Yeekae (Yike)
Teav’s mother fakes her sickness
Yeay Phann went back home feeling betrayed by Tum. She felt sorry for Teav to marry Tum, a poor man. She was determined to do everything to separate Teav from Tum. Her desire to take revenge on Tum grew stronger and stronger, and she could not rest until she got her daughter back. One day, she went to Lord Oar Choun’s residence and plotted with them to bring Teav back to marry Meun Ngourn. Yeay Phann was very angry at Tum. She could not see right from wrong. Lord Oar Choun and Meun Ngourn also felt betrayed by Tum who dared to have an affair with Teav. Tum’s act was a direct challenge to tarnish their reputation and honor. They went along with Yeay Phann’s plan. Yeay Phann asked someone she knew to write a letter to Teav faking her grave illness, that she was about to die and wanted to say a few last words to Teav. When Teav received the letter, she trembled with sadness and worry about her mother. So she asked Tum to hurry up and prepare a trip back home to catch her mother’s last breath.
When she arrived at Po Cheung Khal, Tbaug Khmum, she dashed to her house and saw all the food, fruits, cakes, and many gifts. She thought those were the offerings to the spirits so that her mother would get better, a tradition that Khmer people held when a person was sick. Yeay Phann came out and was happy to see her daughter back. She began convincing Teav to leave Tum who was poor and to marry the richest man in the area, Meun Ngourn. Teav was perplexed and angry. She could not believe what her mother was doing. For her, there was only one love and it was for Tum. It was an irreversible action. She preferred death. Unable to convince Teav to change her mind, Yeay Phann became angrier than ever. She started scolding Teav and vowed the wedding would go on without Teav’s consent.
King’s letter
Teav felt very sad and helpless. She composed a letter and found a trusted friend to carry it back to Tum telling him what was happening at Tbaung Khmum. When Tum received the letter, he was outraged by the trick of Teav’s mother. He went to the Royal Palace and told the King about the situation. The King was equally upset. He summoned the Royal councils and ministers to the palace for a special meeting. He told them that Oar Choun had challenged his authorities. He married Teav to Tum for the reason that they loved each other. Now, Oar Choun took Teav against her will to marry his own son, Meun Ngourn. This contradicted the King’s action. The royal councils and ministers deliberated the matter for a while and came up with an official letter designed to stop the illegal wedding. They gave the letter to Tum and told him to go and present it to Oar Choun. If they refused, Tum must come back and report this to them. Tum took the letter and asked Pich to accompany him to Tbaung Khmum. Tum was so worried that the wedding was already over and that by the time he got there, Ngourn may have Teav already. He wished he had wings to fly there to stop them in time.
