Fragrance Beauty Chapter 1: Imprisonment

Proofreader: Zhu Yuan

The cold wind whistled through the cracks in the wall and sounded like ghosts crying at night. A shadowy figure in the corner of the room cowered. The cell was very dark and it was hard to tell whether the shadow in the corner was a human being or something else.

Suddenly a dim light outside made the cell clearer. It turned out to be a woman in dirty clothes.

She was a young girl. Even at this time when her face was covered with blood, the outline of her face was still beautiful.

She should have been as delicate as flowers and lived carefree in her age. But at this time, her whole body was already covered with blood, and the color was so dark that it made her integrate into the night.

Her long hair was messy, like a tangle of seaweed. The thin layer of clothes was so fragmentary that it could hardly cover the bloodstained marks on her body.

She huddled in the corner and put her arms around herself. Her fingers had pieces of split scabs, like tiny mouths mercilessly mocking something.

The fine jade-like fingers that used to make perfume and blend powder were now like this.

Miss Fu, who was once admired by everyone and famous for her beauty and talents, had been reduced to this miserable situation.

Her rich and powerful family had also been descended into a pathetic condition. All the people in her family had been thrown into prison.

"Ah!" A sharp scream tore the night. The girl suddenly shook, looking at the darkness in front of her.

"Sir, sir! Forgive me! Ah…No! Our Fu family did not seek rebellion!"

The Fu family ... seek rebellion?

The girl s.h.i.+vered and listened carefully, eager to hear something more, because it was her father who screamed. Her poor father had been tortured for several days.

In the darkness came a strange laugh: "Forgive you? We are investigating the case of Jiangnan Fu family conspiring to seek rebellion to the Emperor's decree. Let alone your Fu family, even Governor Chen has been brought down. Today we are here to pry your mouth open. If you cooperate, you can live happily for a few days. If you don't… I'll let you see the penalty specially prepared by Imperial Prison."

An old, angry voice roared out: "Oh, for G.o.d's sake! We Fu family members are loyal and honest. How can we partic.i.p.ate in the rebellion? The so-called evidence is planted by someone ... Ah!"

The old voice was interrupted before the sentence was finished. Then it came a scorching smell of meat, and the voice of the old man howling in pain.

The gloomy voice once again sneered: "Old Fu, you are a minor official in our eyes. Don't you understand why you are involved in such trouble? Confess early, otherwise you will know to live is no better than to die."

"Fu family... is innocent..." The old man spoke disjointedly in a low voice.

"Hha..." The gloomy voice gave another strange laugh. Suddenly, he called: "Come on, take care of this stubborn old man! Bring up Fu's sons and nephews!"

Then the screaming in pain, begging for mercy and cursing voices filled the whole cell.

It was like h.e.l.l on earth in such a cold night.

The girl in the dark began to tremble all over. She wanted to cover her ears but couldn't block the heartrending cry. This cry was from her closest relatives, full of grievance.

In the torment, her thoughts returned to that b.l.o.o.d.y night.

That night, it was also cold and dark. She was talking and laughing around the stove with her maid Ying. The stove was warm with burning high-cla.s.s charcoal. The whole room was small but the decoration and furniture showed that it was a decent official family. On the square table, a fine furnace of incense burners was emitting aromatic smoke. The whole room was warm and fragrant, and could not be more cozy and pleasant.

Her name was Fu Lengxiang, and she was the only daughter born to Fu Bo, the perfect in Jiangnan area. Since she was a child, she had learned everything about music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and was especially fond of making perfume and powder. She was also famous for her beautiful appearance, known as "Fragrance Beauty" in her neighborhood.

Ying, the maid, was embroidering. She smiled and said, "Miss, after a year, you will be sixteen, so it is time for the Su family to bring up proposal of marriage."

Fu Lengxiang raised her head and glared at the maid: "Nonsense, I will not marry."

"Ha, Miss! You must be joking. A few days ago, you secretly adjusted the dowry. Isn't this mandarin duck brocade prepared for marriage?" Maid Ying deliberately raised her embroidery sample to mock Lengxiang.

