Based on Natsu Hyuuga’s light novel, The Apothecary Diaries anime adaptation made its debut in Fall 2023 and easily won over the audience’s hearts with its brilliant protagonist. The young apothecary, Maomao, is the heart of the show as her brilliance shines in almost every episode of the anime. Apart from her vast knowledge of medicine and poison, Maomao also has a knack for solving mysteries that always blows everyone away. She was forced to work as a servant in the Rear Palace after being kidnapped. Maomao only had a tenure of three years, which she planned on spending by keeping a low profile. However, when the Rear Palace was grief-stricken by the mysterious diseases of the newborn prince and princess, Maomao couldn’t stop herself from getting to the bottom of it.
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Unknowingly, she catches Jinshi’s eye, the beautiful eunuch in charge of managing the Rear Palace. Before she knew it, Maomao found herself working as a poison taster for Concubine Gyokoyou, whose daughter’s life was saved thanks to the apothecary’s quick action. Additionally, while working for the Concubine, Maomao would often help Jinshi in the mysterious events happening in the Palace. The story continues as Maomao keeps solving the mysteries until eventually she learns about the deepest secrets of the Imperial Family.
Warning: This article contains major spoilers from The Apothecary Diaries anime!
1) The Heartwarming Tale of the Dancing Ghost (Season 1, Episode 3)
One of the few earlier cases Maomao solved was about the dancing ghost who would show herself at night in the Outer Palace. While the rumor about the ghost was circulating in the Palace, Jinshi’s attendant, Gaoshun, revealed the identity of the ghost to Maomao. It was a mid-level Concubine Fuyou, who was about to be sent over to a government official as a prize for his contribution to the Kingdom in the war. Not only did she have an unusual condition of sleepwalking, but she was an outcast in the Rear Palace because she failed to impress the Emperor. Everyone pitied her plight, but Maomao knew there was more to the story than meets the eye.
She deduces how Concubine Fuyou was forced to be a Consort despite being in love with her childhood friend. Fuyou purposefully lost the Emperor’s favor and lived as a recluse until her lover came to get her. The man who asked the Emperor to send her to him was the same lover Fuyou was desperately waiting for. The dance wasn’t simply a means to scare others away, but it could’ve been her way of wishing for her lover’s safe return. By pretending to be clumsy and then ill, she kept her purity and finally reunited with her lover. Maomao didn’t reveal the truth about her to anyone except Concubine Gyokoyou, who envied Fuyou for breaking free from the Rear Palace and meeting a man who loved her unconditionally.
2) The Case of the “Double Suicide” Was a Well-Thought-Out Plan (Season 1, Episode 8)
The bright and glowing Verdigris House, a high-class brother, hides its fair share of dark secrets. Maomao’s first vacation after entering the Rear Palace turns into a nightmare after the horrible incident of the double suicide takes place in the Verdigris House. A young servant child reached out to Maomao for help, and the apothecary wasted no time in ensuring the courtesan and her wealthy customer survive. On the surface, it looked like the son of a wealthy merchant and a high-profile courtesan decided to commit double suicide by drinking poison since they couldn’t share a life together.
However, it was a brilliant murder plan of the courtesan who wanted to avenge her friend, one of the many women the merchant’s son seduced and abandoned. The courtesan only took the minimum poison required to keep up the pretense, but life wasn’t at risk, unlike the merchant’s son. Maomao not only saved the lives of those two but also investigated the cause and learned the real reason behind the courtesan’s motives. In the end, she convinced Luomen to take the hush money from the owner of the Verdigris House so the incident wouldn’t stain their reputation.
3) Maomao Discovers Jinshi’s Secret Identity (Season 1, Episode 11)
Anyone with a keen eye can guess that Jinshi is much more than an ordinary eunuch. However, a series of events led Maomao to believe that he could be Concubine Ah-Duo’s son. There’s no clear evidence behind her thought process, and even though she stops herself from making deductions without checking her facts, her gut feeling told her that something major took place in the Rear Palace when Ah-Duo and the Empress Dowager were both in labor.
Unlike the Empress Dowager, Ah-Duo was neglected during her labor and almost lost her life. She also became unable to conceive children after that, and knew her son would face difficulty in the Palace. Maomao figured this out when the two were standing next to each other, sharing the same facial features. Unlike the light novel, the anime has yet to fully explore the reason behind Jinshi’s birth swap. Jinshi still believes he’s the previous Emperor’s son and has difficulty coming to terms with his identity as a member of the Imperial family.
4) The Locked Chest of Drawers Had a Beautiful Message Behind It (Season 1, Episode 16)
Maomao has helped Jinshi on several occasions, and this time isn’t any different. He asks for help in cracking the will of a late metalworker who left something unusual for each of his sons. The first son received a metalworking warehouse, the second received a chest of drawers nailed to the ground in a warehouse, and the third son got a fish bowl made of glass. The metalworker also left behind a message saying, “continue to do tea parties as usual.” The first and second sons were disappointed with their father’s will and his favoritism towards his youngest and most talented son.
Meanwhile, the third son knew that there must be a reason their father had left behind such a will. Maomao investigated the warehouse and the unusual metal that melts at low heat. After figuring out a way to open the chest of drawers, Maomao reveals a blue chunk of crystal. The youngest son realized that their father left behind such a cryptic message so all his sons would work together in the future and continue the family business.
