Maomao stands relatively short with a petite frame, bright blue eyes, and dark forest green hair typically tied up by a light blue ribbon. Two strands frame her face, each adorned with two beads: red on top and sky blue below. A bandage covers self-inflicted scars on her left forearm from testing remedies and poisons. She usually wears a practical aoqun hanfu: a light green top, burgundy skirt, white inner robe, and dark green flats. She frequently paints temporary freckles around her nose bridge using clay or needle tattoos and avoids elaborate outfits or makeup unless required. When dressed as a noble or courtesan without these freckles, her appearance changes dramatically, often making her unrecognizable. Her personality is pragmatic and detached, shaped by her red-light district upbringing. She prioritizes survival, adapting to her environment and remaining largely unaffected by others' charm, including Jinshi's. She acknowledges harsh realities like near-assault or kidnapping as potential consequences of her low status. Maomao maintains emotional distance, forming few close attachments—primarily to her adoptive father Luomen and the "Three Princesses" of the Verdigris House. A strong sense of self-preservation leads her to withhold sensitive knowledge, such as Jinshi's true parentage, fearing repercussions. Despite her aloofness, Maomao possesses intense curiosity and an undercurrent of empathy and justice. She intervenes against injustices, like exposing the lead poisoning of consort Lihua's children or stopping consort Lishu's harassment. Her brothel upbringing fostered a skewed view of relationships; she witnessed courtesans discarded after losing value and her mother Fengxian's descent into syphilis after abandonment by her father, Lakan. Fengxian's trauma included violent outbursts toward Maomao, severing her pinky finger. These experiences solidified Maomao's belief that love is foolish and dangerous, causing her to reject romantic advances, particularly Jinshi's. Over time, she develops limited emotional connections but remains wary of vulnerability. Her expertise in medicine and poisons comes from apprenticeship under Luomen. She excels in pharmacology, creating remedies like cold treatments or anti-chapping ointments, and studies Western medical texts, including surgical techniques. A lifetime of self-experimentation with toxins granted her mithridatic resistance to poisons, alcohol, and venoms, though she retains a buckwheat allergy. This immunity allows her to serve as a poison taster. Her interests extend to venomous animals like snakes and spiders for medicinal properties, and she enjoys consuming poisons. Her medical knowledge intersects with cooking skills, seen in preparing dishes like chocolate bread, grilled mushrooms, or ice cream. Born to courtesan Fengxian and military official Lakan, Maomao was raised in the Verdigris House brothel. Nursed by courtesan Pairin and adopted by her grand-uncle Luomen, her early life included an attempted assault in the red-light district and later kidnapping into palace servitude. After solving the mystery of the imperial infants' illnesses, she became a lady-in-waiting and poison taster for consort Gyokuyou. Temporary expulsion occurred when her kidnappers' crimes were exposed, forcing her into part-time courtesan work before Jinshi facilitated her return. Maomao employs her observational skills and medical knowledge to navigate palace intrigues, often at Jinshi's behest. She deduces causes of illnesses or deaths, identifying poisoned cosmetics or food allergens. Her strategies include manipulating situations, like challenging Lakan to a chess game to secure her mother's freedom. Key discoveries include uncovering Jinshi's non-eunuch status during an assassination attempt and later learning of his royal lineage. Her narration is unreliable, colored by trauma and self-preservation, obscuring others' intentions—such as Lakan's tragic backstory—until pivotal revelations. Her relationships evolve slowly: she tolerates Jinshi despite resenting his manipulations, acknowledges kinship with Luomen, and maintains transactional ties with brothel figures like the "Madam." Encounters with Fengxian and Lakan force confrontations with her past, though she initially rejects Lakan. Interactions with consorts like Gyokuyou and Lihua show mutual respect, yet Maomao avoids leveraging their favor unnecessarily. Her defensive mechanisms begin softening through repeated collaborations with palace figures, though she remains cautious about emotional entanglements.