The Apothecary Diaries (2023) s01e20 Episode Script

1
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.
The scent of sandalwood
This is Sir Jinshi's bedroom.
Why am I in a place like this?
Oh, you're awake.
Don't push yourself.
You needed 15 stitches.
Sir Jinshi didn't want you to
rest at the medical office,
so he brought you here.
Here you are.
Thank you.
I know you've just woken up,
but could you get changed?
I'm going to bring everyone here.
I can do that.
What's going on?
Basen!
It's understandable.
His master was in danger.
Though he has no business yelling at me.
I apologize for my appearance.
It's fine. More importantly,
explain to us why
you went to that location,
and how you knew the pillar
was going to fall.
Understood, sir.
That was an accident caused by
many coincidences.
But it was as if those coincidences
overlapped through someone's design.
That would mean
that it was a planned event,
and not an accident.
The first coincidence was
the death of Sir Kounen,
a high-ranking official
at the Board of Rites.
The second was the warehouse fire,
and the theft
of the ritual items
that occurred simultaneously.
The third coincidence was
the manager of the ritual items
collapsing due to food poisoning
at around the same time.
You're saying all those events
were by someone's design?
Perhaps.
Lastly, there is
one more important detail.
-What is it?
-The ritual items that were stolen.
During the festivities, the poles
for the altar are hung by a metal wire
and fixed to a metal fitting on the floor.
If they wanted to design an accident,
they'd target the crucial metal fitting.
If something that important was stolen,
they would remake it for sure!
I'm sure they did.
They would add intricate embellishments
appropriate for the festivities.
I had an idea
of who the metalsmith might be.
The goldsmith who passed away?
Yes. The stolen metal fitting was
recreated by a goldsmith.
If this fitting
was designed to break from heat
Don't be stupid! It's metal.
It wouldn't
melt at such a low temperature
Using the secret technique
of the late goldsmith,
it could melt just from being near fire.
You're saying the goldsmith was
a part of this plot?
No. He probably knew nothing.
He probably just followed the request
for the commission.
"Remake this item using
the special metal."
Or something like that.
An accident happening during festivities,
would make the goldsmith suspicious.
If they got rid of him before that,
the person who commissioned him
and the metal that melts at low
temperatures would all remain a mystery.
It would've been very convenient.
You're saying he was killed.
I don't know.
But it could've been murder
made to look like an accident.
The person who
commissioned the late goldsmith
to make this fixture knew about
the secret technique
to make the special metal.
That's all I can say for certain.
Understood.
But I never imagined Sir Jinshi
would be at the ceremony.
If the festivities continued as planned
Who the hell is he?
Someone whose life
could be targeted
in a large-scale plot like this
Knowing that would only cause
more trouble.
This is out of my hands now.
-Xiaomao.
-Yes, ma'am.
You have a guest.
We investigated
and found that a court lady named Suirei
was connected.
I knew it.
Her dead body was found.
What?
By the time the Board of Justice
barged into her room,
she had collapsed from ingesting poison.
The physician performed the autopsy,
and her death was confirmed.
What's going to happen?
They'll keep her in the coffin
and burn her at the stake tomorrow.
And who else was involved?
No one else. Only Suirei.
She performed all of those
detailed tasks on her own?
So, I guess it's case closed.
See you.
She died by being poisoned?
Is this really the end?
And even before that.
Is Suirei the type of woman
to kill herself?
Did she have those apathetic
expressions and attitudes
because she knew she had no future?
But it was as if she was challenging me
that one time
I'm going to plant morning glories here.
Resurrection medicine
Speculation isn't enough.
I can't say for sure.
Sir Jinshi!
I want to ask you something!
What is it?
I'd like to speak to the physician
in charge of Suirei's autopsy.
At the morgue.
Why are you laughing?
I lost to my curiosity!
Sir Jinshi, you really
didn't have to come.
If the Apothecary's coming, I'm coming.
I understand.
Xiaomao, right this way.
Thank you, sir.
I'm sorry for the wait.
So this physician did the autopsy, huh?
The court lady he was friendly with died,
and she was treated as a criminal.
No wonder he looks tired.
But is that all?
Our question is simple.
Did the poison the court lady took
contain any thornapple?
That is
The small hill on top of the stable.
Is that where you planted the thornapple?
They are extremely poisonous,
but a small amount of it makes
an effective anesthetic.
I'm sure the medical office is
equipped with them.
Thornapple looks similar to
white morning glories.
I can't say for sure.
From her symptoms, it's highly probable,
but I can't say for certain.
In that case, let's check.
What are you doing?!
Stay quiet and watch!
Stop it
It's open.
It's not Suirei?
No way
It was Suirei! I know it!
Are you certain?
I'd never mistake someone else for Suirei.
She had no pulse
and her heart wasn't moving.
She was beautiful.
So, you were used as a pawn.
You didn't even think of
cutting into the body
to investigate the specific type
of poison being used.
Suirei predicted that, as well.
You!
Suirei didn't just use thornapple.
If you check the inventory number
of the medical office,
you'll know what she used.
The only sin he has committed
is the careless management
of medication inventory.
What's going on?
Why was the dead body switched?
If they're burning the coffin,
people would get suspicious
if it was empty.
They probably placed a different dead body
in a new coffin
and swapped them.
Then what about Suirei's body?
It would be difficult to sneak out.
There's no need for that.
What do you mean?
Because she walked away on her own.
I thought she was dead!
