The Dazzling Splendor of the Court Conceals Deep Darkness: In “The Apothecary Diaries,” Maomao Turns Pale at the Shocking Truth of a “Nine-Year-Old Mother-in-Law”

The anime “The Apothecary Diaries” is notable not only for the grandeur of its imperial harem but also for the tangled, messy human relationships lurking beneath the surface. The darkness behind the “nine-year-old mother-in-law” introduced in episode 6 left not just Maomao (Aoi Yūki), but viewers as well, pale with shock.

Currently being streamed all at once, “The Apothecary Diaries” is an anime adaptation of the light novel by Hyuganatsu. The series has also been adapted into manga in two monthly magazines, with a cumulative 40 million copies in circulation. The anime aired for two consecutive cours starting in October 2023, earning widespread popularity and attention for its stories of Maomao, who comes to work as a “poison tester” in the harem, her detective work, and her comical interactions with Jinshi (Takeo Ōtsuka). The second season of the anime has been airing since January 2025.

One day, at a garden party, the attendants of Consort Lishu (Hina Kino), age 14, and Consort Ah-Duo (Yūko Kaida), age 35, were quarreling. Hearing that Lishu and Ah-Duo had the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship of “former emperor’s consort and current emperor’s consort,” Maomao assumed that the elder Ah-Duo would naturally be the mother-in-law.

In reality, however, it was 14-year-old Lishu who was the former emperor’s consort and therefore the mother-in-law. It turns out that Lishu entered the harem at the age of nine. Upon hearing the remark, “It’s unthinkable, isn’t it? A mother-in-law at nine?” from those around her, Maomao realized her misunderstanding, turned completely pale, and trembled uncontrollably.