【海外の反応】薬屋のひとりごと1期11話、「赤ん坊ってなんでこんなにポンコツなんだ」

今のは心臓に悪いコマだな

now that's a jump scare frame

>猫猫が自分と何の関係もない侍女を告発して、死に追いやる
これが愛すべき主人公ってわけ？

> Maomao rats out a maid that has nothing to do with her and gets her killed

So this is your lovable protagonist huh?

あれは猫猫なりの正義感だよ
それにあの女はおやじの悪口を言ってたし、たぶんおやじが追い出されて肉刑を受けるよう裏で動いてたんだろ

>>2

it's her sense of justice
also that bitch talked s**t about her dad and probably lobbyed to get him thrown out and mutilated

猫猫は腕に包帯を巻いてる人を調べてくれって頼んで、それで風明が包帯をしてるのが分かった。
もともと園遊会の毒殺未遂は風明の仕業で、自殺した（？）侍女はただの身代わりじゃないかって疑われてたんだよ。だから猫猫を柘榴宮に送り込んで、情報を集めさせた。猫猫が里樹妃を訪ねて蜂蜜の話をしたときも、阿多妃が出産して「息子」が死んだ頃の記録を調べたときも、高順がその場にいた。壬氏と高順なら1+1くらい計算できるし、どのみち逃げられなかったさ

>>2

She asked to investigate persons with bandaged arms, and they found out that Fengmin had them.
They were already suspecting that Fengmin was the poisoner at the garden party and the suicide? victim was just a scapegoat. That's why they put Mao Mao in the Garnet palace, to gather more informations. Gaoshun was present when she visited Lishu and they talked about the honey, and when she checked the archive for the time when Aduo gave birth and the "son" died. Jinshi and Gaoshun can count 1+1 together, she would have not escaped.

で、どうやって「腕の包帯」と「里樹妃の毒殺未遂」を結びつけたんだ？ このろくでもない後宮じゃ、いろんな理由で家族にこっそり合図を送ってるグループなんて山ほどいそうだけど。その半分くらいは「ちゃんとした薬を送ってくれ、ここの医者はヤブだ」って暗号だろ

>>4

So how did they connect "bandaged arm" to "poisoned Lishu"? Like really there's probably a million different groups sending secret signals to their families for various reasons in this shithole of a rear palace. Half of which are probably just coded messages that read "send us real medicine, the doctor her SUCKS".

念のため言っとくと、阿多妃は自分の子が生きてるのをずっと知ってたんだから、これは演技だぞ。じゃなきゃ作者が前に書いたことを忘れて、また後付け設定を出してきたか

friendly reminder she faked this since she knew her kid was alive all along. Or the author forgot what she wrote before another surprise retcon

いや、その時点で阿多妃はあの子に情が移ってたんだろ
>じゃなきゃ作者が前に書いたことを忘れて、また後付け設定を出してきたか
それは今回のエピソードの中でちゃんと否定されてるぞ

>>6

eh, she was probably attached to the boy at that point
>Or the author forgot what she wrote before another surprise retcon
this is counterpointed even in the episode anon

それはお前の妄想。里樹妃への接し方を見れば、赤ん坊の死がこたえてたのは明らかだろ。逆に皇太后のほうは無関心だったけどな

>>6

Headcanon. From the way she treated Lishu, it's obvious she was impacted by the babies death. Anshi on the other hand was indifferent.

ねこねこ、シャーッ
今どきの蜂蜜にはどれも、2歳未満の子に与えないでって注意書きがあるよ。たしか2歳だったと思う

cat hisses

all honey these days have warnings not to give honey to children under the age of 2 I think it is

じゃあ、あの侍女は入れ替えられた子をうっかり死なせたせいで処刑されたってこと？ ちょっと厳しすぎない？

So the maid was put to death because she accidentally killed the switched child? Seems kinda harsh.

子供の件は誰にも知らされてないって。ちゃんと見てた？ ポイントは、風明が裁かれたのは里樹妃の毒殺未遂だけってとこだぞ

>>10

they never got told about the kid. didn't you watch the episode? the point was that she only got sentenced for the poisoning of lishu

入れ替えられてようがなかろうが皇子は皇子だ。まあちゃんと見てれば分かるけど、そっちの件で殺された人は実は誰もいない。羅門は膝の骨を抜かれただけ。風明が処刑されたのは「上級妃の里樹妃を殺そうとした」ほうだよ

>>10

Switched or not it's an imperial prince, although if you were paying attention nobody actually got killed for that. Luomen just had his kneecap removed. it was the "trying to murder high consort Lishu" bit that got her executed.

>羅門は膝の骨を抜かれただけ
それってどうなるの？
どれくらい体が不自由になるんだ？

>>12

>Luomen just had his kneecap removed.
what are the consequences of that anyway?
as in, how much will that cripple you?

なんで赤ん坊を入れ替えたんだっけ。覚えてないわ

why did they switch babies I don't remember

皇帝の子のほうが、皇太子の子より手厚く守られるからだよ

>>14

The child of the emperor is better protected than the child of the prince

しょうもない理由に見えるけどな

>>15

Look like a s****y reason

赤ん坊ってなんでこんなにポンコツなんだ
水を飲む？ 死ぬ
蜂蜜を食べる？ 死ぬ
くしゃみをかけられる？ 死ぬ
鉛の粉をちょっと吸う？ 死ぬ
揺さぶられる？ 死ぬ
マジで役立たずすぎる

why are babies so dogshit
drink water? die
eat honey? die
get sneezed on? die
breathe in a smidge of lead powder? die
get shaken? die
absolutely f*****g useless things

人間は未熟な状態で生まれてくるからな
頭がデカすぎるとか何とか

>>17

Because humans give birth prematurely.
Something something head too big.

だから昔の人は子供をたくさん産んで、ある程度育つまで名前もつけなかったんだよ
>あーまた一人死んだか、まあまだ5人いるし

>>17

this is why humans used to just have a lot of babies and not even name them till they were older.
>welp lost another one oh well still got 5 more.

皇族と妃の両方を診る医者が一人しかいないってどういうこと？ この作品で一番の謎だわ。医者がもう一人いれば、そもそも入れ替えなんて起きなかっただろ…

how TF can there only be a single doctor to attend both Royal family and Concubines? This is the biggest WTF of this show. The swap shouldn't have taken place because there should be more than 1 doctor available...

医者になるには頭が良くないといけないけど、頭のいい奴が自分から宦官になるわけないし、女は医者になれない。そういう言い訳だよ

>>20

to be a doctor you have to be smart and no-one smart would willingly chop their d**k off and women arent allowed to be doctors, thats the excuse

古代中国の妓女って具体的に何してたの？

What do ancient Chinese prostitutes do exactly?

囲碁を打つ、話し相手になる、夜の相手をする、煙管を吸う、金持ちに身請けされて妻になろうとする

>>22

Play go, talk, s*x, smoke pipe, try to get bought to become someone rich's wife.

それは誰にも分からん。作者は日本人で、なんちゃって中国に日本の遊郭文化を混ぜてるからな。ちゃんとした歴史の本を読め

>>22

We don't know, the author Japanese and mixed in some Japanese Brothel culture in her not-China. Go read a real history book on the real subject.

別人だけど、こんなことがあるなんて全然知らなかった。作中で話が出た瞬間ググったわ

NTA but i had no idea this was a thing. i had to google the second they talked about it in the show

蜂蜜を買ったことがあれば知ってるはずだろ。でかでかと注意書きがあるし

>>25

you'd know if you'd ever bought honey. it has big warnings all over

見終わってすぐ台所に行って瓶を確かめたけど、注意書きはわりと小さかったぞ。字体も色も他と同じだった
わざわざ全部読む奴なんていないし、見落とすって

>>26

I went into the kitchen and checked my glass right after the episode, and the warning is rather small, doesn't even have a different font or coloring.
it's easy to miss because why would you ever read through everything on there?

