The Apothecary Diaries season 2 is almost here. Many fans placed this series on a high pedestal, alongside Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which aired next to The Apothecary Diaries in late 2023. Nevertheless, many audiences can’t wait to see what new mysteries Maomao will solve this season.
Unless you’ve read the series’s source material, waiting for season 2 to come around can feel irritating. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right spot if you want to brush up on your The Apothecary Diaires knowledge until season 2 arrives. In this article, we’re discussing season 1 and giving you information about what you should know before season 2 airs.
How does The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 begin?
The series’s female protagonist, Maomao, gets kidnapped by three men after she tries to deliver medicine to the Verdigris House. Maomao becomes an Imperial Palace worker. She says the women here must give birth to the palace’s emperor’s kids.
Maomao confirms only the emperor, his kids, and eunuchs can enter the rear palace. Despite Maomao’s status, she says she’d rather work a low-class job than work toward a higher palace rank via a gig.
Who do we get introduced to at the Imperial Palace? Why does Lady Gyokuyou make Maomao her new lady-in-waiting?
Meanwhile, Lady Lihua (one of the emperor’s consorts) and Lady Gyokuyou’s daughter Lingli are sick. Xiaolan (Maomao’s co-worker) argues the emperor favors Lady Gyokuyou (another consort) more. A month passes. Jinshi, the series’s deuteragonist, meets with Gyokuyou.
Gyokuyou tells Jinshi that she found a note. The note said not to let any babies near the plant since its white face powder is poisonous. Jinshi speculates Maomao left the note. Later, Maomao attends an event held by Jinshi.
Jinshi escorts Maomao to Gyokuyou’s room and Gyokuyou thanks Maomao for saving Lingli’s life. Jinshi explains how he and the others discovered what she did. Maomao explains how the consorts and their kin got sick from the powder.
She reveals her work history to everyone. Gyokuyou makes Maomao her new lady-in-waiting (a female assistant/court lady).
Who gives Maomao a tour of the Jade Pavilion? What theory does Maomao share about the poisoned soldiers?
Gaoshun (Jinshi’s attendant) visits Jinshi. He reports what happened to the poisoned men. Meanwhile, Hongniang (Gyokuyou’s head lady-in-waiting) gives Maomao a tour of the Jade Pavilion. Maomao meets Yinghua, Guiyan, and Ailan, three ladies-in-waiting. After that, Jinshi assigns Maomao a poison taste-testing task, per Gyokuyou’s request.
Maomao performs the task and tells the others she’s immune to poison. After Hongniang pays Maomao, Jinshi informs Maomao about the soldier poison incident. Maomao argues the soldiers’ firewood could’ve contained poison.
Who is the Imperial Palace sleepwalker? Who does Fuyou depart the Imperial Palace with?
Maomao and Xiaolan discuss a tale about a strange spirit haunting the Imperial Palace. The former writes it off as a hoax, but her later conversation with Jinshi interests her to tackle this mystery. Then, Gaoshun introduces Maomao to Fuyou (a concubine), the alleged sleepwalker.
Maomao learns Fuyou was a skilled dancer who fumbled a performance for the emperor. The emperor became uninterested in Fuyou, causing her to develop this sleepwalking illness. Maomao insists they have eunuchs and others guard Fuyou’s chambers. She also learns that Fuyou is being gifted to a military officer as a reward.
Maomao and Gyokuyou watch Fuyou reunite with the officer. The former theorizes that Fuyou botched her performance to make the emperor uninterested in her. Fuyou and the officer enter a carriage and head off somewhere.
Does Lady Lihua recover from her poison issue? Who will Maomao meet at the upcoming garden party?
The emperor tells Maomao to monitor Lihua. Maomao assumes Lihua’s still sick. She visits the kitchen to prepare a poison expulsion meal for Lihua. Later, Maomao attends a meeting with Lihua, Jinshi, and Lihua’s servants. Maomao slaps a servant for applying make-up poison powder on Lihua.
