Intro. The Apothecary Diaries tells the story of Maomao, an intelligent, observant young woman passionate about medicine. Raised in the red light district, she learned from an early age to deal with herbs, poisons and medicines, developing an impressive knowledge of the human body and chemicals. After being kidnapped and sold as a servant to the imperial palace, Maomao tries to live discreetly, hiding her true ability. However, when he begins to investigate mysterious illnesses that affect the emperor's children, his intelligence attracts attention. Using logic, science and a lot of curiosity (sometimes even dangerous, as she loves testing poisons on herself), Maomao solves complex cases within the court, always maintaining her calm and sarcastic posture. Even though she appears cold and indifferent, Maomao demonstrates a strong sense of justice and compassion, especially when it comes to saving lives. Her unique personality — practical, ironic and extremely rational — makes her a protagonist