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Jan 24, 6:58 AM
#1

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Dec 2021
3010
I thought they’d talk more about the pregnancy stuff from last episode, but I guess they’ll bring that up again later. The poisonous mushrooms and the corpse were kind of wild though lol. I did get kinda nervous at the funeral when the servant with the messed-up hand was giving everyone lilies, it felt like a good way to poison a bunch of people, including Gyokuyou.

Episode was a bit confusing, and I feel like there’s more to Lady Jin’s death. Her ladies-in-waiting dressing Tao up as Jin and calling it ‘mercy’ felt super sketchy. But yeah, poor Maomao didn't get to keep her precious mushrooms xD
IzanaSolosJan 24, 10:36 PM


Jan 24, 7:27 AM
#2

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Apr 2010
9780
Seems like collecting mushrooms didn't go as Moamoa expected.
She did solve another case tho which is a good thing.
Hopefully she will manage to eat mushrooms at some other point.
Jan 24, 8:03 AM
#3

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Jul 2016
2636
On top of the main idea of boosting the servants' literacy rates, I'm all for Jinshi's school idea if it means we get more Maomao-Xiaolan-Shisui hangouts out of it. He and Gaoshun's reaction to Maomao's approval of it was gold tho lol

It's kinda sad seeing a basket full of mushrooms getting whisked away like that ngl.
Jan 24, 8:10 AM
#4

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Mar 2021
2023
Jinshi's school idea is great and am glad that Maomao supports it. Maomao needs to really be careful now around the palace especially with people poisoning others and various schemes being hatched to avoid becoming a target herself.
Jan 24, 8:13 AM
#5

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Feb 2019
9774
Another great case this week with concubine Jin’s death and Tao’s impersonation plot. It’s crazy how many concubines the emperor has that they can literally die and bro wouldn’t know unless someone like Maomao investigates lol. I’m hoping we get some more thick conspiracy theories going pretty soon though. Like last season had several 3-4 episode long cases and while I enjoy any Maomao content, I’d love some more interconnect plot points!

Tons of good Jinshi and Maomao content this week. Jinshi getting freaked out by Maomao smiling and not giving him the dirty eyes had me fucking dying, something wrong with this dude. Then Maomao telling him she’s got a tom of scars from experimenting on herself 😂

Can’t say I feel bad for Jin dying at all. She was a jealous bitch and Tao was right to defend herself 🤷🏾‍♂️

Fun episode
Marinate1016Jan 24, 3:39 PM
Jan 24, 9:27 AM
#6

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Aug 2022
352
It seems good that one case has been solved, although there are still some oddities.

I wonder if this is a premeditated murder case carried out by several people to cover up the death. But indeed, the people in the palace are really not trustworthy, too risky and too much trouble, so Maomao always remembers and is wary of that.

Jinshi and Maomao have done a great job, another case can be solved quickly.

Jan 24, 9:31 AM
#7
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May 2023
1
Not specifically relevant to this episode but i've fallen behind on apothecary diaries s2 and im not sure i'm going to make it a priority to catch up.

Something about s2 just feels off to me. Can't exactly put my finger on it. But i know it didn't grab me like the first season did.

I'll probably end up waiting until i can binge the whole thing and see if it changes anything.
Jan 24, 9:37 AM
#8
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Feb 2024
166
Jinshi just being shell shocked Maomao approved of his idea 🤣. I love it.
The mushroom exchange was beautiful too, I love their easy back and forth banter every episode.
When even Maomao is treating poison with caution, you just know how deadly it really is. I love the way Jinshi looked at her when she told him not to get close to it. You could just TELL he was thinking “look who’s talking”
(—__—)
The JUDGEMENT over her mushrooms when they found out they were growing from corpses 😂 it’s a shame they confiscated them when she was so excited about it. I get it though.
Jan 24, 9:47 AM
#9
Level 6 esper

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May 2021
1093
Yeah good episode, was fun.
“Do what feels right in your heart. You will be criticized either way.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)
Jan 24, 10:24 AM
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Jan 2025
1
We are in it, my fav episode so far MaoMao being MaoMao :333
Jan 24, 10:31 AM

