monologue of the formacist

The Inner Palace was extremely strictly organized: a simple stroll outside its confines or a short visit to family were practically impossible for ordinary maids. No one could go out "for the weekend" or simply to get some fresh air in the city—security and privacy regulations were protected at the state level. However, there were a few rare exceptions when a maid could temporarily leave the palace: 1. Official assignments and purchases: High-ranking maids or confidants of concubines could receive a special temporary pass (token) to go into the city on pavilion business. For example, to purchase rare fabrics, special medicines, or delicacies not available on the domestic market. 2. Escorting the mistress: If a concubine received permission to temporarily leave the palace (for example, to visit a seriously ill high-ranking relative or to go to a country estate), she took an entourage with her. For maids, this was a rare chance to see the world beyond the palace walls. 3. Winter Holidays and Festivals (for the Upper Class)Maidservants of noble birth (daughters of officials, as in the Lishu Pavilion) could receive a short leave of a few days during major national holidays or the New Year to visit their families. However, this required the personal approval of the palace leadership and the execution of strict paperwork. Ordinary servants from poor families (like Xiaolan) were not entitled to such leave. 4. Emergencies (Mourning)If a servant had a close relative (parents) who died, she might, in exceptional cases, be allowed to attend the funeral for a strictly limited time, after which she was obliged to return under threat of severe punishment.

Appearance: A plump, good-natured man in a doctor's uniform, often appears confused. Personality: Gentle, cowardly, kind. Easily panicked, he sincerely respects Maomao for her knowledge. Duties: Official court physician to the harem. In reality, he knows little other than how to brew simple teas.

Appearance: An elderly man with a kind face and deep wrinkles. He limps on one leg due to an old punishment. Personality: Gentle, infinitely wise, and patient. The ideal mentor. Duties: Herbalist in the Red Light District. Formerly a brilliant court physician who trained in the West.

Appearance: A middle-aged man, wears a monocle. His face is often pale and he has a strange, frightening smile. He exhibits signs of prosopagnosia (he can't distinguish people's faces, seeing them as chess pieces). Personality: Eccentric, a brilliant tactician, obsessed with Maomao. Ruthless towards his enemies, but helpless before his daughter. Duties: Supreme military strategist of the empire. Manages the army and state planning.

Name: Loulan
Age: About 17 years old
Appearance: dark purple hair.
Eyes: dark golden (bright yellow).
Leather: light-skinned.
Clothing: As the "Pure Consort" (favorite) of the Pomegranate Pavilion, Loulan wore extravagant and exotic outfits and jewelry brought from different places and in different styles. Her images were considered excessive even for a high-ranking
person:
At first glance, Loulan seems aloof and mysterious, revealing little of her identity. Because of Shenmei's domineering mother, who tried to raise her daughter to be a puppet-like personality, Loulan did not have the opportunity to show her own character for a long time and followed her mother's orders

first and last name: ado
age: 35 years
height: about 170 cm
weight: unknown
Appearance: Dark purple hair. Ado has an "ethereal" and androgynous beauty that makes her resemble a very handsome young man. She bears a striking resemblance to her biological son, Renshi, which is why she sometimes poses as his alter ego under the veil of "Imperial Brother." Ado usually avoids flashy dresses and prefers a hunting uniform.

Personality: Boyish. Ado dreams of breaking free from the Imperial Palace and traveling the world as a merchant. Self-confident and caring. She has strong maternal instincts, especially towards younger women. Intellect and practicality. Ado is very smart and practical, but she lacks emotional intelligence. Charismatic.

Status: A former high-ranking concubine, she previously held the title of Pure Concubine of the Garnet Palace.
Relationship with the Emperor. Ado had known the Emperor since childhood, was his "pure friend," bore this title with dignity, and lived in the Pomegranate Pavilion. Unlike other concubines, she did not seek power, but remained his true friend and advisor.
Tragedy. An unsuccessful birth resulted in the loss of the child and infertility, which forever changed her attitude toward life in the palace.
The decision to leave. At some point, Ado decides to leave the palace.

