Tale of Saiunkoku – ep 12

Shuurei: You must have snucked off to the brothel together with General Ran and Master Kouyuu to have some fun right??
Ryuuki: You misunderstand Shuurei… I can do these kind of things back at the palace without coming here!
Shuurei: =_=”

It’s humour like this that makes the series so enjoyable.

So i was wrong the last episodes. Imperial exams arn’t over yet. Just the qualifying round. But Shuurei qualifies! A new boy makes an entrance as well, obviously arriving in town to take the final imperial exam too. Ryuuki too mentions about how many people are arriving, and is depending on Shuuei and Kouyuu.

We see Shuurei working in a brothel as an accountant. (surprise! after 12 episodes than they tell us this) Her childhood friend is there as well, trying to drop hints about marrying him, except that Shuurei rejects him utterly. Shuurei is further saved from harassment when Kouchou the prettiest lady arrives and scares the boy away. Kouchou recounts how Shuurei first came to ask for work in a brothel, yet asked to be let home early to prepare dinner. Kouchou insists that Shuurei come look for Kouchou on her last day of work.

The boy from the start makes his appearance, surprised to find himself waking up at the brothel. Seems like some guy found him bashed up and deposited him at the brothel. He wants to return the money that the guy paid, but finds that he has been robbed too! Except he can’t remember a thing! Unwilling to stay further and spend all the money, but with no money to go anywhere, he accepts Shuurei’s offer to stay at her house. Well, he seems very good with maths, just seems a little absent minded.

Midway, they meet Seiran, who brings them to a restaurant for a celebration of Shuurei passing the qualifiers. There, they meet a bunch of guys who were criticising the idea of a women taking the imperial exams. They are quickly pwned by Shouka’s assassin skills. Suddenly, the boy Eigetsu realises that his imperial exam pass is missing, and panics and runs out wanting to get it back.

Outside, Eigetsu runs into the bunch of gang of blue ribbon, who apparently are trying to take over the city, and had apparently robbed him of his pass. Shuurei intercepts and drags Eigetsu to run away. Shuurei deals a groin blow to one of their pursuers, before meeting Seiran, who decides that the brothel would be the best place to go.

Elsewhere, the gang leader reveals his plan of blackmailing all the people they stole the imperial exam passes from.Of course they are going to go after Eigetsu at the brothel, who somehow apparently stole money from them. Except Eigetsu doesn’t remember a thing.

At the brothel, Shuurei and gang meets up with Shuuei and gang, who were there to visit Eigetsu. And there.. ryuuki discovers that there are things he shouldn’t quite say.

Thoughts

the level of humour was lovely.

This episode introduces the happenings in the city outside the imperial palace, and also brings out a lot of information. (like Shuurei working at the brothel) I can’t wait to find out exactly what happened to Eigetsu. There’s obviously something deep about Eigetsu