Banou walk behind her father and eldest son. Li Nan is walking beside her, holding her hands. He is extremely happy to see his mother. However as they are walking those long corridor, he look around. Li Jun who is walking behind them, watch Li Nan. The boy is now as tall as Banou, he is big and physically he have XiongNu's physique. On his looks, he have Banou's looks however he have a chubby cheeks. His blue eyes are very attractive however his temper is only Banou can control. Banou occasionally turn to the back to see Li Jun. She knows that Li Jun is staring at Li Nan.
They arrive at another dining hall for guest. This hall is bigger and longer than the family dining hall. Usually, the Sultan doesn't dine with his court officials but today he make it acception and the long table have a velvet table cloth. In their culture men and women is not allow to eat together thus Banou have a table of her own. She explain to her sons and they sit along with Banou's table. The Chinese Physicians are siting down with Li Jun. Her two sons sits near her along with the Tang Physicians. Soon the food is served by the palace maids. Banou whisper to Lin Nan with is nearest to her. The Sultan is very satisfy with today. He finally get to see the eldest grandson of Banou and looking at how they interact, they look like a happy family. He also notice Banou is smiling more.
After the meal, Banou's brothers try to talk to Li Xing however he have limited understanding and command of the language hence it is difficult to talk for long. Li Xing see that his parents are together. He smile, that is what he always wanted. Even though they are not married. They are his parents the ones who share the same blood with him. He watch them in a distance. This is a wish that he wants and now he have it. He used to watch them in the gardens back in the mansion. He knows that his mother is someone different from the rest of the Chinese people he have seen. Later he knew she is a slave sold to his father however his father never treated her bad. Infact he show that he favour her in the mansion. Thus he gets in fights with other boys in school. Li Xing swear that his mother is the top priority of everything. He will go anywhere to protect his mother.
That evening, she brings her sons to the bridge in the palace where she watch the sunsets. They enjoy the sight in silence. Li Nan look at his mother.
"Mother... are you lonely when growing up in this place?"
"Yes Nan'er. Very lonely but i have books to read. So it is not so bad."
"Mother, you have many siblings to grow up with..."
"Xing'er, in this palace, having many brothers and sisters is not like back in the mansion. In here, we fight to live. We fight to be recognised to be the best. Even though i never fight for anything in this palace, i am being pick on. However i don't get angry. I learn not to talk back. I try to be in the background. That is how i grow up."
"Mother, it's ok. You have us now."
Li Nan lean and hug his mother. She pat him on the arms.
"Yes, i have you all back in Tang. It is your's and my home now."
LI Xing put his arms around them. Banou feels happy to have two of her sons with her now.
The next day after cooking breakfast and lunch for the crown prince, Banou brings her sons to walk around the market. They are delighted with the local street food. Banou can see the young girls are smitten with her eldest son. He may look Persian at any angle but his Chinese eyes and fair skin tells that he is of a mixed blood. They continue to walk around till the sun is setting. Together they walk back to the palace. However inside the palace dining hall, she finds her siblings as well as their children are standing around. It is a uncomfortable sight to see and the silence is scary. Li Jun who is standing together with Sir Ayaz is united with his family members. They talk in mandarin while none of the siblings are interacting with their own family. The Sultan step in to see two different dynamics of families infront of him. They all bow upon seeing him. He commands them to sit with their own family unit.While the other court officials are sitting behind in a row. Dinner starts with silence and standard approach.
"Banou."
"Yes father."
She stop eating and put down her spoon. She look up immediately.
"How are dinner conduct in China?"
"Father, usually each member of the family will have their own table. Each given with standard rice bowl and some dishes place on the table."
"Whatelse.."
"We are allow to talk."
"What do you talk about?"
"Everything. The adults talk about things that happen. The children usually doesn't talk much but when question is ask, they will need to reply."
"In your opinion, did i do badly as a family man?"
Banou keep quiet. She look at the backs of her siblings. She shake her head.
"Mother... is everything ok?"
Li Nan's voice echo in the deep silence of the room. The Sultan ask for an interpreter and Halil walk out of the hall. While Li Xing tag Li Nan's sleeves and shake his head. Li Nan understand and look down on his rice bowl. Halil walks in with an interpreter. The Sultan looks at both and start talking after he pick up a scroll from Halil's hands. Most of them stop eating only the younger children keep eating.
"Eat if you must. I just want all of you to listen."
The interpreter translate into mandarin. Banou feels nervous all the suddenly. Why did her father needs someone to translate. It means that whatever he is going to say, he wants her family to hear and know. Maybe to allow the Chinese Physicians to bring the information back to Tang as well.
"In my hands, i have this scroll. During these days i have long discuss this issue with the court officials and the crown prince as well."
He takes a slip of his wine cup. He look at Li Xing who is hearing it with one hand holding the spoon.
"This is an unavoidable issue that we are facing now. We don't know how long can the crown prince and i will live now. Hopefully, we will live long enough. However if should he crumble into the same problem before and after i die, this have to come in effect."
He stands up and walk in front of his dinning table.
"In any unfortunate event, our empire have to go on. A heir have to be elected. before the crown prince or i die. He and the court officials have agree that whoever the heir might be, the co-regent have to be my daughter, Princess Banou. She have seen and have vast knowledge to know what to do for the best of our empire. She will have the power to over ride any decision that she thinks it is not best for that current state of this empire."
Her older sisters upon hearing this have unspoken anger in their faces. Some turn around to look at Banou while the younger two sisters of Banou smile, they approve this decision.
Banou is in shock stare at her father. Li Jun and Li Nan each hold Banou's hands once they hear the news.