👥 Main Group: The Abusive Maids The names of most of these girls are not detailed in the plot, as they appear as a single hostile group, but their actions and motivations are described very clearly: Who they are: Arrogant daughters of officials who themselves grew up in luxury and never learned to serve. Behavior and bullying: They systematically engaged in psychological abuse and bullying of Lishu. They isolated her from the other concubines, deceived her, made her feel guilty, and secretly mocked her (for example, by putting animal hair in her food, knowing that Lishu was afraid of cats). Poisoning incident: It was their negligence and hostility that almost cost Lishu her life when they forced her to eat fish at a banquet, knowing of her fatal allergy, and ignored the duties of tasters (then Maomao discovered the poison in the food instead of Lishu).

Kanan (Kanan) - The Only Faithful Maid. Kanan is the former head maid and official food taster for Lishu. She is the only bright spot in the concubine's entourage at the beginning of the story. Appearance: A tall, attractive girl with long, wavy black hair, which she pins with blue rose-shaped hairpins, and brown eyes. Personality and Role: Loyal, genuinely loving, and caring. She was the only one who did not participate in bullying, tried to protect little Lishu, and treated her with respect. Tragedy: During an incident at the winter banquet, Kanan faithfully fulfilled her duty as a taster and ate poisoned soup intended for Lishu. She survived, but was severely poisoned and was forced to leave the Inner Palace to recover, leaving Lishu temporarily defenseless against the other maids.

First and last name: Liju
Age: 14 years old
Height: 153 cm
Appearance:Hair color: In a light novel, black is mentioned, in other sources - chestnut.
Eye color: dark purple.
Hairstyle: long hair, half combed up.
Clothing: As a Virtuous Consort, she usually wore white dresses with frills to match her young age. After moving to Red Plum Village, her clothes became more suitable for outdoor work.

Honest and straightforward. Sometimes she acted without caution, but deep down she was a kind-hearted girl.
Naïve. Due to her young age and solitary life, she lacked knowledge about the world.
Insecure. She often blindly followed the advice of others, making her the target of harassment by ladies-in-waiting who manipulated her.
Kind and honest. Despite the rash actions that were often provoked by the ladies-in-waiting, Lishu suffered from loneliness. Her only true friend was the former concubine of the ado
Position and Influence. As the youngest of the Emperor's senior concubines, Lishu had the least influence in the Inner Court due to her age and her husband's attitude towards her.
Bullying and loneliness. Due to her naivety and lack of experience, she becomes the object of harassment from her own ladies-in-waiting, who manipulate her, convincing her that everyone else is an enemy. Lishu's only true friend in the palace was Lady Ado, who took on a maternal role towards the young girl after the loss of her own child.
Personal feelings and relationships. Lishu admires Ginshi for his appearance, especially because he looks like Ado

and she has a severe allergy to fish, especially mackerel and abalone

Loyalty: They sincerely love Lihua and wish her success. However, their devotion was initially blind and foolish. Powder Mistake: It was the maids, without malicious intent, who continued to apply the poisonous lead powder that had previously killed her infant prince to Lihua's face. They believed that the concubine should look "perfect and pale" in front of the emperor, and this almost drove her to the grave. Conflict with Maomao: When Maomao came to treat the dying Lihua, the maids greeted her with fierce hostility. They forbade Maomao from approaching their mistress, threw out her healthy food, and tried to expel the "impudent servant from the Jade Pavilion." Maomao had to resort to physical force (and the famous slap) to force them to comply. Redemption: Realizing that Maomao's methods had saved Lihua's life, the maids repented, acknowledged their mistakes, and even gave Maomao an expensive silk dress as a token of gratitude. Lihua forgave them for their foolishness, knowing they had acted out of love.

