When Li Cheng comes to know about Li Xin. He nod his head and accept it. In his mind, as long as she doesn't marry that yellow hair, it's not a big deal. Also the yellow hair men that lives outside the city will be gone within a few years. Li Cheng thinks that it is a trial for Li Xin's love life.
While in the mansion, the twins continue to monitor what is going on in the inside. They continue to report to their father as a habit. As they got older the reward for horse riding becomes silver taels. The ideal comes from the older twin as having more silver with them, they can make things that other people do not have. While the other twin is good at drawing out the ideal and making it. Taels will able them to buy the materials and also buy candies for themselves. Banou observe what the naught sons are doing everyday. One day she ask they while having dinner.
"Li Shou, what have you been doing all afternoon?"
"Mother, i am studying."
"Li Shung what about you?
"Mother, i am studying too."
"So what is this i found in your bedroom."
She put a piece of paper on the table. Everyone stare at it and look at the twins.
"I don't think it's your homework."
"Mother..."
"Everyday i see both of you are so busy after school. Running everywhere in the mansion then later hide in your bedroom. Can you both tell me what is this?"
"Mother, it's a mathematics calculation. It's hard to explain to you. When it is done, we will show it to you."
"Is this something bad?"
"No mother. We promise. Its going to be something ... wonderful?"
Li Shou look at his brother and the other boy nod his head with a mouthful of rice. Banou is not sure will something wonderful come out from that piece of paper.
Nearly a week Li Cheng stay in camp and finally when he just step into the mansion, he is summon into the palace. With his dirty armour and boots he step into the palace grounds. Later in the evening he return and order for a hot bath. He is unhappy and Banou understand that the emperor must have done something that Li Cheng dislike. While she is serving him for a bath, he complain in his lower tone.
"The emperor summon me into the palace. Do you know what... if you don't know, you probably thinks that i am the one who ask for it. Maybe you will get angry again, with me."
"What is it?"
She ask as she massage his head before starting to wash his long hair. .
"Even thou my father, the previous emperor never done this to me... my brother the emperor... is gifting me a lady from the Royal Music Academy. Banou stop scrubbing him. Indeed, this will make her angry.
"I cannot reject but accept it. You do know that those ladies ... they are working as spies for the emperor. They not necessary sex workers."
Banou keep quiet and Li Cheng hold his wife's hand.
"However they can't reject... "
"My Ban Nu. I only have my heart and eyes on you. Even that girl strip naked i ... i will just look but do nothing."
"I understand you are a man. Men ... have eyes to see. I know."
"So you won't be angry with me? I did nothing."
"Why did the emperor... send this lady here and when she will be here?"
"I suspect, my brother is not trusting me. One thing is that this mansion have those children of XiongNu's blood. Plus you are a Persian. Our in-laws are from Baekje. So he see it as a threat. Whoever he is sending is probably going to report on the activities. He said that lady is going to come here the next day."
"Have you seen her?"
"In person, no. He asked me to pick one portrait among the three. I blindly choose one to escape from the palace. I return with a heavy heart. "
The next day, Lady Peng Rui An with her maid comes into the mansion. Everyone have their eyes on her. No one talk to her nor her maid. Banou arrange them to stay at the far end of the mansion. She did not ask to see Lady Peng but she comes to visit Banou with curtsey. Banou sees a typical Chinese beauty who is small and slim. Her voice is low with humbleness. Her features are dainty however her eyes are fill with unhappiness. While her maid is fill with unwillingness and anger. Banou who is siting on her couch and playing with her daughter, adjust herself to sit properly. She call for MinMin to help bring her daughter outside of the room. Wang MoMo remain in the room together with Banou. Lady Peng look at them and give a small smile.
"Consort Princess Ban Nu, my name is Peng Rui An. As you know, i am the gift from the emperor to Prince Li Cheng."
"So what does this gift have to do in this mansion Lady Peng?"
"The emperor had instruct me to ... service Prince Li Cheng in daily life."
"Service?"
"Yes. So i hope Consort Princess will allow me to service him tonight so that ..."
"What if i don't allow you to do that?"
"Then you are going against the emperor."
"Since in this case, we got nothing to talk. I need to rest. You may go now."
Lady Peng bow along with her maid and they walk out of the room. Wang MoMo sigh loudly.
"This won't be easy Consort Princess."
"Yes, it won't be ... but i won't allow her to sleep with my husband under my nose."
"Your highness do you know who are those ladies who are in the Royal Music Academy? "
"Tell me."
"They are ladies who are born of nobles lineage."
"Why?..."
"They are in there usually because of their fathers, brothers or uncles who work in court and found guilty of corruption or other. The emperor, if he decided not to execute the family members and their servants. The entire family males will be exile and females will be sent to Royal Music Academy. In the academy, they are thought to art of pleasing and seducing men in bed. They usually will stay in there till their dying day and most of them die from sex diseases."
Banou suddenly feel sad for the females who are trap in this situation.
"So they belong to the imperial family?
"Yes. Till they die. It's a way to save them from exile but they have to pay a price for it."
"What about if they are pregnant..."
"From what i heard, the in-charge will force them to drink a poison to get rid of the baby before it develops. If found pregnant for months, the baby born will be drown and the lady will continue to serve men in bed."
"Isn't this prostitution?"
"Yes your highness but they are highly price as they have noble blood and talents of many kind."
"Wong MoMo why do you think the emperor send her here?"
"I think... the emperor might be aware of you."
"Me?"
"You are the princess from foreign lands and not living in the palace under his watchful eyes. Besides that you hardly have interaction with the royal family in the palace. You are living far away from Persia yet you can advise the court in your father's place. So..."
"I understand now Wang MoMo. Thank you for being frank with me."
"It is my job your highness. I have watch Prince Li Cheng grown up. He now marry you and trust you a lot. I should do that too. You never did anything to harm the great Tang. So i will tell you truthfully."
That night after dinner. Li Cheng and Banou is spending time together in the garden with their grandson. Lady Peng appear with cups of tea and off to the couple. Banou reject it while Li Cheng take a slip and told her to go and rest. However Lady Peng bluntly say out loud that she wants to sleep with him. Banou understands that she wants to complete the task given by the emperor but she is not allowing this small dainty woman to sleep with her husband.