, but in addition to the emotional entanglements this confronts him with, there’s also the matter of her father.

Lakan has been sorely missed this season. He’s a unique character in the Kusuriya cast and a fascinating man. Even Jinshi is a little scared of him. It seems he’s finally going to become part of the story again, and I hope it’s soon. There are a couple of other threads dangled here too, like the new “eunuch” the servant ladies are all atwitter over. That whole thread stinks like bad cheese – something (Suirei?) is going on there for sure. There’s also the matter of Xiaolan causing an accident where a high-ranking concubine’s ice is destroyed. That’s no big whoop – she’ll be fine. But in true Kusuriya no Hitorigoto fashion it’s surely a segue into a more significant plot development of some sort.