Kusuriya no Hitorigoto - Ch. 64 - The Masked Gentleman

[Reademup]

Can someone please refresh my memory who is the imperial prince that died last year? Was it the baby of the consort Rifa?

Yes at the start of the series the Prince who died was Rifa son, but he's not the only prince. Jinshi is actually the first-born prince from Ah-Duo. It's confusing because the babies were swapped 18 years ago and it's not publicly known since Ah-Duo did it in secret or even confirmed if our characters know. At least directly it is heavily suggested the king knows

So the public believes the one who died 18 years ago was the current king's son and Ka Zuigetsu is the last son of the pedophile king. But back when Jinshi was a baby Ah-Duo consort of our series king swapped Jinshi with the last-born son because she wanted Jinshi to get the best care. Making Ka Zuigetsu not the last-born son of the pedophile but the first-born son of the current king.

 

[doonser]

Damn, I've been pronouncing a lot of these names wrong

 

[Ggot7]

So that is his real name? Ka Zuigetsu?

 

[capricieux]

So the public believes the one who died 18 years ago was the current king's son and Ka Zuigetsu is the last son of the pedophile king. But back when Jinshi was a baby Ah-Duo consort of our series king swapped Jinshi with the last-born son because she wanted Jinshi to get the best care. Making Ka Zuigetsu not the last-born son of the pedophile but the first-born son of the current king.

Thank you! Now I remember.
But how much of that does Jinshi know? I think I missed it.

 

[Reademup]

Thank you! Now I remember.
But how much of that does Jinshi know? I think I missed it.

Since the story follows Maomao, everything we learn about Jinshi is very vague and withdrawn.

There is a lot of implication from how we see Jinshi and the king act that they know. I imagine Ah-Duo might have told Jinshi, seeing how upset he was by her parting, that was the night he was drunk and asked Maomao to let him hold her. It's a behavior that looks more like a son anticipating his mother leaving him rather than his sister-in-law. (at least to me, v4 chp 18)

But it's suggested that the king knows. First, he is very calm for a guy who has yet to have an heir despite being married man for over 10 years, he shows a lot of favor to Jinshi, a good example of that favor is the chapters about the Shrine of Choosing (v10, chp 53-54). The king's affection for Jinshi could be between brothers but it also reads like a dad measuring up his son and teasing him with the girl he likes.

Edit:
Rereading the story again and in Vol 7 chp 34 Jinshi doesn't believe he is Ah-Dou's son in his inner monologue. And again in Vol 11 chapter 55, Jinshi said the king was his brother in his inner monologue. So we just have to wait for the story to confirm this theory

 

[nekobyby]

Thank you! Now I remember.
But how much of that does Jinshi know? I think I missed it.

Jinshi doesn't know he's the current Emperor's son.

In the past he thought that he is, but it changed after his meeting with the former Emperor (iirc, someone can correct me if I'm wrong).

 

[sssr]

Jinshi doesn't know he's the current Emperor's son.

In the past he thought that he is, but it changed after his meeting with the former Emperor (iirc, someone can correct me if I'm wrong).

Jinshi was initially raised by the empress dowager with the story that he was the current emperor's son because the empress dowager specifically didn't want him to know that he was the pedo emperor's son. The empress dowager then revealed the situation to him when he'd grown up.

The problem is that the empress dowager didn't know about the baby switch. No one except a select few knows. There are three secrets about Jinshi being kept in the inner palace in increasing levels of secrecy:

1. There are three fake eunuchs: Jinshi, GaoShun, and his son Basen. Most people don't know this, but some officials associated with the empress dowager and some very old officials who've lived through the reigns know. Imperial officials close to the emperor also seem to know this. Aaduo of course knows. It is also possible that at least Consort Gyokuyou knows, although the other three (after Aaduo left) don't seem to. Rakan seems to know too but Maomao's adopted dad doesn't (because he was already kicked out of the palace when the subterfuge began)

2. Jinshi is the emperor's brother. This is known only to the emperor and his closest confidants, the empress dowager, and all the imperial rites officials. It isn't entirely clear Gyokuyou knows this. That is, she might know Jinshi's a fake eunuch but might not know who he actually is. One outsider (Maomao's adopted dad) knows, and it's possible Maomao's actual dad Rakan does too.

