The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Maomao Murdered Someone?!

The 3rd episode of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 was absolutely exhilarating. Let us see how this episode turned out.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 2 Recap

The episode kicks off with the long-awaited arrival of a caravan, bringing foreign merchants with their exotic goods and clothing. Since the concubines and their servants rarely leave their section of the palace, this is a rare chance for them to shop and enjoy a bit of freedom. The concubines indulge generously, even gifting their maidservants pocket money to make their own purchases.

The timing is ideal, as the changing season means everyone is in need of new clothing. The atmosphere around Lady Gyokuyou’s palace is lively and exciting. However, after shopping from the caravan merchants, an unsettling discovery comes to light. Lady Gyokuyou’s pregnancy is still a closely guarded secret, known only to her handmaidens. Yet, the merchants somehow sold her garments perfectly suited for an expectant mother. This raises the disturbing question, has her secret been leaked, or is there another pregnant woman in the palace?

Adding to the mystery, Maomao uncovers some suspicious items among the merchants’ goods. These substances could induce miscarriage and bodily harm when combined properly. To make matters worse, she notices maidservants from Lady Rifa’s palace wearing fragrances that are potentially harmful to pregnant women. Alarmed by these findings, Maomao shares her concerns with Jinshi, who then initiates an investigation.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 3 Review

In this episode, Maomao’s brilliance truly comes to light as she saves herself from being accused of something that is really outlandish, which is murder. Here, we see Jinshi seeking out Maomao and asking her about mushrooms. Even though it is a popular food product in the inner palace, many do not know how poisonous some mushrooms can be. Plus, there has been a surplus of mushrooms in the back gardens, which also reeks of foul smell.

On top of this, there has been some conspiracy going on amongst the lower consorts of the king. A few days back, a woman, Lady Tao, who finally managed to get herself a respectable marriage proposal from a high-ranking official, disappeared without leaving any traces. Usually, the women in the harem are not allowed to marry others, but if the king does not visit someone or show interest in them, then they can leave the harem after some time. That was the case with Lady Tao, but now she is nowhere to be seen.

But it is not just her, as another consort, Lady Jin, from a powerful family, suddenly died in the inner palace under mysterious circumstances. Plus, this consort had previously been accused of poisoning Princess Lingli. She was also known to be a jealous and selfish woman who hated the fact that the emperor never visited her. Thus, she would often take her anger out on her servants and make plans to antagonize others.

The entire ordeal now hinges on Maomao’s sharp deductive skills as she takes it upon herself to unravel this strange mystery and uncover the true culprit behind the sinister events. Otherwise, she might be falsely accused of something she did not commit because of her extensive knowledge of medicine and her loyalty towards Lady Gyokuyou.

Verdict

Again, today’s episode was absolutely brilliant and very entertaining. The way this episode weaves in details and slowly reveals secrets and conspiracies will keep you hooked. Maomao is the definition of a strong female protagonist, and hopefully, we will see more characters like her in other shows.

Must Read: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 2 Review: Is Maomao’s Intuition Wrong?