それ、俺も前からちょっと変だと思ってた。この世界じゃ「皇帝の次男」のほうが「皇太子の息子」より格上らしい。皇帝のほうが皇太子より偉いんだから、その息子が優先されるって理屈なんだろうけど、継承順位で考えるとなんか違和感がある

It's always seemed a bit weird to me to, but in the setting "emperor's second son" outranks "crown prince's son" apparently. I guess the idea is that the emperor is more powerful than the crown prince so his son takes priority, but when you consider lines of succession it feels a bit off.

帝は今でも阿多妃のところに通ってるの？
昔の中国は世代を飛ばす継承をしなかったから、ずっとそうだよ。新しい皇帝は先の皇帝の子だから、今の皇帝の次男のほうが、長男の長男より順位が上になる

>>28

Does the Emperor still visit Aduo?

This has always been true since Imperial China didn't follow a generation skipping system in its succession system. The new Emperor is a child of the last Emperor, so the second son of the current Emperor is ahead of the first son of the first son.

二人は同時にお産をしてて、帝の妃のほうが皇太子の妃より優先されたんだ。そのせいで、子供は二人とも元気に生まれたけど、阿多妃は合併症でもう子供を産めない体になった。たった一人の我が子に、もっといい人生のチャンスを与えられるなら、そうしないと思うか？

Both women were giving birth at the same time and the one married to the emperor was given priority over the consort of the crown prince. Thanks to this, while both were born healthy, Ah Duo had complications that caused her to never be able to have children again. Do you really think she wouldn't give her one and only child a better chance at life if she could?

阿多妃にとって里樹妃はいろんな意味を持ってた。持てなかった娘でもあり…あの年齢と、後宮にいる事情を考えれば、できる限り守ってやりたい相手でもあった。
そういう思いも頭をよぎってたかもしれないけど、他にもいろんなことが関係してたんだろうな

Lishu was multiple parts for Ah Duo, a daughter she couldn't have... someone to protect as much as one given her age and the problem of why she was there.

I think she might have that thought running through her head, but along with everything else that might have been a factor.

もともと猫猫のことはすごく尊敬してたけど、ますます好きになった。あの子は何としても守らなきゃ…

i had a lot of respect for mao-mao, now i have even more, that girl need to be protected at all cost...

阿多妃も、風明も、里樹妃も、ある意味では壬氏も、みんな気の毒だ

And I just feel bad for Ah-Duo, Fengming, Lishu, and even Jinshi in a way.

この世界は残酷だな…後宮の裏でいろんなことが起きてる。
この話に出てくるキャラで、後ろ暗いところが一つもない奴なんていないんじゃないか…

This world is brutal... and there is a ton of stuff in the background of the rear palace.

I don't think any one of the characters in this story has a clear concious...

猫猫の護衛ってめちゃくちゃ胃が痛い仕事だろうな

Feels like protecting Maomao would be a high stress job.

あぁ、かわいそうな阿多妃、妃の座を外されるなんて。でもたぶんそれが一番いいんだろうな。阿多妃は本当にいろいろありすぎた。生まれたばかりの赤ん坊もかわいそうに。風明、なんてことを…里樹妃もかわいそう。里樹妃と阿多妃の関係は本当にかわいい。妃同士なのに二人の間に悪意がまったくない（気の毒なのは、周りの妃たちとの関係のほうだ）。それにしても、なんて悲劇なんだ。
へへ、少なくとも猫猫は備えてたな。風明はこの後どうなるんだろう。ははっ、壬氏が猫猫のまねしてる。「毒ですよ」って（笑）。そうだよ壬氏、そろそろ猫猫のことは分かってるだろ。風明がやったことは悪いけど、処刑はやりすぎな気がする。もうとっくに自分の苦しみの中で生きてるんだし。まあ、猫猫が阿多妃といい酒を飲めただけでもよかった。重い場面だった…人によってはここまで誰かに尽くせるんだな…
へへ、壬氏。少なくとも受け止めてはあげたな。壬氏はこの件をだいぶ重く受け止めてるな。阿多妃が去るのは寂しい。あの人、壬氏にほんとそっくりだよね😉 猫猫が何を組み立ててるかも見てよ、へへ。そうそう、まったくの妄想だよね…ゴホン。あぁ、里樹妃。阿多妃と一緒にいるときの里樹妃は本当にかわいい。これからも里樹妃が阿多妃を訪ねたり、その逆ができたりすればいいのに。それに風明の家族はどうなるんだ？ もし九族皆殺しみたいなふざけた話になったら…マジで怒るぞ。
今回は本当に重い回だ…

D'awww poor Ah-Dou, being removed as a concubine. Prolly for the best though. Poor Ah-Dou... really been through a lot. Poor newborn baby too. Jesus, Fengming... poor Lishu. Really cute how Lishu and Ah-Dou are as a relationship. No maliciousness between them as concubines (just a pity for them about those around them as concubines). What a tragedy this all is though.

Hehe, Maomao was prepared at least. Wonder what'll happen to Fengming though. Haha Jinshi copying Maomao. "It's poisonous" lol. Ya, you should know her by now, Jinshi. While Fengming did wrong, I feel like execution isn't right. Especially since she's already kinda living in her own suffering. Oh well, at least Maoamoa can enjoy a nice drink with Ah-Dou. What a heavy moment... what a crazy level of dedication to a person some have...

Hehe Jinshi. At least he broke your fall. Also, Maomao being all "don't think anyone in the rear palace" about him, but she is. Jinshi sure taking all of this hard. Sad to see Ah-Dou go. She really does resemble Jinshi a lot 😉 and look at what Maomao is putting together, hehe. Yes, totally nonsense... coughs awww, Lishu. Really cute how she is with Ah-Dou. Would be nice if Lishu can still have Ah-Dou visit or vice versa. And what about Fengming's family? Swear if this is some nine familial punishment bullshit... I'm gonna be upset.

This episode is such a heavy one...

>風明はこの後どうなるんだろう
エピソードの終わりのほうで、風明の処刑が執行されたって猫猫がナレーションで言ってたはずだよ

> Wonder what'll happen to Fengming though.

Pretty sure Maomao narrated that Fengming's execution was completed towards the end of the episode.

城壁の上ではっきり言ってたよね
上の人の書き込みは、見ながら思ったことをそのまま書いていったものなんだと受け取っとく。猫猫の手作り防具のシーンから2分後には、風明がどうなったか語られてるし…

she explicitly said it on the wall

I'll just take /u/VorAtreides's post to be a train of thought postwritten as the episode was going on, since her fate is stated just 2 minutes after the Mao Mao armor scene...

少なくとも阿多妃は、侍女も手当もついた離宮で暮らせるし、たぶん外された妃じゃなくて、退いた上級妃として扱われる。だから地位はまだ高いままだ。住まいと手当があるのは帝の寵愛のしるしでもある。でも壬氏とは、ほとんど、もしかしたらずっと会えなくなるんだよな

At least Ah-Dou is getting to stay in a Palace Anex with staff and funding and probably social status as a retired top concubine not a removed one. Thus still good status. The housing and funding are signs of Imperial favor as well. But she is being cut off from Jinshi at least most of the time maybe all.

結局、風明は阿多妃の子の死に本当に関わってたけど、思ってたのとは違う形だった。赤ん坊に蜂蜜が毒だなんて、どうやって知れっていうんだ？ 風明が猫猫に何か仕掛けるんじゃないかってちょっと心配してたら、猫猫も同じことを考えてたらしい。自前の防刃ベストを着込んできてて笑った。
子供が入れ替えられたっていう猫猫の説、本当かもしれないな。でも待って、それって壬氏が先の皇太后の息子と入れ替えられたってこと？ そこがちょっと混乱してる。壬氏の生まれについて何か話があったか思い出せない。これもまた別の陰謀なのか？ それと、風明と、猫猫の翡翠宮の件はどういうこと？ 死んだことにして、こっそり追放したの？

So Fengming really was involved in the death of Ah Duo’s kid, but not in the way I thought. How could she have known honey was poisonous for babies? I was a little worried she might try something on Maomao. Apparently she had thought the same thing too. Girl came prepared with her own homemade stab vest lol.

