Fragrance Beauty Chapter 6: We Don't Owe Each Other

Proofreader: Prof Zhu Yuan

He was out of place here, like a wounded wolf suddenly cras.h.i.+ng into the most prosperous and extravagant place in the world.

He was lonely and proud. He disdained this place but had to stay in it.

He was like a hero caught in difficult circ.u.mstances.

Ann Brocade sighed. Seeing that there was no one around, she quietly went up to the pavilion and handed a cus.h.i.+on to him: "Use this. In winter, kneeling here will break your knees."

Without waiting for him to speak, she added, "Master, I'm really sorry that I accidentally b.u.mped into you."

The man raised his eyebrows slightly and was about to say something.

Ann Brocade smiled: "Master, you don't need to thank me for the cus.h.i.+on. I've b.u.mped into you just now, so we are even."

When she had finished speaking, she quietly left just the way she came.

The man kneeling on the ground looked at the cus.h.i.+on in his hand. He smelled a faint fragrance the girl left. This fragrance was very special, which was neither like sweet flowers nor like cold Ambergris. It was a very special composite fragrance.

The fragrance lingered. He somehow remembered her eyes, like the deep and pure lake.

What a strange maid!

However, how was it possible for a maid to obtain a fragrance that even n.o.ble people in the palace might not be able to use?

The suspicion in the man's heart made him forget his situation for a while.

"Your Royal Highness! Your Royal Highness!" It came the sound of an old eunuch.

"I didn't expect Your Royal Highness to be treated wrongly when you just entered Beijing! Get up please." The old eunuch couldn't dare to look at the kneeling man, who turned out to be The Second Prince.

The man kneeling in front of him was Xiao Yingzhen, the second prince of the emperor. Since the first queen died young and he was not loved by the emperor, he was expelled from the palace to establish his own mansion very early. If it weren't for his ident.i.ty of First Son of the Lineal Descents, he would have been expelled out of the capital and establish his fief.

However, the emperor sent him to work everywhere when he was very young. It seemed as if the emperor gave him opportunities to experience more, but actually it was because he didn't want to see this less favored son.

Over time, the whole court knew that the Second Prince was the least favored. Not only had he not been given the t.i.tle of Marquis yet, but he had even been ordered around by the emperor as a hard laborer. If he was lucky enough to deal with things well, he had no credit at all. If anything was not done well, a reprimand is unavoidable.

Just at this time, there was a flood in the Jiangnan area. Thousands of miles of land were flooded and the victims were in great distress. The governments in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces opened official granaries to help refugees, but unexpectedly, half of the grain in the granaries was replaced by inedible bran by corrupt officials.

The victims were not provided with food and were hungry for several more days, so they started smas.h.i.+ng and robbing the official granary under the instigation of some people.

The situation became more and more unmanageable, and the surrounding counties were in chaos with many casualties. The Second Prince Xiao Yingzhen took the army on a tour of the place and made a quick decision when he heard of the whole thing. He transferred three thousand soldiers to prevent the people from rebelling and arrested those who spread rumors and caused trouble. He also sent people to pa.s.s on the news to the commander-in-chief of Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, Lord Qian, and asked him to report it to the court.

However, Lord Qian's emergency report was stopped by the court officials who secretly supported the Third Prince. These people also impeached the Second Prince for acting beyond his authority. Therefore, the Second Prince Xiao Yingzhen was summoned to the palace by the Emperor as soon as he returned to Beijing. The Emperor flew into a rage and asked him to kneel here and meditate on his fault.

The old eunuch looked heartily at the kneeling prince with tears.

The old eunuch was the first queen's servant, watching Xiao Yingzhen grow up. Now the prince was just like the ordinary army man with messy beard and muddy clothes. He was supposed to lead a n.o.ble and luxurious life! Thinking of this, the old servant felt heart-struck.

"The emperor was blinded by evil people and didn't know the merit of Your Royal Highness. Chen and w.a.n.g have hurried into the palace to report to the emperor about the whole thing about disaster relief. If it weren't for Your Royal Highness to send troops, the consequence would be unimaginable. It is not the so-called charge of transferring soldiers without permission."

Xiao Ying stood up slowly with a flash of cold light in his eyes: "Has my father calmed down?"

The old eunuch nodded: "His Majesty calmed down, but ..." A complex expression appeared on his face.

Xiao Yingzhen's eyes showed sarcasm: "But there is nothing wrong with my father. It is all my fault, isn't it? In a word, even if I did the right thing, there is also the suspicion that I act beyond my authority. Uncle Fu, you don't have to explain further. I understand. I will go back to my mansion and reflect on my 'fault'. "

He turned around and left.

Fu said quickly: "Your Royal Highness, wait! There is a good thing. His Majesty has allowed Your Royal Highness to remain in the palace this year ... to wors.h.i.+p to the deceased first queen. "

Xiao Yingzhen trembled a little. Another young eunuch hurriedly said, "Your Royal Highness, please stay. There is an opportunity to kowtow to the emperor and apologize. In fact, His Majesty cherishes you in his heart. "

Xiao Yingzhen waited a long time before he said "no" coldly.

He strode away. Fu looked at his straight figure and could not help sighing. The young servant also felt helpless.

"Weird. Has anyone else also been here just now?" The young servant asked.

Fu paused: "Who has been here?"

The young servant pointed to the cus.h.i.+on on the ground: "Who gave the cus.h.i.+on to His Royal Highness? His Royal Highness will not go to find it himself, will he? "

Fu just wanted to say that maybe the second prince kneeled down for too long and hurt his knee, so he went to get it himself. But on a second thought, Xiao Yingzhen should be extremely tough. When he led troops and suppressed the rebellion, he wouldn't utter a word as a sword was cutting down on his body. How could he take a soft cus.h.i.+on just because of the small punishment?

Fu seemed to understand something: "Go to check who just entered the Imperial Garden and met His Royal Highness."

The young waitress was surprised: "Uncle Fu, why is this?"

Fu sighed, "Don't you understand? In the palace, everyone flatters The Third Prince. There are few people who can be kind to The Second Prince."

Xiao Yingzhen strode away but could not help hesitating when turning around the corner. There was a faint fragrance in the air. Knowing that perhaps it was not the maid he met in the pavilion, he somehow followed the scent.

Before he turned around the corner, he heard a group of maids talking. He glanced at that direction. It was the Medicine Hall. He was hesitating whether to go in or not when suddenly the door of the hall opened, and a group of ladies came out giggling.

He glanced at it at them, and suddenly saw Ann Brocade in the crowd.

He saw a delicate girl in plain clothes sitting quietly on her knees in front of the table. Her face was surprisingly beautiful, and facial features gave others a strange sense of peace. The rough maid clothing color couldn't cover up her fair skin.

She was bending to clean up the incense burner on the table, revealing a small piece of snow-like fair skin on her neck.

Xiao Yingzhen suddenly felt the sky was a bit dazzling today.

It seemed that there was still a faint fragrance of her in the air, and it could not be removed.

She turned out to be just a low-status maid to make perfume and incense. No wonder she had the strange fragrance. Xiao Yingzhen dispelled thoughts about her and walked away.