Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she's sold as a lowly servant to the emperor's palace. But she wasn't meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial heirs fall ill, she decides to step in and find a cure! This catches the eye of Jinshi, a handsome palace official who promotes her. Now, she's making a name for herself solving medical mysteries!
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see all options Availability data: JustWatch
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes aired
- 48
- Latest aired
- S01E48
- Total runtime
- 18h 48min
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S01E01 Maomao
October 22 · 23min find the promo
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After being kidnapped and forced to work as a servant in the rear palace, former apothecary Maomao inadvertently draws the attention of the higher ranks when she investigates what's causing the emperor's infant heirs to fall mysteriously ill.
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S01E02 Chilly Apothecary
October 22 · 23min find the promo
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Maomao tries to settle into her promotion to lady-in-waiting and food taster, but struggles to fend off both boredom and the overly-familiar Jinshi. That is, until she gets an assignment of her dreams: to concoct an aphrodisiac.
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S01E03 The Unsettling Matter of the Spirit
October 22 · 23min find the promo
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Tasked with investigating a ghostly woman dancing nightly on the palace walls, Maomao finds a sleepwalking Concubine Fuyou. But with no medicinal cure for sleepwalking, she's forced to dig deeper to find the real reason behind Fuyou's affliction.
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S01E04 The Threat
October 29 · 23min find the promo
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Under direct orders from the emperor himself, Maomao tries to care for an ailing Concubine Lihua, but finds her work impeded by Lihua's own ladies-in-waiting.
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S01E05 Covert Operations
November 5 · 23min find the promo
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A eunuch stricken by a curse comes begging for aid. Meanwhile, the rear palace buzzes with excitement as everyone prepares for the upcoming garden party, and Gyokuyou's ladies-in-waiting aren't about to let Maomao get away without dressing her up.
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S01E06 The Garden Party
November 12 · 23min find the promo
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Maomao does her best to navigate the complex social situations at the garden party, including meeting the other Upper First rank concubines. But once she settles down to do her work as a food-taster, she discovers a surprise in a bowl of soup.
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S01E07 Homecoming
November 19 · 23min find the promo
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Gaoshun goes to Maomao to get her help in resolving the events of the garden party. Later, Xiaolan explains the purpose of the hairpins Maomao was gifted, and Maomao makes a deal with Lihaku in order to finally visit home.
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S01E08 Wheat Stalks
November 26 · 23min find the promo
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Maomao's peaceful morning at home is interrupted when she's called in to investigate an apparent double suicide at one of the local brothels.
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S01E09 Suicide or Murder?
December 3 · 23min find the promo
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An older acquaintance of Jinshi's dies while drinking at a party. A servant's body turns up in a moat. Both deaths are written off as self-inflicted, but Maomao's keen observations tell her that there's more to both stories.
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S01E10 Honey
December 10 · 23min find the promo
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A tea party hosted by Lady Gyokuyou puts the politics of the rear palace at the forefront, and Maomao learns something new about Lady Lishu. His true intentions unclear, Jinshi sends Maomao to work for Lady Ah-Duo.
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S01E11 Reducing Two to One
December 17 · 23min find the promo
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Maomao confronts Fengming about the dark secret she's been hiding from her noble Lady Ah-Duo.
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S01E12 The Eunuch and the Courtesan
December 24 · 23min find the promo
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Discovering that Maomao's kidnappers were connected to Fengming's family, Jinshi is faced with a choice between keeping Maomao in the rear palace where he can be near her or releasing her from her service.
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S01E13 Serving in the Outer Court
January 7 · 23min find the promo
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To Maomao's surprise, Jinshi brings her directly to his house instead of taking her back to the rear palace, and tells her she's to work in the outer court. Not only is there much to learn, it seems there's many eyes on her as the new hire.
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S01E14 The New Pure Consort
January 14 · 23min find the promo
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Ah-Duo's replacement has arrived in the rear palace, and Maomao is assigned to give a certain lecture to all four high concubines. Later, Maomao helps Lihaku investigate a warehouse explosion.
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S01E15 Raw Fish
January 21 · 23min find the promo
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Gaoshun requests Maomao's help in solving an apparent poisoning case. Meanwhile, Jinshi deals with an unwelcome visitor who's taken to lingering in his office.
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S01E16 Lead
January 28 · 23min find the promo
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A shack, a chest of drawers, and a fishbowl are all that a talented metalworker leaves to his three sons upon his death. Maomao is assigned to investigate how these strange inheritances all fit together.
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S01E17 A Jaunt Around Town
February 4 · 23min find the promo
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Covering up Jinshi's otherworldly beauty is no easy task, but after Maomao takes the challenge head-on, she's surprised when she's also asked to don the disguise of a noblewoman and escort "Jinka" outside the palace.
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S01E18 Lakan
February 11 · 23min find the promo
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Back at home, Maomao visits an annex building at the Verdigris House that hides one of the brothel's secrets. Lakan continues to antagonize Jinshi as his connection to Maomao becomes clear.
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S01E19 Chance or Something More
February 18 · 23min find the promo
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A discussion with Lihaku about recent events leads Maomao to realize that the mysteries she's helped to solve are connected. As the final piece of the puzzle falls into place, she rushes to stop impending disaster.
