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No matter how fast the caravans and wagons move, it will still take nine months to get to Tang. They enter the city with people talking and cheering. Aylin is excited to be back in Tang. Both Aylin and Banou smell the air excitedly. It is the smell that they both remember, the smell that makes they feel welcome. The sight of Chinese vendors along the streets. Some foreigners walking with their camels on the busy streets. Life in Tang is indeed exciting everyday, Aylin spot their favourite candy selling by the street vendor, she ask to be excuse and jump off the caravan. Banou look at the sweets excitedly thinking of sweet candy makes her happy. As the caravan rolls in slowly, she see Consort Wu standing and holding her daughter's hand. They must be here for Li Jun and Li Xing. 

The caravan continue to travel to the palace. They all got off and walk into the palace with the eunuch who is there to fetch them. The emperor and empress waited patiently. They are delighted to see everyone return safe and sound. The emperor who is not so found of Li Nan is surprise to see the boy have grow so much. After reporting, everyone head home except for Banou, the empress would like to speak to her. Banou follow the empress who is seems to walking without a destination. Finally she stop at a bridge with the view of the royal gardens. 

"Consort Princess Ban Nu, how was the journey to Persia?"

"It is well. Your majesty."

"Consort Princess Ban Nu. I have a piece of news that i would like to inform you. It is about my son Li Cheng..."

All of a sudden Banou feels bad about what the empress is going to say. She twisted the handkerchief in her hands. The empress look far at the flowers in the garden. 

"I know you always do not agree with a man having more wives. However this time is not about having more wives. While you are gone for the whole two years, my son, have be lonely and drinking on his days off. However this is not something serious. "

She sit on the chair and slip the tea given to her. She look at Banou and smile gently. She wave to ask Banou to sit down. 

"You do remember he have a concubine in the mansion."

"Do you mean Minister Lou's daughter, Lou Yin Wen."

"Yes. That child. Consort Princess Ban Nu, you are the principal wife of Li Cheng this will never change..."

"I understand your majesty however i don't understand what are you ..."

"When you return home. Be more kinder to that girl. She is just a simple minded child. Her mother... is another kind of character. To get to the point, that child is pregnant. She will be delivering next month. Her mother is staying in your mansion and Wang MoMo is having clashes with that woman. I personally don't like her too. However this is done. There is nothing can be done."

Banou look down, she feel disappointed. Is it because of her absent that cause this? The empress talks about other things as well and allow Bnaou to return home. She walk a disappointed Baou walk away. She knows how she will feel. The empress have gone through those emotions before but since so many noble ladies have lived their lives with their husbands are the same there is nothing they can do but accept it. She hope Banou will understand and accept it. 

Banou return home and smile to her adopted children along with Wang MoMo are waiting for her. Unfortunately she met Luo Yin Wen's mother while walking through the garden. The older lady ignore her presences and cut the flowers who are blossoming in the gardens. Wang MoMo who see and yell at her for lacking of manners to the mistress of this mansion. Mrs Luo with an angry face, put down the pari of scissors and bow to her. Immediately she pick up the scissors and continue to cut. Before Wang MoMo yell at her, Banou stop her. She walk away without talking to her. Banou also notice some of the rooms have changes in it and she did not ask but continue to walk to her living quarter. As she prepare to sleep there is a knock on her door. Aylin look at her and Banou shake her head. Aylin take a peek and Banou hear her talking in a low voice. Aylin return to inform her that concubine Luo just know that Banou is back thus she wants to greet her. However Aylin knows that Banou doesn't' want to see anyone yet and told concubine Luo that she will meet Consort Princess tomorrow morning. 

Banou avoid the mother and daughter in the mansion for the next few days. She did not go home when Li Cheng return to the mansion. When she hear that Li Cheng have return to camp, she goes back to the mansion. Li Nan is finding it strange for he doesn't understand why his mother is acting this way. He knows that she is upset about something but what is she upset about besides that he is looking forward to see his parents together. He ask Li Xin what their mother is doing. She doesn't understand too. One of those afternoon, Li Xin finds Banou at the washer area scrubbing some dolls. She offer to help her too. Together they wash scrubbed and lay them out on the hot sun. After they are completely dry, Banou takes them back to her boudoir and sew the body parts together. Li Xin watch with interest as the dolls doesn't look like the kind of dolls they have here. Banou and Li Xin spend time together fixing the dolls. While Lou Yin Wen suddenly appear out of no where. Banou did not get herself ready and see a heavy pregnant woman standing before her. One of her twin sons bring the concubine into the living quarters of Banou. She have no choice but to accept the pregnant girl. She ask Li Xin to go play with the twin boys while she talk to the concubine. The two ladies watch them walk to the fishing pond to play. 

"Ban Nu jie jie... i am ... sorry."

"There is nothing to be sorry about..."

"There is! We make a promise ... to let me grow up and find a man that i love and want to marry. Now... i'm going to give birth to my first child with the prince."

She touch her big round belly. Lou Yin Wen feels bad that she had betray the royal couple. She nows that Banou must be upset just like that time when Li Cheng was forced to marry her. Banou pat the empty space beside her and Luo Yin Wen sit down slowly. 

"Concubine Luo. Just.. don't think too much and just deliver the child.

"I ... i was forced. I did not do it willingly."

Banou open her eyes wide. 

"What do you mean? He raped you?"

"No no... we... were drugged for a few times and those times when we wake up in the morning, he can't get it go off. So he, we ... did it a few times. Now he is afraid to come home. He is afraid he is going get drugged again."

"Who drugged ..."

"My mother. she said i am the wife of a prince now. I need to have a child with him. So she put ... some ... medicine? Inside the food we ate. We lost control. I don't know what to do. She is my mother. She controls everything that ... she thinks is good for us. "

When Banou hear that she yell for Wang MoMo. The older lady appear with Li Nan behind her. He is carry one of the twin boy like a parcel in his hands. 

"Go pack Minister Luo's wife items. She have overstay in this mansion."

Before Wang MoMo walk off Banou call her back. 

"Deliver a message to Minister Luo about his wife return. I don't wish to give him a shock. Also have the physical and midwife prepare for Concubine Luo?"

"Yes Consort Princess Ban Nu. I have the midwives ready they will arrive tomorrow or the day after. While the physicians are from the royal medical bureau, they come on daily to check on Lady Luo."

"Thank you Wang MoMo."

The elder lady bow an walk off. She see LI Nan behind swinging her twin son. Banou turn to look at Yin Wen who looks small and frighten. 

"I will help you to get off from your's mother grip but first you must be brave enough. She maybe your mother but she is not correct all the time. I understand we have to be filial piety. However there must be aline that not be cross to make a child so frighten and obedience to whatever she says."

Concubine Luo remains quiet. 

"Yin Wen, tell me. Are you the one who wanted to marry Li Cheng? Are you the one who beg your mother to help plan away to get him in your bed?"

Concubine Luo touch her big belly. She shake her head. Banou hold her hands.