This theory Maomao has about the kid’s being swapped might actually be true. But wait, does that mean Jinshi was swapped for the former Empress Dowager’s son? I’m a bit confused on that aspect. I don’t seem to recall if they discussed Jinshi’s parentage. I guess this could be another conspiracy? And what was with Fengming and the Jade Pavilion thing from Maomao? Did she have her fake her death and secretly exile her?

見た感じ、壬氏は阿多妃の息子だってことを匂わせてるんだと思う。皇太后の息子と入れ替えられたから、今の帝の弟として育ったけど、本当は帝の息子。で、本物の弟は風明のせいで死んだ

From what I can tell, the implication is that Jinshi is Ah Duo's son. He got swapped with the Empress's son, so he lived as the current Emperor's little brother but is actually his son. While the actually little brother died due to Fengming.

あぁ、了解。けっこうな大ネタだけど、知ってる人がいるならまったくの秘密ってわけでもなさそうだな

Ah, roger. Kind of big news but it seems it’s not a total secret if it’s known.

正直、この件は全部が悲劇だった。
我が子と、本当の母親になる機会を奪われた母（最後は自分で選んだことだとしても）、知らずにその子を死なせて隠そうとした忠実な侍女、ただ母親代わりがほしかった妃、そして本当の母とは決して一緒にいられない息子

Honestly this whole thing really was a tragedy.

A mother deprived of her child and the chance to be a real mother (even if it was by her own choice in the end), a loyal lady-in-waiting who unknowingly killed said child and tried to cover it up, a concubine who just wanted a mother-figure, and a son who could never truly be with his real mother.

待って、違うの？ 生まれてすぐ入れ替えられたなら、宦官ってこと自体が隠れ蓑なのかも？

Wait, isn’t he? I guess if he was swapped at birth the whole eunuch thing could be a cover?

帝の弟か帝の息子なら、宦官じゃなくても後宮に入れる。たぶん、そこの女たちに皇子として追いかけ回されないように、宦官のふりをしてるんだろうな

If he's either the emperor's younger brother or the emperor's son then he's allowed to be in the rear palace without being an eunuch. Presumably he pretends he is as a cover so that he's not persued as a prince by the girls there.

何話か前には壬氏が今の帝の弟だって強く匂わせてて、今回は阿多妃と今の帝の息子だ（で、弟として振る舞ってる）って強く匂わせてる。どっちにしても、壬氏を去勢するってのはかなりとんでもない話になる。
もしくは本当に宦官で、だからいつもは鋭い猫猫が何も感じなかったのかもな。
話としては宦官じゃないほうがずっと面白いから、俺は壬氏は宦官じゃなくて、本当は帝の息子だと思ってる

The story was heavily implying Jinshi is the current Emperor's brother a few episodes ago and this episode is heavily implying Jinshi is Ah-Duo and the current Emperor's son (but acting as the brother). If either of the two above is true then castrating Jinshi would be pretty intense.

Or maybe he really is a eunuch and that's why the normally hyper perceptive Maomao didn't feel anything.

Jinshi not being a eunuch is much more interesting storytelling-wise so I lean Jinshi is not a eunuch and is actually the son of the Emperor.

>話としては宦官じゃないほうがずっと面白いから、俺は壬氏は宦官じゃなくて、本当は帝の息子だと思ってる
それだと猫猫への入れ込みようにも一段深みが出るよな。もし二人の間に何か進展して結婚したら、万一今の帝が亡くなって大混乱になったとき、理屈の上では猫猫が皇后候補になりうる

> Jinshi not being a eunuch is much more interesting storytelling-wise so I lean Jinshi is not a eunuch and is actually the son of the Emperor.

It also adds an extra layer to his infatuation with Maomao. If anything actually develops between the two and they marry, Maomao, theoretically, could be in line to be the empress if s**t goes to hell and the current emporer dies.

この作品、細っこい意地悪な女ばかりの中で、独身の中年でぽっちゃりした侍女だけを唯一の悪役にして、主人公の告発で処刑させたって話をしようか。典型的な体型いじりだろ。赤ん坊と妃に白粉で毒を盛った侍女とか、里樹妃をいびり倒して死なせかけた侍女たちが、同じ目に遭った覚えはないんだけど…

We need to talk about how the series makes the single middle aged chubby maid in the sea of skinny mean girls the sole bad guy who gets killed thanks to the MC ratting her out. Classic fatshaming. I dont remember the maid who poisoned the baby and the concubine with powder or Lishu's hateful maids making her life hell, alomst getting her killed getting the same treatment..

個人的には、ちょっと深読みしすぎだと思う。
風明は別の妃をわざと殺そうとしたんだから、罰はまさに罪に見合ってるよ。
まあ、俺にはそう見えたってだけだけど

Feel like you're reading a bit too much into this one personally.

Her crimes very much fit her punishment in that she tried to purposefully kill another concubine.

But that's how I just saw it.

これって皮肉で言ってるんだよな…？

This is satire... Right?

結局、猫猫が自分で風明と対決することになるのは避けられなかったか…あのナイフには気をつけろよ。
この件は最初から最後まで悲劇だった。始まりは、阿多妃が優先される皇太后と同じ夜にお産をして、そのせいで子宮を失ったこと。体が弱った阿多妃に代わって、風明が息子の世話をすることになった…それ自体は悪くなかったのに、風明が蜂蜜でうっかり子供に毒を与えて死なせてしまい、阿多妃の心は壊れた。そして風明は後になって自分のせいだったと知り、いちばん忠誠を尽くす相手が何よりも愛していたものを、自分が殺したと悟った。そんなの誰だって壊れる。
で、里樹妃はどこに関わるのか。里樹妃と阿多妃は仲良くなった。まるで互いの人生の欠けた部分を埋め合うように（阿多妃は我が子を、里樹妃は母親を求めてた）。でも風明は里樹妃のおかげで蜂蜜が子供を殺したと気づいた。だから里樹妃が阿多妃にうっかり話して真相がばれることのないよう、全力で手を打つしかなかった。里樹妃を遠ざけきれなかったせいで、それが殺害計画になった。
それでも、風明の阿多妃への忠誠と献身には感心するしかない。事故から生まれた罪悪感に押しつぶされ、それが二人をそれぞれ違う形で壊したとしてもな。猫猫にはそこまで想う相手はいないけど、せめて真相が表に出ない形で風明に罪を償わせることはできた。それが結局、風明を処刑台に送ることになるとしても。阿多妃はどのみち後宮を去る運命だった。一件落着、かな。
風明がナイフで襲ってきても大丈夫なように、猫猫がしっかり備えてたのが好き。風明の猫猫を見る目つきに、今にも来るんじゃないかとずっとハラハラしてた。
壬氏が猫猫と一杯楽しもうとしたら、毒が絡んでたって気づくくだり。予想しとけよ。
夜の散歩でついに猫猫と阿多妃が直接顔を合わせて、阿多妃は酒で早くも猫猫の心をつかんでる。阿多妃も誰かに吐き出したかったんだろう。息子を失ったこと、女としての一部を失っても妃の座にしがみついてきたこと、帝との関係、いちばん忠実な者たちが命を投げ出したこと。何もかもがやりきれない。
酔った壬氏がいてくれて、猫猫が落ちたのを受け止められてよかった！ 壬氏もかなり感情的になってるみたいで、猫猫に会う前に阿多妃と一緒にいたことを考えると、たぶん阿多妃絡みだろう。泣いている自分を慰めてくれる誰かが必要で、それが猫猫になった。
おっ、猫猫がついに壬氏と阿多妃が似てることに気づいた！ それで、阿多妃の子は実は死んでなくて、子供を守るために阿多妃が自分で選んで生まれてすぐ入れ替えたんじゃないかって考えがつながる…つまり死んだ子は阿多妃の子じゃなかったかもしれなくて、猫猫のおやじはその偽装のとばっちりを受けたってこと（おやじはただ阿多妃を診てただけなのに引きずり出された）。とんでもない話だよな？
とはいえ、母と子と、忠実な侍女と、喪失の物語の中で、阿多妃が去る前に最後にもう一度、里樹妃の母親になれたのは救いだった

I guess this was always going to come down to Maomao confronting Fengming personally...just watch out for that knife.

