1 00:00:01,626 --> 00:00:03,878 ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA 2 00:01:32,217 --> 00:01:33,718 {\an8}THIS STORY IS A FICION, AND ALL NAMES OF FIGURES ND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS. 3 00:01:33,802 --> 00:01:35,094 {\an8}MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS. 4 00:01:35,178 --> 00:01:38,515 {\an8}No... My Lady is being bestowed? 5 00:01:42,977 --> 00:01:44,145 I understand. 6 00:01:46,397 --> 00:01:48,566 -Lady Fuyou! -Please wait! 7 00:02:25,353 --> 00:02:26,688 Oh! So cold... 8 00:02:26,771 --> 00:02:29,065 It's been a while since we came to the capital, 9 00:02:29,149 --> 00:02:31,943 but it's hard to get used to the chilly mornings. 10 00:02:32,026 --> 00:02:34,404 I miss our homeland's sand and sunshine. 11 00:02:34,487 --> 00:02:37,323 The Western Capital was also chilly in the mornings and evenings. 12 00:02:37,407 --> 00:02:39,033 The Western Capital, huh? 13 00:02:39,117 --> 00:02:41,244 It feels so nostalgic now. 14 00:02:41,327 --> 00:02:43,329 It feels like we arrived just yesterday 15 00:02:43,413 --> 00:02:45,623 for Lady Gyokuyou to enter the court. 16 00:02:45,707 --> 00:02:49,419 That reminds me. Father was pleased in his letter. 17 00:02:49,502 --> 00:02:53,423 Commerce between the Western Capital and the central area is increasing. 18 00:02:54,048 --> 00:02:56,384 It's because Lady Gyokuyou is loved! 19 00:02:56,968 --> 00:02:59,971 It's the homeland of the Emperor's favorite. 20 00:03:00,054 --> 00:03:02,640 Even the central area can't ignore that. 21 00:03:02,724 --> 00:03:04,642 Are you cleaning the kitchen? 22 00:03:04,726 --> 00:03:05,977 We'll help too. 23 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,731 We'll never finish unless we split tasks. 24 00:03:09,814 --> 00:03:11,733 We can't ask the other palace women. 25 00:03:11,816 --> 00:03:14,694 Remember when we found poisoned needles in her clothes? 26 00:03:14,777 --> 00:03:17,780 It was especially bad when she was pregnant. 27 00:03:17,864 --> 00:03:21,284 Part of that may be because she's a foreign princess. 28 00:03:21,367 --> 00:03:24,996 It'll be okay. We have a new attendant, remember? 29 00:03:28,082 --> 00:03:30,543 Maomao, what are you making? 30 00:03:30,627 --> 00:03:31,961 Cold medicine. 31 00:03:32,045 --> 00:03:33,838 You can make that? 32 00:03:34,881 --> 00:03:36,799 Our new attendant is talented. 33 00:03:41,804 --> 00:03:44,307 Hey, do you need my help with anything? 34 00:03:44,390 --> 00:03:45,725 Are you eating well? 35 00:03:45,808 --> 00:03:47,227 I am, thank you. 36 00:03:47,310 --> 00:03:48,978 You can always talk to me, all right? 37 00:03:49,896 --> 00:03:50,730 Yes... 38 00:03:52,232 --> 00:03:54,442 Hey, have you heard? 39 00:03:54,525 --> 00:03:57,528 There's a new rumor going around recently. 40 00:03:57,612 --> 00:03:58,613 No. 41 00:03:59,239 --> 00:04:01,199 There's a ghost in the rear palace. 42 00:04:02,784 --> 00:04:03,910 A ghost? 43 00:04:03,993 --> 00:04:06,746 I know! It's the white lady ghost! 44 00:04:07,413 --> 00:04:09,082 So it's famous? 45 00:04:09,165 --> 00:04:12,460 All the palace women, eunuchs, and concubines are talking about it. 46 00:04:13,294 --> 00:04:15,546 It's been about two weeks. 