In a distant Eastern land, an emperor's harem and handmaidens reside within the vast rear palace known as hougong. Maomao, a modest girl raised by her apothecary father in a humble town, gets unexpectedly entangled in palace affairs when she is abducted and forced into service there. Despite her unassuming appearance, Maomao possesses a keen intellect, quick wit, and profound knowledge of medicine—a well-kept secret until she crosses paths with Jinshi, the perceptive head eunuch. Jinshi unmasks Maomao's true abilities and appoints her as a lady-in-waiting to the Emperor's favored consort, tasking her with detecting poison in the lady's meals. As Maomao delves deeper into the palace's intrigues by her lady's side, she uncovers unsettling truths and unsavory practices. Will Maomao's gift for deduction and insatiable curiosity lead her to a life of tranquility or propel her into a whirlwind of perilous escapades and ever-deepening mysteries?