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ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA
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{\an8}THIS STORY IS A FICION, AND ALL NAMES OF
FIGURES ND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.
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{\an8}MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION
TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.
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She has no understanding of chastity.
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She's a picky eater too!
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It's not like she'd die.
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{\an8}- So cold!
- The warming stones help a little, but...
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To have nothing to do
in this cold is torture.
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The wind is so chilly!
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At least have some sort of tent...
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This seating is made to foster hostility
among the four concubines.
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Look. That lady is the Empress Dowager.
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She's very youthful.
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She's quite young, actually.
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Because she gave birth to the Lord at...
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She must've worked hard
to give birth to him!
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The Empress Dowager has two children,
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the Lord and his younger brother.
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But it's rumored that
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the brother is very ill and can't leave
the house often.
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It seems like he was here
until recently, but...
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I see.
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What? You call this plain?
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An attendant is to serve her master.
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What's the point of dressing up?
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Did you hear that?
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It's the master who suffers
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when her attendant looks poor.
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I'm so pissed!
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Those attendants are Lady Lihua's...
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Oh no, Yinghua's at it.
They started a battle by proxy.
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Let's go, Maomao.
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She even hired that ugly duckling,
that's to be expected.
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Ugly duckling? Is she talking about me?
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That is so embarrassing!
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What did you say?
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- Yinghua!
- Calm down!
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They haven't realized?
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We were so close at the Crystal Pavilion!
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If you get too carried away,
I'll tell Father!
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Then I'll make sure
you physically can't tell on anyone.
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Huh?
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It was just a courtesan joke...
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Apologize to Maomao!
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Why are you suddenly all quiet?
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I'll leave you alone for now!
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- Huh?
- You...
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You better be grateful!
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What's up with them?
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Hey, are you okay, Maomao?
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They don't know you're really this cute.
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It doesn't bother me.
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Do you want to switch warming stones?
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Not only did she suffer misfortune,
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she even mistrusts men so much
that she dirties her face...
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She desperately suffered horrible bullying
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at the Crystal Pavilion for two months...
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She didn't complain once,
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and she doesn't want to worry us...
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It makes sense that the kind-hearted
Sir Jinshi watches out for her!
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They're making up stories again.
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Doesn't she even know her position?
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Look at that red clothing!
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Another battle by proxy.
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It's the Virtuous versus the Pure.
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Those two groups don't get along well,
either.
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The Virtuous Concubine
is very young at 14,
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while the Pure Concubine
is a veteran at 35.
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Of course they don't get along!
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And, they were formerly mother
and daughter-in-law.
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Mother and daughter-in-law?
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So... This is a bit complicated,
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but the two Ladies were originally
the former Emperor's concubine
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and the current Lord's concubine.
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But then, the former Emperor passed away.
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The former Emperor's concubine
became a monk,
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then came back as
the current Emperor's concubine.
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The former Emperor passed away
five years ago.
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Concubine Ah-Duo, who was a Lady
at the time, was 30-years-old.
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The Virtuous Concubine, Lishu,
was nine at the time.
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I know it's politics,
but to be married at nine...
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Can you believe it?
A nine-year-old mother-in-law.
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A nine-year-old mother-in-law...
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A mother-in-law?
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So...
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The one who was concubine
to the former Emperor was...
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Lady Lishu?
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So that is the young mother-in-law?
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I think you've noticed,
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but the Virtuous Concubine, Lady Lishu,
is still quite young.
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It seems like it.
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Traditionally, the Virtuous Concubine
should be wearing white.
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But that dark pink color...
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It clearly overlaps with Lady Gyokuyou,
The Precious Concubine.
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Maybe she doesn't notice things like that.
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The warming stones were a big help.
Please make them again.
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Yes, ma'am.
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So cold...
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If you're cold, you should have these.
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Here.
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Here.
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You're too nice.
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Asking whether you can share with
the attendants in the Crystal Pavilion.
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You even asked for permission
from Lady Gyokuyou.
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It's nothing.
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A hair clip?
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That's how they recruit talented people
hidden in the flower garden.
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I see.
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It can have other meanings though.
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I see.
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I said, it can have other meanings!
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Meanings, huh?
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This is for you, miss.
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I guess he's giving them out to everyone
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so that no attendants are embarrassed.
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Thanks.
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I'm Lihaku.
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Nice to meet you!
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He's like a big dog.
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Woof, woof!
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You got that? Show me.
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It's a participation prize.
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That's not enough, don't you think?
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Long time no see.
