WRITTEN BY HYUGA NATSU
This caravan…
has so many merchants and such a variety of goods.
It’s the advance party for welcoming foreign envoys.
I heard it’s larger than usual…
and expected to last longer than usual.
How are the banquet preparations?
Senior officials in charge are handling it.
I see.
They’re important guests. Keep up the work.
Understood.
The humidity’s been increasing, so…
I think it’s time to switch to seasonal attire.
First, I’ll organize my wardrobe.
Yinghua, Ailan, Maomao.
-Yes. -Yes, Miss Hongniang.
Guiyuan, please take care of Princess Lingli.
Understood.
There are quite a few outdated designs.
This one might still work.
This one was really popular for a while, but…
with trendy things,
once the trend passes, they suddenly become useless.
What will happen to the old ones?
The craftsmen will remake them and send them to Lady Gyokuyou's homeland.
To the West.
Then just to be safe…
I'll put some insect-repelling herbs in them.
Yes, thank you.
By the way,
a new attendant will be coming soon.
A new attendant?
Because of Lady Gyokuyou's pregnancy,
we'll need even more help.
There are other reasons too.
With over 50 attendants and servants at her side,
there is a consort who entered the court.
So of course Lady Gyokuyou needs more.
Is this about Lady Loulan?
It’s true, Lady Gyokuyou, the Emperor's primary consort
only has five attendants, and it looks bad.
Even Lady Lihua of the Crystal Pavilion
only has 30 servants, including maids.
But the Garnet Pavilion has twice that! Isn’t that strange?
Yinghua, if you say things like that,
you’ll get scolded by Miss Hongniang again.
But it’s true!
Well then,
it's looking much cleaner now.
Is it really okay to reduce this much?
Don’t worry.
I’ve ordered a few new wardrobes.
And the caravan will be here soon!
Caravan?
Last time it came, you weren’t around, Maomao.
This time, it’s much larger than usual!
It’s not that unusual in the pleasure district,
but in the rear palace where fun is scarce,
shopping like this is something they all look forward to.
Maomao, make some free time and go see it.
Lady Gyokuyou,
always gives me pocket money at times like this--
Oh, what’s wrong?
Stop chatting and get to work!
I have to be careful too, or Hongniang will scold me.
Lady Gyokuyou, please stop with the jokes.
Have you called for me, Lady Lihua?
Shin, take this to everyone.
Is this for the caravan shopping?
I’ll have one of the free maids go buy it.
Yes, please.
Lady Shin. A message from the clinic.
A message from the clinic?
The caravan will stay for five days.
With the consorts and their attendants having fun,
there’s no way the lower-ranked servants can join in and shop.
How nice!
I want new clothes too.
Though you can't wear them.
I know, but I still want them!
The rear palace.
It’s a very unique place.
There are so many people, but no stores,
and the only doctor is Quack Doctor.
Some may believe that if anyone got sick, it’d spread quickly,
but that’s not the case.
The hygiene management is strict.
The sewage system flows underground,
connecting to the great river, without passing through a moat.
Empress Dowager, known for her skill, utilized Western waterways techniques.
If hygiene is managed properly, diseases can be prevented.
Still…
if someone falls seriously ill, they’re sent back to their family…
Hey, Maomao.
On the last day,
I might be able to get a bit of free time…
I wouldn’t mind being invited.
Did I overspend a bit?
Not at all, you could’ve bought even more.
Others are probably buying much more than us.
Indeed.
The attendants of the Crystal Pavilion tend to shop extravagantly,
and Lady Lihua is quite generous despite everything.
At the Diamond Pavilion, Lady Lishu’s attendants
might sweet-talk her into buying whatever they want.
At the Garnet Pavilion,
Lady Loulan's love for extravagance goes without saying.
In contrast, Lady Gyokuyou is frugal, fitting everything into one room.
The caravan merchants will be back tomorrow,
so let’s tidy up today’s purchases.
Got it.
Huh?
What’s wrong?
Most of these outfits have sleeves,
and a skirt tied with a sash right under the chest.
Were there no other types of clothing?
Nope, it was all the same.
They said it’s trendy.
Lady Gyokuyou’s pregnancy is still a secret.