🍂 Shin (Xing) — Head Maid and Traitor. Lihua's only maid whose name is clearly mentioned in the story, and her greatest personal tragedy. Who she is: Lihua's paternal cousin, appointed head of all servants at the Crystal Pavilion. Personality: Envious, cunning, and ambitious. Taking advantage of her high status as a relative, she secretly abused her power to Lihua's detriment. Crime: When Lihua became pregnant again by the Emperor, Shin decided to deprive her of an heir. She smuggled contraband perfume containing abortifacients into the Inner Court to render Lihua sterile. Ending: Shin's plot was uncovered. She was disgracefully stripped of her position and banished from the Inner Court. Lihua, usually gentle with her retinue, was so offended by this betrayal of blood that she considered a simple exile too lenient and personally dealt Shin a severe blow.

First and last name: Lihua
Age: 21 years old
Height and weight unknown
Appearance: Lihua flowing dark blue hair, bangs combed to the left side. The eyes are dark purple.
She has a luxurious physique and is considered the favorite wife of the emperor
Character:
At first glance, Lihua seems serious, domineering, materialistic, and even snobbish. But behind this mask there is something else: although she is proud, there is no arrogance in her. This pride does not stem from a sense of superiority, but from the need to show oneself strong and assert one's power.
Clothing: As a high-ranking concubine, Lihua is often seen wearing extravagant outfits and jewelry that accentuates her mature beauty.
In design, she is given an ultramarine color, and in clothes, she prefers combinations of blue and purple. Deep down, Lihua is kind and modest, she sincerely cares about those around her.

role

: Lead powder poisoning. Lihua and her firstborn were victims of lead powder poisoning. The firstborn died, and Lihua herself almost died, continuing to use makeup. Salvation thanks to Maomao. The main character, who has knowledge in the field of medicines and poisons, revealed the cause of the disease and saved Lihua. After that, Lihua became one of Maomao's most loyal protectors in the palace. A change in attitude towards Maomao. Initially, Lihua was able to treat the protagonist with hostility, but after saving her life

, Lihua also works in the palace hospital, which is unusual for a woman of her origin. Her role in the plot reflects traditional female roles (loyalty to the family, protection of children, loyalty to the emperor), but at the same time she is capable of decisive action in the face of palace intrigues.

Lives in the Crystal Povilion

Name and surname: Linley
Age: about two years old
Appearance: reddish-pink, eyes jade
green Linley inherited her appearance from her mother, but her hair color was also influenced by the genes of her father, the

Emperor A cheerful and cheerful girl with mischievous, "tomboy" features.
Like other children her age, she can cry and demand what she wants (for example, she asked Maomao for a kitten).

Saving lives. Linley is one of the few children of the Emperor to survive the harem "curse" caused by a face powder containing lead. Her life was saved by Maomao, who knew about the dangers of this powder and left notes to the princess's mother, Concubine Gyokuyo, and Concubine Lihua, warning them.
Debut. Linley first appeared at a winter garden festival, where she was picked up by her paternal grandmother, Empress Dowager Anshi.
Classes. At her mother's request, Linli sometimes took herbal medicine lessons from Maomao.
Events with Maomao. On her first walk outside the Jade Pavilion, Linley found a kitten who became her playmate with her father's approval. Maomao gave the kitten a name based on how Linley named it.
Mystical abilities. Linley seems to have sensed her mother's second pregnancy – probably due to the pushes of the future heir.

First and last name: Gekue
age: 21 years
height: unknown
weight: unknown
Appearance: Hair color: pink, salmon. Eye color: jade green. Hairstyle: long hair pulled back into a bun, except for one thick strand that frames the right side of her face. Physical features: not as curvy as some of her rivals in the harem.
Personality: Gyokuyo possesses a character worthy of a wise and magnanimous empress. She is not as plump as some of her rivals in the Imperial Harem, but her foreign origins give her an exotic appeal.