3. Jinshi is the emperor's brother. Only the emperor, Aaduo and her co-conspirators, the imperial secret service who uncovered the original baby switch, and Maomao's dad (who got punished then kicked out of the palace for not noticing the switch) know. The empress dowager doesn't know.

 

[nekobyby]

Jinshi was initially raised by the empress dowager with the story that he was the current emperor's son because the empress dowager specifically didn't want him to know that he was the pedo emperor's son. The empress dowager then revealed the situation to him when he'd grown up.

The problem is that the empress dowager didn't know about the baby switch. No one except a select few knows. There are three secrets about Jinshi being kept in the inner palace in increasing levels of secrecy:

1. There are three fake eunuchs: Jinshi, GaoShun, and his son Basen. Most people don't know this, but some officials associated with the empress dowager and some very old officials who've lived through the reigns know. Imperial officials close to the emperor also seem to know this. Aaduo of course knows. It is also possible that at least Consort Gyokuyou knows, although the other three (after Aaduo left) don't seem to. Rakan seems to know too but Maomao's adopted dad doesn't (because he was already kicked out of the palace when the subterfuge began)

2. Jinshi is the emperor's brother. This is known only to the emperor and his closest confidants, the empress dowager, and all the imperial rites officials. It isn't entirely clear Gyokuyou knows this. That is, she might know Jinshi's a fake eunuch but might not know who he actually is. One outsider (Maomao's adopted dad) knows, and it's possible Maomao's actual dad Rakan does too.

3. Jinshi is the emperor's brother. Only the emperor, Aaduo and her co-conspirators, the imperial secret service who uncovered the original baby switch, and Maomao's dad (who got punished then kicked out of the palace for not noticing the switch) know. The empress dowager doesn't know.

I don't think I quite follow. Since when is Basen posing as an eunuch? He's not working in the inner palace like Jinshi, so there would be no reason for him to be one.
From my understanding, Rakan knows Jinshi's identity (the imperial brother) just because he's that "perceptive" or whatever do you call his quirk.
Also, it's implied that Anshi, the Empress Dowager, knows about the swap; she swapped the children together with A-duo because she didn't care about her son. She cares about Jinshi cuz he's her grandson.

 

[Carn109]

Ox balls too OP

 

[Pallington]

honestly not using chinese romanization/pronunciation* irritated me as early as shao lmao
knowing pinyin, every time they wrote 小 as shao it legitimately hurt, considering the first word i think of when i read shao as pinyin is burn/boil 烧

 

[EmiYusa]

Thanks for the chapter!!
I'm a bit lost on the names, is the Japanese or Chinese reading being used?

 

[TughrilMahmut]

Can anyone tell me the Chinese pronunciation of Ka Zuigetsu's name?

The translators should've used the Chinese pronunciation for all the characters IMO. Makes it more authentic even though it's a Japanese series.

 

[nekobyby]

Can anyone tell me the Chinese pronunciation of Ka Zuigetsu's name?

The translators should've used the Chinese pronunciation for all the characters IMO. Makes it more authentic even though it's a Japanese series.

Hua Ruiyue iirc

 

[d_a_renoir]

Something I always wondered about now that I can see the actual kanji/chinese characters for their names, is why some names are latinized as mandarin (gao shun, mao mao, mei mei, etc) and the rest as onyomi (rihaku, sui ren, etc).

Given the setting is imperial China (Beijing during the Qing dynasty), I guess the mandarin ones would be most 'authentic', but having a mix of both always seemed odd to me.

Original author's inconsistency, probably. The reading provided in this translation are all based on the reading written in furigana in the manga raw. "Mao Mao" マオマオ and "Gao Shun" ガオシュン is exactly what was written, for example.

And, I'm sure someone else already responded, but the setting is a typical fantasy hodge podge of "whatever aesthetic the artist/author felt like putting in there". The technology includes random things from much later period, considering there's a glass fish bowl clear enough to act as a convex lens and chocolate. However, Gao Shun's official attire is Tang dynasty, and in no era ever would any men wear their hair half-loose like Jinshi does.

 

[Koffiey]

If the author doesn't want to write romance, they should never speak of it again, I'm very tired of them teasing it when knowing that nothing is going to come from it.

ngl the tag romance should be removed at this point . its been 64 chapters and 1 she still doesn't know who he is and 2 she still doesn't even have much feelings for him . he does yes but it seems the author is just unsure on how to proceed in their romance . IF this was weekly i wouldn't have any problem with it but waiting soo much for nothing to happen between this 2 is fucking annoying

I can't really speak that much because of spoilers and all but you have to consider that the manga is severely behind the novels. The LN has currently 14 volumes and the manga so far has only adapted the first 3 volumes.

 

[Whooooooo]

Oh shit jinshi name reveal

I can't really speak that much because of spoilers and all but you have to consider that the manga is severely behind the novels. The LN has currently 14 volumes and the manga so far has only adapted the first 3 volumes.

I knew we were behind but not THAT behind. At this point I might as well real the LN myself lol

 

[Bighomer]

I know there was never much doubt about Jinshi's heritage, but it still feels like they missed the timing for the reveal.

 

[MEBWizz]

Given that they're finally connecting Jinshi with the Emperor's younger brother, I wonder how/if the fact that Jinshi is actually the emperor's son, will play out. Who knows? Does Jinshi? Will she expose it, once he exposes his 'true' identity?

Will it happen in the next 20 chapters?

And for those not knowing what I mean - relate back to chapter 18 and the story of the now-returned and former consort Aaduo, childhood friend of the emperor, whose child was swapped with the former emperor's, born at the same time.

I wouldn't say that Jinshi is not the current emperor's son but his brother.

This is also why in chapter 7 when they show the emperor and those seated next to him, the emperor's brother wasn't there, and Maomao couldn't find Jinshi until after she was poisoned by the soup.

I will also note that in chapter 34 Jinshi and Gao Shun talk about taking medicine to pass themselves off as eunuchs to freely walk around the inner palace. Gao Shun also calls Jinshi Your Highness and tells him that Basen is the same age as Jinshi. One last thing about chapter 34 is that the emperor has given Jinshi the ability to do as he pleases with any of the low-class consorts and anyone below them.

I don't think that Maomao would ever expose Jinshi as not being a eunuch for two reasons. First, even though she pretends to tolerate him to some degree she has started to like him; and secondly, she fears that death would be the result of exposing the fact that Jinshi wasn't a eunuch.

 

[MEBWizz]

I know there was never much doubt about Jinshi's heritage, but it still feels like they missed the timing for the reveal.

Reread chapter 34. The reveal was made there.

 

[MEBWizz]

Yeah, I got time and I'm bored.

About 18 years ago, the king (the pedo king) and crown prince (our series' current king) both had sons around the same time. Only the pedo king's son got the utmost care since they had a higher status than their nephew. The crown prince's son dies, and the youngest son of the pedophile lives.

The youngest prince is Ka Zuigetsu, The Pedo king dies and our series current king takes over.

A few years before Maomao is taken to work in the palace, the two brothers make a bet and Ka Zuigetsu takes on the guise of Jinshi. To do this they fake an accident that ruined Zuigetsu's face so he can step away from court and is assigned a few individuals who know the truth to help him as Jinshi. We have yet to know what the bet or objective of the bet is. (unless somebody who reads the novels wants to let me know), but it definitely has to do with the inheritance of the throne since they are royalty. Jinshi takes hormonal drugs to suppress his testosterone and wears a mask when he returns as Zuigetsu.

During the manga, it is heavily hinted that Ka Zuigetsu isn't the king's brother but his firstborn son making Jinshi the true heir of the throne. The most noted time is when the king's oldest consort Ah-Duo, the one Maomao said looked A LOT LIKE JINSHI leaves the court to retire. Meaning 18 years ago, Ah-Duo had her son swapped with his uncle to ensure he would get the care he was denied. It is also suggested that the king knows that Jinshi is his son, which is part of why they are making this bet.

Maomao can sense that Jinshi is important but would rather be left of it since it sounds troublesome. So the whole part when she finds out Jinshi has his nuts intact and was really pushing her frog theory to stay out of his business was comedy.

Either comedy or her persistence to keep troublesome affairs at bay.