The story of Ban Nu

Banou spend her days in her room practising her strokes on the Chinese characters. The snow is getting higher and thicker. Aylin and Ah Mu is busy every morning with removing the snow. So that they have a path to walk. By afternoon, they start to burnt more wood to keep the heat in the room. One day, Banou is practising her wordings, she look up to see Li Cheng standing outside with an umbrella in his hand. He is wearing a white fur coat. He smile and it warms Banou's heart. She quickly bow to him. He walk up to her room and leave the umbrella at the door. He remove his fur coat on the table near the door. 

"How are you Ban Nu? You leave the door open, aren't you cold?"

"I am not feeling cold, your highness."

"Call me Li Cheng."

"Can i?"

He nod his head. Banou smile and she get up to prepare hot tea for him to drink. While he look at her writing, he smile. 

"You have improve a lot. You can understand Mandarin."

"Yes I can understand. If the sentences is easy to understand. If they are talking about poems, i don't think i can understand very much."

"Take your time, you are doing well."

She smile broadly to receive his compliments. After a while, he takes out a box from his sleeves. He push it to her. Banou look at him with her eyes open wide.

"I wanted to give it to you a long time ago. I was too busy back then. Now i am free, I have to come and give you this. I hope you like it."

She stare at the box with a carving of flowers on it. She pick it up and slide the top to open it, inside is a comb. Unlike a regular comb, it have a fragrance. There are designs of flowers and a butterfly. The designs of the flowers and butterfly have something shiny and the rainbow colours in it. 

"it's a comb. Made of sandalwood. These are mother of pearls."

"Pearls?" He takes out another item from his sleeves, it's another box. Again he push it to her. Banou open the box to find a a huge clam and she turn it around to see a shiny side of the same type on the comb. 

"It is for you. This clam is only found in the ocean. This is rare and difficult to find. To let you have a better understanding. I give you the comb and the clam. Hope you like them. " 

"Yes I do like them. Thank you." She bow with her hand to her chest. Li Cheng smile broadly. Banou suddenly feels like she is holding an item that is heavenly and she is grateful for this special gift from Li Cheng. 

After he left, Banou stare at the comb for a long time. Her hands are holding the large clam to her chest. One day maybe she can go see the ocean, now she knows there is precious things that comes from it. Someday, it will be a wonderful day for her. She keep them back to the boxes and put them together on her vanity table. 

That evening, she show it to Aylin. They study the clam together. 

"So amazing. One side is rough and brown. Reminded me of sand and the other side is shiny and colourful. Where is it from again, my princess."

"Li Cheng said it is from the ocean."

"Ocean? Where is the ocean?"

"I heard long along that ocean is a far away place where a very big land is fill with lots of water. Many strange fish is in it. They are all big in size." 

"And people go there to catch these clams?"

"I think so."

"it will be so wonderful to be there. Prince Li Cheng likes you, don't he. If he doesn't, he won't give you a comb with the ocean in it."

"No Aylin. Even if there is a possibility, I can't face him. I am a slave. Bought. Sold. Used. I only can see him from far. Besides that all members of the royal family will have to marry someone that brings benefit to the family. I don't have all these. I am no one. Aylin. I have to accept my status now given to me. The past stays in the past. I am now living in the future. I have to look ahead and accept the future that is given to me." 

That night Ah Mu send back a drunk Li Jun. Banou take care of him throughout the night. In his drunken state, he become that rough rude man in the Inn many years ago. Banou endure the rough sex that is happening. She silently weep when he is done. Now he is asleep. She got up from the bed and walk to the vanity table to take the precious comb out. She cry silently. 

In the morning, Li Jun see that he had accidentally craw her body. He apologise and she said nothing but she bow her head. Li Jun feels bad as it is not his nature to treat another person so rough. He check her private parts and it all red and sore. He yell at Ah Mu to bring some ointment. He dress himself with the inner garments and wait outside the door for Ah Mu to bring the ointment. Once he got it, he enter the room and Ah mu close the door.

LI Jun gently push open her legs and apply the ointment and keep apologising to her. Banou know that he is unintentional do it she is not blaming him. He apply the ointment over his hands and rub her breast too as well as her back.

"Let it dry then i ask Ah Lin to bring water in for your to clean up."

She nod her head as she lay on the pillow. He smoothen her heir and kiss her back.