The Apothecary Diaries
The Empress Dowager
Season 1 • Episode 32
Season 1 • Episode 32
Maomao tries to settle into her promotion to lady-in-waiting and food taster, but struggles to fend off both boredom and the overly-familiar Jinshi. That is, until she gets an assignment of her dreams: to concoct an aphrodisiac.
Tasked with investigating a ghostly woman dancing nightly on the palace walls, Maomao finds a sleepwalking Concubine Fuyou. But with no medicinal cure for sleepwalking, she's forced to dig deeper to find the real reason behind Fuyou's affliction.
Under direct orders from the emperor himself, Maomao tries to care for an ailing Concubine Lihua, but finds her work impeded by Lihua's own ladies-in-waiting.
A eunuch stricken by a curse comes begging for aid. Meanwhile, the rear palace buzzes with excitement as everyone prepares for the upcoming garden party, and Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting aren't about to let Maomao get away without dressing her up.
Maomao does her best to navigate the complex social situations at the garden party, including meeting the other Upper First rank concubines. But once she settles down to do her work as a food-taster, she discovers a surprise in a bowl of soup.
Gaoshun goes to Maomao to get her help in resolving the events of the garden party. Later, Xiaolan explains the purpose of the hairpins Maomao was gifted, and Maomao makes a deal with Lihaku in order to finally visit home.
Maomao's peaceful morning at home is interrupted when she's called in to investigate an apparent double suicide at one of the local brothels.
An older acquaintance of Jinshi's dies while drinking at a party. A servant's body turns up in a moat. Both deaths are written off as self-inflicted, but Maomao's keen observations tell her that there's more to both stories.
Maomao confronts Fengming about the dark secret she's been hiding from her noble Lady Ah-Duo.
Discovering that Maomao's kidnappers were connected to Fengming's family, Jinshi is faced with a choice between keeping Maomao in the rear palace where he can be near her or releasing her from her service.
To Maomao's surprise, Jinshi brings her directly to his house instead of taking her back to the rear palace, and tells her she's to work in the outer court. Not only is there much to learn, it seems there's many eyes on her as the new hire.
Ah-Duo's replacement has arrived in the rear palace, and Maomao is assigned to give a certain lecture to all four high concubines. Later, Maomao helps Lihaku investigate a warehouse explosion.
Gaoshun requests Maomao's help in solving an apparent poisoning case. Meanwhile, Jinshi deals with an unwelcome visitor who's taken to lingering in his office.
Covering up Jinshi's otherworldly beauty is no easy task, but after Maomao takes the challenge head-on, she's surprised when she's also asked to don the disguise of a noblewoman and escort "Jinka" outside the palace.
A discussion with Lihaku about recent events leads Maomao to realize that the mysteries she's helped to solve are connected. As the final piece of the puzzle falls into place, she rushes to stop impending disaster.
Maomao was able to stop the assassination attempt, but was heavily injured in the process. However, the injuries aren't enough to stop her curiosity, driving her to confront the culprit behind the incident.
Back to work at the rear palace, Maomao listens to Guen talk about his family's business. Meanwhile, Lihaku hears a rumor that whips him into action.
Lakan challenges Jinshi to produce blue roses to present at the upcoming garden party, forcing Jinshi to turn once again to Maomao for her help.
No longer willing to keep running away from Lakan, Maomao decides to face off against him. She challenges him on his own turf, in a chess match.
Lakan must now choose a courtesan to buy out. As a high-ranking military official, he can afford to freely choose, even from one of the Three Princesses. Who will he choose? Who does Maomao really want him to choose?
The spring garden party concludes without incident. Maomao returns to her regular life as Concubine Gyokuyou’s taster. Meanwhile, novels become popular in the rear palace. Maomao wonders how this came to be, as novels were typically considered low-class. But behind the scenes lies Jinshi and his goals as manager of the rear palace.
The caravan stirs up excitement in the inner palace. The merchants bring all kinds of goods. However, something gives Maomao a bad feeling.
A concubine passes away, and a woman goes missing. Jinshi sends Maomao to investigate - not these incidents, but mushrooms growing in the rear palace.
The special envoy from a foreign land gifts mirrors - a rarity in this country - to the high concubines. However, they bring mysteries as well.
In order to realize the seemingly impossible request from the foreign envoy, Maomao speaks to the “Moon Fairy” herself.
The woman from the clinic finds out that Maomao knows a thing or two about medicine, and asks for her help.
Maomao directs her curiosity towards an old, oddly-shaped building.
Maomao's reputation for resolving conflicts reaches the empress dowager, who will ask for her help to unravel a mystery that won't leave her mind.
Maomao's investigation of the "curse" reveals more about the late emperor than anticipated.
Maomao joins some women exchanging scary stories on a hot summer night to provide chills.
Jinshi goes on a hunting trip, and brings Maomao along. He seems ready to share his secret with her.
Maomao discovers Jinshi's secret. She wants nothing to do with whatever the politics behind it is.
Xiaolan's term of service is almost up, so she must find a new job. Maomao and Shisui decide to help.
Concubine Lishu reports sightings of a ghost in the baths in her pavilion. Maomao goes to investigate.
Luomen returns to the rear palace. His observations trigger Maomao's curiosity.
Suirei smuggles Maomao and Shisui out of the rear palace. Jinshi begins to search for Maomao.
Maomao has been missing for ten days now. Jinshi's investigations lead him to a forgotten graveyard.
The village holds a festival. Maomao attends, and Shisui introduces some of the village's history to her.
Maomao is taken to a mountain stronghold, where many of the secrets of the Shi clan are revealed to her.
Maomao is accused of attempting to escape, and is tossed into an ancient method of torture and execution.
The royal guard, led by Jinshi, arrives, sealing the Shi clan's fate. Maomao wants to save her friend, Shisui.
Jinshi and his forces infiltrate the stronghold, cornering the remaining Shi clan members.
After the war, Jinshi's work piles up and Maomao returns to the pleasure district.
A locust plague is looming, and mysteriously, a book on insects belonging to the Shi clan appears.
An interesting cloak points Maomao's imagination towards international politics.
Maomao treats a sick girl, but food poisoning and malnutrition are not the true problems that need solving.
