DO NOT discuss the source material beyond this episode. If you want to discuss future events or theories, please use separate threads.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
DO NOT ask where to watch/download this episode or give links to copyrighted, non-fair use material.
DO NOT troll/bait/harass/abuse other users for liking or disliking the series/characters.
DO read the Anime Discussion Rules and Site & Forum Guidelines.
| It covered up to chapter Chapter 30 of LNs is someone prefers to read the source and not the manga adaptation. Ep. 12 will cover the remaining chapter and epilogue of Vol. 1 of LN. |
 |
| Quite an exciting and elaborate episode, and a great conclusion to the poisoning mini arc. Did the ending suggest that Fengming had some members of her family kidnap Maomao on purpose? Perhaps to use her as leverage against her father (who might have known her secret)? |
 |
| Wow, this episode is jam-packed with revelations about this series' mysteries. So it all falls into place and where Lishu fits in, where she's the key to everything so far. This episode and its revelations explained all the mysteries the series has been building up to, who the mastermind was, the motives, and so on. They even explained my burning question of why that foot-bounded servant committed suicide (initially thought to have been a murder), where she supposedly chose to take her own life by jumping into the moat for Ah-Duo's sake (where she would have been blamed for the poisoning incident, I think) with the help of Fengming assisting her suicide like a modern Canadian doctor would do today. The swap at birth was quite something else as well and would explain why Jinshi was crying when he was with Maomao at the wall, after he was just drinking with his biological mother, knowing he would likely never see her again. ...And I guess that would mean that Jinshi...must still have his family jewels, as he is not an actual eunuch if he's the real prince. His social standing as a prince would place him on par with the current emperor, supposedly being his "brother" as he was born to the previous emperor+empress dowager. But with the revelation that he's in fact, the current emperor's+Ah Duo's biological son, he would still be a prince, and crown heir. Maybe he's pretending to be a eunuch to hide the fact that he's the current emperor's real son? I'm quite satisfied with having my unanswered questions more or less fulfilled. If there was one I didn't fully understand..., it was maybe why exactly Jinshi was looking for someone with a burn on their arm and how that relates to sending messages through colored fire. Maybe it has something to do with the brand new question at the end opening up, when Gaoshun gives Jinshi documents with how Maomao was somehow connected to Fengmin's family or her family's connections, in this case, the kidnappers. I wonder where that one will lead to. The next episode should be good. @Nachtwandler_21 And no, she was kidnapped randomly. It is just a coincidence that her kidnappers had some deals with Fengmings family, so Jinshi has to end her contract early according to the rules (they have to remove anyone with ties to her family from the palace as a precaution). Thanks for that clarification. |
Estoy_GordoDec 16, 2023 3:03 PM
| This show just keeps getting better and better. We got a lot of speculation and theories about our characters this episode, and all of them are pretty exciting |
 My candies (2024):          x4 |
| the head maid was looking pretty freaky there as maomao uncovers the truth again. jinshi's a clingy drunk lol. |
 |
| impossible to not enjoy this beautiful episode so the prince... |
| PLEASE STOP RATING!!! less than 4 means that you don't know how to judge Anime / Manga!!! best recom on https://www.instagram.com/otakuweek?igsh=em5kY3Q4NTVtNXlh or Discord https://discord.gg/vbZrk64uH7 |
| Ah I had a feeling it was infant botulism, though I wasnt sure if it was that or poison honey till now. It is sort of understandable Fengming was coving up the cause of death to protect Ah Dou yet knowing a cause is actually but what was shown in the end, that wasn't the full story so the real situation is covering up an infant swap that lead to the emperor's son to die and ....I really need to start seeing family trees of everyone in this show it gets confusing after a while lol Embient said: Maomao thiking about Fengming's execution in such a nonchalant manner shows how such cruel things are common in the rear palace. What she did to Lishu was wrong, but I gotta feel bad for her. Just wish that Ah-Duo learned the truth about her "son's" death in the end. I think it was that Maomao didn't feel all that sorry for her since she tried to fatally poison Lishu which just makes it like a matter of fact for her to be executed. |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
| this show is so quietly good |
| 🌈 i just want gintama back |
|
Reply to BlichoBoy
The whole ordeal sucks, but what really sucks is the lack of doctors in such affluent place. If was some slums would be okay, but is the darn palace. And just had one doctor?
