WEBVTT
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The Apothecary Diaries
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The Apothecary Diaries
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This story is a work of fiction. The names of all of the characters, organizations, and so on
are imaginary. It also bears no connection to any specific real-life events.
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Episode 14: The New Pure Consort
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Are you serious?
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Of course.
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Maomao's back. I have to make
the best of that situation.
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That should do for now.
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Unlike the rear palace, there are barely
any herbs growing in the outer court.
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I need to work on fixing that.
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Xiaomao.
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I thought I asked you to clean the office.
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Right away!
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Don't spend too much time on gardening.
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She's tough.
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What's going on?
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I have no idea.
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Crystal Pavilion
\h\hWise Consort
\h\hLihua
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Jade Pavilion
\h\hPrecious Consort
\h\h\h\h\h\hGyokuyou
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Hmm.
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Excuse me.
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Hmm?
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Do you know about the new Pure Consort
who just entered the Garnet Pavilion?
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Yes.
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The replacement for
Concubine Ah-Duo, who left.
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Well, the rear palace wants
to educate the concubine.
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And for some reason, they want
you to be the teacher.
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Teacher
Maomao
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Hah, that's a funny joke.
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Nobody's joking. Look who recommended you.
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Recommended?
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Precious Consort
Gyokuyou
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And here's another.
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Wise Consort
Lihua
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Lady Lihua, too?
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Oh...
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It was that, huh?
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I'm counting on you.
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I can't ignore a request from two concubines.
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They were nice enough to clearly
write the payment amount.
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Our old lady is surely
hiking up that price, though.
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Now's my chance...
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This is all teaching
material for your class?
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Yes. And here's the invoice.
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This seems about right.
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I wonder why the ink is
a different color here.
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Yikes!
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She really is tough.
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I guess I can't prey on our young master
while this old maid is around.
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What's inside?
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I can't let him see my
precious teaching material.
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F-Fine, I won't look.
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Do you need help carrying it?
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I'm fine.
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If I have to do it, I'm going all the way.
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It's been a while.
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It's relaxing, this weird girly atmosphere.
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It's Master Jinshi!
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He's so beautiful as always.
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This is quite a crowd.
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They must have heard
the rumors about the lesson.
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Just so you're all aware, only the high-ranking
concubines will be attending today.
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If you have no other business, you may leave.
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Is this eunuch some
sort of mythical monster?
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No!
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Why?
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Only the high-ranking concubines will
attend the lesson. You said so yourself.
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Dammit, he's built tougher than he looks.
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What we'll discuss is a secret
technique for women only!
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Lady Gyokuyou.
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Beautiful, as always.
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Seems like Lady Hongniang
hasn't changed, either.
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Lady Lishu seems very nervous.
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I guess it's natural, seeing how there are
three other high-ranking concubines here.
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As long as that taster is with her,
she should be better off than before.
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Lady Lihua seems to have recovered
fully to her healthy, voluptuous form.
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Hmm? Is that the lady-in-waiting
from the face powder incident...?
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She doesn't have to be so wary of me.
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And Concubine Ah-Duo's replacement,
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the new Pure Consort, Concubine Loulan.
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Is that flashy southern
outfit her usual style?
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Her face seems northern, but I can't tell
what she really looks like under all that.
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Given her age, the emperor
will most likely spend time with her.
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It seems the power balance at the rear
palace shouldn't be negatively affected.
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Eh. Who cares.
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My name is Maomao. I will be
serving as your instructor today.
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What I will be teaching you today
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is a secret technique
shared only amongst women.
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Please do not share it with others.
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Now, here are the learning materials.
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Wow!
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Oh... Oh...
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What's going on in there?
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I can't tell.
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Phew. Hmm?
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Good work. That took a while.
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This guy was eavesdropping for sure.
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What's wrong?
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What's going on here?
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Goodbye, tired routines!
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Do this, then this...
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No way. No way, ever...
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Lady Lishu!
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I just taught them, as ordered.
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At least I made the two who
recommended me happy.
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I couldn't tell what she was thinking at all.
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Use the knowledge as you see fit.
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Hey, what kind of lecture did you give?
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You can ask the emperor later
if he liked it or not.
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Hey.
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I'm spent.
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Looking forward to that bonus reward!
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This way!
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I'll stay out of it.
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So cold...
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Master Lakan! Master Lakan!
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Master Lakan, there you are.
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Hmm.
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Something of interest?
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No, nothing at all.
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I wonder what that sound was last night.
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Even though he's a eunuch, he has work
outside of the rear palace as well?
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It's not like he can just ignore silly bills.
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It's good paper. I could sell these
for a pretty good amount.
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What a waste, burning it all.
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The trash burning place is over
by the military offices...
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Xiaomao.
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It's cold outside.
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Thank you.
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He's so thoughtful. Shame he's a eunuch.
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This is from Master Jinshi!
I merely delivered it!
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I see.
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He needs permission just to give warm
clothes to a servant? What a bother.
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Thank you, Master Jinshi.
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Don't worry about it.
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The outer court is several times
larger than the rear palace,
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yet I see hardly any medicinal herbs growing.
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I guess the only notable ones
are dandelions and mugworts,
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which are abundant anywhere.
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It's winter, so they're hard to spot, too.
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Maybe I'll plant some seeds
around here as well.
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Ooh, red spider lily!
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Here too! And there, too!
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They're so tasty when
the bulb root is put in water.
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If I fail to remove the poison, it causes
horrible stomachaches, though.
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Hmm?
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It's Master Lihaku.
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His belt's a different color.
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Did he get a promotion?
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Hmm? Oh hey, little lady.
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Master Lihaku.
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Accompanying a concubine or something?
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Rare to see you outside the rear palace.
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He doesn't know I got fired.
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Master Lihaku. He fell in love
with Big Sister Pairin,
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one of the Three Princesses
of the Verdigris House.
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He's working hard to get a promotion
for his love. How adorable.
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Hmm?
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The cost of a night with Pairin is equal to
half the annual salary of a commoner.
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Since that's too expensive,
I hear he often visits the Verdigris House
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to have tea with the servant girls.
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I never ran into him there.
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I guess once a man has a taste
of the heavenly nectar,
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he can't help but try to get at least a glimpse.
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He's really working hard.
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Hmm? What is it?
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Nothing. I've been transferred
from the rear palace
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to the personal quarters of a certain official.
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Personal quarters?
Who's crazy enough to do that?
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Yeah, I wonder the same.
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By the way, were you busy with something?
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A little.
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Just a small fire, not rare
at this time of the year.
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I've been brought out to investigate
since they can't determine the cause.
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Unknown cause? So that must be
what the noise from last night was.
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Was anyone injured?
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Just the warehouseman.
He's not critically injured, but—
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Hey, don't get too close.
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Understood.
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Why wouldn't you expect me
to get curious after hearing that?
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Soot reaching the adjacent building.
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Shrapnel all over the building.
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This is more like an explosion than a fire.
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I see.
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They suspect arson.
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That's why Master Lihaku is here,
not a lower-ranking official.
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This isn't just some random warehouse.
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It's the palace, where the emperor is.
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Our empire is overall pretty peaceful,
but there's always someone with issues.
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There's the occasional barbarian attack,
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and a famine or drought here and there.
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Who knows how long peace with
the neighboring nations will last?
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I'm sure some people in some foreign
countries have some complaints.
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Charcoal? No, it's a burnt potato.
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What a waste.
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So this was food storage.
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Ivory? Looks like a smoking pipe.
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Quit snooping around by yourself!
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A pipe...
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An explosion. Food storage. A pipe.
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Hey!
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Can you hear me?!
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I can hear you.
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I'm just not listening to you.
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Does this warehouse store the same kind
of stuff as the burnt one?
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Yeah. The oldest things go in the back.
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Can I have this?
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I suppose so.
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And this, too?
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I also need a hammer, a saw, and some nails.
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What are you trying to do?
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Just a quick experiment.
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This will do.
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You're strangely good at this.
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I grew up poor. I'm good
at making things I don't have.
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That's flour, right?
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Yes. It was in the warehouse.
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Is this what you needed?
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Yes. And the flame source I asked for?
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Right here.
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Thank you, sir.
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I don't get it.
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It's ready. Please stand back. It's dangerous.
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Y-Yes...
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Master Lihaku, it's dangerous.
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What danger could there be?
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Whatever you do, I'm a military
officer. How can I be at risk?
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Understood. But it really is dangerous,
so please do be very careful.
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You have to run right away.
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Huh? Run from what—
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Put it out!
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See? I told you so.
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So, what caused the explosion?
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It was this.
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Flour?
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Yes. Fine powder, like wheat
or buckwheat flour, burns easily.
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The particles can catch fire when airborne.
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This was likely what sparked it.
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A pipe...?
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If someone snuck inside to take
a quick smoke in private,
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the outside wind could flow in,
blowing the powder into the air.
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If the pipe was lit at that time...
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The flour filling the air would
catch fire, and cause an explosion.
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Please let the warehousemen know
not to smoke in the warehouses.
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How do you know these things?
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Once, at the Verdigris House,
I blew up a room I borrowed.
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You...
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You stupid girl!
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The old lady was real scary back then.
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But powders exploding? How strange.
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Almost nothing in the world is truly strange.
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Anything that feels strange
is just not yet known.
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Achoo!
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Please take care to not catch a cold.
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If you do, find Luomen in the pleasure
district. His medicines work well.
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Right.
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Dad's so bad at marketing.
I should help him out a little.
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Hopefully, he'd pay a visit
while he's out there for Pairin.
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Well, I'm heading back to work now.
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Sure.
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Oh, I accidentally brought this with me.
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If I clean this up and put a new mouthpiece
on it, would it be good again?
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It might sell for a pretty good price.
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That said, it seems too impressive
for a warehouseman to own.
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Might be something precious.
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Maybe I'll clean it up and give it back.
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Dammit!
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I'm worthy, too... Dammit!
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Next Time
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Next time: "Raw Fish."
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Episode 15: Raw Fish