There's a medication to make it look
as if a person died.
Do you know it?
I've heard of it,
but thought it was all fantasy.
What is it?
The medication is said to be found
in a distant land.
It kills someone once,
and then brings them back to life.
I'm not sure of the details,
but I've heard that
it contains thornapple and pufferfish.
-Xiaomao?
-Sir Gaoshun.
Could you look inside the empty coffin?
Yes.
Nail marks.
That's probably where the dead Suirei
was sleeping.
And once someone came to help her
and opened the coffin,
she came back to life.
They placed a new coffin
with a different dead body,
disguised themselves as workers, and left.
But there's no certainty that
such a plan would work!
Either way, if she's found,
she'll be executed.
If it were me, I'd bet on that gladly.
You're a special case.
If her dead body isn't here,
it means Suirei won the bet.
If this had been after the substitute body
was burned, she would've won the game.
But I won't let her do that
If she is alive, I'd love to meet her.
Not to catch her.
The knowledge that made all her plots
look like accidents,
and the guts to pull that off.
Her toughness that allowed her
to bet on her own life
just to trick everyone!
It wouldn't be fun if a person like that
had died so easily!
The elixir of resurrection!
I'm going to make her tell me
the recipe for sure!
-Excuse me.
-What is it?
Could you stitch my legs?
The scar opened up.
Why didn't you tell me sooner?
Lady Loulan.
In the end,
Suirei's case ended in a secret treaty.
There are many unsolved mysteries about
the court lady Suirei.
According to the physician,
his mentor was her guardian.
This guardian
saw through her talent a few years ago
and adopted her,
but not much
about her before that is known.
This will be a long case.
I took Xiaomao to her room.
Thanks.
We can't have her
opening up her wounds again.
Yes.
It's not only her injuries we're
worried about.
There's also the case of
the eccentric, Lakan.
It's certain that he is her father.
From the Apothecary's reaction, it seems
their relationship is complicated.
The rear palace is tomorrow, right?
Yes, sir.
No issues. It tastes the same as usual.
So, it tastes weird.
You don't have to drink it
if you don't want to.
It's an important gesture as a eunuch.
You probably shouldn't hold your nose
in front of others.
-It makes you look much younger.
-I know.
Elegant manners,
a smile of a goddess,
a voice as sweet as honey.
A "24-year-old" man who became a eunuch
five years ago, when the rear palace
was passed on to the current emperor.
That is Jinshi.
Ever since I decided to put on
the mask of Jinshi,
I take this medicine every day
to make me "not into a man."
Eventually, you'll become
impotent for real.
And what about you?
My children are all adults.
We had another grandchild
just the other day.
Your oldest son had another child?
Yes.
I'm thinking it's time
for my younger son to find a wife.
You mean Basen, right? He's still 19.
Yes, just like you. He's 19.
Even though the eunuch Jinshi is 24.
So you're saying I should find a lover
and finish up this job quickly?
Let me hug my grandchildren, okay?
I'll work hard.
Good day, Sir Jinshi.
Your garments are beautiful, as always.
Thank you, sir.
-Sir Jinshi
-The Emperor is visiting Concubine Loulan,
but he doesn't seem to desire her.
Concubine Loulan loves fashion
and changes her hairstyle
and makeup often.
This makes her hard to recognize
during visits,
confusing the Emperor.
Even so, He has been visiting her
once every ten days.
Concubine Loulan's father is
chief vassal who was well-liked
by the Empress Dowager.
So, He cannot ignore her completely.
The Emperor has also not shown interest
in Concubine Lishu.
The Emperor was disgusted at
his father's pedophilic tendencies,
and does not plan on
laying his hands on her.
The Empress Dowager, who has
given birth to the current Emperor,
has given birth to another child
a little over a decade later.
The physician did not leave the
Empress Dowager's side during the birth
and the child was born without issues.
However, Concubine Ah-Duo's birth
was disregarded
as it overlapped with
the Empress Dowager's birth.
Because of this, Concubine Ah-Duo
lost her uterus
and the current Emperor's first prince
died soon after.
If that child was alive now
That's pointless daydreaming.
We must get
the next Eastern Palace right away.
Oh, you're here.
You look very tired.
Come on, you three. Get back to work.
Yes, ma'am.
Actually
-To the rear palace?
-Yes.
It seems as if her monthly bleeding
has ceased.
In other words, she may be pregnant.
When should I go?
Can you go today?
-Yes, sir.
-I'm counting on you.
This is convenient for me.
There are no men allowed
in the rear palace.
I have no chance of running into that man
whose name I don't even want to hear.
Could it be that he did this for me
on purpose?
Either way, I'm a food taster again.
Oh, you're in a good mood.
What? That's not true.
How unfortunate.
I was happy to have a girl here
that I can train.
Right?
My first time in the rear palace
in a while
has been uneventful.
I'm working as a food taster, like before.
This is safe to eat.
Other than her late period,
there's no way to know if she's pregnant.
I thought this
during Lady Ah-Duo's incident,
but maybe He's not just
some perverted old man.
His trusted advisor, Lady Ah-Duo, left,
and her replacement was an eccentric girl
who could even sway the court.
He can't ignore her,
but having a child with her
would cause problems
It must be quite the headache.
VERDIGRIS HOUSE
Hey, did you hear?
One of the Three Princesses?
Yes! She's being bought out of bondage!
Bought Out?
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
Next Episode, "How to Buy Out a Contract."
Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi