Episode Title:
Festering Resentment
Episode Description:
While preparing moxibustion for Gyokuyou, Maomao learns Luomen has been assigned to the doctor's office with Guen, so he'll also be able to aid Lihua if necessary. Luomen writes warnings about issues in the rear palace in simple, childish wording, and asks Maomao to have the servant's vocational school use it for writing practice, and, as Maomao realizes, as a means to easily mass produce the warning. The notice warns against lead-based makeup, strong scents, and picking palace plants without permission.
At the school, the teacher recognizes Luomen's handwriting, having helped make similar notices decades before. He tells Maomao that new eunuchs are being sent to assist at the informal clinic to avoid distracting servants, who were flocking to see them working at the baths. Maomao rushes to the clinic, realizing that its older staff are all victims of the previous emperor, who weren't allowed to leave the rear palace, and who would have learned about dangerous substances from the old notices. She wants to confront Shenlü about her using the patients coming in to pass unto Shin knowledge on abortifacients, including the scents she'd acquire from the caravan upon request, but lacks evidence.
Maomao notes an expensive-looking book about insects, its contents and recent provenance causing her to deduce it previously belonged to Shisui, wondering about her servant status. Suirei arrives, having infiltrated the recent eunuch arrivals, warning Shenlü about Maomao's discoveries, and threatening Maomao with violence on Shisui unless she leaves the rear palace with her, also baiting her with the formula to the resurrection medicine. Maomao notices the lasting damage on Suirei's hand, an adverse effect of taking the medicine.
Later, Lakan arranges a meeting with Shishou and the crown prince (in reality Ah-Duo as a body double), sharing his discoveries on the feifas used in the assassination attempt. He wonders how they got into Shishou's territory and in hostile hands, but Shishou isn't helpful, despite learning the suspect could no longer speak after questioning at the hands of an overzealous interrogator. Lakan gushes about a go game he played with Fengxian, and offers him green grape juice while claiming it's red, the discrepancy going uncommented by Shishou. After the meeting, Ah-Duo discusses Maomao's disappearance with Basen, something that is taking Jinshi's focus.