The culprit gets confined for their actions. Meanwhile, the eunuch who recovered the powder gets punished for flagellation. The culprit returns after some time, promising Maomao she won’t make the same mistake again. Two months pass. Lihua’s slowly recovering from the poison.
Maomao visits Guen and he helps her make a mushroom dish. Suddenly, a man with a hand rash arrives. Maomao treats the man’s wound with ointment. Maomao returns to her quarters, pondering how colored wood tablets correlate with the gentleman’s rash issues. Yinghua, Guiyan, and Ailan give Maomao a dress for the upcoming garden party.
They tell Maomao that Lishu and Ah-Duo (two other concubines) will be there. Maomao returns to her quarters to prepare. Hongniang enters her quarters and Maomao shows her an underrobe she made. Maomao promises to make everyone an underrobe to stay warm.
What does Maomao discover at the garden party? Why do Lishu’s ladies-in-waiting potentially despise her?
Jinshi adores Maomao’s appearance at the garden party. Maomao confirms she makes herself look ugly on purpose to prevent pervy men from confronting her. Jinshi gives his hairpin to Maomao. Gyokuyou and her assistants explain what that means. Maomao learns that Ah-Duo is the longest concubine, while Lishu is a newcomer.
Then, Maomao attends the party’s main event. Maomao tastes some dishes to determine poison concerns. Maomao finds a dish that contains poison and leaves. Jinshi checks on Maomao. He informs her that someone tried her dish and fell ill. Maomao tells Jinshi to hold a meeting between them and Lishu.
Maomao tells Lishu that someone swapped her dish with Gyokuyou’s meal. She hands Lishu’s food tester an emergency note. Lishu and her tester depart. Later, Hongniang and Maomao travel to a parlor. Hongniang hands Maomao the same soup from the garden party. Maomao inspects the meal.
She predicts that Lishu’s taste tester swapped the dish. Maomao hypothesizes that her ladies-in-waiting have a vendetta against Lishu. She argues it’s because Lishu’s a young concubine who could become the emperor’s wife.
What happens to Maomao during her red-district trip? Why is Jinshi upset with Maomao?
Xiaolan and Maomao hang out and discuss hairpins. Xiaolan tells Maomao that women who receive hairpins have permission to leave the Imperial Palace, provided they leave the palace with a certain male. Maomao departs and meets with a military official named Lihaku. Maomao asks Lihaku to accompany her to the red-light district.
She promises to set up a meeting between Lihaku and the Verdigris House’s princesses Meimei, Joka, and Pairin. Lihaku accepts Maomao’s offer. After Maomao drops Lihaku off at the Verdigris House, she reunites with her adoptive father, Luomen. Some time passes.
Luomen and Maomao work on a charcoal concoction to support sickly individuals. Then, the two visit an elderly woman’s place for tea to discuss the sickly folks’ problems. Maomao notices a girl and follows her. The girl attempts to harm a womanizer with a knife but someone stops them.
Maomao returns home to ponder their situation. She returns to the Imperial Palace. Jinshi gives Maomao a stern talk because he’s jealous she left with Lihaku.
What happens to Maomao during her red-light district trip? Why is Jinshi upset with Maomao?
A man visits Jinshi’s office. He tells Jinshi and Gaoshun that something happened to Kounen, a known bureaucrat. Jinshi and Gaoshun visit the crime scene and learn Kounen died. They head to Gyokuyou’s place the following day to tell Maomao.
Maomao says Kounen died because he drank a beverage with too much salt. She refuses to find the culprit. Later, Maomao and Guen learn that a woman drowned. Maomao leaves to inspect the victim’s body. She is unsure if the woman committed suicide or was murdered.
She reflects on the victim’s situation. Maomao ponders rumors that speculate the victim attended the garden party. She says a suicide note was left at the victim’s crime scene. Some time passes. Maomao confirms the victim’s case was ruled as a suicide and closed.
Why is a younger concubine replacing Lady Ah-Duo? How is Luomen connected to Ah-Duo?
