WRITTEN BY HYUGA NATSU
I can’t believe it!
Serving anyone other than Lady Gyokuyou?!
Even if you say that…
There’s…
There’s a ghost…
in the palace bathhouse!
Why not consult Lord Jinshi about it first?
After hearing something like that,
there’s no way I can just ignore it.
-Maomao. -As expected.
The task has fallen to me.
You called for me?
Damn.
I got an ox bezoar and completely forgot,
but during that last hunt, I learned an outrageous secret.
All men in the rear palace,
aside from the Emperor, are eunuchs.
However, Lord Jinshi is not.
He possesses a rather impressive frog.
So, what is your request today?
It seems that a ghost has been appearing in a certain consort’s chambers.
Oh my, how dreadful.
Which consort is it?
I must go visit her.
Lady Gyokuyou,
you mustn’t go outside in your condition.
In that case, I shall send someone.
You're right.
Hongniang, how about
you and Maomao go together?
Lady Gyokuyou, this is a confidential matter,
so please refrain from visiting.
With that in mind,
may I have her back?
If you'd like to "borrow" her, I’ll give her to you.
This exchange again?
No, I want you to "return" her.
Return Maomao to me.
Once I'm done and give her to you,
no matter what you ask her,
she won’t say a word.
I’ll make sure of that.
Well, let’s be on our way.
You two… Did something happen during the hunt?
It's because of a frog.
A frog?
Considering the secret I have to take to my grave,
maybe the ox bezoar wasn't worth it.
We've been expecting you.
Just how much does Lord Gaoshun know?
Or perhaps, he is also not a eunuch?
Never mind. Thinking about it won’t change anything.
Good day, Lady Lishu.
Lord Jinshi!
Could you guide us to
the bathhouse where the ghost was seen?
Yes.
Aren't they being a little too obvious?
For a high-ranking consort, this is quite concerning.
This way.
The changing room is in the front, and the bath is in the back.
But Lady Lishu saw the strange shadow
from this storage room window.
What kind of shadow did you see?
W-Well…
Are you still going on about that?
It must have been a trick of the light.
Lady Lishu just wants attention.
Making such a fuss over something trivial.
It is
a head lady-in-waiting’s duty to correct such behavior.
Or do former food tasters
not even understand that?
My apologies.
Judging by her tone,
that arrogant attendant must be the former head lady-in-waiting.
Losing her position to the food taster
must have left her bitter enough to spew sarcasm daily.
That hairpin…?
Don’t you agree?
Perhaps.
However, listening to the consorts is also my duty.
Could you refrain from taking over my job?
Understood.
I feel a bit thirsty.
I’ll bring tea at once!
-I will! -No, let me!
Let me!
Now then, Lady Lishu,
please tell me in detail.
Y… Yes.
He sent everyone away to make sure Lady Lishu doesn’t shrink back.
It happened after my usual bath.
I actually prefer lukewarm water,
but the maids always prepare hot baths,
so I make it a habit to bathe a little later when the water cools.
I kind of knew,
but the maids
don’t seem too fond of me.
Since my time in the nunnery, I’ve always bathed alone.
Only Kanan, I mean…
the head lady-in-waiting, helped me with my clothes.
When I was wiping myself dry,
I felt hot, so I lifted the blinds.
Even though the window was shut,
the curtain swayed.
And there, grinning, was a white face…
dancing.
While staring… right at me.
Could there have been someone nearby?
No. Kanan was the only one close by.
She saw the same ghost too!
When I tried to get closer to identify it…
The ghost vanished,
and the curtain suddenly stopped moving.
The windows leading outside were all shut,
so there was no wind.
And yet, the curtain swayed.
No wonder they were frightened and believed it was a ghost.
But this layout is odd.
In the Crystal and Jade Pavilion,
the bathhouses are separate structures
with lounging areas.
Who builds a storage room next to a bathhouse?
Was that room originally a storage room?
No, it wasn't…
-Then why did they turn it into storage? -That's because…
If you look here, you’ll understand.
I see.
It’s covered in mold.
The maids of the Jade Pavilion
would have investigated
and prevented mold from forming,
but expecting that the maids here would do the same is unrealistic.
In the end, they turned it into a storage room to cover it up.
It's possible that the foundation itself might be rotting.
Is this building older than the others?
No, it’s actually newer.
It was built when Lady Lishu entered the palace.
It’s in this state after just a few years?
Lady Lishu mentioned the curtain moving.
Show me the bath.
There it is.
This hole should lead
to the waterway of the rear palace.
-Lady Lishu. -Oh?
On the day the ghost appeared,
did you, by any chance, accidentally drain the bathwater?
How did you know?
I knew it!
Sealed windows,
swaying curtains,
and a drained bathtub.
If my deduction is correct,
the dancing ghost is…
Lord Gaoshun,
could you help me move this shelf?
Certainly.
This is terrible.
Yes, it's rotting badly.
The floor is warped and creating gaps.
That would mean…
Could we check if there's a water channel beneath here?
I'll prepare the architectural plans immediately.
-Here they are. -Thank you.
As I suspected, there’s a water channel beneath this floor.
If hot water flows under here,
the steam would cause the floor and walls to rot more easily.
And the steam
rising through these gaps would create airflow,
making the curtains sway.
Then… what was that face I saw?
Ah, that.
Um, that is…
That mirror is
important to me. Please handle it with care.
Understood. How long has this been here?
I used to use it often.
But now I have the mirror that was sent by the envoy.
The envoy’s mirror is made of glass
and reflects far better than a bronze mirror.
It’s understandable that she put her old mirror away. Even so…
Do you polish this every day?
Yes, it was my mother’s.
At a glance, it looks like an ordinary bronze mirror…
Lady Lishu,
since we have the mirror here, how about using it again?
