The 9th episode of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 or The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 expands on whether the previous emperor was cursed or not. Let us see how this episode turned out.
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The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 9 Director
Akira Koremoto
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The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 9 Release Date
07 March 2025
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AKA
薬屋のひとりごと 第2期
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 8 Recap
Maomao finds herself in a peculiar yet exciting situation, as she now has to live in the storage room. However, rather than feeling disheartened, she is absolutely delighted. In fact, she orchestrated the entire scenario herself, filing a complaint against her own living arrangements just so she could relocate. Her motivation is clear: the storage room is stocked with medicinal herbs and raw materials, perfect for her experiments.
Meanwhile, she embarks on a quest to locate Shisui, who has been causing a stir by roaming around and catching insects. In her pursuit of information, Maomao even trades away the precious handkerchief she received from Jinshi.
Beyond these events, the episode delves into weightier themes, including slavery and abortion. Although slavery was officially abolished, it persists under different guises. For instance, maids may not be labelled as slaves, yet they endure similar treatment.
Additionally, there seems to be growing intrigue surrounding the empress dowager as she makes more frequent appearances. It soon becomes clear that she intends to visit Lady Gyokuyou. During this visit, she unexpectedly requests a private conversation with Maomao, leading to a startling revelation. She wants to investigate whether she had a hand in placing a curse on the late emperor.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 9 Review
Today’s episode definitely left a lasting impression because of how it handled the complex themes. Maomao is again called to investigate the curse that Lady Anshi has apparently put on the late emperor. Even though his body should have decomposed a long time back, it refuses to do so. Lady Anshi thought that she must have been the one at fault and asked Maomao to find out about it.
Only later do we see the actual truth being far different from a curse. Apparently, the late emperor had an interest in painting. He was a weak-willed man who got placed on the throne only because his mother wished for it. She knew that her son could never be a true ruler and thus made him only a puppet king while she held significance in his place. On top of that, he was also afraid of women to the point of only being able to talk to little girls.
This gave rise to his predatory behaviour, and Lady Anshi took a chance, keeping that aspect in mind when she was a little girl. Later she became pregnant but was also quickly forgotten after growing up. After holding a grudge against her husband, she one day finally unleashed her wrath on him.
Today’s episode showcased the dark and disturbing secrets of the palace. The king was no doubt a monster who used young girls to justify his perversion. However, he was also a pathetic man who was not even allowed to pursue his hobbies.
Verdict
I loved today’s episode and the character of Lady Anshi. She is a strong and powerful woman who understood her predicament pretty young and decided to submit to her ambitions. But she was also a tragic character who lost herself while falling victim to palace politics.
Must Read: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 8 Review: The Empress Dowager’s Curse