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The Apothecary Diaries

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This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.

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Mother?

4
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Why did my mother have that look on her face?

5
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Now, return to your room.

6
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Y-Yes.

7
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That old man... That old woman...
Who were they?

8
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It's hard to recall...

9
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What an awful dream.

10
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Back then, I had no way of knowing
who the old man and old woman were.

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They taught me later.

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The old man was my father
and the old woman was my grandmother.

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Also...

14
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They told me that the man I always thought
was my father was actually my brother.

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That girl can be very dull
in strangely specific instances,

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but she's bound to figure this out soon.

17
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Or, perhaps she already has...

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That would put me at ease.

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I can't stay quiet about this forever.

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A long time ago, this land was inhabited
by a different group of people.

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EpisodeThe Shrine of Choosing
These people had no leader, but a noble
woman arrived from a distant land.

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The woman became pregnant
with the child from the heavens.

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That child became the first emperor of Li.

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The woman, whose eyes could see
even in the darkest of nights,

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later became known as the Mother Royal.

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Some say she was a sorceress who
descended from the land of sorcerers.

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The fable of this nation's founding, huh?

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How is it, apothecary?

29
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Careful, Master Jinshi,
or they'll see your face.

30
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Oops.

31
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They're so nicely focused
on their studies right now.

32
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The appearance of this creature
would steal their attention.

33
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So, there are around twenty students?

34
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I was hoping we would get more.

35
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We started with about ten, so it is increasing.

36
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Well, it sounds about right,
I think. That said...

37
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If Master Jinshi's plan works out and
more servant girls become literate,

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the nature of the rear palace
should begin to change.

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In fact, Xiaolan is already beginning
to read simple stories by herself.

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Master Jinshi, we must move on.

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Yeah. What about you?

42
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I will stay and observe a bit more.

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I see. If you notice anything, report to me.

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Understood.

45
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Xiaolan.

46
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Hey! I didn't notice you, Maomao!

47
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How is it? Have you learned a few characters?

48
00:05:01,342 --> 00:05:05,305
Oh, only a few! I still have
to ask the teacher about some.

49
00:05:05,305 --> 00:05:06,347
Come with me, Maomao!

50
00:05:06,347 --> 00:05:07,307
Oh, sure.

51
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The teacher is in the building next door.
I visit him sometimes to ask questions.

52
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Hmm? Is that an old shrine?

53
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Excuse me! Coming in!

54
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Yes, yes. You there,
young lady, you're a new face.

55
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It's strangely thin and long,
and goes quite deep, it seems.

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The distance between the pillars is short.
It must be divided up into quite a few rooms.

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Does that shrine interest you?

58
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Yes, it seems like a strangely-shaped building.

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That's a shrine built by the people
who originally lived here.

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When the Mother Royal ruled over this place,
she didn't denounce the old religion.

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Is the Mother Royal
the first emperor's mother

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that was in that story from earlier?

63
00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,406
Yes. The Mother Royal told her son this:

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"The one who rules this land
must pass through that shrine.

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Only those who choose the right path
can be the ruler of this land."

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The son successfully passed through
that shrine to become the emperor.

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The capital city was moved to
this region because of that shrine, too.

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Wow!

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But the shrine hasn't been
used in many decades.

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I wonder if it will ever be used again.

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What do you mean?

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The previous emperor's elder brothers
all passed away from an epidemic.

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Only the previous emperor survived.

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In other words, there was no need to do
the rite of passage to determine the heir.

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I'm glad someone is showing interest
in that shrine. It's truly been a while.

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Did it attract more attention in the past?

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Yes. There was a quirky doctor
who used to work here.

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He would wander around the rear
palace whenever he had the time.

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He asked about the shrine,
like you did just now—

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Is that Luomen...?

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Do you know him?

82
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Oops. I didn't mean to...

83
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He's my adopted father.

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After he left the rear palace,

85
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he began working as an apothecary
in the pleasure district.

86
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I see. You're Luomen's...

87
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I wonder if he got along with my dad?

88
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Look! I wrote something!

89
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Wow.

90
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There is no poison.

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I will take my leave now.

92
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Wait, apothecary.

93
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I'm going somewhere after this,
and I want you to accompany me.

94
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Where to?

95
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To the Shrine of Choosing.

96
00:07:48,384 --> 00:07:51,304
Why are you doing this all of a sudden?

97
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What is he planning to do?

98
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It's the old shrine that I saw today.

99
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And...

100
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Is that the teacher from the school?

101
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I have eagerly awaited your arrival.

102
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May I attempt this again?

