Episode Title:
The Baths
Episode Description:
With Xiaolan's term of service ending in six months, she begins considering job options outside the palace. Maomao thinks of the Verdigris House, but prefers finding a better opportunity. Shisui proposes they frequent the rear palace baths as attendants to make connections with concubines and court ladies they rarely interact with. Shisui learned the method from a now-retired court lady who later found stable work through a concubine's household. Maomao's threading technique becomes popular among the ladies.
Gyokuyou supports Maomao's plan to help Xiaolan, also seeing it as a chance to gather palace gossip. Rumors spread about possible pregnancies of Gyokuyou, Lihua, and even Loulan—something Maomao notes with both caution and interest. There's also talk of thirty new eunuchs, formerly foreign slaves, assigned to the palace baths, which reminds Maomao of the past cave incident involving Jinshi.
As Maomao spends more time with Shisui and Xiaolan, it prompts Haku-u to question how she ended up in the Jade Pavilion, and why Gyokuyou, usually very guarded, trusts her a lot. Finding Maomao to be very cut and dry, Haku-u warns her to be careful with her words in public. To help the shy and lonely Seki-u, Maomao suggests she also visit the baths and join them in their massage sessions.
Maomao notices Lishu frequenting the baths again with Kanan, her head lady-in-waiting, a sight that could put other bathers in an unease. Noticing razor burns, Maomao offers her threading. Kanan explains most at the Diamond Pavilion don't pay attention to such details. Earning her trust due to how they tended to her, their conversation over some cold juice reveals she avoids her own pavilion's baths due to the alleged presence of a ghost.