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Jul 2024
574
"Nobody gets addicted to a gamble that pays off every time"
Really, then why do we have so many OP protagonists in anime?
Lord Cruelty V
"But my Dreams they're not as empty, as my conscience seems to be"
Jan 24, 10:39 AM
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May 2021
2485
Hahaa the opening has defo grew on me but yhh maomao clocked on w/ the mushroom mystery
Jan 24, 10:41 AM

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Jul 2024
432
Maomao and mushrooms. Amatch made in...someplace.
Jan 24, 10:48 AM

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Jul 2024
432
Reply to LordCrueltyV
"Nobody gets addicted to a gamble that pays off every time"
Really, then why do we have so many OP protagonists in anime?
@LordCrueltyV ROTFLMAO! Touché!
Jan 24, 11:49 AM
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Feb 2019
1
If someone is interested, I found what the red poisonous mushroom is :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichoderma_cornu-damae
Jan 24, 11:53 AM

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Jul 2022
952
What a great episode!

Jinshi is increasingly leaning towards his masochistic tendencies, but hey, his idea of ​​starting a school to help maids with literacy is really fantastic.

Another case solved by Maomao! Her theory about Concubine Jin's ladies-in-waiting agreeing to cover up her death and replace her with Tao was pretty dark, though, considering what they said about Jin's personality, maybe she deserved it. Those ladies-in-waiting are in for a big punishment. Still, after all the effort Maomao put into solving the case... they confiscated her mushrooms. Poor Maomao! 😅

Jan 24, 11:55 AM

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Jul 2016
17
Another arc, another mystery solved by our resident Sherlock Holmes. I'm glad to see the conclusion to this particular mystery, and it does a good enough job keeping my attention, but really what I want to know (and I'm assuming everybody else does too) is what the hell is going on with Gyokuyou and Hongniang. Who's targeting them? What was up with the villian framing from them last episode?
Jan 24, 12:00 PM
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Nov 2020
128
fenix849 said:
Not specifically relevant to this episode but i've fallen behind on apothecary diaries s2 and im not sure i'm going to make it a priority to catch up.

Something about s2 just feels off to me. Can't exactly put my finger on it. But i know it didn't grab me like the first season did.

I'll probably end up waiting until i can binge the whole thing and see if it changes anything.

I felt the same as well. Maybe we got tired of the repetitive mystery solving. But I know it's too early to judge and I believe the show's only gonna get interesting.
Jan 24, 12:08 PM

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Apr 2010
4510
Jan 24, 12:55 PM
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Oct 2016
2581
Maomao had another mysterious death to investigate! A concubine death, one missing, and some connection between them. A great episode getting us back into that season one vibe with Maomao being sent off by Jinshi to get answers. She should definitely know a lot about mushrooms since like she said they're used in both poison and food. The inner workings of how Maomao deducting what's happened to the concubine is so interesting to see. She latched onto the truth, more or less, almost immediately. Noticing things about the ladies in waiting, gathering information about the deceased, asking around what others saw or thought, not making any rash accusations until she's got the smoking gun evidence. Maomao would really make a great detective, she's got the intuitive skills for it hands down. The motivations aren't for her to figure out but at least she solved what happened to both of those concubine. Some nice funny moments too with the chibi art, poor Maomao didn't get to keep her corpse mushrooms.
Jan 24, 12:59 PM

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Jan 2024
1449
That escalated fast, and solved fast too.

I was worried Hongyiang may have killed Jin to protect Gyokuyou. Jinshi suspecting them was bit concerning. But she's clear for now.
Nothing happens as coincidence in this messed up place. That Jin women was no saint but murdered, buried and impersonated, seesh. Even that Tao got brutally killed through poisoning just before her marriage.

Maomao nice little mushroom hunting didn't went as smoothly as expected. But she figured things out quickly.
As a reward her stash of corpse fungi got confiscated.

Deserved imo
Also nice that Jinshi is building school to help this court ladys. Great guy just wants Maomao to look down on him.
WaterMageJan 24, 1:21 PM
Jan 24, 1:52 PM
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Jan 2025
2
I wish Jinshi would let Maomao experiment more freely especially with how much the palace benefits from her knowledge of medicine. Like ik he doesn't want her to get hurt but let her have her mushrooms
Jan 24, 2:33 PM

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Jul 2021
1826
Maomao realizing that she was the prime suspect in the concubine's death was very much Maomao. Even if that wasn't Jinshi's intention, she was smart and clear-headed enough to consider the possibility.