But kinda adds up, seeing that the current rear palace doctor is a chump. Awful health budget allocation.
So Maomao was kidnapped on purpose, not at random.
But kinda adds up, seeing that the current rear palace doctor is a chump. Awful health budget allocation.
So Maomao was kidnapped on purpose, not at random.
| @BlichoBoy because ancient china:tm: only eunches can be doctors for the imperial palace and yea most ppl dont want their shit chopped off just to get a job that isnt as good(since imperial palace isnt as well as other jobs they could get whether outside or inside) luohan just so happened to already be an eunch due to his family stuff before he got pulled to be a doctor and yea jsut so happen dude was wayyyyyyyy too skilled to be one anyways if anything sadly the current quack in the anime is the average lvl of doctor in the imperial palace if we go by irl china |
| It's good that Slop leveling won the CR awards with such a power gap, Gaijin Weebs don't deserve good anime. Not after what they did to frieren, kusuriya, and many others |
| She just figured out everything that was going on, by observing the under-currents and with her knowledge of medicine. Him holding on to her while crying, that was kind of wow. That retiring concubine really earned the loyalty and love of her servants, that's amazing. |
 |
| From the moment we first laid eyes on Ah-Duo I always wondered why does she look so much like Jinshi, guess now we have our answer. |
 |
| It was a good episode, as usual, Jinshi being Ah Duo's son is unexpected. I wonder when the mystery around Maomao's birth will be solved. |
“There are only two types of people in the world--those who became otaku and those who didn't--and the latter just can't understand what the former is so excited about."--Ono Norihiro  |
| And the plot thickens. Great episode again. |
| I knew right away that A Duo and Jinshi were related, but I thought as distant siblings or cousins or something. What's up with everyone giving birth as teenagers? Also, Jinshi is only 16?? For some reason I thought he was, like, 18-20. :P Also, Maomao's winter outfit is very cute ^^ |
| Very good episode, but to tell the truth I started loosing the thread. All along I thought that Jinshi was the emperor's brother and the story about him being ill was just a facade. I had to rack my brain really hard to realise that if Jinshi is Ah-Duo's son then he is the son of the current emperor too, but in that case he can't be an eunuch. If that is the case and Maomao has realized that then why does she still think of or refer to him as an eunuch (see the title of the next episode)?? If he was really a swapped child, who was reared as the empress-dowager's son, then as far as the world concerned he is the younger brother of the current emperor, but then why would they treat him as a high-ranking eunuch and hide his "true" identity? What is going on here? |
IshitatesoDec 16, 2023 9:46 PM
 |
| What a cinematic masterpiece this turned out to be; dark clouds on the horizon, intricate stories that intertwine into both the future and the past. |
| The guilt someone would feel from causing misfortune to others due to ignorance is terrifying. |
 |
| Hmmm ... what will happen to Maomao? Because all of those transactions that Fengming's family done would be ineffective. |
| Things is getting interesting. |
 |
Reply to Ishitateso
Very good episode, but to tell the truth I started loosing the thread. All along I thought that Jinshi was the emperor's brother and the story about him being ill was just a facade. I had to rack my brain really hard to realise that if Jinshi is Ah-Duo's son then he is the son of the current emperor too, but in that case he can't be an eunuch. If that is the case and Maomao has realized that then why does she still think of or refer to him as an eunuch (see the title of the next episode)?? If he was really a swapped child, who was reared as the empress-dowager's son, then as far as the world concerned he is the younger brother of the current emperor, but then why would they treat him as a high-ranking eunuch and hide his "true" identity? What is going on here?
