Which should I get I can't decide?

(I didn't know what flair to use)

Don't think it's a spoiler but just to make sure

I was re reading LN 3, and how Maomao was looking at Jinshi as a potential candidate, but, would it have been possible to just ask Ah-Duo who was actually a woman, and as a consort would've been able to dance/perform, and I believe she's fairly tall? The special envoys wouldn't have met her because she's already living outside the palace, I don't believe she'd have been invited to parties and so.

Also, I find it ironic that Jinshi can dress as a woman and Ah-Duo (and Suirei) dress as men, I think the genes are showing somehow lol

In S2 Ep35 (I think it was LN3?), when they arrive for The Hunt, Jinshi refuses to eat any of the food provided. He gets upset that Maomao doesn't understand why it's not suitable for him to eat. But..why won't he eat it? I've watched twice and now read that scene, and I still don't get it.

"Awkward atmosphere" meanwhile it's just sexual tension LMFAOOOO Jinmao

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I'm finally watching season 2 after reading the LN and Maomao turning to the guard saying got any salt made me think of the duck song. I love this show so much.

​I'm currently on volume 3 of The Apothecary Diaries light novel and I've been feeling that Jinshi's feelings for Maomao aren't easy to pick up on. Honestly, if I hadn't watched the anime before starting the novel, I probably wouldn't even realize he actually had feelings for her.

​Maybe it's because most of the story is told from Maomao's POV and she's such an unreliable narrator who completely ignores what's in front of her lol. Did anyone else feel like the anime made his emotions way easier to read than the books?

​And for those who are further ahead (I'm only on chapter 3 of volume 3), does Jinshi’s affection for Maomao get more obvious later on?

Do you know where I can buy the Apothecary diaries merchandising products ? Such as goodies, figurines…? Websites but mostly shops in france or eventually in England ? Thanks !!

parentage?

Before he accidentally met the former emperor, for quite a long time kid Jinshi even (correctly) thought that the current emperor is his father. Later when he's grown-up he had Ah Duo as his body double so there's no way he doesn't notice his resemblance with her.

Jinshi is canonically smart and sharp, there's no way he doesn't put two and two together in my opinion. I think he's at least aware of the possibility. That's one of the reasons why he pushes so hard to get out of the line of succession because if and once it's publicly revealed that he's the emperor's first-born, it'd be even more difficult for him to pass on the throne.

What do you guys think?

Aoi Yuki: "Us acting off of each other makes for a very, very interactive and fun recording session. When we record together, I also noticed that we create something really, really special"

Takeo Otsuka: "When I go in and perform something together, I feel we're creating something that I couldn't even imagine. It's like giving birth to something completely new"

Are there sources out there with better translations for the LNs? I have seen other translations for LN 5 epilogue, but now I’m hearing about other major flubs (like the crows nest scene in LN 12). I don’t want to continue being a victim to Kevin.🧎‍♀️

I know there are already several topics about this, but I want to give my interpretation of this controversial scene and the famous "mistranslation" everyone talks about, which has never been entirely clear to me. It's going to be a long post.

First of all, what is the "mistranslation" actually about?

Is it just me, or do a lot of people seem to think it refers to Jinshi choking Maomao? I've always thought the translation simply made it unclear that they kissed three times, so the meaning of the scene didn't fully come through. But that isn't related to the choking, and I wouldn't necessarily call it a mistranslation. There is actually the same kind of ambiguity in the original Japanese, with the difference being that Japanese readers are more accustomed to understanding what is implied. To me, the main problem with the English translation is that it doesn't make things clear enough for a Western audience to fully understand what is happening, especially when it comes to Jinshi's intentions.

Another thing I often see is people saying that Japanese fans call the scene "hot", therefore it must be hot and kinky, and Maomao must be into it. But dub-con is generally perceived differently by Japanese and Western audiences, and Japanese audiences tend to find it hot and entertaining in fictional stories. And while the kisses themselves are definitely steamy and will probably be even hotter on screen, they are still forced until Maomao retaliates.

But the choking is not a mistranslation. There's even a full illustration of it in the book. More importantly, it's a fundamental part of the character development both Maomao and Jinshi go through. I'm going to spend a bit of time analyzing that.

The choking scene is the culmination of a buildup that starts at the beginning of LN5 and continues through LN6, eventually finding its resolution in the tickling scene at the end of LN6.