47 00:04:15,630 --> 00:04:17,215 They say a ghost of a white lady 48 00:04:17,298 --> 00:04:19,759 has been seen dancing in midair under the moon. 49 00:04:21,344 --> 00:04:24,138 It's every night by the castle walls at the Eastern Gate! 50 00:04:27,517 --> 00:04:28,643 I see. 51 00:04:30,144 --> 00:04:32,814 The castle walls surround the entire rear palace. 52 00:04:33,439 --> 00:04:36,359 You can only enter and leave through the gates 53 00:04:36,442 --> 00:04:38,945 of the four directions, East, West, South and North. 54 00:04:39,028 --> 00:04:40,029 Yeah, right. 55 00:04:40,738 --> 00:04:43,700 There's always guards at the castle gates, 56 00:04:43,783 --> 00:04:45,785 and there's a deep moat outside. 57 00:04:45,868 --> 00:04:48,121 It's impossible to escape or sneak in. 58 00:04:48,788 --> 00:04:52,625 It's said that buried deep inside the moat are 59 00:04:56,796 --> 00:05:00,591 the remains of a concubine who tried to escape the rear palace... 60 00:05:01,175 --> 00:05:03,970 In other words, a typical ghost story. 61 00:05:04,554 --> 00:05:06,639 What should I do if I see a real ghost? 62 00:05:06,723 --> 00:05:09,225 It's just a rumor. 63 00:05:12,437 --> 00:05:15,064 Excuse me. Will you look at my medicine? 64 00:05:15,857 --> 00:05:19,068 Oh, it's you, miss! Give me a second. 65 00:05:19,152 --> 00:05:22,697 It's almost like he was wasn't suspicious of me just the other day. 66 00:05:23,781 --> 00:05:26,659 Ever since he realized I can make medicine, 67 00:05:26,743 --> 00:05:29,620 he lets me prepare it. 68 00:05:29,704 --> 00:05:32,248 He even shares with me the ingredients I need. 69 00:05:32,332 --> 00:05:34,125 He even gives me tea. 70 00:05:35,084 --> 00:05:37,712 Is he allowed to be this laid back? 71 00:05:39,005 --> 00:05:40,089 Sorry for the wait. 72 00:05:42,133 --> 00:05:43,301 Wow! 73 00:05:43,926 --> 00:05:46,304 You like salty things more than sweet things, right? 74 00:05:46,387 --> 00:05:48,264 I'd like some of those too. 75 00:05:49,182 --> 00:05:50,141 Right away! 76 00:05:54,771 --> 00:05:56,355 Thank you for your hard work. 77 00:05:56,439 --> 00:05:58,149 It's not that bad. 78 00:05:59,525 --> 00:06:01,277 Does this guy have nothing to do? 79 00:06:02,195 --> 00:06:04,697 A eunuch should be at the Domestic Service Department! 80 00:06:04,781 --> 00:06:06,365 Instead, he just wanders around 81 00:06:06,449 --> 00:06:08,868 as if he's keeping watch over the entire rear palace... 82 00:06:10,703 --> 00:06:12,330 In that case, he's higher up 83 00:06:12,413 --> 00:06:14,624 than the Matron of the Serving Women! 84 00:06:15,583 --> 00:06:18,628 He could be the guardian of the Emperor, 85 00:06:19,253 --> 00:06:21,130 but he's too young for that. 86 00:06:24,717 --> 00:06:26,636 He must be the Emperor's lover! 87 00:06:27,637 --> 00:06:30,556 I feel like you're thinking about something very rude. 88 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,725 You must be imagining it. 89 00:06:33,518 --> 00:06:37,605 Doctor, I'm very sorry. Can you get these for me? 90 00:06:42,985 --> 00:06:45,196 So, what do you want to discuss? 91 00:06:47,031 --> 00:06:48,699 Do you know about the ghost incidents? 92 00:06:49,367 --> 00:06:50,618 I've heard the rumors. 