One of my observations about The Apothecary Diaries (I’m pretty sure I’ve written it) is that this show is usually better when the stuff that’s happening matters. Idle hands are indeed the devil’s workshop here. The series’ less appealing tendencies tend to assert themselves when it’s spending time on trivia and nonsense. It’s very good at slipping important stuff in under a layer of fluff, undeniably. But even those occasions tend to be more arresting than when there’s nothing underneath but more fluff.

This episode, however, swept all that aside. It was important front beginning to end, almost glaringly so. It’s appropriate that it started with Loumen, as that was a pretty big matzoh ball served up last week. Luomen remans a fascinating character. He’s whip-smart about most things, but with the gentlest of demeanors that can really throw you. Maomao clearly loves him and it irks her that he seems to have so little regard for his own lot in life. He and Guen (and Miaomiao) seem to be getting on famously (Luomen even scolds his little girl for using a mortar and pestle without asking) and this is the very picture of domestic tranquility.

Things take an interesting turn when Luomen writes up a list of concerns about what’s going on in the Rear Palace. Clever as a fox (though another fox is in the coop this week), he sends Maomao off to the school (after making sure Guen can get him scrap paper for cheap) to see if he students can “practice writing” using his dictum. The teacher is an old friend (and seemingly admirer) and susses out Luomen’s intentions immediately. It seems he wrote a similar list “more than 20 years earlier” too, in fact. This concerns Xiaomao for a couple of reasons. Obviously anything her oyaji does that seems risky is a worry. But as well, in telling people what to avoid around pregnant women, he’s also telling those with nefarious minds what can harm them.

This is interesting to me in and of itself. Luomen is certainly smart enough to have thought of that, but I can’t imagine he would have had any ill intentions himself. But large events come fast and furious so there’s no time to dwell. Maomao heads off to the clinic to drop off some alcohol she’s whipped up, and she and Shenlu sit down for tea. Maomao, inquisitive by nature, expresses curiosity about there being so many ladies of long standing at the clinic. The harsh truth comes out – they were children brought into the Rear Palace at age 10 and younger, used and discarded by the former emperor. Having been touched by him they can’t leave, and they have no one waiting for them outside in any case.

Maomao resolves not to further press the suspicions she’s beginning to form – for now. But on the shelves she finds an insect book, which she soon realizes was likely brought in by Suisei. This sets her to wondering why a servant girl like Suisei came in knowing how to read and write – not to mention that she was taking notes in a book of real paper. I think we’re almost at the “certainty” point with Shishui being Loulan, but I’ll hold off on a flat declaration for now. And again there’s not much time to ponder, as the rock star eunuch arrives – and immediately tells Shenlu that Maomao is on to her.

This is Suirei of course, and if she’s not the mastermind of whatever larger plan is going on here, is at the very least intimately involved. Is this just a matter of the lingering resentments of those wronged girls, or is there something more (political) going on here? Again, no time to dwell – Suirei threatens Maomao and then produces none other than Shishui, as a hostage who she’ll grievously harm if Maomao doesn’t go with her to the outside. Maomao isn’t in a position to say no here, and she effectively becomes Suirei’s prisoner again.

Another observation I’ve made before – Kusuriya no Hittorigoto is better when Lakan is in it. And he hasn’t been all season, which sucks. But he finally returns to the scene here, attending a meeting with “Ka Zuigetsu” and Shishou. After which he requests that they join him for tea, producing silver chalices so they won’t need a taster (not 100% reliable in practice, of course). Lakan produces a diagram he’s produced after disassembling a “feifa”, which is revealed to basically be a flintlock rifle/pistol. He also pretty much unmistakably accuses Shishou of being the mastermind of the plot to assassinate the younger brother, though never in so many words. He then produces a go match record and proceeds to gush about his wife (whose condition apparently hasn’t worsened, at least) – but not before taking pains to show Ka Zuigetsu that Shishou is color blind.

Lakan is pretty much the smartest guy in the room no matter who else is in it, so any time he’s cooking you know it’s going to be delicious. With he and Loumen in the picture things can’t but get more interesting. And there’s one final twist here – this time around Ka Zuigetsu isn’t Jinshu, but his mom. Ah-Duo has been missing even longer than Lakan, and hers too is a welcome return. She’s covering for her son because he’s off searching for Maomao, who’s now missing – something I would imagine Lakan is probably aware of too. This may have been the single most eventful episode of the entire series, but even so it asked far more questions than it answered.