After reporting to the Sultan, the group leave the office and the conclusion is that for the crown prince, they have to watch over him for the next few days. Over the few days, Banou wet the lips of the crown prince and watch over him together with the attended of the crown prince. Banou look at him with interest as this boy is quiet and rarely talk. However he does his work with loyalty and seriously. A boy like him is upmost important to the crown prince.
Three days later the crown prince is awake fully. He doesn't cough but he said his chest is in pain. Hence, the Chinese Physicians begin to check with their needles. After awhile, they can't detect any problem at all. Maybe it's the healing of the flesh that he is feeling the pain. Even the royal doctors say the same thing. Thus Banou make fish soup for him to consume however fish is rarely sold in the market. To import fishes back to Ottoman from other countries will take along time. Banou take a long time, to boil a fish broth. Meanwhile, she look for other source of food that able to help in healing the body. With the advice of the Chinese Physicians, she use lean meat to cook simple dishes. With a balance meal everyday, the crown prince recover fast. The wound have heal however a deep scar is on the chest.
As time goes by, Banou doesn't know how long has she been here, She only notice when the season change. It hardly rain here but there is occasionally snow for a day or two. She begin to miss Tang and her husband very much. She even dream of her home where her children are waiting for her. Day in day out, she avoid meeting her siblings as much as possible. She only privately meet her father for meals and to check the condition of the crown prince. Now the crown prince looks healthy and doesn't have much complaints about his chest pain, she ask the Chinese Physicians if it is time to go home.
The Sultan upon learning that Banou is looking to go back to Tang, he got moody. Those days when she is around, she tell him things that she have seen in Tang and what sort of things they can bring in to Ottoman empire to improve the living conditions for the common people. She is a breath of fresh air when the other children only come to him on asking for a position in the officialdom for their husbands' relatives or complaining things that he doesn't want to hear. Besides that, he often receive complaints from the public that they allow their own sons run amok in the capital. In the end, he have to summon his grandsons in for discipline when their own parents don't do it. He sometimes stare at the portrait of Banou's eldest son, he have Ottoman's blood in him. If only he can come here and he can be convince to stay to rule. He look at he laws that written down by the ancestors. He study them and hope to find something that he can convince the council to allow woman to rule. He is determine to have either Banou or her eldest son to rule after the crown prince.
One evening, his children are all summon to the family courthouse. Banou sits on the far end with his two youngest daughters. The two youngest Princess have grow an attachment to Banou as she show them kindness and tolerances to the questions they have. Thus they trust and like her more comparing to other princess who have no time for them. Sitting in silence, they wait for their father. Occasionally, the second eldest princess will turn around to look at Banou. She would whisper to the other princess. The princes who notice this remain silence hoping that their sisters will not stir trouble. Their father stroll in and sit on the throne in from of his grownup children. They all get up and bow with their hands on the chest.
"May god bless your majesty and the empire."
He nod his head and all of them sit down on the cushions provided. He notice Banou again is sitting on the far end of the room. He begin by asking about what they have been doing from the last meeting. It lasted for quite awhile and he hear they have an unproductive days. He took out the number of complaints on the grandchildren who make mischief in the capital. His son who is the father of that child is ashamed and promised to do something about it. Next he touch on the issue of the crown prince. He inform them that he is doing well and he will resume work once he is fit enough. He see that the rest of his sons are disappointed on their faces but still they put on a smile and say it's good news.
"However, as you all know that he is now sick and on the road to recovery. It will take sometime for him to find a bride and get marry... later have a child. If this child is a boy, it's fine. However if this child is a girl, the council have to scramble to look for a successor. From what i see here, this is a big issue."
He got up and walk in front of them.
"i am getting old. I may die anytime or i might live for many years from now. I see now what i urgently needed to do, is to find a successor after the crown prince."
He see that his sons are all excited. A chance to sit on the throne is a dream of most princes.
"If the crown prince did not marry and did not have any more children. It is best that we should have a backup plan before any disaster happens. I don't want to go and meet the maker when i am still worry for this empire. I want to know that i have made some plans for this empire and for my children."
He walk to the center of the room and look at each of his children.
"Therefore i have talk to my council about this ever since the crown prince scramble into sickness. I ask for solutions. None of them come up with something that sound an answer. So i look at the law books that are written by our ancestors. Is there an answer? Yes there is."
He look at Banou at the far end corner. He walk to the table near his throne and drink the cup of tea. Halil refill the cup with hot tea and stand back. The Sultan blow his tea and take a slip of it.
"The solution is that, Our ancestors have stated in the book of law to allow a princess to be accession to the throne when there is no suitable prince to be ..."
"Father! All this time, men always rule! Besides that, you have plenty of sons! ..."
"I have to do this because i don't have a son that is clear head in his mind to rule! Look at all of you! Have you each not get into troubles?! Have you done anything for this empire that i can say proudly that one of my sons contribute to it?! Can any of you say that is done by you?!"
"Father! I work in the military intelligence. I ..."
"You! You nearly cause a big problem! Your bubbler mouth have nearly leak out what we are doing! You dare to say it!"
His son lower down his head and no one dare to breath too loud. The air hangs heavy. Some of the princess smirk as the law changes, they and their daughter stands a chance to sit and rule. They dream of a day like this happen and the Sultan knows what most his daughters are thinking.