| @Ishitateso I'm also pretty confused, but I think the mystery of who Jinshi really is and why he is hiding his identity will be a long-term plot point, so we'll have to wait and see. I'm guessing it'll have something to do with how important it is for a woman to have a male child and how brutal palace politics can get, when everyone is being watched and no one can be trusted. As for Maomao, she has only just begun to suspect Jinshi to be Ah-Duo's son, so I don't think she figured out the details either. She even dismisses her own theory as "delusional", so Jinshi will continue to be a eunuch for now, as far as she's concerned. She does seem to think that Ah-Duo could have given up her baby willingly, which is understandable after seeing so many women make huge sacrifices and do horrible things to protect the people they love. As for the title of the next episode, "The Eunuch and the Courtesan", it may simply be referring to Jinshi's public identity, not his real one. It's also possible that it's referring to someone else entirely; Maomao is not a courtesan either after all. |
| The thing about the one doctor is that the palace can definitely afford a few more doctors, but, as it will be pointed out a little down the road, only men can be doctors. Since men cannot enter the rear palace without becoming an eunuch, many would not really choose this path. Therefore the pool to select from is already pretty bad. You may not get the bottom of the barrel, but the best and brightest aren't going to come. So either you stop the eunuch thing or you allow women to be doctors too. Despite so many differences, this story shares a few elements with Saiunkoku Monogatari. |
| So many stories untold! I'm excited for the next episode. |
 |
| Ah-duo deserves more than an emperor who sees you as a baby machine.. I hope we can still see her, or atleast Lishu can still see her.. Lishu saying goodbye to her makes me emotional. |
Undefeated  Bahamut |
| As much as I would like to sympathize with Fengming, she did try to kill Lishu. However the pain and guilt she must’ve felt knowing that she accidentally killed the son (?) of the person she admired the most had to be unbearable. Looking her in the face everyday. Feels bad man. |
| A lot to process. Overall a great episode with much background and some speculations. It's really getting interesting to see how all of this is tied together. However, Maomao's confrontation of Fengming was a little bit underwhelming and I have a little problem with the conclusion. And I'm well aware there are facts yet unknown but I'm not entirely sure if I like how this case was handled and that the maid who committed suicide for Lady Ah Duo's sake was brushed off so easily as if it was nothing. And even with Maomao not knowing all the facts I think it's wrong of her to make Fengmei an offer to disclose some information for what reason? Ah Duo's sake? Even if there's more to it that feels wrong. And I love Maomao's character but that's wrong. I really felt the scene when Jinshi cried. I wasn#t so happy it happened while he was drunk but it really goes to show this is a story that unfolds gradually. Not saying I like all the choices they make but it's different from usual and not necessarily in a bad way. It's a little weird to me how Maomao's thought process works. But maybe that's just me and the fact that while she is a great main character there's something that always makes the events happening to her and surrounding her feel distant. I can't really put my finger on it. |
You're the light shining over The black and gloomy nights So long I've been waiting To run into your arms Oh, my only one desire You're the one I need Through the thousand years ~ Evermore "Midnight Sun" by AleXa |
Reply to perseii
@Ishitateso I'm also pretty confused, but I think the mystery of who Jinshi really is and why he is hiding his identity will be a long-term plot point, so we'll have to wait and see. I'm guessing it'll have something to do with how important it is for a woman to have a male child and how brutal palace politics can get, when everyone is being watched and no one can be trusted.
As for Maomao, she has only just begun to suspect Jinshi to be Ah-Duo's son, so I don't think she figured out the details either. She even dismisses her own theory as "delusional", so Jinshi will continue to be a eunuch for now, as far as she's concerned. She does seem to think that Ah-Duo could have given up her baby willingly, which is understandable after seeing so many women make huge sacrifices and do horrible things to protect the people they love.
As for the title of the next episode, "The Eunuch and the Courtesan", it may simply be referring to Jinshi's public identity, not his real one. It's also possible that it's referring to someone else entirely; Maomao is not a courtesan either after all.
