The WORST episodes of The Apothecary Diaries

#1 - Ka Zuigetsu

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/28/2025

#2 - Maomao and Maomao

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/10/2025

The spring garden party concludes without incident. Maomao returns to her regular life as Concubine Gyokuyou’s taster. Meanwhile, novels become popular in the rear palace. Maomao wonders how this came to be, as novels were typically considered low-class. But behind the scenes lies Jinshi and his goals as manager of the rear palace.

#3 - Caravan

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/17/2025

The caravan stirs up excitement in the inner palace. The merchants bring all kinds of goods. However, something gives Maomao a bad feeling.

#4 - Corpse Fungus

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/24/2025

A concubine passes away, and a woman goes missing. Jinshi sends Maomao to investigate - not these incidents, but mushrooms growing in the rear palace.

#5 - Mirror

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/31/2025

The special envoy from a foreign land gifts mirrors - a rarity in this country - to the high concubines. However, they bring mysteries as well.

#6 - The Moon Fairy

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/7/2025

In order to realize the seemingly impossible request from the foreign envoy, Maomao speaks to the “Moon Fairy” herself.

#7 - The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/14/2025

The woman from the clinic finds out that Maomao knows a thing or two about medicine, and asks for her help.

#8 - The Shrine of Choosing

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/21/2025

Maomao directs her curiosity towards an old, oddly-shaped building.

#9 - The Empress Dowager

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/28/2025

Maomao's reputation for resolving conflicts reaches the empress dowager, who will ask for her help to unravel a mystery that won't leave her mind.

#10 - The Late Emperor

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/7/2025

Maomao's investigation of the "curse" reveals more about the late emperor than anticipated.

#11 - A Ghost Story

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/14/2025

Maomao joins some women exchanging scary stories on a hot summer night to provide chills.

#12 - The Hunt

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/21/2025

Jinshi goes on a hunting trip, and brings Maomao along. He seems ready to share his secret with her.

#13 - Raw Fish

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/21/2024

Gaoshun requests Maomao's help in solving an apparent poisoning case. Meanwhile, Jinshi deals with an unwelcome visitor who's taken to lingering in his office.

#14 - The New Pure Consort

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/14/2024

Ah-Duo's replacement has arrived in the rear palace, and Maomao is assigned to give a certain lecture to all four high concubines. Later, Maomao helps Lihaku investigate a warehouse explosion.

#15 - Maomao

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/22/2023

After being kidnapped and forced to work as a servant in the rear palace, former apothecary Maomao inadvertently draws the attention of the higher ranks when she investigates what's causing the emperor's infant heirs to fall mysteriously ill.

#16 - How to Buy Out a Contract

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/3/2024

Back to work at the rear palace, Maomao listens to Guen talk about his family's business. Meanwhile, Lihaku hears a rumor that whips him into action.

#17 - Suicide or Murder?

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/3/2023

An older acquaintance of Jinshi's dies while drinking at a party. A servant's body turns up in a moat. Both deaths are written off as self-inflicted, but Maomao's keen observations tell her that there's more to both stories.

#18 - Lead

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/28/2024

A shack, a chest of drawers, and a fishbowl are all that a talented metalworker leaves to his three sons upon his death. Maomao is assigned to investigate how these strange inheritances all fit together.

#19 - Lakan

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/11/2024

Back at home, Maomao visits an annex building at the Verdigris House that hides one of the brothel's secrets. Lakan continues to antagonize Jinshi as his connection to Maomao becomes clear.

#20 - A Jaunt Around Town

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/4/2024

Covering up Jinshi's otherworldly beauty is no easy task, but after Maomao takes the challenge head-on, she's surprised when she's also asked to don the disguise of a noblewoman and escort "Jinka" outside the palace.

#21 - Serving in the Outer Court

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/7/2024

To Maomao's surprise, Jinshi brings her directly to his house instead of taking her back to the rear palace, and tells her she's to work in the outer court. Not only is there much to learn, it seems there's many eyes on her as the new hire.

#22 - Homecoming

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/19/2023

Gaoshun goes to Maomao to get her help in resolving the events of the garden party. Later, Xiaolan explains the purpose of the hairpins Maomao was gifted, and Maomao makes a deal with Lihaku in order to finally visit home.

#23 - Chilly Apothecary

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/22/2023

Maomao tries to settle into her promotion to lady-in-waiting and food taster, but struggles to fend off both boredom and the overly-familiar Jinshi. That is, until she gets an assignment of her dreams: to concoct an aphrodisiac.

#24 - Blue Roses

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/10/2024

Lakan challenges Jinshi to produce blue roses to present at the upcoming garden party, forcing Jinshi to turn once again to Maomao for her help.

#25 - Honey

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/2023

A tea party hosted by Lady Gyokuyou puts the politics of the rear palace at the forefront, and Maomao learns something new about Lady Lishu. His true intentions unclear, Jinshi sends Maomao to work for Lady Ah-Duo.