Xiaolan and Maomao discuss Ah-Duo. Maomao learns Ah-Duo might get replaced by a younger concubine since she might be incapable of producing kids. After Maomao attends a tea party with Lishu, Gyokuyou, and several ladies-in-waiting, she visits Ah-Duo’s Pavilion. Ah-Duo’s head lady-in-waiting, Fengming, gives Maomao a tour.
Fengming leads Maomao to a book room and Maomao inspects it for clues. Maomao wonders if Fengming’s the culprit behind the garden party poison incident. She relays this theory to Jinshi and Jinshi says it’s possible. Maomao meets with Lishu.
Lishu tells Maomao that she avoids honey because it’s life-threatening to her. Gaoshun escorts Maomao to the Imperial Palace’s court library. Maomao wants to acquire information about the palace’s past events. Maomao learns that Luomen helped Ah-Duo give birth to her son.
What happens to Fengming after Maomao confronts her at Ah-Duo’s Pavilion? Does Maomao have connections to Fengming’s family?
Maomao meets with Fengming. She unloads everything she knows about Ah-Duo’s current situation and past failures concerning her deceased child. Maomao shows Fengming evidence that highlights her as the culprit behind the child’s death. After more discussion ensues, Fengming confirms Maomao’s claims.
Maomao presents Fengming with an ultimatum and returns to her quarters. Maomao and Jinshi attend Ah-Duo’s departure event. The former looks at Jinshi and Ah-Duo. Maomao questions if they’re related. She drops this thought swiftly. Gaoshun presents Jinshi with documents later.
The documents contain Fengming’s family’s connections. Maomao’s name is listed among them, much to Jinshi’s surprise. Moreover, Jinshi reveals that Fengming was executed for her crimes. Jinshi says Fengming’s family was corporally robbed of their wealth.
Jinshi’s conflicted because he doesn’t know if he should hide this intel.
Does Jinshi fire Maomao? What job does Maomao get after taking the court lady exam?
Maomao and Xiaolan discuss the Imperial Palace’s mass firing incident. The former departs and discusses her situation with Jinshi. Jinshi fires Maomao. Maomao returns to the red-light district. Meimei, Joka, and Pairin pamper Maomao and head to a nobility banquet.
After Maomao indulges in banquet and work activities, Jinshi and Gaoshun visit her and the Verdigris House’s manager Madam. Jinshi gives Madam cash and offers Maomao a weird plant too. Maomao wonders if Jinshi wants to buy her. Maomao accompanies Jinshi to the outer court.
She learns she’ll be working at the outer court now. Maomao meets Jinshi’s female attendant, Suiren, who likes to work alone. Gaoshun gives Maomao a tour later and Suiren asks Maomao to deliver charcoal to Jinshi’s office. Maomao stumbles upon Jinshi’s court ladies and they don’t like her.
Maomao takes a court lady exam and fails. Despite that, Jinshi makes Maomao his servant.
What is the name of the concubine who replaced Lady Ah-Duo? What does Maomao discover at the burned location?
Jinshi tells Maomao that she will become the four concubine’s instructor. Maomao arrives. Gyokuyou, Lishu, Lihua, and the new concubine, Lady Luolan are present with their ladies-in-waiting. Luolan’s the least interested in Maomao’s lessons. Meanwhile, a few men, including a monocle-wearing man named Lakan, chat in an area.
Lakan observes a burned area but says nothing is off about it. We receive a flashback of him exchanging an item with someone. After that, Lihaku and Maomao discuss intel about this burned location. Maomao finds a smoking pipe, identical to the item Lakan exchanged with the man.
Maomao visits a warehouse to build something and it explodes. She says this is how the burned area turned out this way. Lihaku departs to relay Maomao’s theory to a warehouseman.
Does Maomao solve the raw pufferfish case? What case does Lakan want Maomao to solve?
Gaoshun meets with Maomao and informs her about a strange pufferfish case. The case involves a bureaucrat eating the fish and entering a coma. Maomao asks Gaoshun to secure information for her so she can solve it. Gaoshun presents Maomao with the cook’s notebook the next day, which has intel on the victim’s meals.
