PRINCESS CHEUNG PING of the late Ming Dynasty is a bright endearing child, and has always been the favorite of her father EMPEROR CHING and the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother is a great lover of operas and plays. When she discovers that her favorite troupe has been dismissed without her permission, she gets furious and vents her anger on QUEEN ZHOU, PING’s mother. She blames ZHOU for the cuts in the entertainment allowances and poor ZHOU does not even have a chance to defend herself. CONCUBINE CHAN, the niece of the Queen Mother, immediately seizes this opportunity to mock ZHOU. CONCUBINE TIN, who is heavily pregnant, knows that CHAN has been riding roughshod over every member of the royal family using her close relationship with the Queen Mother. TIN therefore warns ZHOU to beware of CHAN. CHOW SAI HIN, the son of a prominent minister CHOW HING, is brought up with other royal family members in the palace.… ...