WRITTEN BY HYUGA NATSU
THIS STORY IS A FICTION AND ALL NAMES OF FIGURES AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.
Oh no…
MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
That girl bumped into a eunuch,
which caused the ice to fall over.
-Poor thing… -Poor thing?
I feel bad for the poor eunuch who was carrying the ice.
I hope he gets nothing more than a whipping.
I-I'm sorry…
Please excuse her. She neglected to pay attention.
Do you think an apology is going to fix this?!
Don't think this is not a big deal!
We don't have extra ice!
Damn it! What am I going to do?
Ice is very valuable, especially in this season.
It's so valuable that it can even buy a person.
Which consort was this ice for?
Consort Loulan.
She requested ice for her evening dessert!
Of all consorts…
What do I do? I doubt she'll accept money as compensation.
To ruin the mood of a high-ranking consort is also frightening.
If only I could prepare something in place of it…
Can I have this ice?
Do as you like!
All right. I will prepare something
in place of this ice.
Could you deliver that to Consort Loulan
once it's prepared?
Go ahead and try.
But you have less than an hour.
I understand.
Maybe I can make it.
But will I be able to gather all the ingredients I need?
Anyway, I gotta do what I can do.
Why is he here?
This isn't the time to worry about that.
What should I do… Maomao?
Poor thing…
She got so excited after receiving a hairpin from a consort,
and she wasn't paying attention to where she was going.
That consort…
Do you think she likes me?
She asked me to give her a massage again next time.
I'm happy for you.
Since then, Xiaolan had been busy looking for connections, and she was
so happy when she started receiving requests from lower-ranking concubines.
Even though she was sold off by her parents,
she never once showed a sad face.
She must've been so happy.
Being yelled at and scolded like that
made her too scared to even move.
Do you need something?
Will you give me permission to use the kitchen and some ingredients?
That's a quite selfish request.
What do I get for helping you?
That attitude…
I don't have time for this!
I have nothing to give to you in return, Lord Jinshi.
But please give me permission.
I know I'm not in a position to ask him such a thing,
but I have no other choice.
What happened is not your fault though.
Yes…
From the start,
she was only my source for gossip.
Moreover,
I paid her back with snacks, so I actually owe her nothing.
I'm not obligated to help her.
But…
If I don't do anything, I won't be able to sleep at night.
Yeah? You won't be able to sleep, huh?
Yes.
And it will impact my daytime duties.
Well, I can't let that happen.
Fine, but on one condition.
When someone is talking, listen to them until the end.
Is that it?
You say that, but you can't even do that.
All right. I guess I'll change the condition then.
What shall it be?
I have a bad feeling about this!
Maybe I should ask Lady Gyokuyou for help?
No…
I can't ask her to help me with something that involves Lady Loulan.
Thank you…
Do you not wear a hairpin?
All the maids in the Jade Palace wear them.
Even if they do, it doesn't suit me…
I gave one to you at the garden party.
Don't tell me you sold it?!
No, sir.
Not yet at least.
Go wear that then.
Is that your condition?
Are you not satisfied?
After you wear it,
I will tell you.
I'll have the kitchen ready for you.
I've brought them.
-Please place them there. -Got it!
Maomao, these ingredients…
Sugar, fruits, and…
cow milk?
I'm glad we had fresh milk.
Since cow's milk spoils quickly.
Can we really make a frozen dessert with these?
I think so.
I've seen it being made once before.
I'm counting on you. This is our only chance!
I will call you once it is ready.
Mix this.
What are you doing?!
I'm smashing the ice.
They're so small now!
Don't worry.
-This is good. -Salt?
Xiaolan, put that bowl into the bowl of ice.
Yes!
What? No way!
It's hardening!
Xiaolan, cut the fruits into small pieces.
Now, put in the cut fruit, and mix.
And put it into a serving dish.
Is it done?
Is this…
Yes, it's ice cream.
For now, this is good enough.
If I had more time, I could've added eggs
or added herbs for aroma.
Let's have him take it immediately.
Yeah! But…
maybe we should taste it first.
She's back to her normal self.
You can taste the leftovers.
Delicious!
What happened?
Is it ready?
Please take this to her.
Is this really okay to serve--
Is there a problem with it?
Please hurry and take it to Lady Loulan.
Okay!
I'm so relieved…
Thank you so much, Maomao.
Well, we still don't know if Lady Loulan will like it.
You meanie!
I asked Lord Jinshi what she likes beforehand,
so I'm sure she will eat it.
Sheesh.
Anyways, let's taste some more before it all melts.
Yeah, let's taste!
-Oh, Shisui? -What are you doing here?
I heard about the commotion,
so I ditched work and came here.
You're so bad!
This is delicious…
Hey! Don't eat it all, okay?
No…
-It's mine! -No!
-Don't eat it all! -It's all mine now!
This isn't enough.
-Give it! -What the?!
Hey…
Maybe I can make one more batch.
-Wait! -Okay, open.
Delicious!
Now your turn, Shisui.
Open wide.
Oh my.
It's kicking.
Lingli. You want to touch?
The baby will soon be born.
So far, the pregnancy is going well.
How strange.
Unlike Lingli, this baby kicks downward.