As for Maomao, she has only just begun to suspect Jinshi to be Ah-Duo's son, so I don't think she figured out the details either. She even dismisses her own theory as "delusional", so Jinshi will continue to be a eunuch for now, as far as she's concerned. She does seem to think that Ah-Duo could have given up her baby willingly, which is understandable after seeing so many women make huge sacrifices and do horrible things to protect the people they love.
As for the title of the next episode, "The Eunuch and the Courtesan", it may simply be referring to Jinshi's public identity, not his real one. It's also possible that it's referring to someone else entirely; Maomao is not a courtesan either after all.
| @perseii At this stage of the story it is still possible to think up pretty wild theories about who is who in this tale. After this episode my current pet theory is that the empress-dowager gave birth to a girl, but if that had been announced officially that would have greatly weakened her position in the court. After she got wind of that the other concubine Ah-Duo had given birth to a healthy boy she offered a noname boy to her in exchange for her child while the girl was given to the court-doctor to get rid of her. It is even possible that Ah-Duo gave birth to twins and only one of them were taken from her and the other boy who died was her child as well (that would explain why she was so out of her mind with grief after the boy's death). Whatever is the truth we can be pretty sure that Maomao is not the noname commoner as this story has been trying to sell her until now. |
IshitatesoDec 17, 2023 8:50 AM
|
| So Jinshi is Ah-Duo's son but was swapped so poses as the current emperor's younger brother. I still think Maomao is gonna end up being another royal baby, all this baby swapping while her father was the royal doctor is too suspicious for that not to come up later. I was half-expecting Maomao to notice Jinshi isn't actually a eunuch when they were hugging, but alas it isn't so. |
| Wondering on what Maomao's father will tell if ever she goes back and ask about the rear palace, there's a lot that can be uncovered which may be a bigger issue or a plot twist it. Excited for the next episode! |
 |
| I love this one. Insane ep as usual and such a great one a that! Those 12 seconds at the end showed Maomao at a party dressed well (with Jinshi). |
 |
| Having a dead child is one of the saddest thing that could happen in your life. |
| I am legit enamored by Ah-Duo. She's just something else. |
| I might just be overthinking this out of nowhere, and I hope I do, but there's a chance that Maomao gets either chosen to be a concubine after her family ties are known, or she gets sentenced to die for some reason and Jinshi has to reveal that he's actually the son of the emperor in order to either claim Maomao as his concubine instead or in order to try and cancel her execution. At least that's what all this is hinting towards, hope it's something else. |
 |
Reply to Supremestrawhat
It was a good episode, as usual, Jinshi being Ah Duo's son is unexpected. I wonder when the mystery around Maomao's birth will be solved.
| @Supremestrawhat in the second half of the season. |
| |
Reply to ApocalypSnow
I knew right away that A Duo and Jinshi were related, but I thought as distant siblings or cousins or something. What's up with everyone giving birth as teenagers? Also, Jinshi is only 16?? For some reason I thought he was, like, 18-20. :P
Also, Maomao's winter outfit is very cute ^^
Also, Maomao's winter outfit is very cute ^^
| @ApocalypSnow he is 18. They said the child was born 17 years ago last episode and died a year later, but it is some odd thing withbchinese counting. It is in fact 18+ years ago. |
| |
More topics from this board
Poll: » Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Episode 19 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )Stark700 - Feb 17, 2024 |
285 |
by QueenMissFit
»»
Yesterday, 9:19 PM |
|
Poll: » Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Episode 24 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page )Stark700 - Mar 23, 2024 |
348 |
by Heliac123
»»
Oct 12, 11:44 AM |
|
Poll: » Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Episode 16 Discussion ( 1 2 3 )Stark700 - Jan 27, 2024 |
109 |
by 0207xander
»»
Oct 11, 4:14 PM |
|
» Maomao is kinda overrated ( 1 2 3 )-Ezra- - Jun 25 |
126 |
by 0207xander
»»
Oct 3, 3:00 PM |
|
Poll: » Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 )KANLen09 - Oct 21, 2023 |
205 |
by M1kasaYu1
»»
Sep 4, 10:31 AM |