ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA
THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION, AND NAMES OF CHARACTERS,
ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER OFFICIAL TITLES ARE ALL FICTIONAL CREATIONS.
Old man!
I hope old man's doing well…
Oh, right. Yesterday, after the garden party….
What are you saying?
The minister who ate the poison needed a lot of treatment!
A patient should rest!
Thanks to them, I slept well.
But I shouldn't have slept until noon.
I'd feel weird not wearing my freckles…
You should've taken the day off today.
That's not acceptable. If you need anything from me, just ask.
Oh? Your freckles…
I feel weird without them. Can I keep my face like this?
Of course. You're right.
Everyone rushed in demanding to know who my lady-in-waiting was.
It was hard!
-I'm so sorry about that. -It's fine.
Oh, Gaoshun's been here since this morning. Do you want to talk to him?
He looked bored, so I asked him to weed the garden.
Weeding the garden…
He was seated in a high position at the garden party…
He's such a diligent man…
I'm sure that man is also
collecting his own group of lady-in-waiting fans.
May we borrow the drawing room?
Certainly.
-Hongniang? -Yes, my lady.
I feel like Hongniang's eyes are glistening too…
This is for you, from Sir Jinshi.
This is the soup that Lady Gyokuyou was meant to drink.
-Yes. -How thoughtful of you.
-Don't eat it, all right? -I won't.
Silver corrodes quickly. The soup is oxidized.
-It won't taste good. -It's about the taste…?
Did you carry this with your bare hands?
No. I didn't touch the bowl.
I just dipped in a spoon to see if it was poison.
After that, I wrapped it quickly with cloth.
Please wait a minute.
Snip, snip, snip. Clatter, clatter, clatter.
-Cotton, powder, and a brush? -Yes.
What will you do with these?
At the apothecary I worked at, to prevent pranks,
we applied dye to containers you weren't supposed to touch.
I'm doing a version of that now.
It's easy. Add some powder to a rolled up cotton ball,
and apply it on the container.
After that, I'll take off the extra powder using this brush.
-Here it is. -I see a white mark.
This is the spot where someone touched the surface.
Any spot touched by a fingertip leaves some sort of mark.
This is especially true for silverware that corrodes easily.
Silverware is always wiped down with a cloth before being used.
In that case, the fingerprint left on this bowl now belongs to
the person who held this bowl after it was cleaned?
Exactly.
The size and the location of the fingerprint
is enough to tell us how they held it.
The person who held this bowl…
What's wrong?
It's nothing.
My guess is there were a total of four people that held this bowl.
Four people, you say?
First are the three that touched around the bowl.
The person who served the soup, the person who carried the bowl,
the food taster for Lady Lishu,
and finally, one more. A third party who touched the rim of the bowl…
I think it's safe to assume that the poison was placed by this third party.
If that's true, why is the fingerprint
of the food taster found on a high-ranking concubine's bowl?
It's simple.
The food taster for Lady Lishu swapped it on purpose to trouble her.
-Not knowing it was poison. -She swapped it?
It's bullying.
A lady-in-waiting bullying.
-To a high-ranking concubine? -So you don't believe it?
Please tell me.
I want to warn you in advance that this is my personal speculation.
That's no problem.
Do you remember Lady Lishu's outfit at the garden party?
Yes. It was a flashy, pink costume.
Normally, if a concubine
chooses an outfit that is too similar to Lady Gyokuyou's,
the attendants would recommend a different outfit.
If not, the attendants would wear outfits that match their lady.
However, all her ladies-in-waiting were wearing white.
That made it seem as if Lady Lishu, who was wearing pink,
was a clown who couldn't read the room.
Attendants are meant to support their lady.
If so, that day…
You can't even understand your own position as an attendant?
To think you recommended a pink outfit for her!
Lady Ah-Duo's attendants were reprimanding
the incompetence of Lady Lishu's attendants.
In the rear palace,
surrounded by enemies, the only people concubines can trust
are her own ladies-in-waiting.