Gaoshun, Maomao, and Jinshi discuss the case. Maomao meets Basen (Gaoshun’s second son) and the two visit the bureaucrat’s mansion. Maomao finds a seaweed-filled pot and swipes some seaweed. She and Basen get kicked out. Maomao, Basen, Jinshi, and Gaoshun meet to discuss the seaweed’s correlation with the pufferfish case.
Some time passes. Gaoshun confirms the bureaucrat’s younger brother was responsible for the pufferfish incident. Next, Lakan visits Jinshi and rambles about his regrets concerning a courtesan. Lakan asks Jinshi to have Maomao tackle a mystery surrounding a former metalworker colleague’s technique.
Jinshi tells Lakan he wants him to share more details about it first.
Does Maomao solve Lakan’s metalworker colleague’s case? How can someone lower a courtesan’s value?
Jinshi relays Lakan’s metalworker case to Maomao. Maomao, Basen, and one of the metalworker’s sons visit the the worker’s workshop. Maomao investigates the place and meets the other two sons. She senses tension between the brothers.
After Maomao solves the metalworker’s puzzle, the youngest son reveals what their father’s intent was. He argues that their father wanted them to learn how to work together. Maomao suggests the brothers meet with Luomen if they’re ever feeling ill. She and Basen depart.
Some time passes. Jinshi and Maomao wear semi-disguises and explore the red-light district. Maomao reveals that Luomen is a eunuch to Jinshi and the two reach a nearby inn. Jinshi asks Maomao how someone can lower a courtesan’s value. Maomao says a courtesan’s value depends on their purity.
If someone impregnates a courtesan, their value will hit zero.
What details does Maomao share about the courtesan living inside the annex? What is Jinshi’s theory about Lakan?
Maomao attends the Verdigris House to visit a woman at the annex. She says the woman is a former courtesan who caught syphilis from a former client. Although Luomen tried helping the courtesan, others prevented him. Maomao says this woman’s lucky since most courtesans get tossed aside when they can’t give the business money.
After Maomao catches up with Meimei, Jinshi hands Maomao a souvenir from a “weirdo.” Maomao delivers the item to Suiren. Suiren asks Maomao to head somewhere to collect medicine. Maomao visits the place and a court lady named Suirei greets her. Suirei tells Maomao she’s here to resupply the guardhouse with medicine.
Meanwhile, Lakan visits Jinshi. Lakan demands that Jinshi hand over his “prize.” Jinshi speculates he’s referring to Maomao and refuses Lakan’s request. Lakan departs and Jinshi thinks Lakan is Maomao’s father. Jinshi meets with Maomao and tells her Lakan wants to meet her.
Who are the Board of Rites? Who does Maomao save at the ceremony?
Lihaku notices Maomao working and pulls her aside. He tells Maomao that someone stole ceremonial tools and shares details about people who were required to guard them. He claims one of them passed away and Maomao learns Lihaku’s referring to Kounen. Lihaku shows Maomao a smoking pipe she gave him.
He tried returning it to its owner but the owner declined. The owner told Lihaku he got it from a court lady who smelled like medicine. Maomao believes Suirei is involved in both affairs. Maomao departs to share Lihaku’s details with Jinshi. Jinshi entices Maomao to dig deeper by offering her Ox Bezoar if she succeeds.
Maomao heads to the archival building to research. She connects the poison part of the case to a group called the Board of Rites. A man arrives and shares the details about this board with Maomao. He tells Maomao they deal with ceremonies.
The man presents Maomao with a diagram featuring the Altar of the Sapphire Sky ceremonial building. He says he tried warning the Board of Rites about its design, pillars, etc. but they refused to hear him out. They demoted him to the archives as punishment. Maomao fears many will lose their lives if something breaks.
The man tells Maomao there is a ceremony happening today. Maomao departs to the ceremony and a guard stops her. The guards attack Maomao because she refuses to comply. Lakan arrives and convinces the guard to let Maomao through. Maomao enters the building to save the noble. A pillar collapses on top of them.
The noble removes their disguise. Maomao learns it’s Jinshi. She falls unconscious and Jinshi carries Maomao and walks somewhere.
Is Suirei connected to the ceremony’s pillar issue? Is Lady Gyokuyou pregnant?