93 00:06:50,701 --> 00:06:52,995 And what about somnambulance? 94 00:06:55,623 --> 00:06:56,499 Somnambulance? 95 00:06:57,792 --> 00:06:59,210 So you are interested. 96 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:05,007 How does one heal that? 97 00:07:06,008 --> 00:07:07,510 I don't know. 98 00:07:07,593 --> 00:07:09,512 It's not something to heal with medicine. 99 00:07:10,096 --> 00:07:12,014 So you can heal it without medicine? 100 00:07:12,598 --> 00:07:14,434 I only work with medicine. 101 00:07:16,936 --> 00:07:17,895 I'm at a loss. 102 00:07:21,983 --> 00:07:23,401 I'm truly at a loss. 103 00:07:24,986 --> 00:07:28,906 So annoying! What a stubborn man! 104 00:07:31,409 --> 00:07:32,785 I'll try my best. 105 00:07:46,090 --> 00:07:48,801 He's different from the other eunuchs. 106 00:07:50,761 --> 00:07:51,679 Miss Maomao. 107 00:07:52,346 --> 00:07:54,140 No need for honorifics. 108 00:07:54,223 --> 00:07:57,351 Your position is much higher than mine, Sir Gaoshun. 109 00:07:57,894 --> 00:08:00,146 In that case, Xiaomao. 110 00:08:00,730 --> 00:08:03,524 Xiao? So now I'm a little girl? 111 00:08:03,608 --> 00:08:07,778 Will you stop regarding Sir Jinshi 112 00:08:07,862 --> 00:08:09,322 as if he's a caterpillar? 113 00:08:09,906 --> 00:08:11,157 Shit! He knows! 114 00:08:11,741 --> 00:08:13,493 Just today, he came back 115 00:08:13,576 --> 00:08:16,204 and told me in a happy state that you regarded him 116 00:08:16,287 --> 00:08:18,498 as if he were a caterpillar. 117 00:08:19,582 --> 00:08:22,168 I'll be careful from now on. 118 00:08:25,338 --> 00:08:27,965 Anyone without enough practice 119 00:08:28,049 --> 00:08:29,800 could get dizzy and collapse. 120 00:08:31,385 --> 00:08:33,137 People have all kinds of kinks, huh? 121 00:08:41,354 --> 00:08:42,271 Here we are. 122 00:08:52,365 --> 00:08:54,283 A Chinese hibiscus under the moon... 123 00:08:54,951 --> 00:08:56,827 You have a keen eye. 124 00:08:58,412 --> 00:09:00,581 That is Concubine Fuyou, 125 00:09:01,874 --> 00:09:03,042 a mid-ranking concubine 126 00:09:03,125 --> 00:09:06,212 who will be bestowed to a soldier as a reward next month. 127 00:09:15,805 --> 00:09:17,890 I think it's been two years. 128 00:09:17,974 --> 00:09:20,226 She's a very timid princess. 129 00:09:20,893 --> 00:09:21,852 She's a good dancer, 130 00:09:21,936 --> 00:09:24,272 but made a mistake performing in front of the Emperor. 131 00:09:24,355 --> 00:09:27,525 She's had no visits from the Emperor since entering the court, 132 00:09:27,608 --> 00:09:29,610 and stayed shut inside her room. 133 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:33,906 It's no one's fault, but even so... 134 00:09:35,366 --> 00:09:37,368 -To be bestowed... The poor girl. -Lady Fuyou! 135 00:09:39,787 --> 00:09:42,915 So the somnambulance is caused by her agony over being bestowed? 136 00:09:42,999 --> 00:09:46,294 The illness is said to be caused by a loss of balance in the mind... 137 00:09:47,753 --> 00:09:50,840 No, I need more information. 138 00:09:50,923 --> 00:09:52,717 I'll go see her one more time. 139 00:09:53,426 --> 00:09:55,636 Where is Concubine Fuyou's room? 140 00:09:56,470 --> 00:09:58,389 Her outbuilding is to the north. 