Maomao

Maomao is the apothecary protagonist of The Apothecary Diaries. Raised in the pleasure district by a physician, she is kidnapped and sold into service in the imperial rear palace, where her medical knowledge draws the attention of Jinshi.

Maomao as an apothecary in the rear palace

Curious, pragmatic, and emotionally reserved, Maomao is fascinated by poisons and rare medicines. She avoids court politics but cannot ignore a mystery when lives or medical truth are involved.

Poisons, medical deduction, and her complicated bond with Jinshi

Maomao uses pharmacology, observation, deduction, and controlled self-experimentation to solve poisonings, illnesses, and political incidents. Her relationships with Jinshi, Gaoshun, the consorts, and her biological father Lakan gradually reveal her own complicated place in the palace world.