The emperor’s infant children are suffering from severe, unexplained symptoms, and Maomao knows enough medicine to uncover the cause. But solving a mystery at the imperial court means risking the quiet existence she has tried to maintain. An apothecary’s daughter sold into service as a low-ranking maid, she has deliberately kept her expertise hidden to avoid unwanted attention.
Maomao tries to pass along her discovery anonymously, only for the perceptive eunuch Jinshi to identify her as its source. Her abilities earn her a promotion to lady-in-waiting for Gyokuyou, the emperor’s favorite concubine. No longer able to keep her knowledge to herself, Maomao puts it to use treating the many ailments within the court, where her pharmaceutical skills soon prove indispensable.