5) Maomao’s Selfless Attempt to Save Jinshi Leaves Us Speechless (Season 1, Episode 19)
Despite being the former Emperor’s granddaughter, Suirei lived a harsh life because of her stepmother. She is extremely knowledgeable about medicine and poison, just like Maomao. In the first season, she worked as an Outer Court Lady and was the reason behind several seemingly unrelated events, including the poisoning of the Minister of Ritual Implements. All those unusual incidents were an elaborate plot for her to kill Jinshi, the Imperial Brother.
Maomao wasn’t sure Jinshi was the target, but she knew a member of a royal family was participating in a purification ceremony. If Suirei’s plan succeeded, then the metal pillar would’ve landed on top of Jinshi’s head, killing him in one strike. Maomao rushed to the altar and even attacked while attempting to enter the hall. In the end, she went inside thanks to Lakan’s help and saved Jinshi’s life, but injured her leg in the process.
6) No One Could’ve Figured Out Suirei’s Escape Except Maomao (Season 1, Episode 20)
Attempting to assassinate a member of the Imperial family is a serious crime that wouldn’t just end in the perpetrator’s execution. If caught, the criminal’s entire family or clan could be wiped out. Suirei knew the assassination had failed and drank poison before being caught. She had planned everything perfectly, but not only did Maomao save Jinshi’s life, but she also knew about Suirei’s brilliant escape after faking her death. She created a resurrection drug that would put her in a near-death situation and allow her to escape when no one’s looking.
Suirei even planted another body in the coffin to ensure no one knows about her escape. Maomao didn’t get fooled so easily and revealed everything to Jinshi. Although she knows some ingredients required to make such a drug, Maomao has yet to crack the mystery behind it. She was fascinated by the concept of the mysterious drug and swore to find Suirei one day and get the recipe.
7) Lakan’s Request for Blue Roses Was a Tragic Plea (Season 1, Episode 22)
Lakan was introduced as a shady character, but his past turned out to be quite tragic. Although he’s estranged from his daughter, he cares deeply about her. Maomao not only learned medicine from Luomen but also inherited the unparalleled genius of her birth parents. As such, Lakan knew better than anyone what she was capable of. He decided to challenge her indirectly, using Jinshi, to have her create blue roses. There wasn’t any meaning behind the challenge, but he simply didn’t know how to interact with her.
He is aware of Maomao’s interest in cracking mysteries and puzzles, and thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to test her skills. Although growing roses in the off-season required a lot of effort, Maomao harvested several unusually colored rose buds, including blue ones. She also told the trick to Emperor, who was once again impressed by her intelligence.
8) Maomao Uncovers Shin’s Evil Plan Against Concubine Lihua (Season 2, Episode 6)
Maomao helped the high-ranking Concubine, Lihua, several times and ended up building a close relationship with her. Through a combination of eavesdropping and careful observation, Maomao connected the dots that Shin, the Head Lady-in-Waiting, and Lihua’s cousin were plotting to kill her unborn child. It took Lihua a lot of time to become healthy after the death of her son. She became pregnant again, around the same time as Concubine Gyokoyou, but kept it hidden to avoid poisoning attempts. However, Lihua couldn’t have expected that the person who wanted to harm her the most would be by her side.
Shin’s plan was subtle, thinking she could let the servants wear several illegal perfumes harmful to pregnant women. Her plan was flawless, and it wouldn’t have been easy to get caught because not many are knowledgeable about the harmful effects of certain scents. When her cover was blown, Shin reveals she’s envious of Lihua’s position, which should’ve belonged to her. Attempting to harm a high-ranking Concubine and the Emperor’s son is a serious offense, and Shin could’ve lost her life. Unexpectedly, Lihua slapped her and was even ready to throw hands at her. In the end, she decided it would be best to banish Shin instead.
9) The Emperor Seeks Maomao’s Help to Solve the Mystery Behind the Shrine (Season 2, Episode 7)
Compared to the previous Emperor, the current Emperor is much wiser and benevolent. The empire under his rule is peaceful and going through several changes for the better, including the ban on the surgery to make someone an eunuch. Aware of Maomao’s intellect, the Emperor asks for her help once more as he takes her and Jinshi to the Shrine of Choosing. The Capital was built around the Shrine where Emperors were chosen. Even though it’s been several years since the current Emperor ascended to the Throne, he has never passed the unusual test.
Upon entering the Shrine, Maomao discovers that each room has doors in different colors, and the details of the test have been hidden from the empire. The Emperor decides to have Jinshi take the test with Maomao, and she learns the trick behind the test and chooses the right door, which takes them to a balcony on an upper floor. The was designed to select an Emperor based on red-green colorblindness, a rare condition in the empire, but it was common in the West, where the Mother Royal hails from. Passing the test would prove that the Emperor is from a legitimate bloodline.
10) The Reason Behind the Previous Emperor’s Death (Season 2, Episode 9)
The previous Emperor was a known pedophile and had a terrible reputation in the kingdom. He feared older women due to the trauma left by his mother. The previous Emperor would often find comfort in little girls and ultimately revealed his pedophilic tendencies, which further ruined his reputation. Many scorned his behavior as well as looked down on his foolishness and cowardice. The Empress Dowager, Anshi, was with him since she was a little girl, but was also abandoned when she got older. In the end, she began loathing him and spent every day wishing for his death.
When it finally happened, she believed she had cursed him because of his unusual death and the fact that his body didn’t decay even a year after his death. Anshi sought Maomao’s help to get to the bottom of this and learns that he created paintings using orpiment, an arsenic-based mineral. It’s toxic and slows down decomposition. Without knowing about this, the previous Emperor used it for so many years that his body absorbed a lot of arsenic, which ultimately stopped him from decaying.
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