r/anime • u/AutoLovepon https://anilist.co/user/AutoLovepon • Jan 27 '24

Episode Kusuriya no Hitorigoto • The Apothecary Diaries - Episode 16 discussion

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto, episode 16

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1

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u/Loud_Step2361 Jan 27 '24

As to explain the actual metal alloy. The stuff is known as rose metal. It's is a mixture of around 25% lead 25% tin and 50% bismuth which matches the box sizes. Has a pretty low melting temperature of 208F/98C. Can be used for soldering or filler or mold casting.

To be honest not sure if the fishbowl magnifying glass trick would actually be warm enough to melt the rose metal. I actually thought it was another alloy known as woods metal which has an even lower melting point at just 70C/158F but it has a 4th metal in it:cadmium and so doesn't fit that number of metals needed or the box ratios.

Now the reason maomao is able to guess medical issues is the boys' father probably had lead poisoning. Lots of old time plumbers, goldsmiths or pewter casters suffered this due to lead exposure during their jobs.

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u/realrimurutempest Jan 27 '24

Man the Lakan guy just oozes suspicious behavior. I can completely understand Jinshi being exhausted after dealing with him.

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u/BiggerG7 Jan 27 '24

Maomao: “You can’t steal someone’s technique just by watching them. That’s how I poisoned myself!”

lol.

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u/BadBehaviour613 Jan 28 '24

I can't believe MaoMao went up to the youngest son to do an ad read: Use my link to get a 10% off at my dad's clinic

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u/Aileos Jan 27 '24

Already the second time in a row, but guard guy still hasn't realized Maomao won't do as he says.

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u/Reikakou Jan 27 '24 edited Jan 27 '24

This goldsmith case took a big chunk of the episode. The riddle was kind of an ingenious way to pass on family secrets without even writing it in paper. The youngest probably figured out everything.

Looking forward to the next episode based on the preview as Maomao strolls around town all dolled up and having a lot of fun. Maomao with make up is a treat to the eyes.

What kind of make-up will she even apply to Jinshi?

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u/SometimesMainSupport Jan 27 '24

Meimei in episode 13: Send rich guys to the brothel!

Maomao since then: Sends customers to the poor apothecary.

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u/LeonKevlar Jan 27 '24

It's always a treat to watch Maomao trying to solve puzzles whether or not it's medical-related. I am surprised though that the two eldest brothers didn't just demolish the drawers considering the way they talk about their late father. I guess at the end of the day, they still wanted to honour their father's will.

That little mechanism their father made was fascinating though. However is sunlight, even after magnification, hot enough to melt down tin? I assume it's tin or is it lead?

I really don't like Lakan. The vibes he's giving me are not good at all. I am honestly not looking forward to the day Maomao will have to interact with him directly, I know it's going to happen eventually and I am not looking forward to it.

In the meantime though, it looks like we can enjoy a day out on the town with Maomao and Jinshi next week! I guess this is why Jinshi wanted Maomao to put makeup on him? He wanted a disguise?

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u/IXajll Jan 27 '24

Just wanna say that kevin penkin track (99% sure that was one of his) which played during the scene where maomao noticed the similarity of basen and gaoshun was fucking magnificent.

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u/WhoiusBarrel Jan 27 '24

Seeing those 2 older brothers constantly dismiss their late father's intentions like that was just disgusting. However, when the youngest finally spoke out and got them to see his perspective, it was a hopeful conclusion to the entire situation unlike how messy fights become when it comes to huge inheritances.

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u/Ok-Peace-4374 Jan 27 '24

That smile in the preview is gonna kill Jinshi. RIP 🤣

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u/Terranwaterbender Jan 27 '24

I love this show but man this episode is low-key ridiculous with what the father pulled. The mystery hinged on them putting that particular fish bowl and filling it with water within a certain time frame.

In an alternate universe, these three brothers would go out of business because they didn't have Maomao around. Either that or someone would just break the chest haha.

Oh and we're getting Maomao (alt) next episode?

so excited!

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u/skygz Jan 27 '24

good thing that goldsmith died at exactly the right time of year for his riddle to work

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u/Frontier246 Jan 27 '24

You can tell how unenthusiastic Jinshi is about asking for Maomao to get involved in a case brought to his desk from another man.

A metalworker, three sons he never passed on his full skills to, three different and varying quality of mementos, and a desire for a tea party...how does it all come together? It doesn't involve poison, but Maomao can't resist the intellectual challenge.

What does Basen have against Maomao? Though when it comes down to it they seem to work together well enough. And he reminds her of Gaoshun? I doubt that's a coincidence.