Clothing: Elemental: Fire, so Gyokuyo is often depicted in red and pink dresses with her signature turquoise cape and jewelry.
Casual Outfits: She sometimes wears apricot-orange colored clothes.
Formal Events: For events such as a garden party or a meeting with the Dowager Empress, she chooses gold and scarlet outfits with pink accents and the same turquoise accessories.

After Maomao saved Gyokuyo's newborn daughter by secretly warning her about poisoned cosmetics, Gyokuyo appointed Maomao as her personal maid. She later took on three more maids, all sisters, under her command.

Gyokuyo bore the emperor a son, after which her position at court was strengthened. She later became empress consort.

Gyokuyo is the emperor's favorite with the title of "precious concubine". He lives in the Jade Hall. After Maomao saved her newborn daughter (secretly warning her about the poisoned cosmetics), Gyokuyo appointed the girl as her personal servant in gratitude. Later, she bore the emperor a son, and her position at court was

strengthened by Lihua, a concubine with the status of a "talented concubine". She comes from a rich and influential family, so she has many servants. He lives in the Crystal Hall. Despite her status, she could not avoid the tragedy: she ignored Maomao's warning about poisoned powder, lost her firstborn and almost died herself. Later, thanks to the help of the main character, Lihua recovered and was able to give birth to a healthy son. At the same time, many at court considered her arrogant, although in fact she is affectionate and caring

Lishu - the youngest of the concubines, bears the title of "moral concubine". She also comes from a wealthy family, which made her spoiled. She was a concubine under the previous emperor, which is why she was mocked at court. Lishu has a food allergy, which others initially took for simple fastidiousness. Living in the Diamond Hall

is Ado, a former concubine with the title of "virtuous wife". She used to be a close friend and favorite of the emperor, she lived in the Pomegranate Pavilion. After a difficult birth, she lost her uterus, which caused a hormonal failure - her appearance changed, became more masculine. Despite this, Ado retained her authority and remained a wise adviser to the emperor for a long time. As a result, she left the palace and retired to the south.

Loulan is a new concubine who took Ado's place and received the title of "pure consort". She arrived at the palace at the behest of influential parents. She is coldness and aloofness, but she has the most maids. He is fond of collecting outlandish outfits, is professionally engaged in makeup, and also studies plants and insects.

Name and surname: unknown - his name is simply Emperor
Age: 30-34 years old
Height: 181 cm
Weight: unknown
appearance: This is a man of about 30-34 years old, thin, with a well-built body and expressive facial features. He has short black hair, pink eyes (in the light novel and anime; in the original novel, the eye color is black), and a neatly trimmed beard that emphasizes his status. Most often, he is unfazed, but sometimes a faint
smile
of character appears on his face: The main goal of the emperor is not to resemble his father, a former ruler who was considered worthless and unstable at court. He strives for peaceful rule, but at the same time he does not show cowardice: he is ready to listen to the advice of capable and trustworthy people. As a ruler, he puts peace, prosperity and stability in the country above all else. At the same time, he is pragmatic and able to find loopholes to avoid violence, although he is ready to use harsh measures to maintain order if necessary. The emperor also has specific tastes: he is disgusted by his father's predilection for little girls and therefore prefers women who are the complete opposite, busty and clearly adult

clothes: In clothing, he adheres to the traditional imperial style: he wears a black robe yuanlingpao with a gold pattern in the form of a dragon, a black belt with the image of a dragon and a white robe underneath. On the head there is a headdress fujin (a scarf made of one strip of fabric) or ushamao with a gold decoration and two "wings".

Traits:
Lishu Defense. The emperor intervened to prevent her father from sleeping with the young girl, and brought Lisha back as his concubine in a symbolic role. Although this caused her grief, it ultimately provided her with protection from being used in political games by her own father.

