The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 4: Double the Mystery

The second season of The Apothecary Diaries may start a bit slow, but it doesn’t take a long time for the stories to pick up speed. Episode 2 presented some possible storylines, and then episode 3 offered us a case of a mysterious death in the palace. So yes, the story is already in full swing right now.

Unlike the previous episodes, which offered light appetizers before the main course, episode 4 brings us straight to the meat of the story. Episode 4 presents two mysterious cases, both of which are quite interesting in their own right. Not only that, this episode also reveals something interesting about Maomao and her role in the inner court.

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Two Mysteries in One Episode

As mentioned earlier, episode 4 presents two sets of mysteries to us. The first one is brought to Maomao by Gaoshun, while the second one is a much more important and high-profile mystery brought upon by the two foreign envoys.

The Twin Girls Conundrum and the Legendary Dancer

The first case is about the twin daughters of a rich merchant. The overprotective father locked her beautiful daughters in a separate two-story building at the back of their house. Not only that, but he also hired two men to guard and watch her daughters from afar so that nobody could come in and none of his daughters could leave without permission. Despite all of those precautions, however, one of the daughters confesses that she is pregnant.

The second case is about a special request from the foreign envoys. They asked to see a dance performance that their grandfather saw decades ago when he came to visit the Imperial Palace. The grandfather described it as an “otherworldly beauty who sheds pearls as tears.” So the pressure is now on Jinshi to find the woman who matches that description and prepare the magical performance. Needless to say, he asks Maomao’s help to do this baffling task.

A Different Kind of Mysteries

When we talk about mystery and detective, the first thing that comes to mind has to be a murder case. After all, that’s the most high-stakes and intense mystery for a detective story. That being said, there is charm in solving puzzling cases that have nothing to do with death or sinister plots.

The two cases presented in this episode are exactly that. A non-lethal yet deeply fascinating and puzzling mystery. Considering the last episode is all about a mysterious death in the palace, it’s refreshing to have two cases that explore a different kind of mysteries like these two.

The Role of Maomao in the Inner Court

Respect and Recognition

It’s quite rare for people in a position of power to listen to the opinions of a young employee. This is doubly true in Ancient China where one’s status and lineage often determine one’s path in life. Those who live at the top have access to the best education and opportunities, while those at the bottom rung of society will have to make do with the bare minimum of education and opportunities. That’s why a talented commoner will have a hard time proving their worth, while an incompetent noble will get the best job.

That is not the case at all in the Imperial Palace, or at least in the Inner Court. Even though she is just a lowly maid, Maomao manages to prove how talented she is and as a result, she gains the respect and recognition of her superiors. That’s why people like Jinshi and Gaoshun come to Maomao to ask her thoughts on issues that have been troubling them. They listen to her opinions, follow her outrageous ideas, and even make the necessary decisions and changes based on her advice.

Of course, Maomao gets into this position thanks to her extensive knowledge of medicine and her superb deductive ability. But it’s also important to note that the only reason Maomao can blossom is because her superiors allow and support her to bloom. It wouldn’t be strange for consort Gyokuyou or Jinshi to let their prejudice run amok and shut down Maomao and force her to fade into the background. But no. They recognize the value that Maomao brings to the table and pretty much acknowledge her as the unofficial advisor of the Inner Court. This proves that even in a place that is steeped in tradition like the inner court, meritocracy is still alive and well.

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The Plot Thickens

Every episode from the start of Season 2 has been fun and interesting in its own way. However, things started to get serious in episode 3 and now the plot is thickening in episode 4.

Long-Term Mysteries

We mentioned in the review for the previous episode that one of the things that we’d love to see in season 2 is mysteries that take a few episodes to resolve. In other words, story arcs that are dedicated to a single case. This will make the mystery so much more interesting and impactful. As it turns out, we don’t need to wait long for such a mystery. The two cases presented in episode 4 will take at least two episodes to resolve. The plot has thickened.

Preparation for Something Grand and Magical

Out of the two mysteries in this episode, the search for the legendary dancer is the most fascinating one out of the two. Based on what we have known so far about what the previous envoy saw on his last visit, it seems that we are in for a grand and magical dance performance. It’s not easy to recreate something with so little information, but Maomao will certainly find a way to make it happen. Looking forward to the next episode.

The Apothecary Diaries is available to stream on Netflix.

The Apothecary Diaries

Release Date

October 22, 2023

Directors

Norihiro Naganuma, Akinori Fudesaka

Writers

Norihiro Naganuma

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