Normally, merchants bring outfits that appeal to their customers.
For Lady Gyokuyou, they’d choose sashes tied at the waist.
But as her belly grows,
she’d prefer loose-fitting clothing.
Considering that,
if they deliberately brought these designs…
I’d like to think I’m overthinking it, but…
Tomorrow, we should ask if they have designs
with sashes tied securely at the waist.
You’re right.
We need to buy something different.
Hongniang, notify the merchants.
Understood.
It seems Lady Gyokuyou and Miss Hongniang understand.
On the last day, all that’s left are the leftovers…
Wow, amazing!
Lady Gyokuyou gave me some pocket money, but…
Please give me this.
It suits you.
Thanks, Maomao!
If I had a younger sister, she might be like this little creature.
Maomao, is there anywhere you want to go? I’ll come with you.
Then, there’s a place I’d like to take a quick look at.
Of course, there aren’t any medicines,
but they do have tea leaves and spices.
And there’s one more reason I came on the last day…
Discounts.
In a unique place like the rear palace,
it’s hard to imagine they’d sell goods at fair prices.
Don’t think you can overcharge me so easily.
Jasmine tea, huh?
Please give me this.
Is the kitty doing well?
She's that girl from before…
He's doing well. He's in the medical office now.
I see. Glad to hear that!
Huh? Did you get the day off too, Shisui?
Yeah. You came too? What did you buy?
I just came to look.
-But Maomao bought me a hair tie! -It’s so cute!
Do they know each other?
Since she's wearing the same robe as Xiaolan,
she must be one of the ladies who uses the usual laundry.
We're in the way, so let’s move to another spot.
Please give me three of these.
I didn’t know you had friends, miss.
The quack doctor may be rude,
but it’s the truth, so there’s nothing to be done about it.
MAOMAO
So cute!
What’s its name?
Rat Exterminator.
Huh? That’s a weird name.
The name Maomao is way weirder.
Shall I make some tea?
I’ve brought tea.
Then let’s have some sweets.
It smells nice.
It's jasmine flowering tea.
You place it in a warmed pot,
and slowly pour in lukewarm water like this, and the buds open up.
It’s not often that you get a chance to brew it like this.
Girls, here's a special treat.
Mooncakes! Thank you very much.
By the way, is it always like this?
Such a big celebration.
Is this her first time at the caravan?
If she entered with Lady Loulan’s marriage,
she must have been here for half a year.
This time, it’s longer than usual.
That’s because…
it seems that a special envoy from a foreign country is coming soon.
Oh! A high-ranking person is coming, huh?
Is it okay to say that?
By the way,
lately, there's a strange smell coming from the north. Do you know about it?
-The north? -I don’t know.
A strange smell, you say?
That area is a mess. Maybe the waterway is clogged.
If the underground channels carrying waste gets clogged,
the smell might rise to the surface.
Do you have any work in the northern area?
That area has a lot of grassy fields, right?
You're good at drawing.
Thanks. There's a lot of insects there, so there's a lot to draw.
Insects can also be used as medicine.
Mantis eggs are an energizer, and earthworms have fever-reducing properties.
The southern orchard is well-maintained so there aren’t many insects,
but the northern ruins are a great place!
There are a lot of big spiders!
Spiders?
It’s difficult to collect them so I haven’t tried it yet,
but spider silk is said to have hemostatic properties.
-Wanna go? Shall we try? -Let’s go! Let’s try it.
Look at this! It’s so beautiful and plump! Isn’t it cute?
They are delicious to eat and you'll love them.
A few days after the caravan left…
At the rear palace, fragrant oils have become a huge trend.
It smells…
It really stinks.
Imported products from the west have strong scents.
On their own, they smell good,
but when mixed, they can be dangerous.
Ah, sorry!
Sniff, sniff. It’s rose.
Maybe I could make a profit by selling the rose water I made last time.
No, the strong scent of rose essential oil,
could have a bad effect on pregnant women.
In the current Jade Pavilion…
This smell…
I must go. To the Pavilion most easily influenced by trends,
the Crystal Pavilion!
You… what do you think you're doing?
A protest letter has arrived from the leader of the Crystal Pavilion, Shin.