103
00:08:06,319 --> 00:08:10,323
You might get the same result,
but if that's acceptable, it's fine.

104
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What a way to speak to the emperor.

105
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Who will be accompanying you?

106
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Hmm. I will take these two.

107
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Huh?

108
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Um, isn't this place off-limits to women?

109
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The Mother Royal and
Empress Dowager were women, too.

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Well, let's go.

111
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Three doors...?

112
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Do not pass through the red door
Do not pass through the red door?
The colors of the doors
are blue, red, and green.

113
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So, we should choose blue or green?

114
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Which door will you choose?

115
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Let's go with the blue this time,
since I chose green the last time.

116
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That's true. This way, please.

117
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I hope you'd pay more heed to
the ones tasked to maintain this place.

118
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It goes unused for so long,
then suddenly someone wants to use it.

119
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Haha, apologies for the trouble.

120
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Three doors again... Green, brown, light blue.

121
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The next one says,
"Do not enter the brown door."
Do not enter the brown door

122
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I'll go with green.

123
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So...

124
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Is this going to go on and on like this?

125
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Up and down, going back and turning,

126
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I've lost my sense of direction.

127
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Feels like we're walking around
the same place in circles.

128
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Why did the emperor bring me along?

129
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I hope this is over soon...

130
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This is the final door.

131
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The doors are blue, purple, and yellow.

132
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Do not enter the blue door

133
00:10:06,355 --> 00:10:10,318
Also, there's another door
that leads into this place.

134
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I guess a separate path converges here.

135
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I've decided.

136
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I choose the yellow.

137
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Are you certain?

138
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Please.

139
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A dead end.

140
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Child of royalty, yet not
child of the Mother Royal
"Child of royalty,
yet not child of the Mother Royal?"

141
00:10:30,379 --> 00:10:34,300
I have no idea what that means,
but it's definitely a rejection of some sort.

142
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Same result as before.

143
00:10:41,307 --> 00:10:43,392
Why is he so serious?

144
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I guess I am incapable of
deciphering the will of the heavens.

145
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I must disagree.

146
00:10:49,357 --> 00:10:52,401
When you included this shrine
into the rear palace,

147
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I became the only person to manage this place.

148
00:10:56,364 --> 00:10:59,325
What value could there be
in the will of the heavens?

149
00:10:59,367 --> 00:11:03,329
This old eunuch must have been
managing this old shrine

150
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from way before the rear palace was built.

151
00:11:06,374 --> 00:11:11,295
He even accepted castration to become
a eunuch so he could remain here...

152
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The exit is this way.

153
00:11:20,304 --> 00:11:25,351
The emperor followed every direction.
He didn't seem to make any mistakes.

154
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Yet he wasn't able to reach the correct answer.

155
00:11:28,396 --> 00:11:31,357
Was there some other intent behind this?

156
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The number of rooms?
The color of the doors chosen?

157
00:11:35,319 --> 00:11:38,364
Luomen probably would have figured it out.

158
00:11:38,364 --> 00:11:40,366
Dad would have...?

159
00:11:40,366 --> 00:11:43,327
Are you saying my adopted
father would understand?

160
00:11:43,327 --> 00:11:45,329
Well, I can't say for certain.

161
00:11:46,330 --> 00:11:48,374
It's true that Dad has
an astonishing amount of knowledge.

162
00:11:49,333 --> 00:11:52,378
That said, being told that
I can't do it is a bit annoying.

163
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Dad's knowledge is exceptionally
advanced in the field of medicine.

164
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Is that somehow related to this?

165
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Three doors, three colors.
Child of royalty, yet not
child of the Mother Royal
"Child of royalty,
yet not child of the Mother Royal."
What does that phrase mean?

166
00:12:23,367 --> 00:12:27,371
Do you have any idea what
"not child of the Mother Royal" could mean?

167
00:12:28,330 --> 00:12:29,331
Now that I think about it,

168
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in the foundation story, only the Mother
Royal appears, not the father.

169
00:12:37,339 --> 00:12:38,382
One might think, then, that we would

170
00:12:38,382 --> 00:12:40,384
adopt a system that values
the maternal bloodline,

171
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yet our nation is based on a paternal
hereditary succession system.

172
00:12:44,388 --> 00:12:48,309
Given that, if one were to devise a way
to carry on the Mother Royal's bloodline...

173
00:12:48,350 --> 00:12:52,396
The previous emperor's elder brothers
all passed away from an epidemic.

174
00:12:53,355 --> 00:12:54,356
Master Jinshi.

175
00:12:55,316 --> 00:12:56,358
Did you notice something?

176
00:12:57,318 --> 00:13:00,362
Were all the previous emperor's
siblings born to the same mother?

177
00:13:01,322 --> 00:13:06,368
Not everyone, but I heard the mothers
who gave birth to the princes were sisters.

178
00:13:06,368 --> 00:13:09,371
In other words,
they were of close bloodlines.

179
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This may sound rude, but might I speak freely?

180
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I will allow it. Go on.

181
00:13:18,297 --> 00:13:24,303
Did several of the previous
emperors have poor eyesight?

182
00:13:26,305 --> 00:13:29,350
I have heard once that many
did not possess the best eyesight.

183
00:13:29,350 --> 00:13:32,353
The previous emperor could
see perfectly well, though.

184
00:13:32,353 --> 00:13:33,354
I knew it.

185
00:13:34,313 --> 00:13:37,358
Could we go through the shrine again?

186
00:13:37,399 --> 00:13:41,320
Do you think you're worthy, young lady?

187
00:13:42,321 --> 00:13:46,325
I allowed you to enter this last time, but it
wouldn't do to permit too many attempts.

188
00:13:46,367 --> 00:13:50,371
That's especially true if you're going to
opine on the doors to choose.

189
00:13:50,371 --> 00:13:54,333
You are neither a concubine
nor a princess, are you?

190
00:13:54,375 --> 00:13:56,377
Nope, just a servant girl.

191
00:13:56,377 --> 00:14:00,339
Hmm. Well, I could accept her as a concubine.

192
00:14:00,339 --> 00:14:03,300
I'd have trouble convincing Lakan, though.

193
00:14:03,300 --> 00:14:04,385
Surely you jest...

194
00:14:04,385 --> 00:14:08,305
Surely you jest! There's no telling
what the other concubines would think!

195
00:14:09,390 --> 00:14:10,391
That's a good point, as well.

196
00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:14,353
Then maybe you should take her.

197
00:14:15,396 --> 00:14:17,356
Would that be acceptable?

198
00:14:17,356 --> 00:14:20,359
If that is your wish.

199
00:14:21,318 --> 00:14:22,403
Well, let's go.

200
00:14:23,404 --> 00:14:26,323
He's more playful than usual.

201
00:14:28,284 --> 00:14:31,328
First, the blue, red, and green doors.

202
00:14:31,370 --> 00:14:34,331
Do not pass through the red door
"Do not pass through the red door."

203
00:14:34,373 --> 00:14:36,333
Which would you choose?

204
00:14:37,334 --> 00:14:40,337
The same one as the emperor, at least for now.

205
00:14:42,339 --> 00:14:47,386
Next is the green, brown, and light blue.
Do not pass through the brown door
"Do not pass through the brown door."

206
00:14:48,345 --> 00:14:49,346
The light blue door.

207
00:14:51,348 --> 00:14:55,311
Hmm. That's not the one I chose.

208
00:14:56,353 --> 00:14:59,315
I couldn't tell the last time I went through.

209
00:14:59,315 --> 00:15:02,318
If there is a door that only
the Mother Royal's children can choose...

210
00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,323
The key would be the colors of the doors.

211
00:15:09,408 --> 00:15:14,371
That's the tenth one.
White, purple, and green doors...

212
00:15:14,371 --> 00:15:17,374
Choose the red door
"Choose the red door."

213
00:15:17,374 --> 00:15:19,335
Hmm.

214
00:15:19,335 --> 00:15:22,338
There's no red door. What is this?

215
00:15:22,379 --> 00:15:24,340
The green door.

216
00:15:25,341 --> 00:15:26,300
Green?

217
00:15:27,343 --> 00:15:28,385
You'll see when we get through.

218
00:15:32,348 --> 00:15:33,349
This is...

219
00:15:39,355 --> 00:15:43,400
Congratulations.
You have chosen the correct path.

220
00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:49,365
In the past, the one chosen by
the Mother Royal became the next king.

221
00:15:49,365 --> 00:15:54,370
He would stand in this spot and
make a proclamation to the people.

222
00:15:54,370 --> 00:15:58,374
If nobody could choose the right path,

223
00:15:58,374 --> 00:16:04,380
they would revisit this shrine with
a concubine who could choose the right path.

224
00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:09,385
In the past, this would be done
by those with the right blood.

225
00:16:09,385 --> 00:16:14,348
However, this time, it seems like
someone else got the right answer.

226
00:16:14,390 --> 00:16:18,352
Hey, you provoked me.
What's up with this old man?

227
00:16:18,394 --> 00:16:24,316
More importantly, could you
explain to me so that I can understand?

228
00:16:24,316 --> 00:16:28,320
Perhaps you should ask this girl here.

229
00:16:28,404 --> 00:16:32,324
And now this old guy's
making me do the hard part?!

230
00:16:32,366 --> 00:16:33,367
You heard him.

231
00:16:37,371 --> 00:16:39,331
In the foundation tale,

232
00:16:39,331 --> 00:16:44,294
the Mother Royal is said to have eyes
that can see in the darkest of nights.

233
00:16:44,336 --> 00:16:47,297
This means that those who
are chosen by this shrine,

234
00:16:47,297 --> 00:16:48,382
who carry the Mother Royal's bloodline,

235
00:16:49,299 --> 00:16:52,344
have eyes that cannot tell colors apart.

236
00:16:52,386 --> 00:16:54,346
Tell colors apart?

237
00:16:54,388 --> 00:16:56,306
What do you mean?

238
00:16:56,348 --> 00:17:01,311
Let me explain how I chose the doors earlier.

239
00:17:01,353 --> 00:17:04,356
First, there were three doors:
blue, red, and green,

240
00:17:04,356 --> 00:17:07,359
Do not pass through the red door
with the message, "Don't pick the red door."

241
00:17:08,318 --> 00:17:11,363
Blue and green should both be correct,

242
00:17:11,363 --> 00:17:14,366
but a child of the Mother Royal
would choose the blue one.

243
00:17:14,366 --> 00:17:18,328
This is because they would not be able
to differentiate between red and green.

244
00:17:18,328 --> 00:17:21,290
So, they would choose the door
that they know for sure is not red.

245
00:17:21,331 --> 00:17:24,376
Cannot differentiate between red and green...

246
00:17:24,376 --> 00:17:27,379
It's rare in our nation,
but in the western region,

247
00:17:27,379 --> 00:17:33,302
they say one in ten males are unable to
differentiate between red and green.

248
00:17:33,302 --> 00:17:35,345
Luomen probably would have figured it out.

249
00:17:35,387 --> 00:17:40,309
Since my dad studied abroad in the west,
he would have known about this trait.

250
00:17:40,392 --> 00:17:43,312
So, that's what he meant.

251
00:17:43,353 --> 00:17:45,314
The same is true for the next door.

252
00:17:45,314 --> 00:17:47,316
Do not pass through the brown door
The instruction was to avoid the brown.

253
00:17:47,399 --> 00:17:50,319
If brown and green looked the same to a person,

254
00:17:50,319 --> 00:17:52,404
they'd choose light blue
through process of elimination.

255
00:17:53,322 --> 00:17:58,410
For the last door, it said "choose red,"
yet there was no red door.
Choose the red door

256
00:17:59,328 --> 00:18:04,374
However, if they could see
the white and purple doors,

257
00:18:04,374 --> 00:18:07,336
the person would assume the final door
would have to be the red one.

258
00:18:07,377 --> 00:18:11,298
In other words, even though there
seemed to be two correct choices,

259
00:18:11,381 --> 00:18:15,302
there was only one truly correct answer.

260
00:18:15,344 --> 00:18:21,350
But if every emperor had such a trait,
we would have noticed, wouldn't we?

261
00:18:21,350 --> 00:18:25,395
I heard from my adopted father that
even if they can't tell the colors apart,

262
00:18:25,395 --> 00:18:28,357
once they got used to it,
they could live mostly normally.

263
00:18:28,357 --> 00:18:31,360
So, it's actually quite hard
for others to notice.

264
00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:34,363
Also, they say in exchange for
color identification,

265
00:18:34,363 --> 00:18:36,365
these people could see well in the dark.

266
00:18:36,365 --> 00:18:40,369
That could be what later became the legend
of the Mother Royal's eyesight.

267
00:18:41,328 --> 00:18:46,375
So only those who had the same traits
as the Mother Royal could pass through here.

268
00:18:46,375 --> 00:18:50,379
I'm sure some have made it
through by coincidence.

269
00:18:50,379 --> 00:18:54,383
But the probability of making it through
to the last room is very low.

270
00:18:55,384 --> 00:19:00,347
In the story, they say the Mother Royal
came from a distant land.

271
00:19:01,348 --> 00:19:05,352
She had a trait where she
couldn't differentiate certain colors.

272
00:19:05,352 --> 00:19:09,398
She arrived here from the west
with many servants.

273
00:19:10,315 --> 00:19:14,319
Settling into a new land is never easy.