So this entire case was a tragedy, dating back to when Ah-Duo gave birth the same night as the prioritized Empress Dowager but lost her uterus in the process, leaving her infirm and Fengming having to take care of her son...which wasn't all that bad until Fengming accidentally poisoned the child with honey and he died, emotionally breaking Ah-Duo. And then Fengming learned her own culpability in what happened and realized she killed the thing the person she's most loyal too loved the most. That would wreck anyone.

And where does Lishu fit in? Well, Lishu and Ah-Duo became close, almost as if to make up for the absences in their own lives (Ah-Duo for her child, Lishu who needed a mother), but Lishu also made Fengming realize the honey was what killed the child which means she had to do everything in her power to make sure Lishu never spilled the beans to Ah-Duo and she revealed the truth. Which, failing to keep Lishu away from the palace, became a murder plot.

If nothing else you have to admire how loyal Fengming is to Ah-Duo and how much she devoted herself to her, even with all the crippling guilt over what was an accident that ended up breaking the both of them in different ways. Maomao doesn't have any person in her heart like that, but the least she can do is have Fengming take responsibility for her crimes in a way that keeps the truth from getting exposed, even if that still means Fengming is destined for the gallows in the end. And Ah-Duo was always going to leave the palace one way or another. Case closed, I guess.

I love how Maomao was still fully prepared for if Fengming came at her with a knife. The way she looked at her sometimes I kept expecting it to happen.

Jinshi trying to enjoy a drink with Maomao only to realize there was poison involved. He should've seen that coming.

A late night stroll finally brings Maoamo and Ah-Duo in direct contact, and Ah-Duo is already making a good impression on Maomao with the booze. Ah-Duo also probably needed someone to vent, vent over losing her son, clinging to her position as a concubine despite losing a piece of her womanhood, her relationship to the Emperor, and the people most loyal to her sacrificing their lives. It was all so stupid.

Good thing a drunk Jinshi was there to break Maomao's fall! And it seems like he's getting very emotional too, quite likely related to Ah-Duo considering they were together before she saw Maomao. And he just needs someone to comfort him as he cries, which ends up being Maomao.

Hey, Maomao finally noticed the resemblance between Jinshi and Ah-Duo! Which also kind of helps her put two and two together that maybe Ah-Duo's child DIDN'T die but got switched at birth by Ah-Duo's choice to make sure her child was safe...meaning the child that died might not actually have been her own, and Maomao's dad ended up a consequence of the subterfuge (dude just wanted to take care of Ah-Duo before they dragged him away). Crazy stuff, huh?

Though in a story about mothers and children and loyal ladies-in-waiting and loss, at least Ah-Duo was able to be a mother one last time to Lishu before she left.

すごくいいまとめだね。でもまだ引っかかってることがあって
阿多妃のところの下女はなんで自殺したの？ 人が死ななきゃいけないほどの秘密って何？
入れ替えのことを知ってる人は実際何人いるの？ 風明自身は知らないっぽい？ たぶん
考えてみたら、帝は自分に弟なんかいなくて、壬氏が実は自分の息子だって知ってるの？ 自分の息子に自分の妃たちの見張りをさせるって、どんだけ変な状況だよ😂
それとEDの直前の最後のシーン。猫猫って風明の親戚なの？ 予想してなかった

Very nice summary although I still have some questions that kinda bothers me

Why did the ah duo common maid commit suicide? What's the secret that a person had to die ?

How many people actually know about the baby switch ? Fengming herself doesn't seem to know that ? I think

Now that I think about it does the emperor even knows that he has no brother and jinshi is actually is son ? Like asking his son to look over his concubines, lol how weird can it get 😂

And at the last scene before ED. Maomao is fengming's relative ? I didn't expect that

たしか前回、その侍女が里樹妃の汁物に毒を入れたっていう告白の書き置きを残してたって話があった。風明が黒幕で、その侍女は共犯者か身代わりだったって受け取ればいいと思う。
今回は、阿多妃と、たぶん帝も、入れ替えの可能性を知ってるってことが匂わされてる。
猫猫は親戚じゃないけど、猫猫をさらった連中がそうなのかもしれない

It was said I think last episode that the maid left a confession note about poisoning Lishu's soup. I think it's meant to be taken as Fengming was the mastermind but the maid was an accomplice/fall guy.

It's implied in this episode that Ah Dou and maybe the emperor know about the potential swap.

Maomao isn't a relative but the thugs who kidnapped her might be

>酔った壬氏がいてくれて、猫猫が落ちたのを受け止められてよかった！
そもそも落ちた原因が壬氏なんだけどな（笑）

>Good thing a drunk Jinshi was there to break Maomao's fall!

After being the whole reason she fell lmao

え、そうなの？ 見逃したかも。見直さなきゃ。
阿多妃が入れ替えたか、少なくとも関わってたんだろうとはなんとなく思ってた。疑問なのは、何が阿多妃をそうさせたのか、それと姑、つまり亡くなった赤ん坊の母親は知ってたのか、関わってたのか。姑にとっての得が全然思いつかない

Wait what? I think I missed that. I got to go rewatch.

I kinda of guessed Ah Duo did the switch or at least participated. My question what forced her hand and does her mother in law, the mother of the poor dead baby know or participate. I can’t figure out a benefit for mother in law at all.

追い詰められてやったというより、産んだ直後に、我が子を守らなきゃって本能的に思って、子供を入れ替えて、より身分の高い立場でいちばん安全にしようとしたんだと思う

I don't think her hand was forced so much as post-birth she just had this instinctual thought of protecting her baby by switching the children and making sure he was safest higher up in rank.

思いつく理由があるとしたら、難産のせいで生まれたときに子供の具合が悪かったってことくらいかな。
腕のいい医者は先帝の息子を診なきゃいけなくて、そっちは見たところ元気そうなのに、自分の息子は腕の劣る医者（か誰もいない？）に任される。だったら病弱な我が子を手放して治してもらおうと決めたのかもしれない。もう一人の赤ん坊は健康で治療もいらないから、害は及ばないし。
政治のために入れ替えるってのは、あまり筋が通らない気がする。自分の息子が次の帝になる可能性が上がるわけでもないし

I can't imagine a reason, other than maybe due to the difficult delivery, the child was not well when he was born.

If the good doctor had to look after the previous emperor's son, despite him looking to be quite well, and her own son would be managed by some not-as-good doctor (or no one at all?), then maybe she decided to give up her sickly son so that he could be cured, and no harm would come to the other baby since he was healthy and needed no medical care.

I don't think swapping the children for politics makes much sense, it wouldn't give her own son better chances to become the next in line to become emperor.

政治の問題になるのは一族のつながりだよ。要は、子供の母親がどの一族の出かってこと。敵対する一族がいれば、そいつらは全力でお前の一族を帝の家系図から刈り取ろうとする。
子供がいなければ母親の妃の座はなくなるから、そうすればライバルは早く情報を得られる特別な立場を失う。お前の一族に嫌がらせできるように帝位継承から外すのは、ついでの得にすぎない。そう、利害のある大人にとって危険だからって赤ん坊が殺されるのは、イエス様の話だけじゃないんだ。もっとひどいことに、世界中のいろんな帝国や王国で、うんざりするほど実際に記録されてる

Clan associations would be the political issues. Basically which clan is the kids mom from. If there’s a hostile clan they would be doing everything in their power to prune your clan from the emperor’s family tree.

