The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 8 Review: The Empress Dowager’s Curse

The 8th episode of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 or The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 explained the troubles the empress dowager had to face in the past. Let us see how this episode turned out.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 7 Recap

This episode opens with glimpses into Jinshi’s past, shedding light on his background. We see a young Jinshi at play, only to be interrupted by an elderly man. Before anything unfolds, his mother swiftly steps in, shielding him from the stranger. Shortly after, an even older woman appears and escorts the man away. That day, Jinshi caught a fleeting yet unsettling expression on his mother’s face. It wasn’t until later that he learned the truth. The old man was his father, and the woman who took him away was his grandmother.

However, the spotlight turns to the Palace of Choosing, a legendary structure believed to determine the rightful heir to the throne. According to history, the first Empress, a foreign ruler, established this practice, decreeing that only those who could pass its trial would be fit to rule, even her own sons.

Though once an integral part of succession, this tradition has long been abandoned. The current king, who took the throne without undergoing the ritual, is determined to uncover the truth behind the palace’s mystery. His initial attempt at solving its puzzle ends in failure.

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 8 Review

Maomao lands herself in a situation where she must live in the storage room from now on. However, rather than being sad about it, she is thrilled. Not only that, but she is also the one who complained about herself so that she could get the chance to live in the storage. The reason is obvious; the storage is filled with medicinal herbs and raw materials that Maomao can use for her experiments. We also see her trying to find Shisui, as she is creating quite the buzz for going around and catching bugs. For information on her, Maomao even trades the very precious handkerchief given to her by Jinshi.

In this episode, we also explored a lot more serious things that deal with slavery and abortion. We get to know that slavery was abolished, but only officially. It very much exists under unofficial and different names. Just like how maids might not be called slaves, but they are treated as such.

There is also something brewing with the empress dowager, as we get to see her more often than ever. It is only later that we find out that she will visit Lady Gyokuyou. There, she suddenly asks Maomao for a private audience and discusses some head-turning things. She wants to investigate if she placed a curse on the late emperor or not.

This episode was definitely the most interesting of this season, as it dealt with many topics. We learn about the previous emperor who had a bad reputation for being a pedo. Plus, we also see Maomao having some wild theories about Jinshi, which she keeps to herself.

Verdict

I absolutely love today’s episode, and I’m glad that we are finally diving deep into the past. The palace intrigues, and deep secrets become unhinged with every episode. Hopefully, Maomao will finally figure out that Jinshi is indeed a prince from the palace.

Must Read: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Jinshi’s True Identity