The young Lady Lishu merely followed the recommendation of her attendants
and wore that outfit
and was shamed publicly on purpose.
She had no idea.
Not only that, but they also swapped meals
to trouble Lady Lishu even more?
Yes, without knowing it was poison. Though it ended up saving her life.
Their methods are dirty.
Why would they do such a thing?
Lady Lishu is in the unique position of being the former emperor's concubine,
then entering monkhood soon after.
She had been educated since childhood
that a wife serves her husband.
People must think that it is extremely immoral of her
to marry her late husband's son.
I think the print left on the rim
belongs to the culprit who added the poison.
-She held the rim to mix in the poison. -I see.
You must not dirty the area where a high-class person's lips touch
with your fingers.
Hongniang taught me that.
Those are my speculations.
-Can I ask you one thing? -What is it?
Why did you try to cover for the food taster attendant yesterday?
I'm just curious. I won't pursue this any further.
The life of an attendant
is worth much less than that of a concubine.
Especially the life of a food taster…
I'll think of a good excuse for Sir Jinshi.
Thank you very much.
I have to thank her in some way
for swapping the bowls.
I did get to taste the poison, after all.
I really should've swallowed that soup…
-That's all. -I see.
You're clever at wording things, as usual.
-Is that so? -It's clearly an inside job, right?
Yes, looking at the circumstances.
You put it so simply.
Because of this, I haven't slept since yesterday. I haven't even changed.
I want to stop thinking.
Your true nature is coming out.
-No one's here. It's fine. -I'm here.
-That doesn't count. -Yes sir, it does.
-There's no way to trick you, is there? -I've known you too long for that.
It's troublesome to be taken care of by someone since you were born…
Sir Jinshi. Your hair clip is still in your hair.
Oh, shit. I totally forgot.
It was hidden in your hair.
I don't think anyone figured out your true status.
Keep this, will you?
Don't treat it so roughly.
This can only be worn by those with special status. Be careful.
-I know, I know. -No, you don't.
All right, then. I'll be off.
Time for work…
-So, did you receive any hair clips? -Yeah.
I see. That means…
You can leave the rear palace!
-What did you say? -You can leave the rear palace?
Give me the details!
Yes, ma'am…
In the rear palace, you can't meet men from the outside,
but with special permission, men could take palace women outside.
I see.
So that's what the hair clips being given out in the garden party mean.
Exactly!
Alternately, you can use hair clips to ask to be let out of the rear palace.
I see. Thanks, Xiaolan. I'll give it a try.
You're very welcome!
Maomao, thanks for the hawthorn fruit!
It was delicious!
I've received four hair clips in total. Out of those, two were from men.
Wait. If they lost their "male parts," are they not called men…?
Apothecary!
Okay.
Sir Lihaku, a palace woman from the rear palace is here.
What? All right.
What should I do? An obligatory hair clip was taken seriously…
But I'd hate to turn down a beauty's invitation…
THE JADE PAVILION: MAOMAO
I only gave a clip to one attendant from the Jade Pavilion.
That means…
It's her!
So, how should I refuse her?
Excuse me.
Sorry for the wait.
Wait, who are you?
-I hear that a lot. -Makeup really changes your looks.
I hear that a lot too.
And to call on me, of all people?
I'd like to visit home.
Home? Do you even know what this means?
I hear that it's possible to visit home temporarily
if you can be my guarantor.
You've got some nerve.
An attendant like you, asking a soldier like me to be a guarantor?
Exactly.
And you called me all the way here just for that?
Yes.
Shall I call you bold or reckless?
So what?
You're asking me to be used as a tool so you can visit home?
Not at all. I have something in mind to gift you for the favor.
THE VERDIGRIS HOUSE REFERRAL: MEIMEI
How about a flower-watching party at the Verdigris House?
The Verdigris House?
You're joking! That brothel is worth a year's salary!
No need to worry. You'll understand once you see this referral.
