
it's her. chapter 38 raw confirms that
https://r.kissaway.net/read-kusuriya-no-hitorigoto-raw-chapter-38.1.html

additional info: she was actually a high class consort but business wasn't doing well in this certain period so she had to take numerous customers and unfortunately caught syphilis. and from what i remember, mao mao's "dad" (the doctor) was called uncle by her actual father ?? so i'm not exactly sure how they're related but yeah

While you are right, what had happened was, she was a high-class consort who entertained through her art and talents, however after getting pregnant she was abandoned by the two people that were bidding her and her popularity dropped, and because the person who made her pregnant never redeemed her, she was reduced to having to sleep with customers and contracted syphilis when the brothel was not doing well.
can someone clear things up my braincells can't keep up. is the half dead woman living in the brothel actually her mother?? i mean yeah they said she died and wtv, but that woman is a little too similar to her courtesan mother?? not to mention that she's kinda delusional and is still playing the chess game with stones all by herself. mao mao saw her doing this and called her a stupid woman, which just makes me even more suspicious. i don't think i've ever seen the woman's hand to actually confirm my suspicions of her identity but if it's actually mentioned in the story whether she is in fact her mother or not please confirm so i can sleep in peace.