Maomao speculated that Lady Ah-Duo might have swapped her child with the previous Emperor's child to save her own. In her imagination, Lady Ah-Duo's real son was Jinshi. Midway through her thoughts, Maomao dismissed it as an "absurd fantasy." If Maomao's hypothesis were correct, Jinshi's father would be the Emperor, making Jinshi a prince with a claim to the throne.

This "fantasy" of Maomao's sparked reactions online, with comments like, "If it's true... it would be pretty intense," "If that's the truth, it's an incredibly tangled backstory," and "Maomao's fantasy is a spine-chilling one." Many viewers engaged in their own speculations.

"The Apothecary Diaries" is an anime adaptation based on the light novel of the same name by Hyuganatsu. It has been serialized in two monthly magazines, and the series has exceeded 38 million copies in circulation. The TV anime aired consecutively for two cours starting in October 2023, featuring Maomao's detective stories as a "poison tester" in the imperial harem, as well as her comedic interactions with the handsome eunuch Jinshi, gaining significant popularity and attention. The second season began airing in January 2025.

(C)Hyuganatsu, Imagica Infos/"The Apothecary Diaries"Project

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