Downward?
I guess they're showing their personality even before they are born.
May I touch your belly?
Yes, go ahead.
Excuse me.
May I ask how Princess Lingli's delivery went?
The delivery was so smooth, you wouldn't think it was the first time.
She was quite small at birth, so maybe that made it easier.
Who delivered the baby?
I did.
It's because the physicians here aren't so great,
and the palace woman we hired to help with the delivery
suddenly fell ill.
I was only able to assist because I had studied about it beforehand.
Will you be hiring that same palace woman this time?
No.
If she falls ill again when the time comes, it will be troublesome.
As a result, a different palace woman assisted Lady Lihua's pregnancy.
She was initially brought in as a temporary midwife.
I see.
Do they plan to bring someone from outside the rear palace this time?
Hongniang may have assisted
with the previous delivery, however, it's not her specialty.
If there's something on your mind, tell me.
I can't say for sure, but…
it might be a breech baby.
A breech baby?
Yes.
The baby seems to be kicking downward.
You said that when you were pregnant
with the princess, she was kicking upwards.
That means her head was downwards.
When the largest part of the body, the head, comes out first,
it makes the delivery smooth.
But if the feet come out first,
it increases the risk of complications during delivery.
Are you sure it's a breech baby?
It's only a possibility.
A physical exam might make
it clearer.
Can you do it?
I can't say for sure.
My dad only taught me about medicine.
Everything else I've learned is just from observing.
Please do it.
The method will be…
Is that so?
Compared to giving birth to Lingli, that is nothing.
Moms are strong.
Understood.
How was it?
It's hard to say but…
The likelihood of a breech birth is high.
There's a chance that the baby will flip itself in the womb,
but it's late in her pregnancy.
What should I do?
I heard in the please district
that moxibustion and exercise can help.
I can help with the moxibustion.
Thank you.
I'll try to ask around for other methods
outside of the rear palace.
What will happen
if the baby's position doesn't change?
We will need to cut your body.
-I see. -Lady Gyokuyou.
But if that happens,
that will put Lady Gyokuyou's life at risk.
Even if we have an experienced midwife, it'd still be difficult.
Only if that quack doctor was a more experienced doctor.
But where can we find a substitute doctor?
Bringing a doctor into the rear palace
means they need to become a eunuch.
Is there a skilled doctor who's also a eunuch?
Yes. There's one person. He's perfect.
But…
Maomao?
I know of one individual.
Really?
His skills are top class,
and he has delivered babies by means of surgery.
Who may he be?
Don't tell me…
Is it Lord Jinshi's attendant?
Nope, it's a doctor.
Suiren, did you do something?
What is he like?
He was banished from the rear palace.
He's a criminal.
I will not allow that!
Lady Gyokuyou and the baby's lives are at stake!
It must be someone who we can trust!
You can trust him. He's the best doctor in the country.
It's not like you to be so stubborn.
But he's a criminal, right?
I cannot trust such a person.
-But! -Hold on, you two.
Hongniang, let her speak.
And Maomao, please calm down.
Tell me, what kind of sin did he commit?
He is a eunuch…
and he worked as a physician in the rear palace.
In the past, he delivered the emperor, the current heir,
and Lady Ah-Duo's child.
The reason he was banished from the rear palace
is related to Lady Ah-Duo, so I've heard.
It's not like I heard it directly from my father,
or I know for sure.
There are records,
but it's just speculation.
How is he related to you, Maomao?
He's my adoptive father. He also taught me about medicine.
I understand.
Let me ask Lord Jinshi if he can have him come.
What?
Lady Gyokuyou!
Hongniang,
I want someone capable to handle this.
And if we can trust him, then all the better.
Also, I don't think he's a bad person.
He can't be bad if our stray cat is fond of him.
Stray cat?
-But he's a criminal! -Hongniang!
You know the stories about
the rear palace back then, don't you?
You know just how many were manipulated during
the era of the great empress.
We can't blindly believe
the accusations from that time.
I understand.
Now that we agree,
I will need to start writing a letter.
Such strength…
So this is what it means to be a consort and a mother-to-be.
Two days later after speaking with Lady Gyokuyou…
Thank you very much.
We've been waiting for you, Luomen.
My, my…
I never thought I'd be back here.
A man looking like an old woman
entered the rear palace.
My name is Luomen.
As a temporary doctor,
I will be working at the medical office of the rear palace.
We've heard about you from Maomao.
Thank you for helping us.
My pleasure.
A temporary doctor, huh?
Well, I guess that makes sense.
I was worried that the quack doctor will be discharged,
but I'm glad I don't have to worry about that.
Excuse me then.
-Here you are. -Yes.
Hey, hey! That man is your father, isn't he?
Well, I guess…
To be correct, he's actually my grand uncle.
He doesn't look anything like I was expecting.
He seems kind and gentle.
Yeah, like a normal person.
Did he really raise you, Maomao?
I thought so too.
-You girls! -Um, well--
What kind of guy were you imagining then?
That's hard to say, but…
He seemed like a decent man.
Agree!
How rude.
GREAT TREASURE
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
The next episode is "Festering Malice."
Subtitle translation by: Melissa Nishizaki ng.