This will make sure your rivals lose any special access to early information as the mom’s spot as a concubine would be terminated with no kids. The make sure not in line to be emperor to piss on ur clan is just a collateral benefit. So yeah babies being murdered cause they’re dangerous to grown men with vested interests aint just a baby Jesus thing. Worse it’s been actually documented way too many times across the various empires and kingdoms of the world.

あの二人が母と子だなんて、ちょっと露骨すぎるってみんな思ってたけど、結局そのとおりだったな

We all thought that them being mother and son was a bit too obvious, but here we are.

いや、ちょうどいい量の伏線だったと思う。少なすぎるとご都合展開に見えるし、伏線を全部ミスリードにするわけにもいかないし

Eh, it was a reasonable amount of foreshadowing. Too little and it looks like an ass-pull, and you can't make every foreshadow a red herring

伏線ってどこにあった？ 全然覚えてない

What was the foreshadowing? I don't remember it at all

誰かネタバレしてくれ。壬氏は阿多妃が自分の母親だって知ってるの？

Ok somebody spoil me, does Jinshi knows that Ah Duo is his mother

阿多妃は事実上、お気に入りの（なんちゃって）叔母さんみたいな存在だったってこと？

Did she serve as, in effect, a favorite (virtual) aunt?

つまり阿多妃は、自分が皇太后より身分が低いから我が子が後回しにされると気づいて、何か手の込んだ計画（説明はこれから）を実行して、我が子と今の帝の弟を入れ替えたってこと？

So Ah Duo realized because she's of lower status to the empress dowager, her baby would be less prioritized, and thus put some elaborate scheme (to be explained later) in action to swap her baby with the current emperor's little brother?

どうもそういうことらしいね

That's what seems to have happened, yeah

母親って、やっぱり我が子にいちばんいいものを与えたいもんだしな…

Moms do want what's best for their kids, after all...

12話で1巻ずつ進んでるっぽいから、今期の終わりは2巻の終わりかな

seems like we got one volume for each 12 episodes, so the ending for this season should be the end of vol.2

え、ここまででまだ1巻なの？ 1冊がかなり長いのか、それともアニメ化がすごいのか？

Wait it was just one volume so far? Are the volumes pretty long or the adaptation is phenomenal?

普通のラノベより2〜3割長い。『本好きの下剋上』くらいの長さって言えば伝わるかな。
アニメはほぼ何も削ってない

20-30% longer than typical LNs. Bookworm-length if that's relevant.

The adaptation is skipping almost nothing.

たぶん誰の目にも留まらないだろうけど、分からないところを書いとく…
風明は入れ替えを知ってたの？ 手伝った？ 羅門が手伝ったから追放されたの？
今の帝は自分の弟が実は息子だって知ってるの？ 帝の両親は？ 壬氏はどうやって知ったんだ？ 阿多妃が母親だって明らかに分かってるよね。他に知ってるのは誰？
風明はなんで蜂蜜が赤ん坊に危ないって知らなかったの？ 養蜂の家で育ったなら常識のはずじゃ…それとも知ってて、壬氏だけが世話と関心を受けられるように、わざと帝の赤ん坊を殺したの？
壬氏は本当に病弱で、だから阿多妃が入れ替えたの？ それとも作り話の一部？
なんで壬氏は後宮にいるの？ 前に出てた「妃や侍女を誘惑するためにうろついてる」って話がよく分からない…皇族がやるにはずいぶん下っ端の、どうでもいい仕事に見えるんだけど

I know this probabaly won’t get seen but here are my confusions…

Was Fengming aware of the switch? Did she help? Did Luomen help and that’s why he was exiled?

Does the current emperor know his little brother is his son? What about his parents? How did Jinshi find out, cuz clearly he knows Ah Duo is his mom. Who else knows?

How did Fengming not know honey was dangerous to babies? Growing up producing honey that should be common knowledge…or did she know and kill the emperors baby on purpose to make sure only Jinshi would get care and attention?

Was Jinshi actually sickly and that’s why Ah Duo did the swap, or was that just part of the cover story?

Why is Jinshi in the rear palace? I don’t really get the idea of “hanging around to tempt concubines/servants” that was mentioned…it just seems like lowly/unimportant work for a royal family member.

まさか猫猫が実の母親とかを処刑させたなんて言わないでくれよ（笑）

lol please don't tell me Maomao got her biological mother or something executed

「二つの動機を一つにする」ってどういう意味か、なんで猫猫と風明がそうしたかったのか、それがどう阿多妃を救ったのか、誰か説明してくれない？

Can someone please explain to me what they mean by making the two motives into one, why maomao and fengming would want that, and how it saved ah duo's life?

風明は里樹妃に毒を盛った罪をかぶるけど、本当の理由は明かされない（阿多妃が里樹妃と話す機会が増えたら、自分の赤ん坊が蜂蜜の毒で死んだと知ってしまうから）。表向きの理由（それでも処刑はされたけど、阿多妃が真相を知るよりはマシ）は、阿多妃が上級妃から外されるのを防ぐため、ってこと。
念のため、俺はアニメ勢で、今ちょうど見終わったところ

Fengming would take the fall for poisoning Lishu but it would never be revealed the true reason why she did it (Because if Ah-Duo gets more opportunities to talk with Lishu she will learn about the honey poisoning that killed her baby). The reason giving (That still got her executed but it's better than Ah-Duo learning the truth) is to prevent Ah-Duo from being kicked from the 4 Favorite Concubines.

To be clear I'm anime only and just now finished the episode.

>阿多妃が上級妃から外されるのを防ぐため
そこと、なんで猫猫がその嘘に乗ったのかがよく分からない。
阿多妃が真相を知ったら、なんで追い出されることになるの？

> is to prevent Ah-Duo from being kicked from the 4 Favorite Concubines.

This, and why maomao is in favor of the lie, is the part I don't get.

Why would Ah-Duo knowing the truth get her kicked out?

阿多妃が泣いてたのは、息子を手放したからで、死んだ赤ん坊のために泣いてるふりをしてたってこと？ それとも？

Was auo duo crying because she gave up her son and pretended to cry for the baby that died or ?

気になったのは、城壁の上の場面で、阿多妃を映すカメラが足元から上がっていったところ。纏足をしてないことをはっきり見せてる。つまり最初から妃として育てるつもりはなかったってことで、まず何より帝の友人だったっていう本人の話を裏付けてるし、後の妃の地位は予想外だったってことだ

One thing that stood out to me was when the camera panning on Ah Duo began from her feet, during the scene on top of the walls, making it a clear point she never went through with foot binding. This implies there was never the intention to bring her up as a consort, further reinforcing what she said about being the Emperor's friend first and foremost and her later position was unforeseen.

いい回だったけど、侍女の自殺がまだよく分からない。阿多妃は何の秘密を隠したの？

Great episode, but I still don't understand the suicide of the servant. What secret did Lady Ah Duo cover up?

風明が色分けされた木札を燃やしてたのはなんで？ それが今回の説明とどう関係するの？ それと、もう一人の侍女はなんで自殺したの？ 風明が仕組んだ自殺だったの？

I’m still confused why Fengming burned those stakes with the different colors coded and what that had to do with the explanation and why the other servant commit suicide or it was a planned suicide by fengming?

混乱してる。風明が里樹妃を殺そうとした理由は分かるけど、なんでもう一人の侍女を殺したのか、なんでその侍女が自殺したのか、阿多妃がその件とどうつながってるのかが分からない。誰か説明してくれない？

I'm confused. I understand why Fengming was trying to kill Lishu but I don't understand why she killed the other servent/why the other servent committed suicide or how Ah-Duo is connected to that particular incident. Could someone explain it to me?

あのモンタージュよ。猫猫をさらった連中も、適当にさらった娘が後宮にここまで影響を及ぼすことになるなんて思いもしなかっただろうな。
あと、珍しい薬草だか毒だかを見つけたときの喜びの舞は、何度見ても笑う

That montage tho. Maomao's kidnappers really had no idea how much of an impact the random girl they kidnapped would end up having on the palace.

