Lady Peng's gift

Banou kick her out of the room a few times that she lock the door. Lady Peng spend the night outside and she keep calling for Li Cheng. She said she won't leave till she is allow to serve the prince. The couple in the room stay inside and pretend they did not listen to the sound outside. In the morning, Wang MoMo chase away Lady Peng and her maid. Li Cheng left the mansion after breakfast to avoid Lady Peng. While in the mansion, Banou warn her sons not to go near the far end courtyard where Lady Peng stays in. They don't understand the fuss but they obey their mother. Hence they left together with their father to the horse riding field. The twin who return from school knows that their father and older brothers who are at the horse riding field are determined to go there. Hence Banou send them there. She is left alone in the mansion while Li Xin is out to see Ajax. It can be a peaceful afternoon if not for the male servants who are making a fuss. She ask Wang MoMo to find out why are they fussing about. Wang MoMo return with a frown on her face. 

"Consort Princess, i have find out why the men servants are making noise ..."

"Say it."

"Well Lady Peng is taking a bath without a bath screen thus anyone can look in."

Banou frown and put down the book in her hands. 

"Can you arrange someone to pick up a screen for her after she finish her bath."

"Yes your highness. However the thing is that, she is claiming the weather is too hot. So she is dress less than usual. While laying on the outside couch." 

"Order those male servants not to go near that courtyard. Only deliver meals to the courtyard other than that, don't go there." 

Wang MoMo bow and leave Banou to read in peace. However the short lived peacefulness is disrupted by Lady Peng again. She comes into the open library with her scandalous outfit. Her outer gown is transparent and in a shade of red. Inside, anyone can see that she is wearing a skin color Hezi with embroidery designs of mandarin ducks on it. While she have a skirt on. She bow to Banou along with her maid. 

"Say Lady Peng."

She kneel down with her maid. Banou knows what she is going to say. 

"Lady Peng, i know what you are going to say. My answer is still the same."

"Then Consort Princess, you are sending me to my death!"

"Please don't say that i am asking you to die..."

"You are! The emperor say that if i don't sleep with him, i don't deserve to live!"

Banou gets up and arrange her dress. She look at lady Peng who kneel down with her head on the floor. 

"Lady Peng, if i help you to live, will you stop this nonsenses!"

"Lady Peng will listen to your instructions if you are able to let me live."

"Raise your head."

Lady Peng raise her head with her tears rolling down. Banou is not sure if she is sincere or acting now. 

"Consort Princess, the emperor controls everyone's life in his realm. I need to obey his instructions."

"Lady Peng, are you wiling to tell me his instructions to you?"

Lady Peng hesitated and she look at her maid. Her maid is frowning and shake her head. Lady Peng look up to Banou. 

"I know this realm belongs to the emperor, we as subjects have to obey him. Our lives are in his hands. However in this sky, it doesn't stretch into this mansion. The sky in here is not allowing him to do so. That is why, he send you in here."

Lady Peng realise this point, she wipe her tears and slowly say what she is command to do. 

"His majesty instructed me to sleep with Prince Li Cheng and inform back to the palace what is The Prince does on daily bases. What did all the older children are doing. What ... Consort Princess does everyday. "

"How are you feeding the information to the emperor?"

"There is a vendor near the mansion. My maid needs to go to him to pass him the letter."

Banou look at Lady Peng. Her eyes are still red. 

"I will help you to live but promise me that you will behave proper as what your past of a noble house have teach you."

Lady Peng quickly nod her head. 

"In my mansion, if you listen to me, i will make sure you live and able to eat and sleep without too much worries."

"I will obey Consort Princess. Please allow me and my maid to live!"

"First thing i will tell you my rules in this mansion. Prince Li Cheng maybe the lord of this mansion but he is not here most of the time. I will handle everything including if the sky falls."

Banou gets up and walk to Lady Peng, she help the small woman up and look at her in the eye. 

"First rule is that you need to dress and act properly. You shall not wear like this anymore. In this mansion, everyone from the Prince till the lowest staff that works in here is expected to dress decently. Secondly, even though you are from the royal music academy, i do not expect you to work like there. In this mansion there are suitable work for you. I will locate one for you and your maid. Thirdly, regarding about the emperor, you can report to him about everything while you will lie about you and my husband. I will let Li Cheng know about this. If the emperor wants to see a show on a quarrel between my husband and i. Then we will act for his entertainment. "

"How ... does the emperor know if ... i am telling a lie. What if there are spies here in this mansion."

"I can assure you that there are no spies here. It is not easy for him to send anyone without my husband and i know because we are close with each and everyone of them. All of them are royal to my husband. Thus you can dispatch your first letter tomorrow and report what you see inside here. If he summon you in questioning there is nothing to lie. However, regarding to the thing he wants you to do. Just say that, you did behind my back without my knowledge. Later i will let Li Cheng know too. In this case you can continue to live in my mansion without his majesty taking your life. How is it, Lady Peng. Will you trust me?"

"Yes Consort Princess, i will obey you."

"There is no harm in a small lie. I will make sure you get to live till he decided that there is no need of your present in this mansion."

"I will do as you say, Consort Princess."

"Now your can go back to your courtyard."

Lady Peng bow and leave with her maid. Wang MoMo walk near Banou. She whisper

"Your highness, aren't you afraid she is a double head snake?"

"She might be one. So we have to prepare our cure if we get poison. Wang MoMo can you get some men pretend to clean outside our mansion to see how many vendors are outside. Also when the maid of Lady Peng goes out to deliver the message. Follow behind without being notice."

"Yes your highness."

"I got a feeling that the emperor will summon us into the palace for the next few days."