274
00:19:14,319 --> 00:19:18,323
Therefore, she married
into the leadership of this land.

275
00:19:18,323 --> 00:19:22,411
Wait, apothecary. The legend says
the Mother Royal never had a husband.

276
00:19:22,411 --> 00:19:25,414
That was the clever decision
by the Mother Royal and her family.

277
00:19:26,373 --> 00:19:28,375
It's not rare to accept
a wife from a distant land,

278
00:19:28,375 --> 00:19:32,337
to prevent the bloodline
from getting too thick.

279
00:19:32,379 --> 00:19:34,339
Even if the Mother Royal is the origin,

280
00:19:34,339 --> 00:19:37,301
the imperial throne
is held by paternal succession.

281
00:19:37,301 --> 00:19:40,387
That was probably decided to honor
the original leader of this land.

282
00:19:41,346 --> 00:19:48,353
However, the Mother Royal's family didn't
want their bloodline to thin out and vanish.

283
00:19:48,395 --> 00:19:52,357
How can one make sure that
the Mother Royal's bloodline is maintained?

284
00:19:52,357 --> 00:19:55,319
That's where this Shrine of Choosing comes in.

285
00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:59,323
If no potential heir carries the trait,

286
00:19:59,323 --> 00:20:03,368
a concubine from a related lineage is
brought in to accompany them into the shrine.

287
00:20:04,369 --> 00:20:08,332
That's why they added the rule about
allowing concubines to enter with the emperor.

288
00:20:08,332 --> 00:20:12,377
That's how they gradually infiltrated
the center of the nation.

289
00:20:13,337 --> 00:20:16,340
Deep enough to chase
the original leader out of the story

290
00:20:16,340 --> 00:20:18,342
and make the Mother Royal the origin.

291
00:20:18,383 --> 00:20:24,348
When nobody with first-hand knowledge
remains, the story becomes the truth.

292
00:20:24,348 --> 00:20:28,393
It was a very peaceful,
very deliberate takeover.

293
00:20:28,393 --> 00:20:31,396
Of course, I can't say that out loud.

294
00:20:31,396 --> 00:20:36,318
So, are you saying that I don't carry
the blood of the Mother Royal in me?

295
00:20:36,360 --> 00:20:40,364
This shrine is just the most
accurate method to find out.

296
00:20:40,364 --> 00:20:45,327
Sometimes, the trait is not
passed on from parent to child.

297
00:20:45,327 --> 00:20:49,289
Also, bloodlines that become
too thick can cause problems, too.

298
00:20:49,289 --> 00:20:53,377
That could be why the previous emperor's
siblings all fell ill in the epidemic.

299
00:20:55,295 --> 00:21:00,384
I wouldn't have thought this
little girl would figure it all out.

300
00:21:00,384 --> 00:21:02,302
Little girl?

301
00:21:02,302 --> 00:21:04,388
It is said that the Mother Royal

302
00:21:04,388 --> 00:21:08,392
ruled over this land because
she possessed a rare intellect.

303
00:21:08,392 --> 00:21:14,356
If you're going to thin the bloodline,
why don't you add this one to it?

304
00:21:14,398 --> 00:21:15,357
Huh?

305
00:21:16,358 --> 00:21:19,319
What is this bag of bones talking about?

306
00:21:19,319 --> 00:21:23,323
That would be interesting,
but I don't want to anger Lakan.

307
00:21:23,323 --> 00:21:27,327
More importantly, she needs at least
15 centimeters more in the chest.

308
00:21:27,327 --> 00:21:28,370
Whatever.

309
00:21:29,329 --> 00:21:31,331
However, please be careful.

310
00:21:31,331 --> 00:21:35,377
There are many who do not favorably view
the introduction of new blood.

311
00:21:35,377 --> 00:21:37,337
Yes, I'm aware.

312
00:21:37,337 --> 00:21:41,300
Yes, I'm sure you are, Your Majesty.

313
00:21:41,383 --> 00:21:43,385
Please be careful.

314
00:21:46,305 --> 00:21:47,347
I know.

315
00:21:57,399 --> 00:22:00,319
Who really is he?

316
00:22:00,402 --> 00:22:06,325
Just "the emperor's favorite eunuch?"
That doesn't seem to add up...

317
00:22:08,410 --> 00:22:10,329
Well, who cares?

318
00:22:10,412 --> 00:22:14,333
Some things are best left unknown.
That's how things go.

319
00:23:45,298 --> 00:23:55,475
Next Time
Next time:
"The Empress Dowager."
EpisodeThe Empress Dowager