I like how this show often leaves the exact truth of the matter under wraps. Did the ladies-in-waiting turn the low-rank concubine into a body double to protect her from punishment, or to protect their own jobs? Maybe both? Or did they basically hold her prisoner for a year, physically and by blackmail?

That's not something Maomao can figure out, it's a job for Jinshi and the authorities. Maybe no one can figure it out, because even if they manage to make the culprits talk, they could never be certain that the culprits were telling the truth.
Jan 24, 2:45 PM
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Dec 2023
383
Good stuff going on. The plot thickens...
Jan 24, 3:16 PM
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Oct 2022
792
The mushroom collecting experience was interesting. I wonder how was responsible for killing the consort like that.

Maomao and Jinshi are cute when they’re together, Maomao can be so cringe, but experimented in many ways!

Apothecary Diaries season 1 hadn’t disappointed me, so I think season won’t do it either. It’s amazing so far, can’t wait to see more!
Jan 24, 3:23 PM
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Jul 2024
1650
Reply to LordCrueltyV
"Nobody gets addicted to a gamble that pays off every time"
Really, then why do we have so many OP protagonists in anime?
@LordCrueltyV Because that is not a gamble? Now, if you go to a Cassino where you can win prizes every time at every game, even if it's not big prizes, it actually takes the fun out of it. The risk is part of the fun. Also, the pig pay-offs are those long shot wild bets, right?
Jan 24, 5:36 PM

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Dec 2007
263
Niwaka_Samurai said:
fenix849 said:
Not specifically relevant to this episode but i've fallen behind on apothecary diaries s2 and im not sure i'm going to make it a priority to catch up.

Something about s2 just feels off to me. Can't exactly put my finger on it. But i know it didn't grab me like the first season did.

I'll probably end up waiting until i can binge the whole thing and see if it changes anything.

I felt the same as well. Maybe we got tired of the repetitive mystery solving. But I know it's too early to judge and I believe the show's only gonna get interesting.

to be fair, the first couple of episodes of season one were kinda like this, except for the fact that it was all new and the animation was beautiful and we were still in it for the novelty. only after the garden party did it get more and more interesting with each episode.

also I feel like the animation on this season is slightly different, season 1 was definitely better animation wise I think.
Jan 24, 5:41 PM

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Dec 2007
263
LordCrueltyV said:
"Nobody gets addicted to a gamble that pays off every time"
Really, then why do we have so many OP protagonists in anime?

in the specific scenario MaoMao was talking about. it makes perfect sense. if you had a daily appointment and you got a food treat everyday there would be some days that you'd think " meh, not feeling like it, I'll grab tomorrow's treat."

But if you don't know what days you'll be getting a treat you might make an effort because if you lose the opportunity it might be a while before you get one.

that's what she meant. it's basically her concept of FOMO
Jan 24, 6:21 PM

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Apr 2015
6
I love the frog jumping across her path. XD
Jan 24, 6:36 PM

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Jan 2008
1742
It's cute that Xiaoran is teaching some other laundry maids how to write a little. She's come a long way.

That super deadly "poison fire coral" fungus sounds terrifying. From looking it up online, it can apparently cause your brain to shrink, should someone be so unlucky to survive where it didn't instantly kill them first as it can also do, on top of all the symptoms shown in this episode and a whole host of other nasty symptoms, to say the least. No known cure either. I don't know how effective just cloth will be against the airborne fungal spores, but I suppose it's all they had and is better than nothing at all like just bare hands. Although I would have went with at least leather gloves plus tongs instead.

So the disappeared court lady Tao took Concubine Jin's place, and later died, while the real mean girl Concubine Jin's body was killed a year ago, being buried by her ladies-in-waiting. By Maomao's conjecture of what likely happened; court lady Tao accidentally killed Concubine Jin in a scuffle after being abused, then the ladies-in-waiting forced Tao to impersonate her, and later murdered her too once she got cold feet to keep up the charade.

I would assume it was Concubine Jin's ladies-in-waiting that actually carried out the order of their master's jealous actions and poisoned Concubine Son causing the permanent scars and hair loss since they were the only ones with scarred hands. Although it's also possible the ladies-in-waiting were the mastermind of that attack on Concubine Son as well in order to have an excuse for why "Concubine Jin committed suicide". Either way, it's safe to say that with this revelation from Maomao's investigation, they'll likely be arrested and get capital punishment off-screen.