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S01E20 Thornapple
February 25 · 23min find the promo
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Maomao was able to stop the assassination attempt, but was heavily injured in the process. However, the injuries aren't enough to stop her curiosity, driving her to confront the culprit behind the incident.
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S01E21 How to Buy Out a Contract
March 3 · 23min find the promo
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Back to work at the rear palace, Maomao listens to Guen talk about his family's business. Meanwhile, Lihaku hears a rumor that whips him into action.
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S01E22 Blue Roses
March 10 · 23min find the promo
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Lakan challenges Jinshi to produce blue roses to present at the upcoming garden party, forcing Jinshi to turn once again to Maomao for her help.
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S01E23 Balsam and Woodsorrel
March 17 · 23min find the promo
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No longer willing to keep running away from Lakan, Maomao decides to face off against him. She challenges him on his own turf, in a chess match.
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S01E24 Jinshi and Maomao
March 24 · 23min find the promo
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Lakan must now choose a courtesan to buy out. As a high-ranking military official, he can afford to freely choose, even from one of the Three Princesses. Who will he choose? Who does Maomao really want him to choose?
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S01E25 Maomao and Maomao
January 10 · 24min find the promo
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The spring garden party concludes without incident. Maomao returns to her regular life as Concubine Gyokuyou’s taster. Meanwhile, novels become popular in the rear palace. Maomao wonders how this came to be, as novels were typically considered low-class. But behind the scenes lies Jinshi and his goals as manager of the rear palace.
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S01E26 Caravan
January 17 · 24min find the promo
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The caravan stirs up excitement in the inner palace. The merchants bring all kinds of goods. However, something gives Maomao a bad feeling.
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S01E27 Corpse Fungus
January 24 · 24min find the promo
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A concubine passes away, and a woman goes missing. Jinshi sends Maomao to investigate - not these incidents, but mushrooms growing in the rear palace.
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S01E28 Mirror
January 31 · 24min find the promo
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The special envoy from a foreign land gifts mirrors - a rarity in this country - to the high concubines. However, they bring mysteries as well.
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S01E29 The Moon Fairy
February 7 · 24min find the promo
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In order to realize the seemingly impossible request from the foreign envoy, Maomao speaks to the “Moon Fairy” herself.
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S01E30 The Crystal Pavilion, for the Third Time
February 14 · 24min find the promo
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The woman from the clinic finds out that Maomao knows a thing or two about medicine, and asks for her help.
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S01E31 The Shrine of Choosing
February 21 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao directs her curiosity towards an old, oddly-shaped building.
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S01E32 The Empress Dowager
February 28 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao's reputation for resolving conflicts reaches the empress dowager, who will ask for her help to unravel a mystery that won't leave her mind.
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S01E33 The Late Emperor
March 7 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao's investigation of the "curse" reveals more about the late emperor than anticipated.
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S01E34 A Ghost Story
March 14 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao joins some women exchanging scary stories on a hot summer night to provide chills.
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S01E35 The Hunt
March 21 · 24min find the promo
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Jinshi goes on a hunting trip, and brings Maomao along. He seems ready to share his secret with her.
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S01E36 Ka Zuigetsu
March 28 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao discovers Jinshi's secret. She wants nothing to do with whatever the politics behind it is.
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S01E37 The Baths
April 4 · 24min find the promo
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Xiaolan's term of service is almost up, so she must find a new job. Maomao and Shisui decide to help.
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S01E38 The Dancing Ghost
April 11 · 24min find the promo
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Concubine Lishu reports sightings of a ghost in the baths in her pavilion. Maomao goes to investigate.
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S01E39 Ice
April 18 · 24min find the promo
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Xiaolan accidentally ruins an expensive block of ice. Maomao comes up with a delicious backup plan.
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S01E40 Festering Resentment
April 25 · 24min find the promo
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Luomen returns to the rear palace. His observations trigger Maomao's curiosity.
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S01E41 The Fox Village
May 2 · 24min find the promo
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Suirei smuggles Maomao and Shisui out of the rear palace. Jinshi begins to search for Maomao.
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S01E42 Lantern Plant
May 9 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao has been missing for ten days now. Jinshi's investigations lead him to a forgotten graveyard.
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S01E43 Festival
May 23 · 24min find the promo
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The village holds a festival. Maomao attends, and Shisui introduces some of the village's history to her.
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S01E44 The Stronghold
May 30 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao is taken to a mountain stronghold, where many of the secrets of the Shi clan are revealed to her.
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S01E45 Taibon
June 6 · 24min find the promo
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Maomao is accused of attempting to escape, and is tossed into an ancient method of torture and execution.
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S01E46 Royal Guard
June 13 · 24min find the promo
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The royal guard, led by Jinshi, arrives, sealing the Shi clan's fate. Maomao wants to save her friend, Shisui.
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S01E47 The Shi Clan
June 27 · 24min find the promo
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Jinshi and his forces infiltrate the stronghold, cornering the remaining Shi clan members.
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S01E48 The Beginning
July 4 · 24min find the promo
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After the war, Jinshi's work piles up and Maomao returns to the pleasure district.