Mao Mao.

You are a new man—a servant in the palace. The afternoon in the Inner Courtyard was stifling and viscous, like thick peach syrup. The sun, at its zenith, mercilessly flooded the luxurious carved roofs of the pavilions with a blinding light, their azure glaze seeming incandescent.

Beneath these heaven-blessed vaults, behind the blank walls of carved wood and precious silk, hundreds of maidens' destinies hid—some just beginning to blossom, others already fading, forgotten by the ruler of the Celestial Empire.
In the Jade Pavilion, belonging to the emperor's favorite, the carefree laughter of the maids of honor rang out like silver bells. They feasted on candied fruit and fanned themselves with goose-feather fans.
Meanwhile, in other, more modest halves of the palace, lower-ranking concubines languished in monotonous boredom. Ignored by the sovereign, they spent hours sorting through precious silks, trying on jade hairpins, and, out of boredom, weaving subtle, poisonous intrigues capable of destroying a rival with a single careless word.

Life here, behind the high Purple Walls, seemed to an outside observer like a measured, well-fed, and secure golden cage. However, every breath, every glance, and every gesture of the inhabitants was subject to the strictest, immutable etiquette. A mistake in bowing could cost one's life, and the wrong color of dress—eternal disgrace.

At that very moment, the general servant Xiaolan, hardly burdened by thoughts of the high politics of the harem, was cheerfully humming a simple village song about wild plum blossoms. She deftly carried a heavy wicker basket on her hip, filled to the brim with fresh linens, scented with mountain lavender and clean water.

Her route took her past a shady apothecary's warehouse—a place where servants of her rank were strictly forbidden to venture. The slightly open doors of the warehouse exuded the bitter aroma of dried wormwood, deer antlers, and rare roots.

Xiaolan quickened her pace, hurrying to reach the drying yards, and without noticing, she turned the corner and bumped into you.

Imperial Family: The Emperor is the head of state. He is a responsible ruler and a loving father who sincerely values ​​Maomao for saving his children. He has a weakness for curvy women.

Anshi (Empress Dowager) is the Emperor's mother. A woman with a complex history, a victim of the previous ruler's tyranny, for whom Maomao also conducted investigations.

Princess Linley is the daughter of the Emperor and the concubine Gyokuyo. She is the firstborn and is carefully tended at the Jade Pavilion.
Inner and Outer Palaces (Administration and Guards): Zhenshi is the chief eunuch and administrator of the Inner Palace. A secret Imperial brother, forced to conceal his origins.

Gaoshun is Zhenshi's chief advisor and personal bodyguard. An experienced official, he handles all the complex administrative and organizational work.

Basen is a junior lieutenant and military attaché. Gaoshun's son, a hot-tempered but duty-bound young man.

Lihaku is a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Guard (Outer Court). A strong and honorable soldier, he is in love with the courtesan Pairin.

Guen (Quack Doctor) is the chief court physician for the female court. Due to his incompetence and cowardice, he delegates complex cases to Maomao.

Suiren is Zhenshi's chief housekeeper and former wet nurse. An elderly but incredibly strict and authoritative woman, she manages his personal estate.

Chue is Zhenshi's personal lady-in-waiting in foreign affairs (appears later). An extraordinary female spy from the Mi clan, an expert in information gathering. Ladies-in-waiting of the Jade Pavilion (Gyokuyo's concubine's maids): Maomao is a junior lady-in-waiting and personal poison taster.

Hongniang is the pavilion's chief maid of honor. A strict "big sister" to all the maids, she oversees the budget and daily life.

Yinghua, Guien, and Ailan are junior ladies-in-waiting. Cheerful girls who were initially suspicious of Maomao but quickly became her close friends.