Original subtitles

The Apothecary Diaries

This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.

Next!

What's this? What's wrong with your leg?

Lady Loulan.

I see.

Episode 37: The Baths

Sigh!

What's wrong, Xiaolan?

Where do I go to find a good job?

A job?

Yep. My term of service here is over in six months.

If I was from a rich family, I could expect offers for marriage.

But that's not the case for me.

Maomao, do you have any connections?

Connections, huh?

When I first met her, Xiaolan was just a gossipy girl.

But now, as one of the first students at the new school, she studies hard.

I'd hope she'd find a good place to work after she leaves the rear palace.

Well, there is a place I could introduce you to, but...

There is?!

Technically yeah, but...

At the Verdigris House in the pleasure district,

young, pretty, sociable girls are always welcome.

Xiaolan looks rather young, but has a good face.

More importantly, she's honest and easy to train.

The old lady would easily hire her.

That said, becoming a courtesan isn't a suggestion I'd make lightly.

I would say my connections should be the last, final, desperate choice...

What? How come?

Someone else with connections...

No. If I introduce Xiaolan to Master Jinshi,

I might get her mixed up in whatever trouble he's in.

What's up?

Whoa!

Hey, Shisui!

Do you know any good workplaces looking to hire?

What's this about?

My term's almost up, so I'm looking for work.

You have connections or anything?

I guess, yeah, in a way.

Really?!

Well, more like I know where to make connections.

The baths?

It's pretty empty at this hour.

The giant baths, which use a lot of hot water, are a luxury unique to the rear palace.

Over a thousand people can enter at once.

The huge baths can fit several hundreds of people.

Each high-ranking concubine has their own exclusive bath in their pavilions.

This building contains small room-sized baths for the mid-ranking concubines,

and the huge baths for the servant girls.

I got used to using the bath at the Verdigris House, but...

Normal citizens usually just wipe themselves down with water.

Being able to use a proper bath as a servant is really nice.

Oh, Shisui...

Ah! Hot! Hot!

Of course it's hot at this hour, it's too early.

It cools down gradually to the right temperature later.

Yeah, I usually come a bit later, so I didn't know.

What is it, Maomao?

Nothing, just that your clothes make you look... smaller.

Where exactly are you looking?

Just a habit of mine.

Come on, Shisui. You have to wash up before going into the tub.

Maomao, can I use that too?

Here you go.

What is that?

Hair cleaning soap I found in the clinic.

You want to try it too, Xiaolan?

Yeah.

Whoa! It stings my eyes!

Keep your eyes closed.

She's like a dog.

It's not very hot over here.

I think I'll just wipe down with water.

Really? It feels good.

Xiaolan grew up in the countryside, so she's not used to bathing in hot water,

so the regular water feels better, I guess.

So, Shisui, what about those connections?

Oh, right!

This way!

Whoa!

W-Wait! This area's for the concubines.

Are you sure we should be here?

Don't worry! We can go in, and the connections are this way!

Ah, I see.

Excuse me!

Oh, are you new?

Yes, pleasure to serve you!

Here's the scented oil.

Lay it on me a bit thick, would you?

Understood.

Come on, you two.

Huh?

Xiaolan, here.

Alright, excuse me.

A little to the right.

I guess this concubine doesn't get visits from the emperor.

If she did, she'd be more cautious,

and wouldn't let some unknown servant girl touch her.

Growing up with my big sisters in the pleasure district

made me care too much about small details.

I'm back.

What is that?

Some thread.

What's it for?

I can pull out hairs, like this.

Do you want to give it a try?

Does it hurt much?

It does, but not as bad as a dull razor.

Finishing up with scented oil.

Hmm. I guess I'll see how this goes.

When are you coming next?

What's a good time?

Maybe the day after tomorrow?

I see. We use this to get close to concubines we usually don't connect with.

This must be the "connection-making" Shisui was talking about.

Phew. Massages are hard work.

We ended up getting a queue and everything!

The court lady who used to do it left because her term ended.

I see. Shisui, you know a lot.

That court lady became a favorite of one of the mid-ranking concubines,

and found work back with that concubine's family.

I see. I didn't think about that!

Sometimes they give us things too, like combs and necklaces they stopped using!

Wow!

Even if they're broken, they sell well if the material is good.

Shisui really never misses a good deal.

A servant girl is allowed to use the bath once in two days.

Overstaying every time to give massages to the other concubines...

What would Lady Hongniang think?

Okay! Time to find connections!

Yeah!

I see, massages at the baths?

Yes, I'm accompanying an acquaintance of mine.

I know. You won't allow it. I get it—

Oh, it sounds like a good idea. Right, Hongniang?

Lady Gyokuyou!

People drop their guards in those places,

and sometimes tell interesting stories.

Like palace rumors and such.

Maomao, please let me know if you hear anything interesting, okay?

You heard her!

Yeah, Lady Gyokuyou is just as clever as Shisui.

She's right, though. I do hear a lot of stories here.

Rumors of Lady Gyokuyou's pregnancy are already pretty widespread.

People are already talking about the sex of the baby and when they're expected.

Occasionally, people also speculate Lady Lihua might also be expecting.

But more often, I hear about...

How perhaps Concubine Loulan might be pregnant as well.

I keep thinking, what if?

You know how her outfits are always so unique?

But recently she hasn't been seen outside much,

and when she is, I hear she's often wearing relaxed clothes.

It's been over six months since Concubine Loulan arrived.

As the daughter of Master Shishou,

an important official since the last emperor's reign,

she became a high-ranking concubine with huge fanfare.

The emperor has to spend time with her.

If that's the case, that's three of the four high-ranking concubines pregnant.

It's cause for both celebration and caution.

Hey, go harder on the legs, please.

Yes!

Ah, that feels really good.