I feel bad for court lady Tao, as she was the victim through the whole ordeal from start to finish, and Concubine Son who was also permanently scarred.

Now that concludes this chapter. Next week, we're off to a new story arc.
Estoy_GordoJan 24, 6:42 PM
Jan 24, 7:16 PM
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Oct 2015
329
Dayan said:
Niwaka_Samurai said:

I felt the same as well. Maybe we got tired of the repetitive mystery solving. But I know it's too early to judge and I believe the show's only gonna get interesting.

to be fair, the first couple of episodes of season one were kinda like this, except for the fact that it was all new and the animation was beautiful and we were still in it for the novelty. only after the garden party did it get more and more interesting with each episode.

also I feel like the animation on this season is slightly different, season 1 was definitely better animation wise I think.

Yeah, season 2 has a few staff changes compared to season 1. For example, the season 1 director is now the chief director, the assistant director from season 1 is now the series director, and the most impactful change is the replacement of the DoP (the person in charge of compositing). There’s also been a change in the animation producer (the one responsible for gathering staff and animators) since season 1 cour 2, that's why season 1 cour 2 looks a little worse than season 1 cour 1 at that time apart from a few episodes.

Because of these staff changes and tighter deadlines, season 2 looks slightly worse than season 1 cour 2. Season 2 came out way too fast—it’s only been a year since season 1, and they had to make a 2-cour anime in such a short time.
Jan 24, 8:02 PM
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Feb 2024
1
Reply to ShiroHachi
Dayan said:
Niwaka_Samurai said:

I felt the same as well. Maybe we got tired of the repetitive mystery solving. But I know it's too early to judge and I believe the show's only gonna get interesting.

to be fair, the first couple of episodes of season one were kinda like this, except for the fact that it was all new and the animation was beautiful and we were still in it for the novelty. only after the garden party did it get more and more interesting with each episode.

also I feel like the animation on this season is slightly different, season 1 was definitely better animation wise I think.

Yeah, season 2 has a few staff changes compared to season 1. For example, the season 1 director is now the chief director, the assistant director from season 1 is now the series director, and the most impactful change is the replacement of the DoP (the person in charge of compositing). There’s also been a change in the animation producer (the one responsible for gathering staff and animators) since season 1 cour 2, that's why season 1 cour 2 looks a little worse than season 1 cour 1 at that time apart from a few episodes.

Because of these staff changes and tighter deadlines, season 2 looks slightly worse than season 1 cour 2. Season 2 came out way too fast—it’s only been a year since season 1, and they had to make a 2-cour anime in such a short time.
@ShiroHachi Yup, the change in AniP is that now Eiji Sumitomo is alone, probably because Toho animation Studio was busy, but it's not impossible that in cour 2 there will be more AniP, is it?
Jan 24, 8:03 PM

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Aug 2016
147
Loved the episode. Sad what happened to the concubine and her lady in waiting though. Would've liked to know how that accident actually went though that caused the concubine death, cuz for now i only feel pity towards the lady in waiting that took the concubine's place, since apparently from what's said this episode, she was only forced to do that, so her death felt sad to me. Excited to know how this case would conclude.
Jan 24, 8:28 PM
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Oct 2015
329
Licht678 said:
@ShiroHachi Yup, the change in AniP is that now Eiji Sumitomo is alone, probably because Toho animation Studio was busy, but it's not impossible that in cour 2 there will be more AniP, is it?

Yeah, that’s possible since Inagaki, the other animation producer, already finished his work on Puniru anime, unless he’s working on another project
Jan 24, 8:56 PM
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Sep 2016
642
Wait, next EP is "Kagami" (Mirror). I forgot abt the chronological order, was it abt
?
Python is the best programming language ever. FIGHT ME!
Jan 24, 9:04 PM
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Sep 2016
642
Reply to Niwaka_Samurai
fenix849 said:
Not specifically relevant to this episode but i've fallen behind on apothecary diaries s2 and im not sure i'm going to make it a priority to catch up.

Something about s2 just feels off to me. Can't exactly put my finger on it. But i know it didn't grab me like the first season did.

I'll probably end up waiting until i can binge the whole thing and see if it changes anything.

