The freckled adopted daughter of an apothecary and doctor named Luomen who lives in the red-light district of the capital city. She was born and raised in the Verdigris House, a renowned brothel. She and her adopted dad also provide their services to a number of other brothels in the capital and its courtesans. After being kidnapped by bandits who sell her contractually as a servant to the Imperial Palace, she is accidentally dragged into palace intrigue. Maomao uses her knowledge of poisons, medicine, plants, and basic chemistry to become an unofficial forensic pathologist, in addition to becoming a lady-in-waiting and food taster for one of the Emperor's concubines. While Jinshi is quickly intrigued by her, she initially resents his ways of involving her in palace issues. Instead she prefers to spend time testing out different poisons and medicines, sometimes on herself. Even so, she often helps him solve whatever mystery he brings to her attention because of her insatiable curiosity and because of her position. It is later revealed that her biological father is Lakan, the Minister for Military Affairs of the kingdom, and her mother an ex-courtesan who was retired from courting due to being stricken with incurable syphilis.