Well, it\u2019s really starting to hit the fan now. We\u2019re in full-on exposition mode with Kusuriya no Hitorigoto<\/em>, and it\u2019s totally working for me. Mainly because it\u2019s about time \u2013 40 episodes of setup is plenty \u2013 but also because this series is invariably better when it\u2019s about something significant. You have to forgive the ridiculous level of coincidence \u2013 Chekov\u2019s feifa has never been a bigger howitzer than with The Apothecary Diaries<\/em>. But the premise itself is a compelling one, and we\u2019re starting to see the stakes elevated to Himalayan levels.<\/p>\n You say you want a revolution? The Shi Clan has you covered. The pieces all slot into place here, and more or less where one might have suspected based on recent revelations. I made one especially prophetic statement last week \u2013 \u201cMaomao ought to cover for Kyou-u as best she can, at least \u2013 she did rather drag him into this \u2013 but the both of them would seem to be in serious trouble here. And that\u2019s especially true with neither Suirei or Shisui around to try and smooth things over.\u201d The two of them were in very<\/em> serious trouble, and Maomao knew it. And Shishui aka Loulan knew it too, and arrived just in the nick of time<\/a> to buy Xiaomao a reprieve with a well-crafted lie.<\/p>\n The immortality potion places a lot of pressure on Maomao to be sure, but with a caveat. She can give Shenmei anything, and it\u2019s not as if its efficacy could be proved immediately given the nature of its stated purpose. So she can use it to stall for time until a potential rescue, which she has to hope is coming sooner or later. Maomao once more declining to realize the truth of Jinshi\u2019s identity is, to say the least, frustrating. She\u2019s so close. I get why this is a blind spot for Maomao but as smart as she is, we\u2019re seriously defying credibility here.<\/p>\n Shenmei is at the center of this, to be sure. Everyone is terrified of her and for good reason, as she\u2019s extremely cruel and vindictive. Certainly to Suirei nee Shisui, in actually the current Shisui\u2019s half-sister. She was banished from the Shi palace and treated as a servant because Shishou fathered her with another woman, and only Loulan treats her as a member of the royal family. Given that Shishou turns out to be from a branch of the main family, it\u2019s entirely possible that Shenmei is the real power, and the impetus behind this nascent rebellion.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s certainly what this is. The notion of protecting Kyou-u is spun in a fascinating way here, and Maomao can\u2019t save him from this reality. I very much get Heike Monogatari<\/em> vibes here \u2013 what happens to a clan when they rebel (and lose) is truly unspeakable. Kyou-u is a child but that\u2019s irrelevant \u2013 anyone and everyone will be subject to the Emperor\u2019s retribution. Especially boys, who represent a potential future threat \u2013 as Taira no Kiyomori could be the first to tell you, his decision to spare Minamoto Yoritomo and Yoshitsune leading to his clan\u2019s eventual destruction. Kyou-u\u2019s actual identity is not clear, apart from his nobility \u2013 his mother is either dead or under Shenmei\u2019s thumb, and he may be at risk from Shenmei himself as a potential rival for clan rule.<\/p>\n Meanwhile back at the ranch, things are heating up even more quickly. Jinshi gets another report from Lahan, detailing the truth of what\u2019s likely happening in the north. And then a visit from Lakan, who\u2019s none too pleased \u2013 either with the fact that his daughter was kidnapped on Jinshi\u2019s watch, or with Jinshi\u2019s reaction to it. Lakan\u2019s vitriol<\/a> is understandable, but make no mistake \u2013 it\u2019s treasonous. He\u2019s calling the Emperor\u2019s brother out, revealing his identity and questioning his character. Jinshi probably wouldn\u2019t have acted on it (not least because he knows Lakan is right) but would have been within his rights to have Lakan\u2019s head.<\/p>\n
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