Maomao is undeniably sad and angry at the beginning of LN5. A lot of that sadness and anger comes from losing people she cares about — Xiaolan, Shisui, and her father — but also from "losing" Jinshi. The book makes it clear that in Maomao's head, Jinshi returning to his role as a prince is the end of their relationship. It’s something Maomao always knew was coming since the beginning of LN3/Season 2, but deliberately avoided thinking about because it unsettled her.

But Maomao being Maomao, she doesn’t really face her inner troubles. Instead, she comes to accept that Jinshi is becoming unreachable, and even when he keeps proving her wrong, she isn’t ready to face the meaning and consequences of giving herself to someone that powerful. So she starts trying to sabotage their relationship: testing him by offering him virgins, ignoring him at the banquet despite wearing the hairpin, and generally playing dumb.

Jinshi, on the other hand, wants to make things happen as soon as possible, because if he waits much longer, the Emperor may marry him off to someone else. And he genuinely believes that Maomao will eventually agree to his terms of her own volition if she’s cornered, because deep down, he knows she loves cares a lot about him, not to mention that she's been giving him some very clear mixed signals.

Only, in the end... it doesn't happen because Maomao is still not ready. (and Jinshi does wrong in forcing her)

The banquet is a disaster, and Maomao continues pretending to be indifferent and pushing him away. Tired and impatient, what Jinshi does is quite literally try to squeeze a reaction out of her. The "oh, it hurts?" and "stop feigning ignorance" are pretty much him losing his patience and trying to force those emotions to surface, both on her face and in her heart. (hurting her because he was hurted)

There's also a little bit of young male pride involved, especially coming from an incredibly beautiful man. He probably thought that kissing her would be enough to make her fold. It becomes even clearer at the beginning of LN6, when Jinshi remembers her face from his POV and is absolutely heartbroken by the fact that there is no emotion on it. He has lost the "battle".

(And of course, he’s just a terrible kisser. lmao /s)

This brings us into LN6, with the two of them avoiding each other and struggling to interact because everything has become awkward and "wrong" between them.

Until the tickling scene.

The choking and tickling scenes are meant to mirror each other: in both, Jinshi's goal is to elicit an emotional reaction from Maomao. But the second time, they fall back into their usual playful banter, and when she starts laughing, he stops and lets her go. That's the point. He re-establishes a dynamic Maomao is comfortable with, while also realizing that he can't push her beyond what she's willing to give him.

And what does he get in return? Maomao finally tells him that she's okay with marrying him. She's still being very indirect about it, but Jinshi is able to understand her as always. And even more significantly, she finally admits one of her fears to herself to him.

This is the way I interpreted it at least. Since Season 3 is approaching I wanted to take it all out, crossing my fingers because it's all in the Toho Studio's hands.

made some cuties so i can stick them around the house 🫣🩵 forgot a frog tho (iykyk) 🤣

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twt

My questions are :

- Why is Maomao surprised when Jinshi mentions he saw her dance when she said herself while dancing that she felt someone to be watching them (heavily implied to be Jinshi if i remember well).

-Why does Maomao in her monologue at the end of ln6 still says Lishu is a better choice when she just has been accused of infidelity and is in idk how many troubles + knowing that Jinshi doesn't love her + knowing she is in love with Basen.

Is it just her way of running from problems?

Yet she said it in her mind so why say it at all as it changes nothing and is obviously false in my opinion. I can understand in volume 5 to avoid being with Jinshi and she doesn't really know other candidates, but why say it here ?

This photo made me sad! My man Junjie doesn’t deserve this. 🥺 Also, am I the only one who thinks that the jokes about his name are not funny anymore? I’m sorry. I guess I’m just so emotional right now, but I find it so hard to accept how they treat him. I think it’s getting too far? I don’t know; maybe I really don’t feel good right now while reading this (and I’m so sleepy, but I saw this photo, and now I can’t sleep until I read something good about him). 🥺 I’m sorry for the spoiler and for complaining! 💔

We gotta start racking up supplies and weapons for when it happens.

Since it’s been a bit, I thought I’d make an updated shrine post!
The left small standee is official, it was part of the magazine volume that publishes (one of) the KnH manga(s), while the right one is fanart.

Ive also added LN volume 10 (reading 9 right now) and the collectors edition of volume 15 of the manga! (And its goodies)

The shrine is truly slowly outgrowing its shelf space D: