Kusuriya no Hitorigoto - Ch. 69 - Breech Birth

[frenchiebreadie]

thanks for this. I was about to ask the difference altho I did read up the two. it was a little confusing why they used the word regnant to the old empress when she's supposed to be "regent", but your explanation answered my confusion

Empress regnant is a real title and is very different from empress regent, which is also a real title.

An empress regnant is a female ruler of an empire who rules on her own authority like her male counterpart would. Think Catherine the Great and Victoria. In Chinese history, there was only one such person, and that's Wu Zetian.

An empress regent is the wife of an emperor ruling on behalf of either her incapacitated husband or underage son. She doesn't have her own imperial authority, although in practice she may rule like an empress regnant anyway. In Chinese history, there were many such women, the most infamous of whom was Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty who ruled like an empress regnant despite officially being a regent for her son and nephew. Most other Chinese empress regents were as much a puppet of imperial power blocks as their sons, though.

The empress regnant in this story was actually an empress regent, but she is remembered as the empress regnant because she never allowed her son (the pedo emperor) to rule even into his old age. Even Cixi allowed her son and nephew to rule as her puppets (and technically had to share power with the other dowager Ci'an). Pedo emps didn't even get that dignity - which, to be fair, he didn't deserve anyway.

 

[JustA_]

Lmfao the others still think she was mistreated as a child

I thought they were surprised how her behaviour became so unusual when she has such a normal looking father figure, but yea could also be the mistreatment misunderstanding. Now I'm not sure which it is

 

[Speedmarque]

There are three layers to what the characters know. In none of the layers except the last is it ever implied that he did any wrong.

1. The official records state only that he was sentenced as a criminal and evicted from the palace. Basically, he did nothing wrong but got kicked out. There is no mention of any transgression, including any botched medical procedure. He also wasn't blamed for the death of Aaduo's son because obviously he wasn't in charge of the baby. In essence, the records just say, "This man is a criminal and got punished for his crimes. NO QUESTIONS!"

2. Rear palace people knew that he was banished for some reason but never inquired about what it was. This was accepted at face value because this all happened under the reign of the Empress Regnant. Most people just thought he incurred her displeasure like literally THOUSANDS of others. This is reflected in Gyokuyou's attitude and what she said in this chapter. This is currently what most characters (including Jinshi) seem to think.

3. The emperor, Aaduo, and some of their closest confidants know the full truth. In the LN so does the dowager, but in this manga it doesn't seem she knows (yet). These are the people who knew the truth and understand that he DID make a mistake and know why the Empress Regnant went apeshit on him. On the other hand, they also understand that, given her temperament, she was being as merciful as an angel that one time.

The royal physician is generally a man of very high stature and commands great respect, and as such a conviction and banishment is an incredibly serious matter, especially the reputation of the imperial palace is concerned if salacious gossip spreads amongst the public (Think Marie Antoinette).

Normally these high ranking officials get sent off to Timbuktu or into 'honorable retirement' for forgivable infractions in order to protect the reputation of the palace, however a trial and conviction means that something very serious has occurred, likely with malicious intent, or that the defendant made some very powerful enemies. In real life such trials (i.e. 'show trials') of senior officials almost always result in conviction, and often the death penalty. There's a reason why China & Japan has something like a 98% conviction rate, because in those countries the justice system already knows you're guilty, and they're just waiting for the inevitable confession. In big 'show trial' cases they'll type up your confession letter before you get arrested, conveniently for you to sign once you recognize your inevitable doom.

In other words, a conviction is incredibly serious, and very likely fatal for a royal physician. If it was real life he would've been executed (or worse, the 'Nine familial exterminations') even if he was in fact innocent. Such is the life of royal intrigue in a medieval context.

As for Lady Gyokuyou, if it's obvious that the baby's in danger then she will have many more options, and that rules can and has been bent in such cases because the emperor calls all the shots, and will probably call in all the expert physicians from across the realm. If another doctor can't be let in/smuggled in, then Lady Gyokuyou could leave the palace secretly, and put in a body double in her stead. There's no chance a convict ex-royal physician would be allowed to enter the palace grounds, let alone treat Lady Gyokuyou. That he's still alive and living close to the palace can only be explained with manga logic.

 

[Yukimusha]

Babies are born at the end of the 9th month. Two monts before due date is end of 7th month, not beginning. Ergo: the baby should be turning upside down about now, if everything is normal. Still too early to worry much, but late enough to keep an eye on developments.

Yeah, I meant at the start of the 8th. Thx for the correction, I edited it.

 

[Meathir]

Interesting to see Mao Mao jump the gun here. I wonder how her dad will feel about being dragged back into the place that arguably ruined his life unfairly.

 

[Toriichii]

In terms of the LN, which volume are we at?

 

[Amimikamoon]

Not viagra. Aphrodisiac. Chocolate CAN be used as aphrodisiac. The "chocolate" we eat today is milk chocolate, which is actually just a milk emulsion mixed with chocolate liquor.

Pairin isn't able to "lactate on command". Not sure where this translation came from.

It's really funny seeing you try to talk down to me like I'm some troglodyte who doesn't know dark chocolate exists when you've clearly never heard of the concepts of "hyperbole" or "exaggeration for comedic effect"

 

[sssr]

It's really funny seeing you try to talk down to me like I'm some troglodyte who doesn't know dark chocolate exists when you've clearly never heard of the concepts of "hyperbole" or "exaggeration for comedic effect"

Then you don't know what you're talking about. Dark chocolate is still milk chocolate with a few extra steps and less sugar. Chocolate liquor is different. Look, just grab some cocoa beans and a blender and make your own chocolate liquor. Try it. Most people in the modern world will get a jolt of heat and momentary high blood pressure.

 

[megamanw]

Spoiler

Wait, if Shisui is Rou Ran, then what about the rumor that Rou Ran is already pregnant? We saw that during the bathhouse arc that Shisui had a normal body proportions and can interact with hot water normally, or maybe that she spread the rumor herself so that people would not expect she is Rou Ran?

 

[YukoHoon]

In terms of the LN, which volume are we at?

I think we may be at the beginning of the 4th volume. I read the list of chapters some time ago and we should be already reaching the peak of this arc soon (sorry, I followed the webnovel so I know more or less the flow of the arcs, but I'm now reading the LN and I'm still at the 2nd volume)

 

[Toriichii]

I think we may be at the beginning of the 4th volume. I read the list of chapters some time ago and we should be already reaching the peak of this arc soon (sorry, I followed the webnovel so I know more or less the flow of the arcs, but I'm now reading the LN and I'm still at the 2nd volume)

That's plenty useful, thank you! I'll probably start vol3 just to be safe/refresh myself on what's going on.

 

[Ashandai]

pops "redemption" arc lesgoooooooooooo

 

[Carn109]

Dad is here

 

[daywithoutgames]

and finally , we have it , chapter 69 , chapter sixty-nine , lol , and this chapter is about making love , and giving birth .

i think mao mao calls her adopted father with "oyaji" = "old man" , this may sound rude and tomboyish , but technically , he is not her biological father , he is the uncle of her biological father , so he is very old .

page 20 , panel 1 :
you can see the 3 dalton sisters in the back-ground , lol .
in lucky luke comic , dalton brothers are 4 brothers with different ages , but they have the same photocopied face .

 

[The_Man_Saw_a_Plan]

This detail doesn't matter at all, but that kitten shouldn't be a kitten anymore, by this point.

 

[silverpetricof]

Thank you for the translation.