Also, the happy dance from seeing a rare herb or poison or whatever will never not be funny.

猫猫が風明と対決するシーンで流れてる曲の名前をずっと探してる。見つけた人がいたら教えて😢

I've been trying to find the name of the ost that is heard when Maomao confronts Fengming. If anyone manage to find it, please tell me 😢

混乱してるの俺だけ？ 誰が誰に何をしたのか全然追えないから、この章全体を超かみ砕いて説明してくれない？

Am I the only one who's just really confused? Could I get a ELI5 for this whole arc cause I can never keep track of who did what to who.

正直、この作品がなんでこんなに人気なのか分からなくて、切ろうかと思ってた。でもあの壬氏と猫猫のシーン…今期の残りも見てみるか

Alright, I haven’t seen why people like this show so much and was considering dropping it. But that Jinshi x Maomao scene…. Maybe I’ll stick around for the rest of the season

16年前に猫猫のおやじが風明に白粉のことを警告してたのに、なんで後宮はそれを使い続けたんだ？ しかも赤ん坊に？

since the time maomao’s father warned fengming about the white powder 16 years ago, why did the palace continue to use it? especially on babies?

鈍い初心者を助けてください！ 今回を見たばかりなんだけど、「二つの動機を一つにする」ってところで詰まってる。風明が胸の張り裂けるような罪の告白をして泣き崩れたあと、猫猫が慰めながら、里樹妃の毒殺未遂と阿多妃の件の事故死を一つにしようって言ったのは、どういう意味？ 阿多妃の生まれたばかりの息子が本当はなぜ死んだのかを隠すためだとしたら、具体的にどういう形になるの？「私が里樹妃に毒を盛ったのは…のため」？ 寝不足の頭で申し訳ないけど、どうしても分からない。誰か優しい人、助けてくれない？

Help this slow noob, please! Just watched this episode, and I'm stumped at the "make the two motives into one" part. When Maomao [anime source]>!comforts the weeping Lady Fengming after her heart-wrenching admission of guilt, what did Mao mean when she suggests the attempted poisoning of Concubine Lishu and accidental death of Concubine Ah-Duo be made into one? If it was to hide from Ah-Duo what really happened to cause her newborn son's death, how would that look like exactly? "I tried to poison Concubine Lishu because...?!< Pardon my sleep-deprived brain, but I can't see it. Any kind soul willing to help out?

俺の理解だと、二人は里樹妃に毒を盛った動機を「阿多妃に地位を失ってほしくなかった」っていうだけの話に単純化したんだ。その告白のあと風明が処刑されれば、何年も前に風明が蜂蜜でうっかり我が子を死なせたことを、阿多妃が知ることは永遠にない

From what I can understand, the two of them created a story that simplify her motive of poisoning Concubine Lishu into just wanting Ah-Duo to not lose her position. With Fengming's death by execution after that admission, Ah-Duo would never have to find out that she accidentally killed her child by honey years ago.

遅くなったけど、本当にありがとう。やっと分かった🙏

Better late than never; thanks so much. I see it now 🙏

アニメ勢から質問。
アニメはどこで終わると思う？ それと、アニメでどれくらい削られてる？
漫画かラノベを最初から買いたいんだけど、お金に余裕がないから、アニメの続きから買い始めて、後で戻るほうがいいかなと思ってる。
どっちみち、遅かれ早かれ全部読むつもり

So, anime only asking here.

Where do you think the anime will end? And how much stuff has been trimmed down in the anime itself?
I would love to start buying the manga/LN from the start, but with limited funds I am more inclined to start from where the anime ends and go back after.

I am going to read it in its entirity anyway sooner or later.

アニメはラノベの少なくとも95%、ねこクラゲ版の漫画の98%をやってる。削ってるのはラノベの地の文のちょっとした部分くらい。今期はラノベ2巻のエピローグで終わる。買うならラノベ3巻か、漫画の41話（8巻の3分の2あたり）からでいい

Anime has at least 95% of the LN and 98% of the Nekokurage-drawn manga. Skips small bits of LN narration. Season will end with LN2's epilogue. Can buy (or otherwise source) starting at LN3 or manga chapter 41 (2/3 of volume 8).

これは刺さる。漫画で読んでたけど、アニメは思ってたよりずっと刺さった。猫猫に詰め寄られる風明の作画、張りつめていく緊張、そしてあの泣き声。
あぁ、あの泣き声。
侍女たちを慰めようとする阿多妃の死んだ目、そこから閉じた扉の向こうで泣く姿に切り替わるところ。胸が張り裂けそうだった。
猫猫が真相を組み立てていく間も、音楽の下で風明の嗚咽が聞こえ続けてた。おかげで場面がずっと生々しくて、猫猫の頭の中に入り込んで、もう一人の存在を忘れることがなかった。
とにかく、次回が待ちきれない

This hits hard. I've read this in the manga and the adaptation hits so much harder than I expected. The animation on Fengming when MaoMao was confronting her, the suspense build up and then the cries.

Oh, the cries.

Ah Duo's dead eyes as she tried to comfort her ladies-in-waiting, and then cut to her cries behind closed doors. It was heartbreaking.

Fengming's broken cries beneath the music while Maomao was piecing things together. It kept the scene very present, like I can't get lost in MM's head and forget about the other person.

That said, I can't wait for the next episode.

溺れて死んだ侍女って誰だったっけ？ どこの宮の侍女か言ってた気がするけど、思い出せないし情報も見つからない

who was the servant girl that drowned? i remember them mentioning which palace she was from but i cant remember or find any info on her.

阿多妃の宮で働いてたってこと以外は何も

Nothing other than worked at Ah-Duo's palace.

刺されるかもしれないのに、それでも一人で相手に詰め寄るなんて。猫猫、肝が据わりすぎ

Imagine the possibility of someone stabbing you and still confronting them by yourself. Maomao got balls.

安らかに、風明。秘密を墓まで持っていったな。それにしても、終盤の入れ替えの仮説には驚いた。
似てるから阿多妃と壬氏は血がつながってるはずだとは思ってたけど、壬氏がずっと阿多妃の息子だった可能性があるとは思わなかった！ 阿多妃は魅力的なキャラだ。まだ1話半くらいしか出てないのに、もう好きになってる

RIP Fengming, died with her secret in the grave but holy crap, that revelation near the end about a hypothetical swap was surprising.

I knew Ah Duo and Jinshi must be related due to their similarities but I didn't expect it would have been possible Jinshi could have been her son all this time! Ah Duo is a charismatic character, she's only been in like 1 and a half episode but I already liked her.

「甘い」
「でも毒ですよ」
「…死にはしない。安心して」
これだよこれ。この3行に壬氏と猫猫の関係が詰まってる

“It’s sweet.”

“Poisonous, though.”

“…it’s not lethal. Don’t worry.”

This right here. Those three sentences are JinMao in a nutshell.

最後のハグはちょっと見ててむず痒かった…
でも相手は宦官だし、大目に見よう。
音楽はすごく良かった。寝室で泣いてるシーンで、こっちまで泣きそうになった

That last hug was a bit cringe..
But considering the guy has no balls I'll let it slide.

Lovely music though, the scene when she was crying in her bedroom made me tear up.

いくつか分からないことがあって…
まず、なんであの侍女は自殺したの…？
次に、誰が、なんで二人の赤ん坊を入れ替えたの？
三つ目、風明と里樹妃はどういう関係？ 里樹妃が蜂蜜は赤ん坊に毒になるって風明に教えようとしたってだけ？ 里樹妃が赤ん坊のころに蜂蜜を食べさせられたことに、風明は何か関わってたの？
四つ目、なんで風明はあんなに阿多妃を妃の座に留めることにこだわってたの？ それに、そもそもなんで阿多妃はそこにいたくなかったの？

I am a bit confused about a couple of things here...

Firstly, why did the servant commit suicide...?

Secondly, who/why switched the two babies?