Maomao wakes up and heads to a meeting held by Jinshi. They discuss the ceremony, Lihaku’s ceremonial tool case, and the ceremony building’s metalsmith’s connections to it all. Maomao meets with Lihaku. Lihaku tells Maomao that people investigated the situation further. He says they discovered Suirei was connected to everything.
He confirms that Suirei died by consuming poison. Maomao argues that Suirei isn’t the only culprit. She and Jinshi visit the morgue to examine Suirei’s body. Maomao looks inside Suirei’s coffin and discovers the woman isn’t Suirei. She predicts Suirei staged her death using specific medication.
Maomao hopes to find Suirei and interrogate her about her resurrection medication. Meanwhile, Jinshi and Gaoshun visit Luolan. Jinshi says Luolan’s connections make her a concubine worth keeping around in the emperor’s eyes. He and Gaoshun visit Gyokuyou to learn about her bleeding issues.
Jinshi asks Maomao to visit the Imperial Palace. Maomao speculates that Gyokuyou is pregnant. She visits Gyokuyou and after close examination, she deduces Gyokuyou isn’t pregnant.
Why does Lihaku decline Jinshi’s offer? Does Maomao think Lihaku has a shot with Pairin?
After Maomao helps Guen with his family troubles, she meets with Lihaku. Maomao learns that Lihaku wants to buy out Pairin. She tells him it’ll cost him 10,000 silver. Lihaku’s unsure if Pairin will accept his offer, so Maomao tells him to strip to see if Pairin would love his body type. Things get tense and strange when Jinshi walks in on them.
Jinshi and Lihaku meet and the former offers the latter 20,000 silver so he can buy out Pairin. Lihaku tells Jinshi he’d rather “put in the work” to buy Pairin than rely on another person’s money. Lihaku works hard and sends Pairin a letter. Pairin reads it and sends Maomao a message.
Pairin tells Maomao that she is waiting for her prince to come to her. Maomao speculates Pairin’s referring to Lihaku. She argues if Pairin likes him, he won’t need 10,000 silver to buy her out.
What area does Maomao use to create blue roses? Does Maomao succeed?
Maomao visits Gyokuyou’s place and learns she is pregnant. While Maomao toys around with a child, Jinshi, Gaoshun, and Lakan discuss “blue roses.” Lakan departs and Jinshi tells Gaoshun to collect intel about the roses from the palace’s florists. Gaoshun returns and says the roses aren’t in season.
Jinshi and Maomao meet. He tells Maomao to create blue roses by next month’s garden party. Maomao accepts after learning about Lakan’s involvement. She travels to Lihua’s place and receives permission to use her steam room. Maomao tells Jinshi and Gaoshun she’ll use this area to create the roses.
Xiaolan supports Maomao throughout her endeavors. During this process, Hongniang tells Maomao that Gyokuyou isn’t attending the next garden party. Maomao learns it’ll be dedicated to Luolan. She argues that Gyokuyou doesn’t want anyone to discover her pregnancy. Some time passes.
Xiaolan tells Maomao that one of the roses has a bud. Maomao rests happily at the thought of her potential victory.
Did Maomao’s “blue roses” ploy fail? Does Maomao defeat Lakan?
The day of the garden party arrives. Maomao, Jinshi, and others attend the event. Jinshi presents a bouquet of roses, including the blue ones, to the emperor. Xinghua, a lady-in-waiting, tells Maomao not to visit the Crystal Pavilion.
Maomao tells Jinshi that she and Xiaolan dyed the roses blue, confirming they failed. She confirms she told the emperor about her failure before the garden party began. Gaoshun hands Maomao an item she wanted. Maomao, Jinshi, and Gaoshun confront Lakan.
Maomao and her acquaintances hold a meeting with a Lakan somewhere. She wants to play a game with Lakan and highlights what rewards either party will get from winning. Maomao says the winner will select a poison-filled cup for the loser to drink after every game.
