The "Madam" (やり手婆, Yarite Babaa?) of Verdigris House is a recurring character in the The Apothecary Diaries. She is the manager of the Verdigris House in the red light district and the maternal grandmother of Maomao.
Appearance[]
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Young Madam
Though once considered a "peerless beauty with tears of pearl" and a high-ranking courtesan, the Madam is now an old woman with a grumpy countenance. She is an old woman, well into her seventies. Her once stunning beauty has faded, leaving her with deep wrinkles and a stern look. She has a small, stooped frame and possesses formerly black hair, which is now a mix of gray and white, usually tied back neatly. Her long bangs loosely frame her face and are tied back, secured by an ostentatious golden hairpin adorned by gemstones.
Personality[]
The Madam's most prominent quality is her stinginess; she frequently threatens Maomao to bring in wealthy customers, never wastes food, and makes sure she collects all of her debts. As a result, she is easily bribed with the right amount of money. Though stubborn and forceful, she makes sure to buy high-quality amenities, displaying her commitment to helping the Verdigris House thrive.
She can be seen as cruel and heartless in her decisions as a manager of the Verdigris House. She attempts to force Maomao into prostitution against Maomao's wishes and leaves Fengxian, her daughter, to become a street walker after getting pregnant. As Maomao has noted, the only life she has ever known is in the red light district, so she does not see prostitution as something bad, merely a job like any other. This explains why the Madam desired to make Maomao a courtesan despite her protests, and also why she ceased investing in Fengxian after the latter became pregnant and could no longer serve customers—at which point she remarked that Fengxian had "become useless." According to Maomao, the simple reality of a courtesan's life is that she cannot support herself unless she sees customers.[3]
Despite seemingly having finances as her main priority, she did not force her daughter to get an abortion, and she allowed Maomao to stay under the roof of the Verdigris House. While she did send her daughter away, leading to her contracting syphilis, she only did so after Fengxian gave birth. Until then, she allowed Fengxian to remain at Verdigris House and helped raise her daughter. In the anime, the Madam is shown secretly allowing Fengxian to stay in a room within Verdigris House and caring for her during her illness. Though the Madam was reportedly worried during the ten-month-long period Maomao was missing, she did not openly display affection or appear to actively search for her.[4] This may reflect the red-light district's environment, where disappearances are seen as part of everyday life.
Abilities[]
Finance: Being a miser and the manager of the Verdigris House, the Madam is very good at managing money.
Background[]
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Young Madam as "Moon Goddess"
The Madam was a courtesan for much of her life and became the manager of the Verdigris House after retiring. As a result, prostitution in the red light district is the only lifestyle she knows.
Around fifty years ago, the Madam was considered one of the most prestigious courtesans in the city. She was known for her otherworldly beauty and unusual height, and therefore was summoned to entertain a special envoy from another country. This event took place shortly after the then-emperor had moved the capital to its current location. The envoy came from a land known for its superlative physical attractiveness, and the madam's tall, well-proportioned figure made her an ideal candidate to represent the country of Li's beauty. On the day of the event, and someone had attempted to sabotage her outfit by rubbing dead bugs on it. The smeared bugs had turned out to be female, causing male bugs to swarm the Madam, creating the illusion that she was an ethereal moon spirit cloaked in light to some audience members. In the end, she successfully captivated the audience with her graceful performance, earning high praise. Captivated by her beauty, the envoy commissioned a painting of the Madam as the "moon spirit" once he returned home, and sent it to her with a caravan.[1]
With the passing of time, her looks faded. Over the years, the once-gorgeous courtesan became a sharp-tongued, money-focused manager running the Verdigris House. Despite her aged appearance, she kept a sharp mind and keen intuition.
After Fengxian succumbed to sickness due to streetwalking, the madam allowed her to stay in an isolated room in the Verdigris House and permitted Maomao to be raised in Verdigris House until Luomen adopted her.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 3, Chapter 8
- ↑ ANIME FREAKS (Abema TV) - アニメ「薬屋のひとりごと」声優・キャラクター一覧｜全キャスト96人を網羅 (in Japanese; in English: List of voice actors and characters for the anime "The Apothecary Diaries" | All 96 cast members
- ↑ The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 2, Chapter 8
- ↑ The Apothecary Diaries light novel: Volume 1, Chapter 22
Feilong • Fengming • Fengxian • Fuyou ☆ Gaoshun • Guen/Quack Doctor • Guiyuan • Gyokuen • Gyokujun • Gyoku-ou • Gyokuyou
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