Thirdly, what relationship did Fengming and Lishu have? Is it just that Lishu tried to warn Fengming about how honey can be poisonous to babies? Did Fengming have anything to do with how Lishu was fed honey as a baby?

Fourthly, why was Fengming to be fixated on keeping Ah Duo as a concubine? And why did Ah Dou didn't want to be there anyway?

他の質問にはもう答えが出てるから、一つ目に答えるね。
自殺したのは、阿多妃への疑いを晴らすため。そうすれば、みんなその侍女が毒殺を計画したと思うから

Since people have already answered other questions, I will answer your first question.
The reason she committed suicide was to remove people's suspicions about Ah Duo, people would think she planned the poisoning.

ありがとう。
なるほど。でも、風明がその侍女の自殺と何かつながってるって話があった気がする。風明が自殺に追い込んだの？ 全部阿多妃のためなんだろうけど

Thank you.

Right, but I believe it was mentioned that Fengming was somehow connected to the servant committing suicide. Did Fengming push the servant to do that? All for Ah Duo, I presume.

入れ替えられたのは壬氏と今の帝の弟。理由は、阿多妃が我が子を優先して、一番いい治療を受けさせたかったから

Babies switched are jinshi and brother of the current emperor. Reason given is that ahduo want her son to be given priority and the best care.

話の詰まった回だったな。消化しにくいけど、筋は通ってる。作者は謎と一緒にちゃんと手がかりも出してた。前半で壬氏の話はひと区切りついたっぽい。一つだけ解決してない気がするのが、風明が色の違う炎で連絡を取ってた相手は誰なのかってこと。
てっきり屋根の上にいた外部の謎の人物だと思ってた。壬氏や阿多妃（つまりまた別のそっくりキャラ）じゃなくて。
最後のカットで、風明と猫猫と緑青館をめぐる新しい謎が出てきた。1〜11話をもとにした説のどれかが当たってるかもしれない。
猫猫がさらわれたとき、行き先を知ってたのは二人だけ。おやじと緑青館の主だ。それにさらった連中は、猫猫を薬師じゃなくてただの下働きの娘として売ってるから、誰かが目的をもって誘拐を企んだとは考えにくい。たまたまっぽい。風明は無理やり後宮で働かされたんだから、もしかすると風明の家は後宮に働き手を送り込む組織をやってるのかも。
緑青館で寝たきりになってる女の人が、猫猫、羅門、風明の家族をみんなつないでるのかもしれない。阿多妃のお産がうまくいかなかったとき、羅門がいなかったせいで狙われたとか？
猫猫は壬氏に、前にも薬師として働いてたって話してた。風明の家か緑青館で働いてたのかもしれない。木札に猫猫が緑青館の関係者として載ってた理由を説明できるのは、後者だけだな

That was a plot heavy episode, difficult to digest but fair. Author had given clues along with mysteries. Looks like Jinshi's arc is complete with the first half. Only one thing looks unresolved. Who was the person Fengming was communicating using those multicoloured flames? 
I thought surely that was the stranger on the roof from outside not Jinshi/Ahduo aka another clone character. 

Last shot showed another mystery with Fengming, Maomao and Verdigris house. One of these theories based on episodes 1-11 can be relevant.

During Maomao's kidnapping only two person knew about her itenary. Her dad and the Verdigris owner. The kidnappers also sold her just as a servant girl not an apothecary so it looks difficult that someone plotted her kidnapping with a purpose. It looks like random. As Fengming was forced to work in the palace maybe her family runs a gang to supply workers to palace.

The comatose lady in Verdigris could link everyone, Maomao, Luomen and Fengming's family. Maybe she was targeted due to Luomen's absence in Ahduo's failed delivery?

Maomao had mentioned to Jinshi that she had worked as apothecary previously. Maybe she had worked for Fengming's family or Verdigris house. Only latter could explain why Maomao was associated with Verdigris house in that wooden tablet.

猫猫の本当の両親は誰なのかって謎もあるな

Who is Maomao's real parents mystery as well.

赤ん坊の入れ替えは、宋代の有名な民話「狸猫換太子（狸猫と太子のすり替え）」がヒントになってそう。こっちのバージョンはちょっとエグいけど（笑）

The baby swapping scheme sounds like it was inspired by famous Song Dynasty folklore "[Crown Prince Replaced by a Cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crown_Prince_Replaced_by_a_Cat_\(Chinese_tale\))" or 狸貓換太子. This version is kinda gross lol

似てるけど、ちょっと違う。どっちにしても皇族なのは変わらなくて、順番の問題なだけだし

Kind of but a tiny different. He is royalty either way, but ti is just the order of things.

うん、だから「ヒントになってる」って言ったんだよ。状況はまったく別物だし

yeah that's why I say inspired by. It's really not the same context.

いやー、今回は内容がぎっしりだった。次回予告を見ると、猫猫は風明の家（というか少なくとも猫猫をさらった連中？）とつながってるってことで、暇を出されるっぽい？ 壬氏はどうするんだろうな。もうだいぶ猫猫に情が移ってるし、ふへへ…
あと、猫猫が備えて体に油紙を巻いてきたことについて語ろうぜ。うちの小悪魔、最悪の事態まで想定してた！
正直、風明の手が届くすぐ後ろにパン切りナイフがあった、あのちょっとした場面はゾッとした。でも自分の秘密を守るためなら人殺しも辞さない、しかも子供相手に…って覚悟の人なんだから、そりゃ猫猫が成り行きに用心するのも当然だよな

Dang, this episode was PACKED. And from the previews next ep, seems like Maomao's gonna be let go for presumably being connected to Fengming's family (or Maomao's kidnappers atleast?) Wonder what'll Jinshi do about that, he's kinda getting attached to her by now *huehuehue...*

Also can we talk about how Maomao came prepared and covered her body in oilpaper? Our little gremlin was expecting the worst!

Ngl, that small scene with the bread knife just behind Fengming's reach made my skin scrawl. But considering she would resolve to murder - and a kid no less - to protect *her* secret, yeah... it only makes sense Maomao would be cautious about how things will go/

猫猫は現実主義すぎて、受け止めてもらったお礼に抱きつかれるのを許すって自分を納得させてたのが最高だった（笑）
壬氏も阿多妃も、心のどこかでは似てることに気づいてて、あえて触れないことにしてたんだと思う。だからこそ余計にほろ苦い

Maomao being such a realist that she rationalized letting Jinshi hug her as thanks for cushioning her fall was gold lmao.

I'm sure a part of both Jinshi and Ah Duo were aware of their similarities and just chose to never address it, making the whole thing all the more bittersweet.