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Long time no see, My Lady.
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That's all for now.
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Lady Lihua?
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Let's go. Goodbye, all.
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Lady Gyokuyou...
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Might get a little more than upset.
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What are you going to do?
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Wow.
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This is quite impressive.
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He must be more higher-up than I imagined.
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He fits right in with all the soldiers.
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That soldier from before is there too.
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He's in the last seat. He's young,
so he might have been promoted.
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That glittery eunuch isn't here.
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But that doesn't matter.
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Now, time for poison testing!
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No cloudiness to the contact areas.
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No strange scents, either.
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But a poison tester's job isn't over
until she swallows...
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Now rinse my mouth with fresh water...
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A poison tester's life is expendable.
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I'm the only one who tastes poison
for fun.
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If possible, I'd love some puffer fish!
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Sneaking its organs into soup...
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The way it tingles my tongue
is irresistible!
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Concentrate!
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Raw fish and vegetables.
The Emperor's favorite.
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It was served at the rear palace
sometimes.
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It usually contains blue fish,
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but today it's jellyfish.
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The Food Service in charge of
the Emperor's meals
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would never mistake his favorite
ingredient.
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Lady Gyokuyou doesn't have any foods
she can't eat.
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They must've messed up
the food distribution.
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She doesn't like fish?
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I guess she can't leave anything uneaten
in front of the Emperor.
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I wish I hadn't seen that.
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Did you see, Lihaku?
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That poison tester looks determined.
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What's so fun about watching people eat
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while fearing for their lives?
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Just look!
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That poison tester...
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It's the girl from before.
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How delicious is it?
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This is poison.
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- Poison in the Precious Concubine's soup?
- Is it really poisonous?
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The poison tester drank it!
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Minister! What are you...?
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Formal wear is so uncomfortable...
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The Minister drank the soup and collapsed!
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Apothecary...
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Apothecary!
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How do you do, Sir Jinshi?
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You're in a great mood.
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Oh no, I was excited by the poison.
It's like I smiled at him!
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Where are you taking me?
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To the medical room.
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I spit out the poison.
There's nothing wrong with my body.
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I actually wanted to
swallow it right there.
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If I had, the poison would be
circulating all around me...
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Sir Jinshi, um...
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What is it?
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Please give me the leftover soup!
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You're stupid, aren't you?
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I'm ambitious, you mean.
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After you left,
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someone doubted that it was poison,
drank it, and collapsed.
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What idiot did such a thing?
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The Minister.
Now, people are panicking even more.
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In that case, use this.
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It's an antiemetic drug. You can vomit
so much that your stomach turns around.
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That's a poison on its own.
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Hey!
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A new hair clip?
200
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So eunuchs get hair clips too?
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Now that I think about it,
his collar is disheveled.
202
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He's not as glittery as usual.
203
00:15:40,689 --> 00:15:44,234
Is this why I didn't see him
at the banquet?
204
00:15:45,277 --> 00:15:48,739
But now, he looks like
any young man his age...
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Actually, he looks quite young.
206
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He looks better this way.
207
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It works! As expected of medicine
from the court doctor!
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00:16:10,094 --> 00:16:11,178
Are you all right?
209
00:16:13,931 --> 00:16:16,016
Yes. I'm all finished.
210
00:16:18,268 --> 00:16:20,896
Now, tell me what happened.
211
00:16:21,397 --> 00:16:24,441
Who put poison
in Concubine Gyokuyou's food?
212
00:16:24,525 --> 00:16:27,361
I have someone I want you to bring
about that.
213
00:16:28,404 --> 00:16:29,863
Who is it?
214
00:16:29,947 --> 00:16:34,034
Will you call Lady Lishu for me?
215
00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,455
Sir Jinshi. What did you need from me?
216
00:16:39,164 --> 00:16:41,917
I apologize for calling you
to such an unrefined place.
217
00:16:42,001 --> 00:16:45,587
Who we really wanted was
that attendant there.
218
00:16:50,175 --> 00:16:51,552
The attendant?
219
00:16:54,096 --> 00:16:55,431
Excuse me.
220
00:16:59,601 --> 00:17:00,936
I knew it.
221
00:17:02,354 --> 00:17:03,981
Is it seafood you can't eat?
222
00:17:07,735 --> 00:17:09,111
What is this about?
223
00:17:09,194 --> 00:17:12,906
There are some who can't
eat particular foods.
224
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For me, it's soba noodles.
225
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Even though you eat poison happily?
226
00:17:18,746 --> 00:17:20,456
Leave me alone.