Maomao loses each game, but Lakan lets her off the hook in the third game. Lakan drinks the poison-filled cup and collapses seconds later. Maomao tells Jinshi that she poured medicine into the cup. She argues that Lakan’s drunk. Maomao tells Jinshi and Gaoshun to take Lakan to a brothel so he can select a flower.
Who is Lakan? What happens after Fengxian enters Lakan’s life?
In a flashback, we learn Lakan comes from the La Clan. Lakan claims he loved playing games like Go and Chess. Lakan argues his uncle understood him most. His uncle told him to view folks as chess pieces. Over time, Lakan achieved many things, like leading a regime.
One day, Lakan visits the Verdigris House to challenge Fengxian, a famous courtesan. Fengxian defeats Lakan and the two grow to appreciate the other’s company. Fengxian tells Lakan about her infancy during one of their matches.
Lakan confirms Fengxian is a sought-after courtesan who declines many offers men send her way. Fengxian and Lakan meet somewhere. Lakan’s attending a trip that’ll last three months. However, Lakan promises Fengxian he’ll return soon. After time passes, the two play again, compete in a game and get intimate.
Three months fly by. Lakan’s father orders Lakan to study abroad. Then, Lakan tells Fengxian he’ll be away for six months. Three years pass. Lakan heads home and finds a bag with two fingers inside. Lakan rushes to the Verdigris House and Madam attacks him for abandoning Fengxian.
Madam tells Lakan that Fenxian is gone. Lakan falls to the ground defeated.
Which courtesan does Lakan purchase at the Verdigris House? What are Maomao’s thoughts on Lakan, Fengxian, and the Verdigris House?
Meimei greets Lakan in the present timeline. She presents him with a box. Lakan finds a blue withered rose inside. He understands how Maomao feels about him but wants to fulfill his promise. Lakan meets Madam. He says he’ll buy out Meimei. Meimei’s flattered but argues Lakan should make a wiser decision.
She opens a door and Lakan hears Fengxian’s voice. Lakan rushes to Fengxian’s quarters, cries, and tells Madam he wants to purchase Fengixan. Meanwhile, Maomao confirms she and Basen dropped Lakan off at the Verdigris House. Maomao visits Jinshi’s quarters.
She confirms that Lakan is her father and Fengxian is her mother. She thanks her parents for her existence and wonders if Lakan understood her message with the blue withered rose. Maomao warns Jinshi not to make Lakan an enemy. Maomao receives a package from Meimei.
The package contains news of Lakan’s purchase and a shawl. Maomao visits the outer wall to dance. Maomao stops dancing after seeing Jinshi. Maomao tells Jinshi that courtesans must dance if another courtesan gets bought out. Maomao doesn’t tell Jinshi who Lakan purchased.
Maomao argues this person won’t survive long. She tells Jinshi that her birth almost led to the Verdigris House’s closure. Nonetheless, Maomao’s glad Luomen is her adoptive father.
How does The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 end?
Maomao’s leg wound opens up during her discussion with Jinshi. Jinshi picks her up and leaps off the outer wall with her. He walks while carrying Maomao. Maomao asks Jinshi if he can give her the Ox Bezoar. Jinshi hurts Maomao because he thinks Maomao wants to confess her feelings to him.
Jinshi and Maomao meet at Jinshi’s office the next day. He gives Maomao the Ox Bezoar and she loves it. Jinshi tells Maomao that he wants her to complete a new mission. Maomao tells Jinshi she’s up for the task. The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 ends with the narrator questioning where Maomao’s journey will take her next.
Do you have a full recap of The Apothecary Diaries Season Finale?
We’ve covered The Apothecary Diaries season finale with a lengthy recap that touches on all major plot points. Within that article is an accompanying review. You can find that link below.
Read more: The Apothecary Diaries – Episode 24 Recap, Review & Ending Explained
Conclusion
The Apothecary Diaries is one of the most popular series today. Hopefully, season 2 pleases audiences as much as season 1 did.
Thank you for reading our season 1 recap! If you want to read our season 1 review of The Apothecary Diaries, click here!
Are you a big The Apothecary Diaries fan? What was your favorite moment from season 1? Let us know in the comments below!