Whether she likes it or not, and whether she continues to deny it or not, Maomao is now deeply involved in Ka Zuigetsu's world.
Things have gotten hot, exciting, awkward, and intriguing all at the same time at the end of Cour 1 of The Apothecary Diaries anime.
Episode 36, titled Ka Zuigetsu, unfolds much about Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship, Jinshi’s identity, and the dangers Maomao will continue to face as she becomes further entangled in Jinshi’s complicated world.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
In this episode, events pick up after Maomao accidentally knocks Jinshi over while they try to find the cave's exit. An awkward exchange ensues, with Maomao trapped in Jinshi’s arms—realising that Jinshi has not been castrated and is, therefore, not a eunuch. Eventually, the dog Lihaku is guarding finds them.
Meanwhile, the guests at the banquet grow uneasy upon discovering that the guest of honour has disappeared. Lihaku approaches Basen with a torn piece of cloth stained with blood, sending the guests into a panicked frenzy and prompting them to search for the young prince. Eventually, they find and capture the perpetrator.
Jinshi speaks to Maomao from behind a closed door and offers her an ox bezoar—but before he gets the chance to tell her what he needs to, Maomao happily thanks him and locks the door in bliss. The episode ends with Gaoshun in deep thought about Jinshi, believing that Jinshi can no longer hide his identity as Ka Zuigetsu, the Moon Prince, and the crown prince of the empire.
Finally, that awkward frog moment
This is probably one of the most anticipated moments of the season, especially given how popular this scene was among manga and light novel readers—and for good reason. For a while, Jinshi and Maomao’s interactions had taken a backseat, so when this moment was animated, it was incredibly satisfying and full of fluff—but also packed with comedy and awkwardness.
Even though this part of the episode might make anyone blush, I liked how it was handled. For one, both Jinshi and Maomao were beautifully drawn; they glistened, bathed in the soft light that peeked through the hole at the top of the cave. Additionally, their expressions were more realistic and less exaggerated, making their exchange even funnier. The use of playful music to highlight the moment was also a great choice, enhancing the scene as they struggle and engage in playful banter.
Maomao’s shifts in expression were perfectly timed—from complete denial and pretentious apology to slight annoyance. However, my favourite expression was her taunting look as she remarks, “There were plenty of fairly-sized frogs this season,” much to Jinshi’s annoyance. The exchange is even more hilarious in the anime than in the manga!
Then things get almost too hot. Jinshi gently lays Maomao’s head and back on the ground, lifts a leg, and hovers over her. Their lips nearly touch—but of course, this is a slow burn, and Lihaku’s dog (or the dog he takes care of) saves Maomao from unwanted intimacy.
Is this slow burn a little too slow?
Many viewers were disappointed that their lips didn’t touch or that nothing else happened after that, but I believe it was the right choice for the story. If Jinshi had kissed Maomao or done anything else with her, it might have felt premature.
Maomao hadn’t even fully realised that Jinshi had feelings for her, and a kiss like that wouldn’t have been the best choice. On top of that, as mentioned in previous episodes, Maomao is a smart woman—so the events from the Shrine of Choosing and her investigation into the late emperor wouldn’t have gone over her head. Instead, this episode confirms that she is deliberately pretending not to know—for self-preservation.
The hints aren’t exactly subtle this time—she accidentally touches (then thoroughly feels) Jinshi’s “fairly large frog”—and still calls it a frog, even though she knows what it really is. Then, as Jinshi tries to tell her the truth, Maomao blocks him to avoid getting further involved.
If she confirms that Jinshi is not a eunuch, she would have to “take the secret to the grave” and eventually acknowledge Jinshi’s growing romantic feelings for her. But that wouldn’t be good news, given everything she has investigated—especially in Cour 1. She understands the dangers of being involved in this deeply political world.
After all, a servant getting involved with someone of such a high position is extremely dangerous—especially when that person is Jinshi.
Ka Zuigetsu
This danger Jinshi faces has been evident since Season 1, when Maomao saves him from an assassination attempt during one of his cleansing rites. As the first cour ends, the threat continues to loom over Jinshi—another assassination attempt leads to that awkward situation in the cave.
The emperor has no other son yet, so only Jinshi can take over as emperor if something happens to the current one. As usual, those who want Ka Zuigetsu out of the way are seeking to shift the balance of power in their favour—and if the past thirty-plus episodes have proven anything, it’s that these people will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals.
That also means Maomao, as Jinshi’s romantic interest, will be in grave danger. Given Jinshi’s status as the crown prince, many will want to pair him with a lady from their clan—making Maomao an obstacle in their plans.
One question some viewers might ask is: why is Jinshi hiding behind an unofficial position instead of fulfilling his duties as crown prince? Many things will continue to unfold in the coming weeks, but this specific question might be answered in the future.
As the second cour of Season 2 approaches, more will be revealed—and hopefully, alongside more Jinshi and Maomao moments, we’ll gain deeper insight into the mysteries surrounding the rear palace, the imperial family, and Maomao’s place in it all.
If you want to revisit insights and theories from previous episodes, here's a compilation of every review so far for The Apothecary Diaries Season 2.
