After a month of acupuncture and feeding him. He is looking better than the past. The Chinese physicians proposed to start locating where the problem lies. The royal doctors are most anxious about this issue. They all gather at the bed of the crown prince. With his permission, they start to locate it with the needle and Banou's help.
"Consort Princess Ban Nu, please translate that we will start to apply pressure on him. After while he will feel the needles having a burning sensation. It will be normal but if the needle lands on a point, there isn't a feeling, please let us know."
Banou quickly translate behind the curtain. The crown prince reply he understands. The Chinese physicians starts the apply the needles under the watchful eyes of the royal doctors. It was suppose to be a cooling day but the doctors are perspiring due to being nervous. The crown prince maintain his serious expression. His eyes fix on the curtain above his bed. Feeling every needle that poke down on his flesh. After a long time, he suddenly call Banou.
"Banou! The last needle there is no pain coming from there!"
Banou quickly translate. The Chinese physicians quickly remove the rest of the needles. The last two needles are still at that area. Physician Hong brings out a different set of needles. While Physical Wen remove the needles and gently touch the area. After while of disinfect the needles, a long needle is apply at the same spot. This time he tweak it slowly and watch the crown prince's reaction. He ask Banou to translate to the crown prince.
"The crown prince said there is no pain."
He leave it on the spot and poke another at a further spot. In conclusion after all those finding work, they know where is the spot they are looking at. The only problem is how should they apply the operation of opening up. Thus with a lot of hand gesture and body language, they come to a conclusion that we need to find more medical book on operating on a human. Meanwhile, Banou continue to feed her brother well enough for the operation.
One afternoon, she brings in the bowl of congee. She peek through the bed curtains. Suddenly she hear his voice.
"Banou."
She jumped and panic.
"I am sorry if i have disturbed your highness."
"Pull open the curtains."
Obeying him, she pull them aside and tie them up properly. He looks completely different from the first time she saw him last two months ago. He is now looking healthy however his skin is still greyish looking. This time, he look at Banou carefully. He remember that little girl who walk far away from everyone. The one who gets her toys burnt in front of her. He turn a blind eye when things happen to her. At that time, he was thinking that as long as they don't go too far as to take her life, it is fine to bully her. When the Sultan left the empire for him to be in charge temporary while the Sultan goes on a military expiration. He order the execution of the marquis. Princess Azedeh was whispering that the marquis is building up a private army to overthrow the royal family. In a haste, he agree. He watch from the tower the cage of women and children rolling out of the city. He saw Banou in her wedding dress staring blankly as if she lost her soul. Princess Azedeh whisper about killing all the women. He in his rage scream at her and asked her to leave. Three weeks later, she got married to a scholar and he learn that the marquis did not have any private army but private bodyguards and his own scholars who support him of his work to help the common people. He realised that he had listen without verifying the rumour. Every time when he look at the far away sand, he thinks of Banou. Now she is here, he feels guilty. Today she is doing her best to save him yet many years ago he did not save her from danger.
"Banou sit on the chair."
She obey and sit down. He look at her face carefully. He doesn't remember how she look as growing up, her head is always down. She never look at anyone with her head up.
"I don't remember how you look like."
"Your highness, you are a busy person. You won't have time ..."
"Banou, how old are you now?"
"I am almost forty, your highness."
"I am already fifty eight. Last few years, my son died."
"I am sorry to hear that."
"He died because i hear a rumor. I did not verify and i beat him badly and he died. My consort was heart broken. She took poison. I fail as a family man."
Banou keep quiet with her head down and she twist her skirt with her fingers.
"That was the second time i act on a baseless rumour. Because of these baseless rumour, i acted rashly and dire consequence."
He tears roll down his eyes thinking of his son who plead him to verify before giving him the hash beating. His son's spine was broken by him. Less than three days he pass away and by that time, the truth reach his ears are too late.
"Now i am sick. It is my punishment. Everyday the pain torment me. Everyday it remind me of the bad things i have done that's why i have to suffer."
He cough agin. Banou hurry to get up and get a cup of water for him. He drink it slowly and Banou after that smooth down his chest.
"Banou, I am the one who order the execution of the marquis. I am the order who send you to exile. Will you forgive me?"
"Your highness, those are in the past now. There is ..."
"Will YOU FORGIVE me!"
He cough again. Banou smooth his chest again and nod her head. He grab her hands.
"You cannot be soft hearted. Our siblings are not the usual people we handle. Father can control them for now. When he is gone, you have to stay in Tang. Don't come back here. I will do my best to control them. I don't know why the sisters hated for you is so deep. You are just a child growing up. There is nothing that i see you did wrong. Now you have grown up, stay away. Don't come back."
Banou is hurt to hear that he doesn't want her to be back to her family. Yet she understand that this palace is not a place for her to stay in.
"I will leave once you recover. I won't stay any longer."
He release his hand and lay down on the pillow. He stare at the curtain above him. The wind is gently blowing and it sway.
"I promise you, i will stay alive till you go back to Tang. That is what i can do for you."