Well, it’s really starting to hit the fan now. We’re in full-on exposition mode with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, and it’s totally working for me. Mainly because it’s about time – 40 episodes of setup is plenty – but also because this series is invariably better when it’s about something significant. You have to forgive the ridiculous level of coincidence – Chekov’s feifa has never been a bigger howitzer than with The Apothecary Diaries. But the premise itself is a compelling one, and we’re starting to see the stakes elevated to Himalayan levels.

You say you want a revolution? The Shi Clan has you covered. The pieces all slot into place here, and more or less where one might have suspected based on recent revelations. I made one especially prophetic statement last week – “Maomao ought to cover for Kyou-u as best she can, at least – she did rather drag him into this – but the both of them would seem to be in serious trouble here. And that’s especially true with neither Suirei or Shisui around to try and smooth things over.” The two of them were in very serious trouble, and Maomao knew it. And Shishui aka Loulan knew it too, and arrived just in the nick of time to buy Xiaomao a reprieve with a well-crafted lie.

The immortality potion places a lot of pressure on Maomao to be sure, but with a caveat. She can give Shenmei anything, and it’s not as if its efficacy could be proved immediately given the nature of its stated purpose. So she can use it to stall for time until a potential rescue, which she has to hope is coming sooner or later. Maomao once more declining to realize the truth of Jinshi’s identity is, to say the least, frustrating. She’s so close. I get why this is a blind spot for Maomao but as smart as she is, we’re seriously defying credibility here.

Shenmei is at the center of this, to be sure. Everyone is terrified of her and for good reason, as she’s extremely cruel and vindictive. Certainly to Suirei nee Shisui, in actually the current Shisui’s half-sister. She was banished from the Shi palace and treated as a servant because Shishou fathered her with another woman, and only Loulan treats her as a member of the royal family. Given that Shishou turns out to be from a branch of the main family, it’s entirely possible that Shenmei is the real power, and the impetus behind this nascent rebellion.

And that’s certainly what this is. The notion of protecting Kyou-u is spun in a fascinating way here, and Maomao can’t save him from this reality. I very much get Heike Monogatari vibes here – what happens to a clan when they rebel (and lose) is truly unspeakable. Kyou-u is a child but that’s irrelevant – anyone and everyone will be subject to the Emperor’s retribution. Especially boys, who represent a potential future threat – as Taira no Kiyomori could be the first to tell you, his decision to spare Minamoto Yoritomo and Yoshitsune leading to his clan’s eventual destruction. Kyou-u’s actual identity is not clear, apart from his nobility – his mother is either dead or under Shenmei’s thumb, and he may be at risk from Shenmei himself as a potential rival for clan rule.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, things are heating up even more quickly. Jinshi gets another report from Lahan, detailing the truth of what’s likely happening in the north. And then a visit from Lakan, who’s none too pleased – either with the fact that his daughter was kidnapped on Jinshi’s watch, or with Jinshi’s reaction to it. Lakan’s vitriol is understandable, but make no mistake – it’s treasonous. He’s calling the Emperor’s brother out, revealing his identity and questioning his character. Jinshi probably wouldn’t have acted on it (not least because he knows Lakan is right) but would have been within his rights to have Lakan’s head.

Lahan knows this of course, and manages (in unlikely fashion) to have Loumen rushed to the scene just in time. This is a fascinating moment – one in which we truly see just how much stature Loumen has, and how brilliantly he acts to defuse the situation. What a formidable, quiet beast of a man he is. But only the crisis of the moment is defused – the larger one remains unaffected. And Jinshi knows the truth of it – the life and identity he’s struggled so much to evade has finally caught up to him. The girl he loves is in danger, his top strategist is demanding (politely) her rescue, and the throne itself is under threat.

Even if it weren’t for the first two, the third would demand his action – and that action is to assume his true identity and take his place at the head of the Imperial special forces. This is war, make no mistake – and it can only end with either the fall of the current line or the total destruction of the Shi clan. Jinshi can no longer play at being a eunuch administrator – the times demand he assume his role as the Moon Prince. It’s no mean feat to put down a rebellion by a powerful clan with the latest in weaponry. But to do so while preserving the life of someone in their custody? It’s an unenviable task laid out for Jinshi, but unfortunately for him seemingly one only he can undertake.