見終わったけど、ふう…なんでこんなに短く感じるのに、こんなに詰め込まれてるんだ。今回は読み解くことがたくさんあった。
まず家系図。あくまで猫猫の推理だけど、阿多妃と皇太后の赤ん坊が入れ替えられたってのはありえる話だ。阿多妃は、皇太后の息子と同じ日に生まれたら、自分の子は何をするにも二番手になると分かってたから。でも、実際に誰が入れ替えたのか、誰が関わってて誰が知ってたのかはまだ分からない。阿多妃が知ってたと考えるのは無理じゃないけど、（血のつながった子じゃない）赤ん坊が毒で死んだとき、阿多妃はひどく打ちのめされてた。その子にも情が移ってたのかもしれない。猫猫のおやじも、入れ替えに気づかなかったってことで関わってて、追い出されたらしい（先週猫猫が言ってた膝の骨の話からすると、罰も受けたんだろう）。でも、おやじは表に出してる以上にいろいろ知ってたんじゃないかと思う。
そして壬氏。めったに外に出ない帝の弟は、実はずっと出歩いてた帝自身の息子かもしれない。しかも本人も自分が何者か分かってる可能性が高い。壬氏は間違いなく阿多妃と飲んでたし、猫猫に抱きつきながら流した涙は、たぶん阿多妃に去らなきゃいけないと告げられたからだ。阿多妃は里樹妃のもとも去らなきゃいけない。年下の姑と年上の嫁みたいな関係で、二人の間には緊張があると思ってたけど、実はある意味で互いを癒やし合ってたんだな。風明が割り込むまでは。
その風明だけど、ここ数話の出来事に大きく関わってたらしい。忠誠を尽くす阿多妃の赤ん坊を、知らずに毒で死なせた。自分が赤ん坊を殺したと匂わせる話を漏らしかねない里樹妃を、阿多妃から遠ざけた。それでも里樹妃が引き下がらないと、殺しに走った。自殺した侍女は、たぶん実際に手を汚した人で、阿多妃への疑いをそらすために命を絶ったんだろう。猫猫は風明の仕業だと見抜いたけど、風明にはもう逃げ道がない。それでも阿多妃をこれ以上苦しめないために、別の動機で自首して、赤ん坊の死への関与は隠したままにした。
こうして阿多妃は、実の息子とされる壬氏と、娘のような里樹妃を残して去り、忠実な侍女を処刑で失う。どこを取っても悲劇だ。
さらに、壬氏が風明を調べたら、猫猫も何らかの形で風明とつながってることが分かった。どうつながってるのかは分からないけど、壬氏の「さらわれて売られただけだと思ってたが…」って台詞からすると、壬氏は猫猫を低い身分の出だと思ってたのに、調べたら違ったってことなんだろう。
あと一つまだよく分からないのが、違う色に燃える木札と、前の事件の焼けた女物の服。腕の火傷（たぶん焼けた服から推理したもの）で風明にたどり着いたのは分かるけど、木札が風明とどう関わってくるのか、説明があった覚えがない

Just finished the episode and whew… how could an episode feel so short but so jam-packed. Felt there was a lot to unpack this episode.

Firstly, the family tree. It’s only MaoMao’s theory but it is feasible that there was a swap between Ah Duo and the Empress’ babies. Cos Ah Duo realize being born the same day as the Empress’ son, her baby would most likely play second fiddle to everything. But who physically made the swap and who was involved and had knowledge of it is still up in the air. It’s not crazy to assume Ah Duo had knowledge of it but when the baby was poisoned (which wasn’t biologically hers), she seemed pretty damn devastated. Maybe she grew attached to that baby as well. MaoMao’s dad also was involved for not recognizing the swap it seems and was kicked out (and probably punished judging from the missing knee bone MaoMao mentioned last week) but I do think he knew a lot more than he led on.

And Jinshi as well. So the Emperor’s brother that’s rarely seen outside could actually be his own son who’s actually been walking around. And it’s likely he knows who he is as well. He was definitely drinking with Ah Duo and the tear he shed while hugging MaoMao was probably because Ah Duo told him she had to leave. And Ah Duo has to leave Lishu as well. I thought there was tension between them being a younger MIL to an older DIL, but apparently they were healing each other in a way. That is until Fengming intervene.

Speaking of, it seems Fengming is a big part of what’s been happening these past episodes. She unknowingly poisoned Ah Duo’s baby who she was fiercely loyal to. Cut off Lishu from her who could’ve spilled info that implies she was the one who killed the baby. And when Lishu persisted, she turned to murder. The servant who killed herself was probably the one who got her hands dirty and offed herself to throw suspicion away from Ah Duo. MaoMao figured Fengming out but she knows there’s no way out. But to spare Ah Duo from more heartache, she turned herself in under a different motive, still covering her involvement in the baby’s death.

So Ah Duo leaves, leaving her alleged biological son Jinshi, her daughter figure Lishu, losing her loyal lady-in-waiting to execution. Such a tragedy all around.

And to add to that, Jinshi’s investigation on Fengming revealed MaoMao is somehow connected to her as well. Not sure how but Jinshi saying, “I thought she was just kidnapped and sold off, but…” makes me think Jinshi thought MaoMao was of a lowly status but the investigations reveals otherwise.

Also, one thing that I’m still unsure of are the wooden tablets that burns different colours and the burnt women’s clothing in one of the previous cases. It’s the burn on the arm (presumably deduced from the burnt clothing) that led to Fengming but I don’t recall any mention of how those wooden tablets come into play with Fengming.

うん、木札のところははっきりしないよな…後宮は外の人間と連絡を取っちゃいけないから、毒を手に入れるための合図に使ってたんだと思う。でもちょっとやりすぎな気もする

yeah the tablets part is unclear... I think they were supposedly used as a signal to procure the poison, since the palace should not be in contact with people from outside. But it does seem a bit much

作者、やってくれたな👏

The author cooked👏

猫猫が別の連中にさらわれたのを覚えてる？ あいつらが記録の上では猫猫の家族ってことになってるんだよ

Remember Maomao was kidnapped by other people? Those people are consider her family in court record.

風明は気の毒だと思わずにいられない。主の阿多妃の子ですらない赤ん坊のために死んだんだから。でも、血のつながった子じゃないのに、なんで阿多妃がその子のために泣き続けてたのかは分からない

I can't help but feel sorry for Fengming because she passed away for a baby who wasn't even her lord Ah Duo own. But I can't understand why Ah Duo kept crying over him even though he wasn't her biological child.

子供が死ぬのは、それでも悲しいだろ

A kid dying is still sad

ああもう、壬氏は泣き顔まできれいだな。
それに、阿多妃と壬氏が似てることに気づかないなんて、目が見えてないとしか思えない。てことは、壬氏は帝の弟じゃなくて息子ってことだ！
…うわ、ドロドロだな

God, Jinshi is so pretty when he cries.

And you'd have to be blind to not see the similarities between Ah-Duo and Jinshi. That would mean Jinshi is not the Emperor's brother, but his son!

... Yikes, that's MESSY.

濃い回だった！

That was an intense episode!

風明って猫猫の親戚なの？ だから木札に猫猫の名前があったの？

Is fengming related to maomao? Is that why maomao was on that wooden brick?

猫猫をさらった連中が、何らかの形で風明とつながってるってことを匂わせてたんだと思う

I think it was implied that those who kidnapped Maomao were somehow related to Fengming.

すごく悲しい。風明が処刑されたなんて信じられない。当時はそれが普通だったんだろうけど、もう少し情けがあってほしかった

I’m so sad — I can’t believe Fengming was executed. Seems like that’s the norm back then but wished there was more leniency. Wow.

俺だけかな、序盤の取り調べのところでBGMがちょっと大きくて、台詞にかぶってなかった？

Was it just me or was the background music a bit loud, overshadowing the dialogues at the beginning of the epsidoe....during the interrogation?

俺だけかもしれないけど、ほとんど証拠もないのにいきなりシャーロック・ホームズみたいな推理をするのは、あんまり好きじゃない。風明も急に自白したけど、猫猫の「証拠」って、風明の実家が養蜂をやってて、子供が死んだときに世話をしてたってことだけだろ。それでも作品は大好きだし、各章もその回ごとの悪役もすごく面白いと思うけど、こういうスタイルからはもう少し離れてほしい

idk maybe its me but im not a huge fan of the sherlock-esque deductions out of nowhere with very little evidence and how feng ming just confessed out of nowhere with maomao's only "proof" being that her family runs an apiary and she was in charge of the kid when he died. still love this show and think the arcs and each villain of the week is really cool but i wish it went away from this style more

風明が毒殺を図ったっていう証拠は強かったよ。それに、この体制じゃ人を処刑するのに確かな証拠はそれほど必要ない

The evidence that Feng Ming was doing the assassination attempt was strong. And in this system having strong proof not that necessary to get someone executed.

確かに決定的な証拠はないけど、風明に罪悪感を抱かせて自白させるには十分だった。ちょっと逆転裁判っぽい感じ

It is true there are no true evidence, but there are enough to guilt trip Fend Ming to confess; kind fo like Ace attoney style.

自白させるのは難しいって言う人もいるけど、警察はやってなくても自白した人でかなりの数の有罪を取ってるから、その主張は信用してない

some claim it's harder to get people to confess but Police get a huge number of their convictions off confessions even if the person did not do it so I don't trust that first claim.