I felt the same as well. Maybe we got tired of the repetitive mystery solving. But I know it's too early to judge and I believe the show's only gonna get interesting.
@Niwaka_Samurai Well, the thing abt Kusuriya no Hitorigoto's story telling was there were mostly smaller stories/mysteries, however they oft contains some small obscure details here and there that you'd never notice at a glance. And then later on it was revealed that these small obscure details are key points to a grander scheme/plot in the future.

Remember last season, smaller random stories abt murder/death here and there, turns out they're all orchestrated by Suirei and her cohorts. You'll never know which details are important, and that's make them fun to watch/read. This and last EPs alone already contains some small obscure details that foreshadows future plots, and unless you know the context you'll most likely missed it.
Python is the best programming language ever. FIGHT ME!
Jan 24, 9:15 PM

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Apr 2024
62
Awesome episode, for me another cliffhanger of this title on this season, great and cool!
Jan 24, 11:12 PM

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Mar 2020
1474
Who knew mushrooms could be so useful to solve some conspiracies?

More mysterious deaths are happening in the rear palace, and Maomao showed off her versatility yet again in her problem solving skills, while enjoying herself in the process. The situation with Lady Jin and Tao seemed a bit complex, and it has me wondering if this case and the previous case with the scented oils are connected in any way. If there's anything this show excels in, it's weaving the plot points together, so while I haven't been overly impressed with the episodes individually so far, I'm willing to let it cook, to see where this is going. Perhaps we'll find out more about these conspiracies with more time.
Yesterday, 12:18 AM

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Jul 2008
11153
The case is solved but the culprit(s) are still out there....it's not done till they are rounded up.
Yesterday, 12:42 AM

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May 2019
7
I loved how they animated this episode. I love the manga as well but honestly, the animators have been doing an incredible job adapting it into animation!
Yesterday, 2:07 AM

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Aug 2020
4043
ANOTHER great ep

i enjoyed every sec
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Yesterday, 3:02 AM
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May 2016
1936
You can't get sick from touching any fungus even if it is toxic, only someone with an allergy would get a rash. (and even breathing the spores wouldn't do much unless you stuck your face in it and huffed them) Big miss from this show which usually sticks to the facts. The red fungus was Poison Fire Coral for anyone curious. ( which also doesn't even grow in China, it does in Japan though).
MenchiK1Yesterday, 3:07 AM
Yesterday, 3:28 AM
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Oct 2016
10
I am sad she didn't get her mushrooms
Yesterday, 4:25 AM
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May 2021
157
Wow, I think that is the quickest Maomao has ever solved a mystery.
Yesterday, 5:52 AM
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Jun 2019
61
this anime delivering mystery really good, i rarely entertained with mystery
Yesterday, 6:19 AM
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May 2024
18
Maomao is the only person that could ever use the mushrooms to it's fullest. Don't take them away jinshi, You bad eunuch.
Yesterday, 6:25 AM
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Feb 2024
6
right to the bottom with it maomao sniffing
Yesterday, 7:08 AM

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Jul 2024
2215
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Season 2 Episode 3, we’ve got these dangerous red mushrooms that look suspiciously like Podostroma cornu-damae—deadly stuff, folks. It's like a poison mushroom rave out there!

Now, if that didn't make you think of Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation, I don't know what will. Picture it: sleuthing of the forest , piecing together past mysteries and events surrounding concubine Jin, and maomao digging up more mushrooms than a dog in a bone yard. And Maomao, oh Maomao—dropping those iconic, oh-so-Sakurako-esque lines to wrap things up.

Seriously, is there a secret academy like detective school q where all these great detectives are learning their craft? All I’m saying is, if I had a nickel for every time there's an eccentric strange detective ... I’d probably have enough to buy a decent mushroom like Kinoko inu . But hey, that's what makes them legendary, right?"
Yesterday, 7:08 AM
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Jun 2007
660
Really a bit confusing episode about Concubine Jin's death but nevertheless, Maomao to solve the mystery!
Poor Maomao, all her mushrooms got confiscated :(
Yesterday, 7:21 AM

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Jun 2012
269
Once again, Maomao was the MVP Sherlock, uncovering the cause of the incident along with the evidence, the crime scenes and attempts, and even the Palace itself 😂😂. Maomao is crazy, how can she like those mushrooms lol!
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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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