The Apothecary Diaries‘ latest installment was episode 44, AKA season 2 episode 20. It was intense and entertaining. One of the most important topics in this episode was familial abuse. Shenmei beats her daughters, especially Suirei, who was born from another woman. Abuse is no joke and fear is a powerful motivator. Shenmei’s mistreatment of the girls may be the reason they are so dedicated to the rebellion plan. I’ll discuss abuse a bit more later in the post. Let’s see what else happened in this episode.
Episode 44: The Stronghold
Episode Rating: 9/10
Maomao was in grave danger after she was caught looking at the feifas in the storage shed. She would have been beaten and most likely executed if not for the intervention of Loulan. As most of us suspected, Shisui’s true identity is Loulan, and she’s the daughter of Shenmei. Loulan saved Maomao by hiring her as the new apothecary her mother had been wanting. Ominously, it was said that the previous apothecary died.
(Side Note: My theory that Loulan cares deeply about Maomao now has more weight, since she went out of her way to save Maomao’s life.)
Shenmei and company moved to a stronghold in the north, where Maomao was put to work on the impossible task of creating an immortality potion. Although working as Shenmei’s apothecary was restrictive and nerve-wracking, Maomao at least got to enjoy the books left behind by the previous apothecary.
Based on a conversation with Suirei, Maomao realized that the people in the northern stronghold were planning war against the empire. This news depressed and worried Maomao, since all rebels were to be executed without exception according to the empire’s laws. If the empire attacked, even innocent children would be slaughtered.
Meanwhile, Loulan thought to herself how pointless everything seemed to be. Her mother, Lady Shenmei, heavily abused Suirei, and probably wasn’t beyond “disciplining” Loulan too if she misbehaved enough. Loulan had thought she could make things better – or keep things from getting worse – by being a perfect puppet for Shenmei. But no matter what she did, her mother kept being abusive and got even worse.
Our experiences definitely differ, but it’s easy for me to empathize with Loulan since my mother was also abusive when I was a child and young adult. Most of it was emotional abuse and rarely physical. Nevertheless, I deeply understand the quote, “As long as I remain her puppet, she will not get angry at me.” That pretty much sums up my thinking when I was a child, too. Familial abuse is a serious topic and I’m glad The Apothecary Diaries isn’t sweeping it under the rug.
Back in the rear palace, Lahan reported his findings to Jinshi. The metals and materials that were bought up were being used to expand on Shishou’s northern stronghold. They didn’t have permission to expand the fortress. This was evidence that Shishou’s clan was trying to start a rebellion. Lakan was also there. He insulted Jinshi multiple times because he was angry at the young man for not taking enough action to save Maomao. Lakan could be pretty brutal when his daughter was involved.
After Lakan angrily said that Jinshi would never accomplish anything as a lowly eunuch, Luomen appeared. He pointed out that he didn’t want to be a eunuch, either, which immediately made Lakan feel terrible. He hadn’t meant to hurt his old uncle. Luomen was wise and cool enough to know exactly what was on his nephew’s mind. So he suggested that Lakan politely ask for what he really wanted.
Lakan hesitated for a second, but then committed to his next act. Ceremoniously, he went into a full bow on his knees. Lahan followed suit, and Luomen bowed his head, too. Lakan then humbly asked for Jinshi to mobilize the emperor’s private army to wipe out the rebellion. As the imperial brother, Jinshi was tasked with leading the troops. Jinshi knew the time had finally come for him to take charge with his true identity.
The episode leaves off there. It was another great episode of The Apothecary Diaries, combining light-hearted moments and beautiful visuals with heavy topics like political intrigue and familial abuse. I am currently hyperfixated on this amazing show!
~Thanks for reading~
Written by 7Mononoke
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