Suirei was talking about Vaudun zombie powder in the Caribbean. The victim is poisoned with pufferfish toxin so they look dead and are buried. Later the poisoner digs them up and uses them as slave labor when they regain consciousness. The brain damage from the toxin and lack of oxygen means they can’t talk and just stumble around doing manual labor.
Radiofree Prometheus
2025-06-21 22:02:48 +0000 UTC
The lantern plant berry when unripe is toxic. Just like Maomao was (presumably, based on her cutting off at the pleasure district part mid-sentence) going to say, it's used as an abortifacient to prevent pregnancy/trigger an abortion. Of course the ripe lantern plant fruits are also used in traditional medicine as well for other purposes, but unripe ones pretty much have only a purpose for toxins etc, like with most plants rly.
Skebaba
2025-05-27 08:29:06 +0000 UTC
My memory is a little foggy but I'm guessing Shenmei is the previous concubine that Suirei's mother (who was buried in the graveyard) worked as a lady in waiting for.