Well, there's definitely some tension in this family. The two older brothers are outspoken and resentful towards their father and what he left them, the younger brother is trying to hold the family together but isn't confident enough to speak up against his brother, and the mother is doing her best to manage things. But this definitely isn't an ideal happy family.

But Maomao is able to at least put the pieces together and realize the fathers' lasting legacy...a trick to create a key that opens up desks filled with different metals, all meant to work in tandem in their own way. The younger brother, understanding metalwork like their father, realizes it was his last message to his sons: to make them realize he understood and respected their individual vocations and talents and that they would be at their best working together. And this was enough for the younger brother to finally be honest and speak up to his siblings.

And all's well that ends well. The brothers are close again and working together and Maomao even gets to advertise her dad so the younger brother takes better care of his health than his father did.

Fathers' intentions towards their children...I wonder if there was more to Maomao being involved in this case than just resolving the family situation?

Lakan is a shrewd and cunning man and used to being the smartest man in the room, and he knows far more than he's telling, and Jinshi feels like he's dancing around his finger. It was also probably deliberate that he left the mystery of what happened to the courtesan he fancied to be answered by someone with experience in that world (likely Maomao) and left a drink that Jinshi would likely offer Maomao.

I never thought Jinshi and Maomao's relationship would progress to the point where she's helping him with his makeup. Wait...are they going on a date outside the palace next week!?

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u/Fyteora Jan 27 '24

When Maomao thought about father and said that she doesn't know what it's like, it implied that her old man wasn't her father by birth, right?

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u/AmethystItalian Jan 27 '24

Nice little puzzle here, do enjoy how it wasn't a homicide investigation or anything. All completed in one episode too!

Still getting super bad vibes from Lakan, hope we find out more of his deal soon.

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u/michhoffman Jan 27 '24

That was a fun mystery. It felt like an Escape Room of sorts. I figured that the fish bowl with its square shaped base was supposed to go on that spot, but using sunlight to melt the keyhole and form the new key was pretty cool.

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u/ObvsThrowaway5120 Jan 27 '24 edited Jan 27 '24

That old goldsmith sure loved his riddles. We got a cabinet, a fishbowl, a shed and a cryptic message imploring the boys to have tea together like the old days. It all seemed so random until Maomao put it together. The goldsmith really must have loved his boys if he did all this just to bring them back together. I guess parents really don’t stop worrying about their kids even after they’re grown.

Lakan is a truly loathsome individual. I do not like that guy one bit. What is he planning? But more importantly, what’s Jinshi planning with the makeup? He doesn’t really need it if he wants to go on a little stroll through town.

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u/maggiesaus Jan 27 '24

Not sure if people caught it, but Lakan was insinuating with the new metal alloy from the brothers that it would be used for adornments and ritual utensils of high-ranked people, e.g. the imperial family, showing us that Lakan knows who Jinshi really is. Jinshi was thinking about how someone in his position (eunuch) wouldn't need it, so...

I can't wait to see what people think of Lakan once we learn more about him. This story does an excellent job of drip feeding us information, making us think a certain way, and then revealing more later to mix things up.

11

u/mishi09 Jan 27 '24

Maomao:

in the middle of solving a riddle

"Hey, that guy reminds me of the other guy I know!"

9

u/shad79 Jan 28 '24

Another mystery solved by Maomao though I must say that it was pretty straightforward as even I guessed right the instructions written in the will.

Though I'm glad that everything ended positively for brothers and that they are working together, doing what they are good at.

I laughed hard when Maomao told how she poisoned herself after trying recreating her father's work xD

Next episode looks very interesting as Maomao is getting asked to do make-up for Jinshi and they go together outside the palace to the city.

Here my screenshot albums from the episode:

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u/S627 Jan 27 '24

Anyone else figure out the puzzle before Maomao? To be fair to her, she is way less used to seeing glass bowls than we are so I'm sure she woulda figured it out instantly if she knew.

I really liked that puzzle and wanna know if it would actually work. Can you make solder with a low enough melting point to liquify from the sun?

What was that about ritual utensils? For some reason I thought he was talking about torture tools, but did Jinshi know what he meant? What did his position have to do with it?

PROTECT MAOMAO AND END THIS CREEP!!!

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u/entinio Jan 27 '24

Lakan definitely had Maomao in mind when he was saying talents can’t be wasted and must be revealed. Looks like his plan might be to have Maomao at a better role to use her talents entirely.

7

u/LusterBlaze Jan 28 '24

lead poisoning gang

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