I thought you were a person with more self-control.
I’m sorry.
I got carried away and did it without even getting their consent.
What kind of perverted excuse is that?
-Next time, I'll smell it with your… -Why smell it?!
Oh dear.
That's enough for reflection, I guess.
But there is a reason for this.
Is it a good enough reason?
Yes.
Lord Jinshi, could you please read
what is written there?
Okay. "Rose, benzoin,
blue catalpa, frankincense, and cinnamon"?
They all sound like fragrance names, right?
Yes.
These are the names of
the perfumes and oils that the ladies wore that I smelled today.
What about it?
They are all harmful to pregnant women.
Go on.
Besides the perfumed oils,
spices and tea leaves were also sold at the caravan.
These are the items I bought.
Jasmine has the effect of contracting the uterus.
And poppy is often used as an abortifacient for courtesans.
In other words, using these could increase the likelihood of a miscarriage?
If it's in small quantities, there should be no problems.
As long as it's not taken in large amounts or used incorrectly.
I should have noticed it earlier.
Perhaps I was swept up in the festive atmosphere.
Do you know the vendors who supplied these?
I can investigate,
but they probably haven’t detailed every product individually.
I inspected everything I could.
Doesn’t this resemble that?
What is "that"?
Something whose side effects aren’t well known.
It wouldn’t be surprising to find it in the rear palace.
Doesn’t it resemble the one that harmed Princess Lingli,
and caused the death of Lady Lihua’s child?
Poison… face powder.
Yes, lead-based face powder.
So, what this means is,
someone attempted to bring poison into the rear palace.
Can we assume that?
All I can say is that many of the items that entered here
could potentially be poisonous.
None of them are considered poisonous products by themselves.
But, I think we should also be cautious with the other consorts.
-Gaoshun. -Yes, Lord Jinshi.
It’s like the incident when coincidences piled up and became inevitable.
-Hongniang, please. -Yes, Lady Gyokuyou.
Guiyuan,
please check the oils, spices, and tea leaves in the Jade Pavilion.
Understood!
The palace attendant who revived from a near-death state and fled,
and the whereabouts of Suirei are still unknown.
For the assassination attempt at the mid festival,
it’s highly likely that many people were involved.
How far do their hands reach…?
How much of it is speculation, and how much of it is certainty?
You shouldn’t speak based on speculation.
If I wasn't assigned to the Consort’s room, I would have lower salary
and I probably wouldn’t have been interested in the caravan.
If the oils hadn’t become a trend, I wouldn’t have noticed.
Maybe this time was the only time so many items were being sold.
Which part is coincidence, and which is inevitability?
I don’t even understand that…
I’m tired…
How nostalgic.
Back in the day, when there were no customers,
the courtesans secretly let me drink it…
Wasn’t that poison?
Poison, in small amounts, is also medicine.
More than anything,
it’s not something that can be dealt with by just one cup of tea,
and I’m not pregnant.
That’s true.
Besides, this is the kitchen.
It’s not a place for you, Lord Jinshi.
Quit fussing over the details.
What about High Officer Gaoshun?
He's delivering a message. Could you also give me some tea?
What kind of tea would you like?
-I want the same one as yours. -That was the last cup.
If you pour more hot water, it’ll be just be tea from used leaves.
That’s fine.
I can't serve you that.
What other effects does this tea have?
It calms the mind.
It’s also effective for insomnia and has a refreshing effect.
Other than that, though, it is not good during pregnancy,
but I’ve heard it can help induce labor when giving birth.
There's more of a good effect.
Yes, that’s why the side effects are often overlooked.
It’s white tea.
I said the used leaves were fine.
Speaking of which, jasmine also has other different benefits.
What kind?
Infertility. Mainly due to the male side.
No, I shouldn't have said that!
Did I go too far with the sarcasm? Let me get some tea snacks.
I don’t really like it. I’ll leave.
I messed up.
Lord Jinshi.
-Did you get the message out? -Yes.
And the mid-ranking Lady Jin has passed away.
Lady Jin?
Poison…?
No way…
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
The next episode is "Human fungus."
Subtitle translation by: Abhishek Chand Ramola ome tea snacks.