Please, go ahead.
Use it…?
It’s easier to see if you use it in a bright spot.
If you angle it this way, you might get a clearer reflection.
I see, so that’s how it appears.
What does this mean?
It’s called a "magic mirror."
This is my first time seeing a real one.
A magic mirror?
It’s also known as a "transmission mirror."
When light bounces off it,
it mysteriously forms images or text.
The technique involves engraving patterns into the mirror’s surface
during its creation.
It requires considerable craftsmanship,
something my foster father once told me.
A polished mirror catches the moonlight,
reflecting a face.
Steam rises through the gaps,
making the curtain sway.
In conclusion, a series of coincidences
created this "ghost."
That face… It looks like my late mother.
Maybe she was angry
because I stopped using her mirror.
Maybe that’s why she appeared.
It was just a coincidence.
I heard that she loved to dance.
But after giving birth to me, she fell ill and could no longer dance.
And then she passed away.
Maybe she became a ghost so she could dance again.
Ghosts don't--
At her age,
she should be able to enjoy life more freely.
But polishing her mother’s mirror every day
might have been her way of finding solace in the palace.
I don’t understand what it’s like to long for one’s mother.
But to Lady Lishu,
her mother must have been someone worth cherishing.
I hope he likes it.
Pardon the interruption.
We've prepared tea outside.
Lady Lishu, why are you crying?
It’s improper to show such emotion in front of everyone.
She speaks as if she’s a devoted maid,
but her true nature seeps through.
Such an obvious act.
Oh my, that mirror?
You still have it?
The envoy gifted you a far superior one,
so you don’t need this anymore.
-Why not bestow it upon someone else? -Give it…
Pardon?
Give it back! Give it back!
What is wrong with you!
Such disgraceful behavior in front of guests!
That is something very precious to Lady Lishu.
Taking it without proper consideration seems inappropriate.
Was this item bestowed upon you?
Even if it was,
for a mere maid to wear an ornament
bearing the crest of a high-ranking consort…
did you not find that inappropriate?
Lord Jinshi must have known that Lady Lishu
was being disregarded by her maids.
He kept quiet
to preserve her dignity.
But with physical evidence, he can finally put them in their place.
From now on, refrain from actions that exceed your position.
He's terrifying.
-Isn't that him? -So charming!
Here to peek at the newcomers again?
Yeah, yeah. I get it, Maomao.
Young lady, are you researching more anesthetic-like medicines again?
Yes.
They don’t make new eunuchs anymore, so there’s no need to investigate that.
By the way, how do eunuchs enter the rear palace?
Through surgery.
No, I mean,
how do they prove they’re eunuchs?
In the past, a certificate was enough,
but due to fraud,
now they undergo a physical examination.
They grab it?
You’re too blunt, young lady!
To prevent fraud,
three officials from different departments conduct the examination,
and if nothing is there, they’re allowed in.
Are they only checked one time?
They check every time they enter and exit.
Only the Emperor
and his blood relatives can enter the rear palace without being eunuchs.
Does that mean Lord Jinshi is…
No, that can’t be.
Speaking of eunuchs,
have you heard about the new recruits?
Xiaolan and Shisui mentioned it.
I've heard rumors, about 30 of them entered, right?
Exactly!
Many of them are young and good-looking, so everyone's excited!
The other day, one of them got tangled up with
a lower-ranked consort while preparing the bath. It was quite the scene!
He actually went to check them out?
When exactly do you plan to tell her?
Eventually.
Your attitude is so obvious, it's unnatural.
Even Maomao looked at you like you were a dried-up worm.
Shut up. I know.
If you don’t decide soon, things will get messy.
You want me to bring her over to our side immediately, right?
But the strategist will intervene.
Fight poison with poison.
Dai Kan Lakan.
A man who took his family’s estate from his biological father and half-brother
years ago, becoming the head of the Luo clan.
Even the emperor acknowledges him.
Despite holding the rank of Grand Commandant,
he remains unaffiliated with any faction, deftly avoiding entanglements.
Many have tried to strike him down,
but those who dared suffered far worse than just burns.
No one understands
what goes on inside his head.
The unspoken rule in court
is to avoid him.
But if I plan to bring Maomao in,
I can’t ignore this.
I want to tell her the truth.
Why I hold this position,
and why I hide my true identity.
I want her to know.
But after that, how will she react?
Another rear palace complaint? Why so many?
Half of them are concerning Consort Loulan.
They say that she has too many palace women,
her excessive use of elaborate outfits is ruining the rear palace's aesthetics,
and so on.
Same complaints as always.
This one is new, though.
"Palace women are flirting with the new eunuch."
I could’ve guessed.
Yes, we’ve assigned them to physical labor for now.
We’ll eventually transfer them to suitable departments based on aptitude,
but they were originally slaves captured by foreign tribes.
We need to be cautious.
I suppose we should take a look at least for formality’s sake.
Yes.
-What a hassle. -Let's just do it.
The ones with white sashes are the new eunuchs.
They’re thin and seem nervous.
Even after gaining freedom,
former slaves struggle to live like ordinary citizens.
In some ways, the rear palace is a suitable refuge.
So that’s the infamous new eunuch, huh?
What happened to his left arm?
He was severely beaten,
leaving his left side partially numb.
His body is covered in scars, and he refuses to show his skin.
I see.
He’s quite popular, though.
Yes, he’s smart
and knows how to handle the palace women well.
-What? -Like you can talk.
-How are the new recruits? -Lord Jinshi!
They must still be adjusting, but in time,
they’ll be assigned appropriate duties. Be patient.
What do we do?! That was ice
meant for a high-ranking consort!
Damn it! I’m done for!
I’m so sorry…
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
The next episode is "Ice."
Subtitle translation by: Abhishek Chand Ramola tient.