227
00:17:20,539 --> 00:17:22,708
I've tried hard to eat them.
228
00:17:23,375 --> 00:17:27,921
But my throat closes up,
and I can't breathe.
229
00:17:28,797 --> 00:17:31,008
Even a little bit gives me a rash.
230
00:17:31,091 --> 00:17:34,803
It's hard to adjust the amount,
and recovery is slow.
231
00:17:35,596 --> 00:17:37,931
That's what "not being able to eat" means.
232
00:17:38,515 --> 00:17:41,810
Lady Lishu. Is your stomach all right?
233
00:17:42,436 --> 00:17:44,104
I can offer you a laxative.
234
00:17:48,484 --> 00:17:49,777
How did you know?
235
00:17:49,860 --> 00:17:52,029
The meal at the garden party was clearly
236
00:17:52,112 --> 00:17:55,157
prepared by the rear palace.
237
00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,994
The fish and vegetable dish had
different ingredients than usual.
238
00:17:59,078 --> 00:18:00,996
I think there was an error
239
00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:05,125
and Lady Gyokuyou
and Lady Lishu's meals got mixed up.
240
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I see...
241
00:18:06,877 --> 00:18:09,296
Is it mackerel you can't eat?
242
00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,264
This has nothing to do with
being a picky eater.
243
00:18:19,932 --> 00:18:22,142
This time, hives were the only symptom,
244
00:18:22,893 --> 00:18:25,646
but it could cause difficulty breathing.
245
00:18:26,772 --> 00:18:28,816
If you knew this and served it...
246
00:18:29,817 --> 00:18:32,653
It's the same as poisoning someone.
247
00:18:39,785 --> 00:18:43,288
You. You're the poison tester, right?
248
00:18:44,832 --> 00:18:46,166
Yes.
249
00:18:46,250 --> 00:18:48,377
I've gathered things to look out for
250
00:18:48,460 --> 00:18:51,088
in case of emergencies.
251
00:18:52,589 --> 00:18:56,009
Of course, the best bet is
to not eat it at all.
252
00:18:58,887 --> 00:19:00,139
Please look over this.
253
00:19:03,225 --> 00:19:05,310
There's nothing hard about it.
254
00:19:05,894 --> 00:19:08,438
But if you mess up once,
255
00:19:08,522 --> 00:19:11,024
even a physician can't resolve the issue.
256
00:19:12,609 --> 00:19:15,529
This is a life-or-death problem.
257
00:19:16,738 --> 00:19:20,742
Please don't forget that.
258
00:19:24,121 --> 00:19:25,789
That's enough blackmailing.
259
00:19:34,631 --> 00:19:36,675
What is this about?
260
00:19:37,843 --> 00:19:42,139
I'm of low class.
Please refrain from touching me.
261
00:19:42,222 --> 00:19:45,017
You're the only one
who says such things to me.
262
00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:47,561
They just don't want you
to feel hurt, that's all.
263
00:19:49,396 --> 00:19:53,192
Now, I must report to Lady Gyokuyou...
264
00:19:54,276 --> 00:19:58,030
Wait. Why did you have the poison tester
be present for that?
265
00:20:00,532 --> 00:20:01,867
What do you mean?
266
00:20:01,950 --> 00:20:04,411
Don't play dumb. You said to call her.
267
00:20:04,494 --> 00:20:07,331
Just so I could inform her of everything.
268
00:20:07,414 --> 00:20:10,834
So you're saying that the servers
simply made a mistake?
269
00:20:12,836 --> 00:20:15,255
That's not for a mere attendant to know.
270
00:20:18,967 --> 00:20:20,928
At least tell me this, all right?
271
00:20:22,179 --> 00:20:26,391
The target was the Virtuous Concubine,
Concubine Lishu, right?
272
00:20:27,684 --> 00:20:30,229
If there was no poison in any other plate.
273
00:20:30,938 --> 00:20:32,022
I see...
274
00:20:49,289 --> 00:20:50,582
I'm so tired.
275
00:20:51,792 --> 00:20:57,047
Does this have something to do
with the wood tablet incident?
276
00:20:57,130 --> 00:21:00,968
There were no burns
on that attendant just now.
277
00:21:02,844 --> 00:21:05,305
Who could it be...?
278
00:22:36,063 --> 00:22:38,440
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE
279
00:22:47,616 --> 00:22:49,910
{\an8}Next episode, "Homecoming."
280
00:22:49,993 --> 00:22:50,994
{\an8}Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi