Image: Toho Animation Studio
Keep up with the mystery and intrigue of The Apothecary Diaries. Here's a compilation of reviews for Season 2 that you can check out.
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 delves deeper into the mysteries of the Rear Palace, where intrigue and danger lurk around every corner. As Maomao continues to navigate this treacherous environment, she finds herself entangled in increasingly difficult situations, making both unwanted enemies and unexpected allies. How will her role within the palace evolve? And will her relationship with Jinshi finally begin to blossom?
If you're looking to keep up with all the key events of the season, we've got you covered. Below is a compilation of The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 reviews:
Episode 25: Maomao and Maomao
The spring garden party concludes without incident, and Maomao returns to her usual duties as Concubine Gyokuyou’s food taster. Meanwhile, novels begin circulating within the Rear Palace, an unusual development given their previous status as low-class entertainment. Maomao is curious about the sudden popularity, unaware that Jinshi is quietly orchestrating events behind the scenes in his role as the Rear Palace’s manager.
Episode 26: Caravan
Excitement sweeps through the inner palace with the arrival of a grand caravan. The merchants bring exotic goods, and the high-ranking ladies eagerly seize the opportunity to shop and stay updated on the latest trends. However, something about the caravan unsettles Maomao, prompting her to investigate further.
Episode 27: Corpse Fungus
A concubine’s death and a woman’s disappearance cast a shadow over the palace. However, Jinshi’s instructions to Maomao are not to probe these tragedies but instead to examine an unusual phenomenon—mushrooms sprouting within the Rear Palace.
Episode 28: Mirrors
A delegation from a distant land presents rare mirrors as gifts to the high concubines. Gaoshun enlists Maomao’s help in uncovering the truth behind a puzzling mystery, as the envoys make an oddly specific request to the emperor.
Episode 29: Moon Fairy
The foreign envoys' true motives begin to surface as they flaunt their beauty and charm. To fulfil their peculiar and seemingly impossible request, Maomao devises a creative solution to conjure the elusive "Moon Fairy."
Episode 30: The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time
Maomao is once again summoned to investigate a mysterious illness in the Crystal Pavilion, a part of the Imperial Palace where the Emperor's maids reside. As she delves into the case, she uncovers hidden secrets and suspicious behaviour among the staff, relying on her apothecary skills to unravel the mystery.
Episode 31: The Shrine of Choosing
Jinshi experiences a mysterious nightmare from the past. The Emperor invited Maomao to accompany him and Jinshi to the Shrine of Choosing, where he insisted on passing through the shrine's doors with both of them, as if he was looking for an answer.
Episode 32: Empress Dowager
Maomao investigates the Empress Dowager’s belief that she cursed the previous emperor, while the empress’s dark past is revealed to the viewers.
Episode 33: The Late Emperor
Maomao stays at Jinshi's residence while investigating the alleged curse on the late emperor. There she finds a curious stone among Jinshi's toys. While investigating the late emperor's room, Maomao discovers something hidden behind the walls.
Episode 34: Ghost Stories
New attendants have been assigned to Lady Gyokuyou. Later on Yinghua brings Maomao to a gathering of girls in the rear palace to share ghost stories.
Episode 35: The Hunt
Maomao joins Jinshi's entourage on a trip to the Shihoku region, governed by Shishou's family, for a hunt. At a party there, Jinshi dons a mask and uses a false name. An ambush—and an unexpected frog—lead to an awkward situation between Jinshi and Maomao.
Episode 36: Ka Zuigetsu
Maomao's accidental tumble into Jinshi’s arms leads to an awkward realisation about his true nature. Meanwhile, panic erupts at the banquet over a missing guest, sparking a frantic search. As tensions settle, Gaoshun reflects on the secret Jinshi can no longer keep.
Episode 37: The Baths
When Xiaolan asks Maomao for help finding a job, Shisui brings her to a bathhouse, hoping she can meet some lower-ranking consorts there and make connections.
Episode 38: The Dancing Ghost
At the bathhouse, a nervous Lishu tells Maomao about a dancing ghost rumoured to be haunting the Diamond Pavilion. Not long after, Jinshi asks Maomao to look into it.
Episode 39: Ice
Xiaolan accidentally bumps into a eunuch, ruining the ice meant for a principal consort. Maomao finds a way to deliver the frozen treat. Meanwhile, the Jade Pavilion uncovers something about Lady Gyokuyou's pregnancy.
Episode 40: Festering Resentment
Maomao finally connected the dots on the bigger threat in the rear palace, but realised too late who her real enemy was. Meanwhile Lakan invites Shishou and the emperor's brother for a drink.
Episode 41: The Fox Village
As Jinshi continues his search for Maomao, he realises her cat is also missing. Meanwhile, Maomao's captor transports her to an unfamiliar place.
Episode 42: Lantern Plant
As Gyokuyou goes into labour, Jinshi finds out that the eunuch who went missing at the same time as Maomao was seen paying respects at a specific cemetery within the rear palace. Jinshi uncovers a rebellion that had been brewing all along.
Stay tuned as The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 continues to unravel its secrets. More episode breakdowns will follow!