Pairin. Joka. Meimei.
I can't believe this even more now!
Even high-ranking officials can barely afford those Three Princesses!
If you can't believe me, it can't be helped.
I'm sorry for taking your time.
-Wait… -This is extremely unfortunate.
I'll ask elsewhere. Please pretend I never asked…
Does this woman have other offers?
And they're rose quartz and silver hair clips?
They're both of higher statuses than me!
Who is this girl?
Does this mean that this offer is legitimate…?
No, it's too suspicious!
But if it's really true, I'd never have the chance to meet
the Three Princesses again…
What should I do?
So, what will you do?
I accept my loss.
Congrats, Maomao!
To think that Maomao would beat us…
-I'm so glad! -You must've met someone wonderful!
Thank you.
Why are you so carefree?
It's okay. I'll bring back souvenirs.
-How did you meet this man? -I just went with the flow…
From the looks of it, she doesn't know the meaning of hair clips at all.
Yes. I'm certain.
Geez. I feel the worst for him…
This is so fun.
What face would he make?
Oh, gosh. Looks like there's going to be another drama…
Jinshi, having finished his work,
got bored and came to visit
the day after Maomao's departure.
Maomao left with some mysterious man…
To visit home for three days!
My home, the pleasure district, is not so far away.
After crossing the fence and moat of the rear palace,
it's within walking distance.
How extravagant, riding a carriage for this distance…
But the Three Princesses at the Verdigris House
are almost a god-like idol admired even by regular people, after all…
It's an honor to be able to witness them even once.
We're almost there!
It's the pleasure district!
There are girls that come to the district wanting to become like their idols,
but it's not so easy.
Even for apprentices, or courtesans-in-training,
there's no guarantee she'd sell.
-So this is the Verdigris House… -Yes.
VERDIGRIS HOUSE
It's very dignified.
It's a historical brothel with a full lineup from middle-ranking to
the highest ranking courtesan.
Long time no see, Granny!
How's everyone doing…
What do you mean, "Long time no see"?
You idiot!
Are you okay? What's wrong with this old woman?
That's Grams, the owner of the Verdigris House.
Brings me back.
This is how I used to vomit poison back in the day.
What? So this is the very rich patron?
He has a handsome face, and a good body too.
I hear you got promoted young.
Granny, that's not something to say to someone's face.
Hey, go get Pairin.
-She should be taking tea today. -Yes!
-Pairin… -Are you confident in your arm muscles?
I do train daily.
Oh? Maybe this could work…
Right this way!
I'm nervous.
-Good luck out there! -Thanks!
Maomao. I can't deal with you.
Disappearing for ten months without contacting us…
I had no other choice. You didn't read the wood tablet I sent?
Of course I did! Why else would I entertain a first-timer?
I know.
This is half of all I earned at the rear palace so far.
I asked them to pay in advance.
This is Pairin we're talking about!
This isn't enough at all.
-Come on. It's just tea! -Idiot!
You don't really think nothing's happening with those arms?
You think?
-But that's out of my control… -Of course not!
I'll add it to your receipt.
I can't pay…
Then give me all your best customers!
Like that one, someone young who I can keep squeezing out of!
Could a eunuch be a customer?
Not him. The courtesans would fall head over heels and run out of business.
I'd feel bad about offering Gaoshun or the quack doctor…
Maomao. Old man should be at home. Go to him.
Just crossing a street from the pleasure district
changes the scenery completely.
The dilapidated houses, beggars, and the syphilitic streetwalkers.
It hasn't changed at all.
I'm home, old man.
Oh, welcome home. You're late.
I finally arrived home.
I was out getting dye for my freckles that day.
But then…
I still have my term of service.
-I'm going back in two days. -I see.
I'm sleepy, but I want a bath.
Go borrow the bath at the Verdigris House tomorrow.
I'll do that.
The rear palace, huh?
Some trick of fate, huh?
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
Next episode, "Wheat Stalks".
Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi se tomorrow.