I’ve been impatiently waiting for The Apothecary Diaries return and have written a few posts leading up to this day. As a Light Novel girly, I can’t resist reading beyond mangas when possible. I wasnt surprised seeing Moamao back in the pleasure district with no direct screen time with Jinshi. Nor Maomao finding a former Shi-Clan gaurd, which is triggered by a curious find in a bookstore. They did tone down the grasshopper meal a bit. In the Light Novel, all the ladies got a portion of these grasshoppers for breakfast. Fun fact: there’s speculation the current owner is a son/grandson of the Moon Fairy.
Circumstances Dictate Outcomes
It seems bearing a child doesnt necessarily put you at risk of being thrown out. Its more so that Moamoa mother was supposed to be bought out by a wealthy man for her purity. She didn’t really care what trapping Lakan with Moamoa would do to the Verdagris House. It’s the fact that Lakan didn’t immediately take responsibility for her and Moamao that solidified her fall from grace. These women can’t be mothers, but some are still bringing children into this life. Think of it this way, Moamoa was a ward of the Verdagris House till Jinshi bought her out. So, she was basically born into debt. This isnt directly brought up in this epsiode. I was more so implying why the true owner doesn’t retaliate when dealing with Granny.
The Devistation of a Locust Plague
Honestly, the animators got straight to business with that opening scene. We are struck by infertile ground, people suffering, and the weight of that sorrow on animals as well. Then, we’ve got a suspicious looking woman handing out laced treats to desperate individuals. Im pretty sure she’s the translucent lady. The novel doesnt bring her up till she’s meddling with daily business in the Capitol. This lady will leave traces of her presences in different parts of the empire. So her visiting these rural areas makes sense to me.
All The Pieces In Their Proper Place…Except For One
I don’t recall the author spending a significant amount of time on the garden party, but this is a good way to put a few things in motion without wasting airtime. Lakan still doesn’t care about what’s going on outside of his wife’s good days. Lady Lishu’s father doesn’t bother to show her any favor in public. There’s somewhat open resentment that a foreign princess won. Even though both of the Emporer’s favorites bore him a son. Our empress is still at a disadvantage, her daughter is not a contender for the throne. She may be the oldest, but she’s still a political tool for him. Good or bad, Jinshi’s true identity will have long-term consequences.
The Underbelly of the Pleasure District
Chou-u doesn’t really understand that he’s viewing this area with rose tinted glasses. He’s safe to run around when he’s within the Verdagris Houses vicinity. It’s not just Granny’s reputation, there are men who work there for security purposes. A kid that’s not really thinking about the way the world works will assume they can go anywhere. Chou-u reveals his artistic talent. Granny can smell a fortune filled future from a mile away. That’s why she charges him 10% for the location.
In my opinion, that’s pretty generous of her. I thought she’d take more from him. She probably doesnt want to clip his wings. If it feels like he can’t generate his own money because he’s paying to use the location, he may just give up on it. I’m glad Maomao indirectly invested in this. She makes a point to talk about how expensive and luxurious paper is, but she bought paper and ink for him.
Final Thoughts
I believe these Easter eggs are being left deliberately this early, because the movie will delay Season 3 Part 2. I believe this, because the release dates. Also, it’s showing the severity of the situation and Jinshi’s first test to protect the empire. Like my spoiler post mentioned and the garden party, there is tension with externinating a clan and putting a foreign princess in the highest seat of power for a woman. It’ll take a considerable amount of time for capital and other surrounding clans to notice the Locust Plague.
Maomao may not work in either court, but she isn’t going to let information sit. It would go against her nature to withhold it. Fans with a romantic interest in the series may feel disappointed the two didn’t share screentime. Fear not, we will get plenty of it with world building this season.
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