141 00:09:59,015 --> 00:10:02,393 Thank you very much. And for the tea, also. 142 00:10:03,185 --> 00:10:04,520 You're already going? 143 00:10:06,188 --> 00:10:09,400 I hope she cheers up. 144 00:10:09,483 --> 00:10:12,028 She's a princess from a small vassal state. 145 00:10:12,111 --> 00:10:13,946 She may not want to go back. 146 00:10:15,489 --> 00:10:16,407 Go back? 147 00:10:17,116 --> 00:10:18,826 Oh, the thing is... 148 00:10:20,161 --> 00:10:22,913 Poor Concubine Fuyou. 149 00:10:22,997 --> 00:10:25,791 Yes. To be bestowed to a soldier. 150 00:10:25,875 --> 00:10:28,002 Just thinking about it scares me! 151 00:10:37,261 --> 00:10:39,513 She has a very different impression than 152 00:10:39,597 --> 00:10:42,224 when she was dancing on the castle walls. 153 00:10:42,308 --> 00:10:43,267 Yes. 154 00:10:43,351 --> 00:10:46,312 I was surprised myself when I saw her dance for the first time. 155 00:10:46,979 --> 00:10:48,773 She's usually more simple-looking. 156 00:10:50,316 --> 00:10:52,777 She's really like a Chinese hibiscus flower. 157 00:10:53,402 --> 00:10:55,905 -A flower? -Yes. 158 00:10:56,822 --> 00:10:58,449 Chinese hibiscus flowers 159 00:10:58,532 --> 00:11:01,327 blossom into a large white flower in the morning. 160 00:11:02,161 --> 00:11:04,288 However, in the evening, 161 00:11:04,372 --> 00:11:07,500 the color changes into a dark pink color. 162 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,546 So it's a flower that has many faces in a single day? 163 00:11:12,630 --> 00:11:13,672 Exactly. 164 00:11:19,804 --> 00:11:21,430 The ghost story? 165 00:11:21,514 --> 00:11:24,683 Yes. I wanted to hear more about it. 166 00:11:24,767 --> 00:11:26,143 Do you know anything? 167 00:11:27,269 --> 00:11:29,063 Now that I think about it, 168 00:11:29,146 --> 00:11:32,525 I heard the ghost appeared first on the northern side. 169 00:11:34,026 --> 00:11:36,570 -The north? -Xiaolan? Here's your laundry! 170 00:11:36,654 --> 00:11:39,824 -Coming! -She moved from the north to the east? 171 00:11:40,533 --> 00:11:42,660 Oh, the thing is... 172 00:11:43,536 --> 00:11:46,580 I see, I thought so. So Concubine Fuyou is... 173 00:11:51,585 --> 00:11:56,173 Old man would tell me not to act on speculation. 174 00:11:58,634 --> 00:12:02,304 Somnambulance is a mysterious illness. 175 00:12:02,388 --> 00:12:04,807 It's said to be caused by an unbalanced heart. 176 00:12:04,890 --> 00:12:08,727 A patient acts as if they're awake even when they're asleep. 177 00:12:10,104 --> 00:12:11,772 Back at the brothel, 178 00:12:11,856 --> 00:12:14,567 there was a courtesan afflicted by the same illness. 179 00:12:16,569 --> 00:12:19,530 She was a cheerful courtesan talented at poetry. 180 00:12:19,613 --> 00:12:21,657 There were talks of her being bought out. 181 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,953 This offer was eventually rescinded. 182 00:12:27,037 --> 00:12:29,331 She started wandering around the brothel every night, 183 00:12:29,415 --> 00:12:32,376 as if she were possessed by a ghost or demon. 184 00:12:40,885 --> 00:12:43,262 Oh. What's wrong, everyone? 185 00:12:44,430 --> 00:12:47,766 The courtesan in question had no memory of the night at all. 186 00:12:48,642 --> 00:12:50,478 So, what happened? 187 00:12:51,061 --> 00:12:54,273 Nothing. She stopped wandering around 188 00:12:54,356 --> 00:12:55,983 when her offer was rescinded. 189 00:12:56,567 --> 00:12:58,694 So you mean that the courtesan didn't 190 00:12:58,777 --> 00:13:00,446 want to get bought out? 191 00:13:02,823 --> 00:13:03,741 Most likely. 192 00:13:04,867 --> 00:13:06,410 The man was a large store owner. 193 00:13:07,203 --> 00:13:10,164 He not only had a wife and kids, but even grandchildren. 194 00:13:11,540 --> 00:13:15,669 And she only had a year left in her term of service. 195 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:22,176 Maybe it's the same with Concubine Fuyou. 196 00:13:24,637 --> 00:13:26,514 Is that really all? 197 00:13:30,434 --> 00:13:31,268 Yes. 198 00:13:32,645 --> 00:13:34,021 Really? 199 00:13:36,482 --> 00:13:38,025 Calm down! 200 00:13:38,609 --> 00:13:40,027 I'm going back to work. 201 00:13:48,702 --> 00:13:52,456 After that, Concubine Fuyou was prohibited from going outdoors. 202 00:13:53,123 --> 00:13:55,251 She was to be guarded by an eunuch 203 00:13:55,334 --> 00:13:57,545 until the day of her bestowment arrived. 204 00:14:01,632 --> 00:14:03,884 I hope this goes well. 205 00:14:08,722 --> 00:14:12,560 Isn't Maomao acting a bit strange these days? 206 00:14:13,185 --> 00:14:14,687 Is she? 207 00:14:22,987 --> 00:14:26,323 I knew it. There's something else to this. 208 00:14:33,497 --> 00:14:37,167 Is today Concubine Fuyou's day of departure? 209 00:14:38,294 --> 00:14:39,837 That's what I heard. 210 00:14:57,396 --> 00:14:58,397 -Hey. -Huh? 211 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,902 Don't you think you could at least tell me 212 00:15:02,985 --> 00:15:04,361 what the real story is? 213 00:15:05,404 --> 00:15:08,824 I'm the one asking you. I won't get angry. 214 00:15:12,411 --> 00:15:14,663 These are just speculations. 215 00:15:14,747 --> 00:15:17,625 Please don't tell anyone about this. 216 00:15:17,708 --> 00:15:19,418 I'm very tight-lipped. 217 00:15:22,713 --> 00:15:25,883 Do you remember the story of the courtesan I told everyone? 218 00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:29,219 -The one with the somnambulance? -Yes. 219 00:15:29,803 --> 00:15:33,933 There was one other courtesan whose proposal was rescinded 220 00:15:34,016 --> 00:15:35,851 due to the same illness. 221 00:15:35,935 --> 00:15:37,227 That courtesan ended up 222 00:15:37,311 --> 00:15:40,856 receiving a new proposal to be bought out, 223 00:15:40,940 --> 00:15:43,359 but because she was a courtesan with an illness, 224 00:15:43,442 --> 00:15:46,111 the total sum was half the silver of the original proposal. 225 00:15:47,321 --> 00:15:50,658 But this was all an act. 226 00:15:50,741 --> 00:15:52,493 An act? 227 00:15:52,576 --> 00:15:55,162 The two men who proposed to buy out the same woman 228 00:15:55,245 --> 00:15:56,705 knew each other. 229 00:15:57,665 --> 00:15:59,708 The woman pretended to be ill 230 00:15:59,792 --> 00:16:02,670 so that the first proposal would be rescinded. 231 00:16:02,753 --> 00:16:05,422 Later, the man who was truly interested bought her out 232 00:16:05,506 --> 00:16:07,549 at half the original price. 233 00:16:08,842 --> 00:16:12,721 For them to be together, he didn't have enough silver, 234 00:16:12,805 --> 00:16:15,015 and she still had a long term of service. 