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.

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?

but Maomao possessed only ruddy, freckled skin and limbs with all the elegance of withered branches.

She didn’t know what was going to happen. No one does; that’s the nature of life.

A proverb had it that only two things liked high places—idiots and smoke

Dreams are free, so have your fill

Pardon me, sir, I’ve overstepped myself. Strangulation or beheading would be equally acceptable

even the most minor innovations

When one let oneself become too attached to custom, one ceased to be capable of discovering