Lunar New Year, the royal family once again is gather in the palace to celebrate the New Year. Everyone is meeting up in the family hall till the evening. They watch the fireworks together and the adults enjoy the wine. While the children gather to play. Young adults get to know their cousins who are busy with their own lives. As the night darken, everyone prepare to leave. The emperor and empress stands together looking at the children and grandchildren depart the palace. They wave and smile.
Banou put the younger children to bed and check on the concubine before going to bed. Everything seems to be as normal. She instruct the maid who is looking after the concubine on the night shift to make sure there is enough charcoal burning to keep the room warm for her. That night everyone is asleep except Banou. She sits in the study room and watch the snow falls. The door is push open, Li Cheng walk in. Banou continue to stare at the night sky with the white snow falling.
"Don't fall sick."
He place a warm coat over her and sit besides her. He hug her tightly so bring more warm for his wife. He miss the scent of her's. He miss his wife on the cold lonely days. They did not talk but watch the snow fall together. Soon they fall asleep with the arms of Li Cheng.
In the morning, there is chaos. Wang MoMo walk into every room looking for Banou.
"Prince Cheng! Consort Princes Ban Nu! Please wake up!"
"What..."
Li Cheng walk up grumpy as his back bone is in pain after night of sleeping in an uncomfortable position. While Banou too feels uncomfortable is awake.
"What have happen?"
"The emperor! The emperor!"
She cry and couldn't say properly. Till the eunuch arrive with two trays of white garments. He and his servants kneel down.
"Prince Li Cheng and Consort Princess Ban Nu! We bring bad news! The emperor had passed away last night!"
Li Cheng's face turn pale white and he dash out of the room leaving the eunuchs still kneeling on the ground. Banou commands them to get up and ask Wang MoMo to accept the trays. The three eunuch after they given the trays, they bow to Banou and left in a hurry after Li Cheng.
"Wang MoMo, what shall we do???"
"Consort Princess, the palace will now organise the funeral. Our mansion have to remove all and everything that is red!"
"Go ahead and instruct the servants. I think you know what to do. I will await for your instructs."
Wang MoMo bow and wipe her tears. She blow her nose as she walks out of the room. Banou look at the trays on the table. Her husband must be in shock that's why he rush off to verify that what is announced is true.
The second day Li Cheng who is the military command will stand guard at the funeral hall. As the emperor is in good health a coffin is no coffin prepare for him. Thus his body lay in the funeral hall. Li Cheng watch his father laying as if he is asleep. He have seen the bodies of his fallen men but never imagine that one day, he will see off one of his parents. He suck in all the emotion that he is feeling at that point and do his duty as a solider. While Li Jun and the crown prince arrive later at the funeral hall for the prayers. The empress had a shock and couldn't get up from bed. The crown prince have temporally take over the states affair till the officially coronation for him to be declare he is the new emperor. The royal family assemble in the royal temple in the funeral hall for prayers by the specific timing. While astronomy bureau have reach and agreement with the monks on the best day to carry out the buried of emperor. With the approval of the crown prince, the official burial will carry out three weeks later. A week later, the court officials are allow to attend the prayers. The prayers goes on for a week to ensure the royal mausoleum is ready with the arrangement done by the monks to ensure that the spirt of the emperor will safely reach heavens. Meanwhile the coffin of the emperor is set up on the grand carriage.
On that day, it is still snowing thus children under six years old are excluded for the funeral march. The empress who have fallen sick is excluded as well. When the emperor was alive, those concubine who bore him children are spare from burial alive with him. As most of them have bore him a daughter, they will be just attending the funeral. A hundred maids and eunuch are selected to be buried and to continue serve him after life. Behind the work of selection, they are all paid handsomely to their families. Each of them are given the most expensive coat to fight off the cold for the long walk to the mausoleum. Li Cheng ride on his war horse for the head of the funeral with his two trusted men at the front. another twenty behind them then the carriage for the coffin that is laid with the state flag. The crown prince and crown princess follow behind the coffin. The other princes and princess follow behind them. All court officials have to follow the long march to show their loyalty to their emperor. The streets have empty out so that no one blocks the funeral procession. Everyone was in sorrow along with the cold wind. The snow gently falls on them as they walk with the coffin. After two hours they reach the mausoleum, the monks are already chanting in the snow. The soldiers lift up the coffin and slowly descend into the space that was provided. The princes and princesses are told to stand aside to allow the maids and eunuch to walk into the mausoleum. Banou can see they are mostly young boys and girls who are frighten. Each of them dress plainly for the afterlife. After they got in, there is silence except for the chanting that can be heard. The sound of the bowls drop echos from inside. After along time the soldiers and the monks comes up. The monks continue the chants and the soldiers begin to seal the door with the bricks and mud on hand. Banou close her eyes and feel sorry for the lives that are sacrifice.