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「月精」 (Gessei)
“Moon Fairy”
There was a small tidbit that caught my attention, namely Mao Mao’s comment that the north side of the palace was originally used by a different ethnic group. I don’t know what the story behind that was, if it was forced exclusion or land originally belonging to that group before being taken away. There are no throwaway comments in Kusuriya, so it’ll probably reappear again later as a motive for some intrigue.
Speaking of coincidences- Shisui provides the missing piece to the moon fairy puzzle when she excitedly shows her moth caterpillars off to Mao Mao. With their bioluminescence, the moths are the perfect props for glowing pearls, to a grand effect. It turns out that Grandma’s costume malfunction 50 years prior actually backfired on her enemies, the insect juice attracting illuminated moths, a stunt which Mao Mao replicates here.
A mystery no longer, the envoys in attendance to the rear palace’s special performance are two proud beauties, assured of their gorgeousness above all others. They were a lot more interesting as enigmas- the sheen is rubbed off with the one envoy’s true nature revealed. There’s also no doubt about who the twins in Gaoshun’s mystery are. Mao Mao is quick to pick up on this, observing that when viewed from a different light, the mirrors, far from being a flatteringly generous gift, are actually a taunt to the mistresses of the rear palace. The one sister is cringingly bold, daring to approach the emperor directly, and in front of the concubines no less. Which can be seen as nothing less than a gauntlet thrown down.
Thankfully, the other sister intervenes, but not before I or anyone else there felt the painful awkwardness. That also leads one to question whether the envoys actually meant it when they expressed interest in the moon fairy. From another angle, it could also appear as an underhanded insult meant to embarrass the host country should they be unable to meet such an outlandish request. “Oh, so this is all your women amount to”. One thing is for sure- it’s now clear as day that the envoys’ real target is the emperor and/or his brother and a political marriage. Which could actually have the effect of uniting the competing concubine factions under the same distaste for the twins. As much as it’s expected for the emperor to bring in new ladies, one such as that brazen princess who ignores unspoken protocol would be a huge affront to the palace ladies.
As expected, Jinshi fulfilled his role as the “moon fairy” to perfection, convincing the pair. I couldn’t help but chuckle that the “goddess” wasn’t actually an ethereal woman, but Jinshi in disguise. I think goddess is actually a more apt description than fairy, as when I hear fairy, I think of a small waif, not a tall, statuesque beauty. Fascinatingly, MaoMao utters the name of the moon goddess, Diana, which seems to pacify the envoys’ demands for an explanation. I’m not sure where she heard of Western mythology from, but I suppose it’s not a stretch to imagine there must have been records on it somewhere in preparation for the foreign guests. It certainly shut up their griping.
Suirei’s whereabouts are still unknown, but she still looms large in Mao Mao’s mind as a potential suspect in the recent poisoning attempt. I could totally see Sui Rei becoming the Moriarity to Mao Mao’s Sherlock, the brilliant antagonist to the brilliant detective. The envoys also fall under suspicion, given the timing of the perfumes. They may be satisfied with the performance, but it seems to have only added fuel to the fire after humiliating the attempt to prove their superior beauty. There’s probably also a tie in somewhere to the Crystal Palace, given the maids’ previous behavior around potentially harmful fads. The one serving lady who noticeably doesn’t wear the perfumes may be aware of it, though it is unclear whether it is as an organizer or a silent bystander- regardless, her silence makes her no friend to her mistress.
When one of the palace ladies fall sick, Mao Mao accompanies her to the clinic, discovering its existence for the first time. Only men are allowed to be doctors and make medicine. The kicker is, the female clinic staff and female run clinic are far more professional at doing their actual job than the quack doctor, highlighting the inanity of limiting professions to a certain group. Mao Mao is the exception, an under the table one at that. This is news to me- I had assumed it was allowed, given how it seemed like a lot of people knew about her activities and sought her services. It is possible I am misremembering, however.
Jinshi’s comment about finding a way to bring in new doctors combined with the facts of his promotion of education among the palace maids and the ban on eunuch surgeries (spelling out future staffing shortages) makes me wonder if Jinshi has his eye on changing the rules so that women can become palace doctors. If seen as a trial run, the clinic is promising. Not to mention that it just makes sense- talent and ability are not sex-related, as Mao Mao is the living proof of.
Jinshi’s warning and the clinician piecing the situation together spells trouble for Mao Mao’s pharmaceutical practice. I hope she won’t tell on Mao Mao, especially as they are both women in the same field (not to mention that in the name of human decency and a profession intended to preserve health, a patient’s wellbeing should take priority over politics). Not that there’s really much suspense given that the series is ongoing, something that wouldn’t be the case if Mao Mao lost her job.
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