Madam Ming looked at her son who had his chest covered with gauzes. She wondered where she did wrong that his situation is so bad right now. Was she too strict with him? She just wanted the best for her children, so she always demanded a lot from them. But after talking to her daughter she realized that maybe her son doesn't get the intention behind her actions.
'Maybe I should pamper him a bit'
Madam Ming decided to stay here until her son awoke and have a heart-to-heart talk with him.
-
When he opened his eyes Ming Peng saw the familiar ceiling. Trying to get up he felt a sharp pain in his back. Right, before fainting he was receiving punishment from his father. Running his had trough his hair, he closed his eyes again. He wished that at least this time someone would come and care about him.
"Peng'er, are you awake? Are you hungry? Do you want some water?"
Is he so needy that he is even listening to his mother's voice? He even made her sound concern.
"Is it hurting too much? Do you want to ask for the doctor a medicine to alleviate pain?"
He felt someone touching his head. Surprise with the touch, he snapped his head to the source.
His mother.
His mother really came.
Not to demand something or fight, but to care for him.
"Is something wrong Peng'er?"
Seeing her concern face, tears started to come out.
"It hurts that much, wait here, mom is going to ask for the doctor"
Frightened with the idea of her leaving, Ming Peng ignore the pain in his back and catched his mother wrist
"Don't go"
Madam Ming saw the frightened look of her son and felt that her heart was ripped apart. How could she let him become so insecure. Blame her bad education, she should have paid more attention to her children feelings.
"Silly child, mother won't go anywhere. Mother's sorry for you. I shouldn't have been so strict with you and paid more attention to your feelings. But Mother wants you to know that everything she did was because she wanted the best for you. I never wished for anything besides your happiness son. If you can, Mother hopes you can forgive her"
Crying like a child, Ming Peng hugged his Mother. The thing he always wanted was her care. He did all those nonsense things for her to pay attention to him instead of his martial art genius sister. Now that she's here asking for his forgiveness and even nurse him to health, how can he not forgive her? Of course he will.
Before falling to darkness he heard 'love you son'. Smiling he let darkness engulf him.
-
The next day he woke up his Mother was still there. Worried that she might get a cold, he woke her up so that she could go her bedroom.
'I should go to father's study to apologize'
Once he entered the study he saw his tomboy sister in a small table besides his father practicing calligraphy. 'Did she also received punishment?' He knew how his sister thought that the literal studies were boring, that was why he was spooked when he saw her diligent look 'am I still dreaming?'
"Stop staring at your sister, you should inspire yourself on her that now knows how to be diligent"
"Father is right. This Son is here to ask Father forgiveness"
Ming Peizi was so enraged with his son look of dismissal that he slapped the table strong enough that's part of it broke.
"Forgiveness for what? For you to go and do it again. Enough if tour foolishness, follow me."
"Father I also want to come"
"This is not a place that ladies should go"
"Father how can I learn to truly appreciate when I don't know how valuable the things that I hold are. Please take me, I promise to behave"
"Sigh, I'm no opponent to you, but tomorrow you'll do double the calligraphy assignment."
Doing a military salute to her father, Ming Shu answer in a loud voice
"YESSIR"
Seeing his child's gesture Peizi flicked her head.
"Stop the nonsense"
Without waiting for her we went ahead. He likes to see her struggling to keep up with his big steps with her short legs.
Ming Peng saw the interaction between his Father and sister and he was terrified. 'How many days did I slept?' How come he woke up from the lashes and everything is different, his strict mother is caring, his tomboy sister is now diligent studying calligraphy and his indifferent father jokes with his sister 'did I enter the wrong house?'
"What are you still staring for? Come quickly!"
'Whatever is better this way'
-
The capital was the destination of many people. Individuals flock every year to try their luck on the imperial exams. While some did gain the fame and recognition they dreamed about, other would descend in despair by indulging in girls, alcohol and opium. They would filled the back alleys of some shady business. The population of these failed scholars never diminish. When the old ones died new despaired scholars would fill the spots left.
If you passed by one of the alleys that such individuals occupy you could see the rare sight of an official's carriage stoping by.
The person who left was none else but the Minister of Justice, in his arms was little doll and behind him a thin young man.
"Father what are we doing here?"
"Showing you your future"
As they entered the back alley, Ming Peng saw some of the 'beggars'were hugged with a bottle of wine sleeping. They were the ones in the best condition. Looking further, he saw people sleeping in their vomit, sick people, covered in dirty and he found even a corpse. Although he was surprised with the scene in front in of him he had a nag feeling since he entered the alley 'like these faces are familiar '
"Father who are these people?"
"Did you finally realized? Some of the people here were your colleagues for months. After they failed the imperial exam or were drawn to their bad habits they became like this. I brought you here to show that of you continue like you are right now this will be your result. I have another options to the heir position, don't be mistaken of otherwise "
Ming Peng was terrified with his Father speech. He was always unscrupulous because he thought that no matter what happened he was still the heir for the Ming Household and wouldn't be abandoned. But he was wrong, he forgot that his father only like useful people, if he was not the main son he probably would have already been abandoned. His Father brought him here as his last warning.
"Brother really looked like that uncle when he came last time, right father?"
Ming Peng received a fatal blow when he heard his sister comparing him to the inhabitants of the alley,
Peizi glance sideways to his daughter in time to see the mischievous glint pass through her eyes. Shaking his head internally, he thought that even if she was behaved she was still a tomboy deep inside.
"You're right Shu'er. What do you say we should do about your brother?"
Ming Shu put her hand on her chin and pretend to ponder about the issue.
"Father, once I heard Mother saying that the army are the best ones to fix bad character, so I think we should Brother to Grandpa Li. For sure he will take a 'good' care of him!"
"You are right Shu'er. You heard your sister. Go back home and say good bye to your mother, by the end of the day I want to hear that your report to the barracks. Come Shu'er we're going back"
Ming Peng looked at the small and big silhouettes that with a few words decided his future as they left him at the back alley stunned.