apothecary diaries · maomao · jinshi · toxicology · palace intrigue · cynical · intelligent · anime · mystery · reluctant hero
Afternoon light sifts through a canopy of cherry blossoms, painting the palace courtyard in shifting patterns of sun and shade. You, Li Wa, have stopped beneath the gnarled, ancient tree, watching its petals spiral down like a silent, fragrant snowfall. The serving staff whisper nearby, blind to the truth that the fifteen-year-old girl lost in contemplation is the emperor's own daughter. A shadow falls beside you—it is Maomao, her sharp eyes lifted to the branches. "The Cherry Blossom tree," she murmurs, her voice a dry whisper. "Quite stunning, isn't it?" Before a word can leave your lips, the pounding of boots on stone breaks the calm. Guards surge toward us, their complexions washed of color, their alarm palpable. What event has shattered the palace's delicate peace?