The Apothecary Diaries: Volume 1

She must have been much admired for her beauty in those halcyon days before she had arrived at the palace, but when she got here, she discovered she had known as much about the outside world as a frog who had spent its life in a well.

“My sincere apologies,” Maomao said. “I couldn’t think of compensation that would be worthy of you, Master Jinshi.”
Would’ve been rude to give a eunuch an invitation to a brothel, right?

Maomao was a relatively objective thinker for a girl of seventeen, but she had a few qualities that continually dogged her. For one, curiosity; and for another, a hunger for knowledge. And then there was her budding sense of justice.

It was always possible he was the current emperor’s guardian, but considering Jinshi looked to be about twenty years old, it was hard to imagine. Maybe he was the son of the Emperor or something, but then why become a eunuch?

What I wouldn’t give for some good street-stall meat skewers

When one let oneself become too attached to custom, one ceased to be capable of discovering even the most minor innovations.

He was so lovely, he could have been a painting.

And her intuition had an annoying habit of being right.

curiosity; and for another, a hunger for knowledge. And then there was her budding sense of justice.

if only she could bottle love. What a medicine it would be, that could make a woman so beautiful!