The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 2 - Something Is Brewing

Although The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 started quite cute with the appearance of a fluffy creature, episode 2 shows us that the rear palace is a cutthroat place of ominous political schemes. The episode introduces the arrival of the caravan which transforms everything festival-like, but with Maomao’s sharp wit, she gathers that dangerous items have found their way in.

Besides the assassination attempt on Jinshi, Maomao is just as distracted with worry about the threat to Lady Gyokuyo’s life. Clothing, perfumes, and tea – just how many conspiracies does the rear palace hold? 

A Clue or a Red Herring? 

At first glance, the caravan seems like a harmless amusement; the girls are basically cut off from the outside world, so it’s only right that they enjoy the occasion. Xiaolan, for instance, is such a ray of sunshine! I really love the cute sisterly relationship she has with Maomao.

And then we have another girl joining in – a laundry servant named Shisui who is also another ray of sunshine but has a weird fascination with insects. Expectedly, Maomao’s weird fascination with medicine is piqued, and now, a friendship is born! I’m honestly excited to see this trio go on silly childish adventures away from the dark plot. If you also didn’t notice, the ribbon Maomao gifts Xiaolan is the same ribbon that is shown in the opening theme.

Underneath the surface, however, the caravan brought about some suspicious things that the Maomao notices. The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 episode 2 highlights how the series cleverly sets up the beginning of a mystery.

To name a few, there is the scheme of harming Gyokuyo, Lihua possibly being pregnant, whatever head lady-in-waiting Shin saw in the letter from the clinic,  the sickly woman coughing with bottles of perfume, the death in the rear palace, and Hongniang serving tea. There was also the mention of the sewage system, which was not as subtle as the others… or, am I overthinking it?  

What’s for sure though is that Maomao is hands down, really cool at identifying these things. She’s smart, and I think I can speak for everyone that watching her do detective work is such a satisfying experience! The suspenseful atmosphere, medical clues, and the overall revelation at the end. And because she is but a servant, Maomao tries to solve mysteries without accusing; in fact, she lets Jinshi and other people come to the conclusions themselves.

It’s also here that I am in awe that Gyokuyo and Hongniang can understand without having to speak out loud. By the end of Episode 2, we’re left with a lot of tidbits of information that may or may not be a coincidence. It’s as they say; once is happenstance, twice a coincidence, and thrice enemy action.

Maomao and Jasmine Tea 

Maomao as her weird self is always fun to watch. Her character is unique in many ways and this episode has reminded me all over again why I absolutely love her. She’s sweet, intelligent, and just a bit unhinged when it comes to anything poison or medicine-related.

It’s even funnier seeing Jinshi trying to scold her about her sniffing spree (and he breaks character too), not to mention the teasing about being a eunuch. I feel bad for him, but I’m also cheering him on to figure things out. He sulks about Maomao teasing him, but the truth is right there in the ending theme when it pretty much encapsulates his affection for the apothecary (I really like the song). 

That said, the Jasmine tea that appears in this episode is what interests me the most. I’ve never seen a blooming Jasmine tea, so I was amazed and instantly read all about it. Jasmine tea generally refers to tea scented with jasmine flowers and scents. While it’s full of antioxidants with good health benefits, Maomao notes that it can be harmful for a pregnant woman which most likely because of the caffeine and catechins in it. This also goes for the many scents she picks up, which apparently can cause contractions and miscarriage (I’ll leave it to Maomao to teach me how a seemingly beautiful flower can actually be poisonous).

Nonetheless, Maomao is at the center of some ominous events, and the enemy is no doubt ahead of them. I think the rear palace should be glad to have Maomao with them; her observational skills and medicinal knowledge are valuable assets, which at least Jinshi and Gyokuyo appreciate. Something is brewing, and it’s not just Jasmine tea. 

Overall, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 2 was another entertaining episode. I love the pattern that this anime has set up; with one mystery uncovered per episode while a bigger one builds as the story goes on. I like that it doesn’t feel repetitive (except for the annoying cliffhangers), and it doesn’t ignore good character development for our main characters. And although I’m a sucker for romance, I don’t mind how frustrating the progress is because the story, and everything in between, is that interesting.

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The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 is streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix (in Asia).
© Natsu Hyuga/Imagika Foss/”The Apothecary Diaries” Production Committee