Banou travel with the group back to the same route. She can't tell whether she is going back or somewhere's when everywhere looks the same.
After a month. the group see a flag moving in the distance. A rider is dispatched to check who might be. A contact is made when the rider knows it is the Tang army out patrolling. When Banou see the leader of the group from Tang approaching, she run towards them. Unexpectedly, the rider gets off and run towards her. The men in black gets frustrated and follow behind her as fast as they can. They watch the princess lift up and hug tightly. They notice that man who looks like them as well. However they did not have any information who might be this man. For what they know she married a Chinese Prince from Tang. Other than that, there is no other information.
Once they settle down, Banou make the introduction. It turns out this man is her eldest son. He only can bow back and greet them in Arabic. Other than that, he can't speak their language. Banou explain to Li Xing what is going on. Once he understand, he wants to see that man who repeatedly try to kidnap his mother. He is shown to the caravan that contains Prince Bardiya and his men. He is drag out by the men in black. Li Xing scream at him and of course he cannot understand a word. Banou did not translate but allow her son to scold his uncle in every crude words he knows. After awhile, Li Xing stop and the men in black drag him back into he caravan.
"You highness, can i know who is he?"
Banou hesitate to say but in the end, she tell him who Li Xing is. The elder understands.
"Your highness, i hope you understand. It is my duty to inform our great Sultan of this important information."
Banou sigh and understand that one day her father will find out that she had bore children before her marriage.
"I will understand. Please tell him in the truth."
"Yes your highness. We will only say the truth."
The leader of the men in black take another look at the son of the princess. His appearance is alike an Arab men with those dark curly long hair. Even those facial hair on his face is alike to them. Somehow, he look alike to the great Sultan he know. However there is something about him that sets him apart for the rest of them.
The next morning, Li Xing look at the leader and bow before leaving with his mother. The men in black all salute and watch the princess and the Tang army rife away. With a sigh, the men in black continue with what they are suppose to do and turn to the direction that suppose to be heading for home.
Banou ride along with the army in comfortable speed. It takes them two days to get to the city gate. When she reach home, the mansion is dead quiet but when the children see Banou, they rush to her and ask where she hide. Li Xing follow closely behind and once she is safe, he leaves. Li Cheng got the news while riding the outskirts searching every village he comes across. His massenger inform him that Banou have return. He rush to get back to the city.
Now in the mansion, no outsiders are allow in. Lessons will be done in a proper school. Mr Hong the relief teacher is no where to be found. He is not register with the school as well. Thus now all teachers have to be strictly register with the imperial school of administration. All principals are in tenterhooks. Soon the capital of Chang'an is in chaos.
While Banou is confine in the mansion. Visitors are to be strictly report to Wang MoMo. Three months later the envoy Ayaz comes with news from the Ottoman court.
"The great Sultan had Prince Bardiya had been sentence to a life time in prison. It is a grace that the great Sultan is giving him. However before that he is to be given fifty strokes of canning."
"Father is lenient to my brother."
"Yes indeed. Besides that, the great Sultan have asked me to find out more about ... the eldest son you had. Forgive me, Princess Banou, i do not have any information about that child. Therefore i have to come here humbly to ask."
Banou sigh and slowly tell him whatever he needs to know. Ayaz writes them down as he listens to her. After that he ask if he can go see Li Xing personally.
"Yes you may but he might not able to talk to you in our language as he is born and raise here. He thinks as a Chinese man."
"I understand. Perhaps when he is in the capital with you, may i ask if you could kindly allow me to see him."
"Yes i will arrange that when he is in the capital."
"Another thing i wish to inform you..."
Envoy Ayaz is hesitate to say and Banou is just sitting there looking at him.
"The great Sultan is getting old in years. His health is not that good according to the royal physicians."
"Will those Chinese medicine be any use for him?"
"I am not sure Princess Banou."
"I will send some Chinese herbs for my father. Please inscribe the usage and dosage to the royal physicians. Since the older folks are taking it here and they seems living well enough. It might benefit my father."
"I will await for the medicine that you mentioned and despatch them."
"Another important news that i have received the other day was that the crown prince is not improving in health and deteriorating in health. He is on his death bed. In looking at the royal children that the great Sultan have, you might be next in line."
Banou's heart drop when she hears that. It means that she will be summon back to the palace where she has been lock up most of her life. She touch her branding on her arm. The long arms from the palace is reaching for her.