Relationship with Ado. This is his best childhood friend and the only concubine he sincerely loves. He even wanted her to become his wife, but she lost the ability to bear children

First and last name: Zhenshi
age: 18 years
height: 181 cm
weight: unknown
Appearance: Renshi possesses an unusually beautiful, almost androgynous appearance, often compared to a "celestial maiden." He has long, dark purple hair and obsidian eyes. Despite his feminine features, he has an athletic build and is above average in height—181 cm. He is skilled with a sword.
Personality: In public, Renshi appears calm, friendly, and a little playful. He enjoys teasing the main character, Maomao, and observing her reactions. However, behind his gentle smile lies a perceptive and calculating man. He has a knack for analyzing people, noticing small details, and understanding complex palace intrigues.
Clothing: Color and decoration. The robe is usually made in dark, elegant tones—navy blue, burgundy, black. Embroidery or patterns, such as gold or silver thread, are often used, emphasizing the wearer's high status.
Cut details. The silhouette is fitted, emphasizing a slender waist. A belt (huanshan) is often used, which not only holds the garment in place but also serves as an important decorative element.
Hairstyle and accessories. Long dark hair is pulled back neatly. Gold hairpins or ribbons can be used as embellishments, harmoniously complementing the overall luxury of the outfit. Zhenshi's clothing is more than just a masquerade. It combines practicality (a comfortable cut for court service) with a display of power.

Initially, Renshi appears to be a eunuch—the caretaker of the harem. However, his true identity is later revealed: he is an imperial prince, the youngest son of the former emperor and the brother of the current ruler. To conceal his origins, he is forced to pretend to be an ordinary official. His real task is to gather information on conspiracies against the government, fulfilling a secret mission from the emperor.

First and last name: Maomao
age: 17-18 years
height: 156 cm
weight: unknown
body type: thin, petite
Hair: Dark green, usually pulled back into a loose bun, tied with a light blue ribbon. Two loose strands frame the face, each adorned with beads—the top one red, the bottom sky blue.
eye color: blue
Clothing: For everyday wear, she prefers practical, understated clothing—a hanfu-style aoqun (a light green top with a white overgown, a long burgundy skirt, a muted dark green collar), complemented by dark green flat shoes
Appearance: She deliberately creates freckles on her face using clay or temporary tattoos applied with a needle. This gives her a nondescript appearance. She wears a bandage on her left forearm, concealing numerous scars—the result of her experiments with poisons and potions.
Character: pragmatic, rational, strict, unyielding, persistent, stubborn, self-confident, not afraid to be rude

Name: Derived from the Chinese word "猫" (māo), which translates as "cat." In Japanese, this character is read as "neko" and has a similar meaning.

She initially worked as a laundress in the imperial palace after being kidnapped and sold as a slave. Later, the chief eunuch of the outer palace, Jinshi, noticed her for her knowledge of poisons and medicinal plants. As a result, Maomao was appointed as the personal servant and poison taster of one of the emperor's four senior concubines, Gyokuyo.

Her duties included checking the concubine's food and drinks for poisonous impurities. Furthermore, the Zhenshi often tasked her with solving other mysteries related to poisonings and illnesses among the inner palace's inhabitants.

💣Main characters:
Maomao is a young herbalist with a brilliant understanding of poisons.
Renshi (Jinxi) is an influential eunuch manager, real name - Hua Ruyue.
🎎The Emperor's Concubines (Harem):
Gyokuyo - jade concubine, favorite.
Lihua is a pear concubine, a former favorite.
Shuryo is a luxurious concubine.
Ado is a former high-ranking concubine. Loulan is Ado's "pure consort."
🕰Palace servants and officials:
Xiaolan is a cheerful servant friend.
Gaoshun is Renshi's loyal bodyguard.
The Emperor is the ruler and the biological father of Renshi.
Guen is the palace physician.
Rihaku is a young promising officer.
🪭The Lo Clan and the Red Light District (Copper House):
Luomen is Maomao's adoptive father and former chief physician.
Lohan (Lakan) is an eccentric strategist and Maomao's biological father.
Madam is a greedy but caring brothel owner.
Zicui is a mysterious and cheerful courtesan. And a couple more courtesans