When are you coming next?

I'll be here on the day after tomorrow!

And one more thing.

The other rumor I hear often is...

Oh, is he over there?

I heard there's a new, good-looking eunuch that joined.

I wanna take a look at him!

Where have I heard that before?

I heard a rumor that there's thirty new eunuchs.

New?

I thought they stopped performing the surgery that makes them.

They're former slaves.

Slaves? I thought we didn't have those in our country.

I think they're from foreign races.

I hear there are some countries that castrate and enslave foreigners.

So maybe they escaped or were rescued from those places.

If there's thirty of them, maybe there was a large-scale raid or something.

Hmm.

Shisui seems like she only cares about insects, but is actually quite smart.

The new eunuchs are in charge of putting hot water in the baths, right?

I wonder if the rumored guy is there?

Are you sure? He's a eunuch, right?

But he's good-looking, right?

I'm sure he's not as handsome as Master Jinshi, though.

What's wrong, Maomao?

Nothing.

Come to think of it, you're spending a lot of time with Master Jinshi—

On orders from the concubine!

Maomao?

Don't think about that.

That was a frog. A frog!

Hmm?

Is that...

What's Lady Lishu doing here?

I feel like they're staring holes through me.

We're on break. Won't you have some tea?

I wanted to ask you...

How did you end up serving the Jade Pavilion?

How? Well...

The Jade Pavilion was short-staffed, so I got sent to serve as the taster. That's all.

I've heard that already.

What I really want to know is

why is Gyokuyou, who rarely trusts anyone, so comfortable with you?

Dear sister.

Oh.

They used to be very close, I guess. First-name level.

In that case, it's natural for them to be concerned

by the suspicious servant so close by.

I am merely a taster. If someone attempts to poison Lady Gyokuyou,

I will be the one to die first.

That's my role, and there's no need for you to mind me any further.

I was told this already, but you really are cut-and-dry.

Um, thank you.

Also, it seems you have many friends on the outside,

but please try to keep it under control.

When a senior worker in this unfamiliar pavilion keeps wandering off without us,

we feel a bit lonely.

Especially Seki-u, the youngest of us, who's the same age as you.

She's right. Lately, I've almost exclusively been hanging out with Shisui and Xiaolan.

The taster always wandering off does seem a bit suspicious.

In that case, would you like to join me at the baths today?

Huh? The baths?!

That might be good. Seki-u, you should hang out with others sometimes, too.

Haku-u!

Going to the baths is partly an assignment from Lady Gyokuyou too, right?

That's correct.

Koku-u?!

Just consider it part of your job, and go.

W-What?!

I see, so this is a friend of Maomao's?

Is that so?

W-Who are these people?!

They're harmless. Mostly.

Work shouldn't be too tough today.

More girls are performing massages now!

Is that so?

Yeah. The combs and stuff getting handed out got their attention, I think.

I guess the previous worker kept the gifts well hidden.

Lady Seki-u? Aren't you going to get changed?

I-I will!

W-What?!

No!

U-Um...

This is all I'm going to wear?

Yeah. It's really hot inside, even with that!

Don't be shy.

Pretty impressive.

What do you mean, impressive?! It's better to be modest!

She just made an enemy.

How did you get by this long, being so shy?

My sisters use this bathhouse,

but I asked Lady Gyokuyou to allow me to use the bath at the pavilion.

The western region is a desert, and we don't bathe in hot water often, so...

Well, you're going to be too busy to be shy.

Hair removal complete. Lady Seki-u, the scented oils, please.

Lady Seki-u, over here too!

Y-Yes?!

All you have to do is smear this all over.

Smear?!

Yes. Do it like she's a slice of chicken meat.

It lowers their guard and makes them talkative.

Got it...

Okay, rubbing you down!

Is that...

Lady Lishu?

I saw her the other day too, but...

Wouldn't a high-ranking concubine showing up here scare everyone else?

Are you alright, Lady Lishu?

Yes, Kanan.

Yikes. I was wondering if they had any good ladies-in-waiting over there,

but I forgot the entire workforce in that place is no good.

I guess they're not scaring anybody at that rate.

Lady Lishu is fifteen years old.

She's a high-ranking concubine, but the emperor doesn't visit her in the bedroom.

She's still a scared little princess.

Please.

Oh, thank you...

Whoa!

Looking at me like a monster again...

I wish she'd get used to me by now.

Hmm? Razor rashes...

Um, Lady Lishu...

Y-Yes!

Would you like to try a new hair removal technique?

Huh?

Um... Uh....

Lady Lishu!

Please lie down here.

C-Concubine Lishu?! What is a high-ranking concubine doing here?!

Please relax.

I'll be gentle.

Good work.

Thank you.

Thank you for your patience.

I applied some scented oils, so your skin shouldn't get too irritated.

I see...

Is Lady Lishu unaccustomed to this type of thing?

Y-Yes, you could say that.

At the Diamond Pavilion, nobody cares much about... the details.

Before that, she'd gone to a monastery.

Oh, right.

Lady Lishu was an infant

when she first entered the rear palace as part of a political scheme.

After the late emperor passed away, she entered a monastery.

Then, she was made into a concubine again, and came back to the rear palace.

Now that I think about it, it's a pretty cruel story.

Perhaps it's for the best that the former taster became head lady-in-waiting.

Since you're here, would you like a pass too?

N-N-No, thank you!

Um, thank you.

Would you like some cold juice, as a token of gratitude?

Yay!

By the way, why are you in the big bathhouse, Lady Lishu?

I thought the Diamond Pavilion had a bath of its own.

Well...

Something's there.

The pavilion's bath has... Um...

A ghost!

A ghost?

Next Time

Next time: "The Dancing Ghost."

Episode 38: The Dancing Ghost