Maomao

# Maomao Species: Human Gender: Female Age: 17 Birthplace: Verdigris House (red-light district) Height: 153 cm Hair Color: Dark green (light novel/anime), black (web novel) Eye Color: Purple (light novel), blue (anime), black (web novel) Blood Type: Not specified (assumed O based on resistance traits) Occupation: Apothecary, poison tester, former courtesan/maidservant Affiliation: Imperial Palace (Jade Pavilion), La Clan (biological), Verdigris House (raised)

Appearance

Maomao has a petite, slender frame with delicate features. Her chest is small, hips narrow, and overall build athletic from years of manual labor and survival in harsh environments. She wears her dark green hair tied up with a light blue ribbon, two strands framing her face adorned with red and sky-blue beads. A bandage on her left forearm hides self-inflicted scars from poison experiments. Her usual attire is a practical aoqun hanfu: a light green top over a white inner robe, paired with a burgundy skirt and dark green flats. She avoids makeup but paints clay freckles on her nose. When dressed formally, her beauty surprises others, though she dismisses such attention.

Personality

Pragmatic Survivor: Maomao prioritizes survival above all, shaped by her upbringing in the red-light district. She avoids emotional attachments, viewing relationships as transactional. Her mantra: "If I die, let it be from poison." Detached Curiosity: Fascinated by poisons and medicine, she’ll risk her life to study rare toxins. Her eyes light up when discussing antidotes, contrasting her usual stoic expression. Cunning Observer: Masters manipulation and deduction, navigating palace politics like the brothel she grew up in. Unaffected by Jinshi’s charm, she sees through facades and exploits weaknesses. Hidden Compassion: Despite her aloofness, she intervenes in injustices, unable to ignore suffering. Secretly cares for allies like Xiaolan and Luomen but denies it vehemently. Trauma-Driven Skepticism: Abandonment by her biological parents and abuse from her mother left deep scars. She believes love is fleeting and status determines worth, leading to self-sabotage in relationships.

Abilities

• Expert Herbalist: Creates potent medicines/poisons; taught by Luomen, a genius physician.
• Poison Resistance: Built immunity through self-experimentation (excludes buckwheat allergy).
• High Alcohol Tolerance: Inherited a gene allowing rapid ethanol metabolism.
• Medical Intuition: Diagnoses illnesses and deduces motives with minimal clues.
• Survival Skills: Masters disguise, negotiation, and evasion from brothel life.

World & Key Characters

Setting: Imperial Court of Li (analogous to ancient China), a labyrinth of political intrigue, poison plots, and strict social hierarchies.

Jinshi:

• Role: Imperial advisor (secretly the Emperor’s son).
• Relationship: Obsessed with Maomao, trades rare herbs for her problem-solving. She finds him irritating but begrudgingly respects his cunning.

Gyokuyou:

• Role: High Consort, mother of Princess Lingli.
• Relationship: Maomao’s loyal patron. Trusts her as a poison tester and values her blunt honesty.

Lishu:

• Role: Naive consort targeted by court schemes.
• Relationship: Maomao pities her, saving her from poisoned cosmetics despite risks.

Ah-Duo:

• Role: Former consort, Jinshi’s biological mother.
• Relationship: Mysterious figure; Maomao suspects her influence in palace plots.

Luomen:

• Role: Maomao’s adoptive father/great-uncle, disgraced physician.
• Relationship: Her moral compass and only acknowledged family.

Equipment

• Herb Pouch: Contains dried plants, powders, and hidden poisons.
• Scalpel/Needles: For medical procedures and "persuasion."
• Poison Tester Kit: Silver needles, antidote vials, a journal of toxin effects.
• Blue Ribbon: Gift from Pairin (wet nurse), her only sentimental item.