Rating: B+ (first part), A (second part)
More so than most episodes of this series, this one is a composition of two completely different parts, one which has its serious aspects but is lighter in general and one which is almost completely serious and introduces a potentially major development for the setting’s status quo. The contrast between the two unrelated parts is so sharp that I’m almost surprised that the episode wasn’t given a split title.
The first part provides the episode title (“Ice”) and spins off the development at the end of last episode, where Xiaolin accidentally bumped a eunuch hauling a block of ice to Loulan, resulting in it being damaged and thus unsuitable to present to Loulan. The potential punishment for the eunuch is severe, so both his distress and Xaiolin’s terror at getting punished by extension are easily understandable. Naturally, quick-witted Maomao comes up with a plan: since the ice was meant to cool the concubine, disguise the damage by turning it into something edible which could serve the same purpose. In other words, she essentially makes ice cream.
The method Maomao is using here is what is classically referred to as the “pot-freezer method.” Since it’s not specified in the episode, what Maomao pours into the bowl of crushed ice is salt. Salty water freezes at lower temperatures, so it can more effectively draw out the heat from something being mixed in a container in it. Mixing the milk and firming agents (the other thing Maomao is seen pouring in before mixing) with a whisk is considered crucial if doing it by hand, and it must be done thoroughly. Without sugar available, flavoring it with chopped fruit is standard practice. This was the method generally used before hand-cranked churns came onto the scene in the mid-19th century, and there’s plenty of evidence that the method would have been known about in China, so Maomao having come across it at some point is not unrealistic. Her being able to get it made in the limited time frame presented in this episode is much more of a stretch; my parents made homemade ice cream from time to time when I was a kid, and I don’t remember it being that quick a process. It’s a tolerable stretch for dramatic purposes, though, especially given how cute the reactions to it are.
The episode’s second half starts a new matter that, to some degree, will probably take a few episodes to play out. (NOTE: This is now pure speculation, as this is the point where the storytelling progresses beyond what I’ve read in the manga version.) Ever since we learned that Loumen once served in the Rear Palace, I’ve wondered if the series wouldn’t find some excuse to get him back there, and that it would happen as part of a recommendation from Maomao was a natural assumption. That turns out to be exactly the case here, because Maomao has finally encountered a medical matter beyond her skill level: a potential breech birth for Gyokuyou’s second child. She knows enough to know the signs, but she’s also fully aware that handling such a matter – especially if it could necessitate a c-section – requires a trained and experienced doctor, not just a midwife or someone who has studied up on birthing techniques (as Hongniang did with Lingli’s birth). Loumen has those qualifications, has delivered royals before, and he’s a eunuch, too. With his Western training, Maomao actually probably isn’t exaggerating by calling him the best doctor in the country.
While Hongniang is understandably defensive – she clearly sees protecting Gyokuyou as her #1 priority – Gyokuyou is well aware of how capable Maomao is, so that she would trust a eunuch that Maomao personally recommends is no surprise. Nor is it a surprise that Jinshi would go along with the request; we know from the first season that he knows about Loumen, and even if Maomao wasn’t his favorite, she’s done plenty enough to justify trusting her recommendation. That does bring up a lot of interesting potential for future encounters, though, since it’s quite possible that Loumen would recognize Jinshi for who he is. That also raises the much more real possibility of Loumen encountering Lakan at some point, and indeed, the latter does show up in the Next Episode previews. In fact, Loumen’s presence could wind up being the trigger for any number of potentially interesting upcoming complications.
Particular kudos here go to Aoi Yuki (Maomao) and Misaki Kuno (Xioalan) for some excellent work varying voices appropriately for their characters’ more anxious states. And the humor near the end, where Gyokuyou’s ladies-in-waiting all ponder how Maomao ended up the way she did given her father was a welcome respite from the very serious concerns up to that point.
The ominous music in the final scene suggests that the pretty new eunuch paying respects at a plain grave suggests more strongly that there’s something going on with him. Is he part of a bigger plot or is this a private matter? We’ll see going forward.
USA Anime 