235 00:16:16,266 --> 00:16:20,062 You're saying Concubine Fuyou is the same as that courtesan? 236 00:16:20,729 --> 00:16:22,982 The soldier who'll be with Concubine Fuyou 237 00:16:23,065 --> 00:16:25,109 is her childhood friend who grew up 238 00:16:25,192 --> 00:16:26,860 in the same homeland. 239 00:16:27,987 --> 00:16:31,699 I heard that this childhood friend was praised for his valor 240 00:16:31,782 --> 00:16:34,076 for defeating foreign troops in the recent battle. 241 00:17:04,606 --> 00:17:06,734 He was offered a reward 242 00:17:06,817 --> 00:17:09,903 and strongly wished for the bestowment of Concubine Fuyou. 243 00:17:13,407 --> 00:17:15,451 He was probably hoping for this 244 00:17:15,534 --> 00:17:17,870 since he was living in his homeland. 245 00:17:18,746 --> 00:17:22,332 A soldier doesn't have the social standing to propose to a princess. 246 00:17:23,667 --> 00:17:27,296 Even so, she ended up entering the rear palace... 247 00:17:28,464 --> 00:17:31,341 The princess loved her childhood friend as well. 248 00:17:32,426 --> 00:17:34,845 That's why she purposefully messed up her dance 249 00:17:34,928 --> 00:17:38,849 so that the Emperor wouldn't be interested in her. 250 00:17:39,850 --> 00:17:42,061 As planned, she had no night visits from the Emperor, 251 00:17:42,144 --> 00:17:44,104 and she remains chaste. 252 00:17:47,691 --> 00:17:51,612 But there was no guarantee that the Emperor wouldn't prevent Concubine Fuyou 253 00:17:51,695 --> 00:17:54,198 from falling into the hands of another man. 254 00:17:54,782 --> 00:17:57,701 So she pretended to have somnambulance... 255 00:17:58,577 --> 00:18:01,455 That was a possibility with the Emperor. 256 00:18:01,538 --> 00:18:02,873 You never know with Him. 257 00:18:03,457 --> 00:18:06,543 The battlegrounds with the foreign troops are to the east. 258 00:18:06,627 --> 00:18:09,505 And Concubine Fuyou was dancing every night at... 259 00:18:11,131 --> 00:18:12,007 The Eastern Gate? 260 00:18:13,509 --> 00:18:16,136 She was probably praying for his safe return. 261 00:18:16,220 --> 00:18:18,347 Though this is just speculation. 262 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,383 -Hey, Maomao. -Yes. 263 00:18:55,300 --> 00:18:57,886 If I said I feel jealous of Concubine Fuyou, 264 00:18:58,929 --> 00:19:01,181 would I be a terrible woman? 265 00:19:09,815 --> 00:19:13,026 Concubine Fuyou was beautiful that night. 266 00:19:17,781 --> 00:19:20,033 Almost as if she was a different woman 267 00:19:20,117 --> 00:19:22,703 than the simple princess I saw during the day. 268 00:19:27,624 --> 00:19:29,877 I don't think that at all. 269 00:19:56,820 --> 00:19:58,989 -Let's go. -Yes, ma'am. 270 00:20:20,636 --> 00:20:23,847 If love makes a woman beautiful, 271 00:20:26,558 --> 00:20:28,852 what kind of medicine would it be? 272 00:20:56,421 --> 00:21:00,133 We would like to request something from the rumored apothecary. 273 00:22:35,979 --> 00:22:39,191 PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE 274 00:22:47,199 --> 00:22:49,576 {\an8}Next episode, "The Threat." 275 00:22:49,659 --> 00:22:50,911 {\an8}Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi