WRITTEN BY HYUGA NATSU
THIS STORY IS A FICTION AND ALL NAMES OF FIGURES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.
MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
-I'm going to the Jade Pavilion. -Yes.
She has passed away?
I see.
Lady Jin has?
It seems to have been food poisoning. The report just came in.
I had heard she was bedridden this past year, but…
Lord Jinshi has arrived.
Let him through, please.
Please do these.
Of course.
I shouldn't interrupt.
A palace woman has gone missing?
Yes, that's right. Her name is Tao.
She was a hardworking and earnest young lady.
Just as her term of service was ending…
and her wedding was approaching too.
Wedding, you say?
I heard she was given a hairpin at the garden party.
And it was from a promising civil servant with good prospects.
It seems the palace supervisor was holding her back.
Eh?
So, such an excellent palace woman
disappears without a word, even though her wedding was near?
Do you have any idea what happened?
I have no idea.
Well, it’s not like it’s completely unheard of.
A lot of the women struggle with interpersonal relationships.
Indeed.
Sometimes, when I'm here like this, I almost forget that…
this is the rear palace,
a garden where 2,000 women stir and scheme.
Today, there's a tea party outside.
If they stay up too long, people might suspect pregnancy.
They're mindful of the location and their attire,
but by now, some must have noticed.
The real question is whether those who've noticed are harmful…
or harmless.
Oh, you're back.
Maomao, over here.
Did you call for me?
No, but he did.
Shall we change the location?
There's no particular problem here.
Why don't we talk here?
No, I can't stay too long at the Consort's side.
And besides, do you hear that?
-Oh. -Please, Your Highness, give up.
So, what is it you need?
You know the Emperor has been handing out novels to his consorts lately.
Yes. And after they read them, the attendants read them as well,
and it seems like they're reading them aloud to the other palace women.
Copies are being circulated,
and some are even trying to learn how to read.
I see.
Though it's still in the conceptual stage,
I was thinking of making something like this.
I believe they call it a "writing school" among commoners.
A school for the maidservants, huh?
I had a feeling he was up to something,
but he is surprisingly quick to act.
It's a good idea.
What?!
What happened to your usual gaze?!
Is something wrong with your health?
What’s with that reaction?
No, it's just that I feel uneasy…
Masochists.
So, what do you think?
Actually, there are those who wish to learn, so I think it’s a fine idea.
It will also connect to work after their apprenticeship ends.
I see.
-But… -Go ahead and say it.
The southern side…
while it’s convenient for deliveries and such, it’s near the main gate
and a prime spot for the senior and middle-ranking consorts.
Many of them are very proud.
They may not feel comfortable
about the maidservants being educated.
It's better to move it to the northern side then.
Yes. That area is less maintained,
and there are even unused buildings.
If we renovate that, it should be enough.
Also, how about presenting it as vocational training on the surface?
If people view it as a means to make a living, more will gather.
Is that so?
Perhaps try giving them snacks occasionally.
Occasionally?
Yes. An occasional treat is the most effective.
I see.
The idea isn’t bad, but his upbringing makes his execution weak.
I'm sure he's asking because he's aware of it too.
This is just my subjective opinion, though.
Is that all you wanted to talk about?
Ah. And one more thing.
Are you familiar with mushrooms?
Well, I use them both for food and medicine, so I know a bit.
Around this time of year,
there are always palace women who pick mushrooms and end up with food poisoning.
There’s always someone who’s too greedy for food.
Exactly. There was someone at the medical office eating matsutake mushrooms.
I’ve heard that the fruit from the orchard also tends to disappear.
Those were not poisonous mushrooms.
As for the orchard, I was just pruning and tasting them.
So, please dispose of anything that could be mistakenly eaten.
Also, let me know what kind of poisonous mushrooms there are.
At the Jade Pavilion, you'll mainly rest, except for poison testing.
If that's the case, isn't it better to explain it in front of Lady Gyokuyou?
What’s going on with him?
I’m counting on you.
Understood.
There might be something behind all this, but it sounds interesting.
Now, where should I start?
The garden, the orchard, the pine forest…
There are many places where mushrooms might grow.
It’s the season when they’re sprouting everywhere.
If the palace women are picking them secretly, places where people often go
or the southern side can probably be excluded.
So, if that's the case… it’s probably towards the north.
What is this smell? It’s strangely pungent…
Is this the weird smell that Shisui mentioned before?
Maybe the leaked sewage is acting as nutrients,
and that’s why the mushrooms are growing so well.
I’m back. I’ve returned.
Welcome back!
Don’t come in all dirty!
Dirty…
Maomao, you smell! What on earth were you doing?
It was a very fulfilling day.
I managed to harvest some mushrooms that can be used as medicine.
I told the quack doctor that they're poisonous, so he won’t eat them.
It’s almost time for Lady Gyokuyou’s evening meal, so please change quickly.
Yes.
Excuse me. I’m sorry for being late.
I apologize for rushing you.
No.
The black cords on their wrists…
I’ll be going out after the evening meal. Please come with me.
Understood.
In other words, someone of noble status in the rear palace has passed away.
She was a consort named Jin.
She's one of the top intermediate consorts.
Daughter of a high official.
For the past year, she had been unwell and confined to her quarters.
It seems she suffered from food poisoning, and that was the end.
The Emperor never visited her;
she should have returned to her family home.
That’s unusual. It’s rare for you to speak so harshly.
Lady Jin was a bit…
She was someone with a rather difficult personality.
She was intensely jealous of other consorts and maidservants.
She would spread slander and resort to violence against those of lower status…
It was around that time when Lady Gyokuyou, who was pregnant
with the princess, was poisoned.
Of course, she wouldn’t directly harass the higher-ranking consorts.
But, with a personality like that…
It seems that Lord Jinshi inquired about the situation.
But…
Is there any evidence?
In the end, it remained mere suspicion.
Things got quite chaotic internally,
and even her attendants…
suffered from the fallout. Honestly,
I can’t help but feel relieved it ended like this.
If anything had happened to Lady Gyokuyou again…
For Miss Hongniang, that's her honest feelings.
It seems she suffered food poisoning and passed away.
Also, let me know what kind of poisonous mushrooms there are.
Why would Lord Jinshi ask me to investigate mushrooms?
Why didn’t they talk about this in the Jade Pavilion where Lady Gyokuyou resides?
It’s because they suspect someone from the Jade Pavilion.
Of being the one who killed Lady Jin with poisonous mushrooms.
Although it seemed they were overly partial to Lady Gyokuyou,
they’re actually handling things fairly, aren’t they?
But if their true intentions were exposed,
it would surely affect trust in the future.
However, Lady Gyokuyou is unlikely to be the culprit.
Poisoning someone to death is too labor-intensive,
and there are countless other ways to bring down a mid-ranking concubine.
As for the other attendants, they aren’t suited for such covert operations.
If that’s the case, the one suspected is…
Me, huh?
If asking me to search for poisonous mushrooms
was a way to gauge my reaction,
I can’t help but feel impressed rather than disappointed.
Please.
Huh?
She's Lady Jin's attendant. Did she develop a rash from something?
-Here you are. -But, that wound…
If only I could’ve known what symptoms she had
while she was alive.
Lady Sou! Please stop!
It’s her own fault.
That blistered face…
Are you familiar with mushrooms?
Even her attendants suffered from the fallout.
I see, it’s all starting to make sense.
The thing Lord Jinshi was searching for…
The woman who caused the scene yesterday,
I heard she was a low-ranked consort named Sou.
Daughter of a wealthy merchant family, good-natured,
and the Emperor would occasionally visit her chambers.
However, around this time two years ago…
Why… how could this happen?!
She contracted a mysterious illness and was dropped from the consort's position.
But, even if she returned to her family, she would no longer be able to marry.
Keeping her in the rear palace must have been the Emperor's kindness.
So then, why did that lower-ranking consort
do such a thing at Lady Jin’s funeral?
The answer is simple.
She believed that the cause of her illness was Lady Jin.
Found it.
Lord Jinshi, take a look at this.
How ominous.
Yes, it's highly poisonous.
This… where did you find it?
In the northern wooded area.
It seems the overgrown, neglected forest provided
a good environment for this mushroom.
Although its occurrence is rare,
it’s an extremely dangerous specimen.
Even a tiny fragment ingested is enough to reach a lethal dose,
and just touching it releases toxicity. Please don’t get any closer.
You’ll end up like Lady Jin or Lady Sou if you do.
Long ago, I found these mushrooms while gathering herbs with my father…
-Did you touch it? -Yes.
I washed it off immediately, but as you can see, this is the result.
Are there still marks under that bandage?
No, the rest are scars from my own experiments.
Wait, what kind of experiments?
-It's… a hobby. -A hobby? What kind of hobby?
I've never shown it to anyone before.
-Well, that's not important right now. -Not important…?
The body of Lady Jin that at the funeral
had blistered skin and hair loss.
Weren't you investigating the source of this poison?
As sharp as ever.
Two years ago, Lady Sou suddenly fell ill with a mysterious disease.
It was suspected that poison was the cause.
And the person rumored to be the culprit was…
-Lady Jin. -That's right.
But there was no conclusive evidence to prove that she administered the poison.
And then, a year ago…
Lady Jin started exhibiting the same symptoms as Lady Sou.
She must have accidentally touched the poison while using it on someone else.
After that, Lady Jin became depressed and was like a different person.
I visited to check on her once a month, but she was barely able to speak.
She was a proud and dignified consort to begin with.
Unable to bear it, she poisoned herself…
That’s the testimony of the serving maids who attended her.
At first glance, it seems to make sense. But…
Lady Jin died after ingesting a poisonous mushroom, didn’t she?
-Yes. -Then there’s something odd about that.
What do you mean?
This mushroom, when eaten,
causes stomach pain, vomiting, and numbness.
It also causes inflammation in the mouth,
but I’ve never heard of it spreading to the face.
Is that true?
Yes. The swelling on the face looked quite recent.
It was as if the poisonous mushroom had been directly rubbed onto her face.
Meanwhile, her hands remained perfectly clean.
The body part with blisters was…
If you have something to say, go ahead and say it.
Could you give me a few days?
If possible, could you provide a few capable and tight-lipped eunuchs?
I’m not sure, but…
Still, do it.
Well, being ordered around is probably easier for me.
Understood.
But what is Xiaomao planning to investigate?
I don’t know.
But…
The apothecary's job in such times is simply to search for evidence.
We've arrived.
Mushrooms…
Could you dig here?
Understood.
This smell…
Is this the evidence?
I didn’t expect to get it right on the first try.
That body, it seems to be Lady Jin's.
Her family crest was on the ornaments.
Whether it was murder or an accident, we can't be sure, but…
she must have died a year ago.
Was it around the time she fell ill?
Yes. The real one was buried in the forest,
and I believe someone else took her place.
So, what about the body at the funeral?
Do you know of the missing palace woman?
A woman named Tao, who disappeared before her marriage.
She looks very similar to Lady Jin, doesn't she?
From the inquiries I made, it seems their build was quite similar.
If her face was covered, the only ones who could identify her
would probably be her attendants.
It would have been possible to deceive those who came once a month.
In other words,
that woman, Tao, conspired together with Lady Jin's attendants?
Probably, I don’t know the exact details, but…
I have my own assumptions.
The trigger was likely jealousy.
Lady Jin didn't like that a palace woman resembling her was being courted.
She resented the fact that the Emperor never visited her.
In fact, it seems Tao was being treated terribly.
Perhaps that led to a quarrel,
whether it was murder or an accident, Lady Jin died.
The attendants, perhaps out of self-preservation and sympathy for Tao,
proposed to cover up Lady Jin's death.
Tao could hardly refuse.
But as the discussion for marriage progressed,
it became impossible to continue the deception.
Yeah, I should stop.
The motive can be created by the high-ranking officials as they please.
However, how did you know where the body was buried?
-There was evidence left behind. -Evidence?
Mushrooms!
The mushrooms growing around there prefer to grow near
animal carcasses and feces.
No wonder there was a distinct rotten smell.
I never imagined I was observing mushrooms on top of a corpse…
What are you going to do with those mushrooms?
There are many very interesting mushrooms in here.
Mushrooms that grow on corpses?
I haven't found any mushrooms like caterpillar fungus.
Also, if it grows on humans, it would be human fungus.
Take it away!
It was just pure curiosity…
Mushrooms that grow from corpses, huh?
If they exist…
what form would they take?
And what properties would they have?
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
The next episode is "Replica."
Subtitle translation by: Abhishek Chand Ramola fungus.