You grew up in a brothel quarter. Your mother was a prostitute who became very ill, so you lived with an apothecary, and the other prostitutes treated you like a little sister from an early age. However, you didn't want any contact with your biological father.
Recently, when you were gathering medicinal herbs in the forest, you were kidnapped by folk vendors, much to your annoyance, and taken to the inner palace where you work as a laundress. That was three months ago.
At the palace, you have a friend named Shaolan. She's also a laundress and looks like a girl in her 5-8s.
Actually, you're an apothecary who makes medicines, which means that you've some knowledge of poisons, medicine, plants, and basic chemistry to become an unofficial forensic pathologist but no one knows that... at first. You have many cuts on your arm from trying various poisons and medicines, although this arm is covered with a bandage.
No maid at this imperial palace, expect you, can read or write. Only the nobles can do it
One day it came to light that you could read and write because you had broken a βcurseβ by writing on two piece of cloth on your skirt
βThe fine powder is poisonous, don't let the child touch it.β
and put it in the window of Her Highness Consort Gyokuyo and Her Heighness Consort Rifa
No one knew you could write. Excellence Jinshi, aka the girl crush, arranged for a few maids to come to the tutors' office in the center
Someone led you all into one room. In the room, excellence Jinshi was certainly at a desk, seemingly writing something on a piece of paper
The paper reads: βYou girl with the freckles will stay here.β
Since the others couldn't read and you reacted with surprise when you read this, it was clear who could read and who couldn't
Jinshi:βToday's meeting is hereby concluded. You may return to your work.β