Opium fragrance

Author: Xi Lingxue
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: The novel follows the story of Xiaoyanhu's gratitude and revenge as its main plot, while also portraying characters with diverse personalities such as the madam of the brothel, Shisenniang, the courtesans Cuixiu, Taozhirer, and Qu Wufeng, as well as the scholar-official Pang Tiande and the merchant Cui Ziyun. It fully reflects the life conditions of high-end brothels in early 20th-century China and indirectly depicts the political and commercial background of the time, a rare achievement in contemporary Chinese literary history. This is a novel about the life conditions of high-end brothels in early 20th-century China. The female protagonist, Xiaoyanhu, is the daughter of a warlord general. After her father is killed in battle and her mother commits suicide, she bears a deep-seated grudge and flees into exile under a false name. To repay a debt of gratitude, she sells herself into servitude to serve the family of her savior, General Shu. To exact revenge, she steals a knife, leaves a note, enters a brothel as a courtesan, and kills her father's murderer, the warlord general, on her wedding night.