Image: 日向夏・主婦の友インフォス／「薬屋のひとりごと」製作委員会
AMBot | 12/05/2023 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
Episode 8 titled "Wheat Stalks" begins with Maomao returning home and finding herself in the midst of a crisis. She is urgently summoned to a medical emergency where a courtesan and her client have collapsed. Maomao quickly assesses the situation and determines that the man is no longer breathing while the woman is breathing weakly. She orders the use of charcoal instead of water, suspecting poisoning.
Maomao examines the room and notes the presence of alcohol, tobacco, two bottles, and broken glass cups. She finds a wheat stalk that seems out of place. She instructs the courtesans to leave the vomit untouched, suspecting it may still contain poison.
Maomao’s (adoptive) father, Luomen, comes to her aid. Together, they identify the type of poison used and administer a mixture of charcoal and herbs to stabilize the victims. Maomao reflects on the situation and suspects a double suicide attempt based on the circumstances. However, she notices inconsistencies, such as the man’s well-dressed appearance and the lack of obvious financial troubles.
Maomao learns from a courtesan that the man was a problematic client known for manipulating courtesans with false promises. His actions had earned him great resentment. The courtesan who collapsed was close to another woman whom the man had wronged, leading Maomao to suspect a more complex situation than a simple double suicide.
Maomao realizes that the incident was not a double suicide but an attempted murder. She concludes that the courtesan used a trick with a wheat stalk to drink only the non-poisonous layer while the man drank the poisoned part. The actions of the maid are also called into question, as her behavior suggests she knew the courtesan would survive, indicating deeper involvement in the plot.
Maomao reflects on the nature of the pleasure district, comparing it to the rear palace. She recognizes the complexity and hidden intentions of those who live there. At the end of the episode, Maomao returns to the rear palace, where she encounters Jinshi. Their conversation reveals Jinshi’s feeling of being overlooked by Maomao in favor of another patron, Master Lihaku.
Maomao examines the room and notes the presence of alcohol, tobacco, two bottles, and broken glass cups. She finds a wheat stalk that seems out of place. She instructs the courtesans to leave the vomit untouched, suspecting it may still contain poison.
Maomao’s (adoptive) father, Luomen, comes to her aid. Together, they identify the type of poison used and administer a mixture of charcoal and herbs to stabilize the victims. Maomao reflects on the situation and suspects a double suicide attempt based on the circumstances. However, she notices inconsistencies, such as the man’s well-dressed appearance and the lack of obvious financial troubles.
Maomao learns from a courtesan that the man was a problematic client known for manipulating courtesans with false promises. His actions had earned him great resentment. The courtesan who collapsed was close to another woman whom the man had wronged, leading Maomao to suspect a more complex situation than a simple double suicide.
Maomao realizes that the incident was not a double suicide but an attempted murder. She concludes that the courtesan used a trick with a wheat stalk to drink only the non-poisonous layer while the man drank the poisoned part. The actions of the maid are also called into question, as her behavior suggests she knew the courtesan would survive, indicating deeper involvement in the plot.
Maomao reflects on the nature of the pleasure district, comparing it to the rear palace. She recognizes the complexity and hidden intentions of those who live there. At the end of the episode, Maomao returns to the rear palace, where she encounters Jinshi. Their conversation reveals Jinshi’s feeling of being overlooked by Maomao in favor of another patron, Master Lihaku.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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