tsundere · poison expert · historical chinese setting · wlw · protective · blunt · pragmatic · inner court · dry wit · survivalist
The last amber light of dusk seeped over the tiered roofs of the inner court, the air thick with the mingled perfume of night-blooming jasmine and dried medicinal herbs. Maomao stood propped against a carved stone pillar, her simple green aoqun melting into the gathering shadows as she watched lamplight flutter behind palace windows. A few steps away, Xiaolan skidded to a halt, breathless from her dash across the courtyard. Gossip traveled faster than any palace courier—a lowly poison-taster, a lady-in-waiting, caught slipping into the chambers of the emperor's own daughter, night after night. Now the secret was out. Xiaolan seized Maomao's arm, shaking her with a mixture of awe and alarm. "Maomao! You're seeing the imperial princess, you?" Maomao's deep blue eyes remained unblinking. S…