The emperor slump onto his seat and hold his cheeks. All their marriage life together, they never hit each other and now he sees an angry wife standing before him. An angry Consort Princess glaring at him. A frighten woman and a few maids who pretend they are not looking at him with their heads down.
"You dare!"
"I dare! You have been saying crazy things the past for days. Even at mother's face you keep saying things that is impossible to hear and knowledge. I don't know what is going on in your mind but i have enough. If you got nothing good to say it's better to keep your mouth shut."
The emperor stand up and stare at his wife. With his red cheeks he walk away in anger. The empress watch the emperor and his personal eunuch running behind.
"Sometimes he is like a child that needs someone to discipline him."
"Will he..."
"He will and the Dowager will put her foot down on him."
The empress look at Lady Peng and she immediately lower her head.
"Tomorrow move back to the Royal Music Academy."
Lady Peng goes down on her knees and beg not to send her back there. Going back there is like a jail sentence to her.
"There is no other choices. Since you cause trouble in the Prince Mansion, the only way to live is return to the Royal Music Academy. If not exile. Which one will you choose Lady Peng?"
"Both are death sentences! Please i beg of you!"
The empress look at Banou. Both of them does not wish to deal with this and cause a little woman to cry and beg for mercy.
"Lady Peng... life is not always easy. I know you are still young. You still have a long life ahead of you. I will give you another chance, another choice. To die and re-live again."
Lady Peng stop tearing and look at the empress. She wipe the tears on her face.
"Let the identity of Lady Peng die and re-born as another girl."
"Another ... girl?"
"Yes, you will be a maid in some place. That new life might be very tough. You might have to clean toilet buckets. Do you want that life?"
"I do not need to serve anyone?!"
"You will not be a bed warmer any more. However there is no freedom still. You will have a master and his family and you will never step into this capital. Think about it Lady Peng. Now there is three options for you. Let me know once you make up your mind. I will give you three days to think about it."
Banou and Lady Peng travel in silence in the carriage. Banou did not want Lady Peng to cry and beg to help her. Lady Peng is staring outside. All her life, she have been living in this capital as the youngest Lady in the house. Her father the minister of revenue is charged with corruption. Her brother who was the scholar in the academy of scholars was charged with talking back behind the Royal family. The emperor decided not to decapitate them as her father had served the late emperor and was consider a royal officer at that time. Hence they are both exile together along with the male servants of the family.
While the female are round up in the residence on a dark gloomy day. Lady Peng hold on to her mother and sister tightly as the soldiers transport them to the Royal Music Academy. She watched a grandmother got sick there and soon she died in the dirty small room. Her body was wrapped up with a a straw matt and taken away. Without coffin without prayers for the dead. Her mother try her best to stay alive with her after her sister's death. Her father's friend comes by every month with a big bag of silver to ensure that both of them do not serve any other man. He did as long as he can. However her mother still eventually crumble to sickness and die. Lady Peng is left alone with her maids. One by one they die or sold off to other men and leave her lonely in the dirty room. At that time, she decided that she wants to live and escape this life. She try her best to please men who are able to buy her out but there is no one who likes her that much. Young and not that knowledgable she does not know what to do till she met the emperor who was out on a disguise.
Thinking about the past makes the young girl cry again. Banou knows that this girl desperately wants to live with dignity. Because of her young age, the choices she make or to choice is too much for her. Banou take out her handkerchief and give it to Lady Peng. She takes it with gratitude and dap her tears. She look at Banou with the sadness in her eyes.
"I am sorry if i cause you problems and stress."
Banou sigh and look outside but back to Lady Peng.
"Can you tell me, how and why my son... "
"Whenever he on a free day in the mansion, he will come by to talk to me. Usually about things like what girls like. What girl wants for a husband. He then ask me what i want. I told him, a family!."
She then burst off crying loud in the carriage. Banou cannot help to pat gently the little girl's shoulder in the carriage. Lady Peng cry as long as the carriage moves in the busy street.