Lengxiang's pretty face was flus.h.i.+ng and s.h.i.+mmering like the sunrise on the horizon.

Yes, she was going to marry her Su, who was a childhood sweetheart. The two families were matched by each other, and they were in love. There is no such perfect match like this in the world.

Just one thing... Her eyebrows suddenly frowned. Why there was no exchange between the two close families in the whole month?

She thought for a moment and asked, "Has Dad come back yet?"

Ying shook her head. "Master went to visit Governor Chen two days ago and said he would come back today, but there was no news."

Lengxiang's eyebrows frowned.

A feeling of uneaseness somehow rose from her heart. The female corpse case happened recently, as well as all kinds of rumors and slanders in the city, caused panic.

It happened before January. As the snow melted in early spring, the river outside the city was rus.h.i.+ng faster and faster. Peasants rushed to the fields in early spring, and when they drew water to irrigate, a female corpse with a big belly floated from the ca.n.a.l for irrigation.

The peasants were so shocked that they quickly reported the case to the officials. This matter should have been dealt with by the county magistrate. However, when the county magistrate took people to examine the corpse, he was greatly frightened and rushed to report it to Fu Bo, the prefect, who was also her father.

Fu Bo brought his people to inspect and also came back with a pale look. When family members asked him, he still kept his mouth shut.

After two days, rumors in the city suddenly exploded. Everyone in the streets and lanes knew about the case. Rumor had it that the woman's body was not decaying from day to day, her face was so fresh that she was like a living person, and she was extremely beautiful. There must be a great injustice, people guessed. Others said that this woman was pregnant. It must be a complicated story behind her.

It was just a trivial female corpse case, but it was so mysterious. This month, even her father, a high-ranking official, was restless; the police were very busy in town. Everyone in the city was upset.

Lengxiang thought that this case was really strange. There might be hidden information. Otherwise, her father would not have to go to discuss with Governor Chen these two days. Governor Chen held a high position and was a friend with the Fu family. He should know what to do...

She became more and more uneasy. Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in her finger. As soon as she bowed her head, she saw her finger bleeding.

"Miss?" Ying exclaimed, "You must be careful with the needle."

Lengxiang just wanted to smile and say she was okay. Suddenly the door was forced open. Her mother rushed in with pale face, pulling her from the chair without saying anything.

"Mom, what's the matter?" She was confused.

"Sweetie, don't ask anything, go! Just go!" Mrs. Fu almost dragged her and ran to the door.

When she just went out of the door, a cold air chilled her and made her stagger. She thought that this was the coldest day of her life.

Mrs. Fu held her hand and hurried out without looking back. Lengxiang never knew that her mother, who always moved lightly, could walk so fast.

"Mom, what's going on?" She asked hastily.

Mrs. Fu wouldn't utter a word, simply taking her hand and even running in the house. The cold wind made her face painful. Lengxiang only felt that the whole body was cold. She even complained in her heart that her mother dragged her out without giving her a coat.

However, Mrs Fu did not notice her daughter's discomfort at all. She took her to the back garden, opened the door and immediately pushed her toward the outside.

"Go! Sweetie, never come back!"

Lengxiang was pushed to the ground by her mother. She exclaimed, "No! Mom! What the h.e.l.l happened?"

Mrs. Fu's voice was hoa.r.s.e and terrible: "Go to Su's house! Let them arrange for you to leave!"

At this time, Lengxiang discovered that his mother's eyes were red. There was a faint noise in the air. She heard heavy footsteps coming from the other side of the street toward the Fu's mansion.

Mrs. Fu stood at the gate of the courtyard, with a facial expression that Lengxiang would never forget. Her mother was like a desperate mother beast, trying her last strength to protect her children.

"Go! The imperial edict is almost here. Go to Su's mansion! Since our families are friends, they will secretly arrange for you to leave here. Don't look back... The Fu family has caused great trouble and can't escape!" Mrs. Fu kept her voice low and growled with despair, "Sweetie, you must go quickly. Don't ever come back."