Because of XiongNu attacking at the border, the plan is to take the longer road via some county and province. Banou ask the servants not to pack too many things for her. Having more food is more important.
That night after dinner, She gather her older children to explain to them what is going on. The twins are not happy, the new friends they make are leaving and their mother will be gone for a while. They ask to follow along but she said they belong to their father and have the surname Li. When they are older the choice is for them to make. To leave Tang or stay in Tang, they will make that choice. Li Nan who is there at present wants to follow his mother. His wife, Yang Bai Lu have make the decision to follow her husband wherever he goes. However, he request that she stay in Tang and wait for him to fetch her and their son to Persia. Banou other son, Li Dan who is unmarried and working at the border with Li Cheng is wiling to travel to Persia.
Days after Banou is summon to the palace. She meet the emperor who is with a grumpy face. He ask her not to think of getting her sons out of Tang. He needs them all to guard the borders. She protest as she did not ask them to follow her. However she will talk to them again about leaving with her. She have enough men who will be leaving together by end of the month.
"I hope Consort Princess will keep your promise. Now the border issue is most critical for us to handle. I am sure you don't want to see my brother struggle with guarding the place alone."
"My husband is never alone. He have all the help he will get. My sons and son-in-law will do their best for Tang."
"So Li Xin will marry that golden hair man?"
"Yes they are planning their own wedding."
"And you won't be here to see it. What a pity."
Banou keep quiet and look far. She will not see Li Xin's big day. She must still prepare something for her.
After she leaves the palace, she goes to the jewellery shop. She look at what is fashionable now. She purchase a few items and goes home. She find Li Xin sewing her wedding dress. Li Xin is delighted to see her mother and show her the wedding dress with dragon and phoenix sew on it. Banou praise her and they sit together to talk. Banou give her the new jewellery that she just purchase and another a pair of pear earrings given by the empress.
"Mother..."
"Take it. Wear it. I never like accessories.Since you like them, take them. Later i will find the other box that i have in my room. I will give it to you and the two girls. Li Xin, i am leaving and may not return. If you can, please look after the young siblings. The twins are the hardest to handle. You have to be firm with them."
Li Xin start to cry when she hear that. Banou wipe her tears with her hands.
"My daughter, you are the gift that i received from this land. Actually, i know who is your birth mother. She is a Persian like me. We, at that time, lived in the XiongNu camp and you were born there with Li Nan. Coming back to Tang, i tried to look for your grandfather who is a famous merchant however i am not able to locate him. Thus you become my daughter. "
Li Xin keep crying and Banou feels bad for her daughter. She pat Li Xin's back gently and slowly.
By the time everything is uploaded into the carriages, It is almost end of the month. Her children are gloomy everyday. There is no laughter coming out of the mansion. Li Cheng is upset and he have border to look after. He is torn between his duties and the woman he love. The young children who doesn't understand what is going on realise the family members are not happy about something. Even the stern Wang MoMo is not strict with them. The three little ones are confused.
Envoy Afshin had his carriage moved out a day earlier than the Princess and the heirs. However he will be travelling with them. His residence for now will be staying only his son and Aylin. With the Princess and the heirs moving back to Persia, Most merchants of Persia started to prepare to move back along with the Princess. This move makes the emperor worry for the economics of his Tang. He immediately ask his court to think of a way to keep the merchants in the city. However the Persia trade association reject the propose given by the Tang trading bureau. Most of them are leaving as they see the Princess is the one who will give them security for living in Tang. This makes the Tang Emperor angry thus he want to block out Persians in his city However his court officials stop him and explain that it will further make the situation unstable in Tang. As they sit to talk about it, Banou is already prepare to leave the city. She said her good bye to most of the shops that she frequently goes and she hug that little ones she will never get to see them grow up. Her sons at the border, she leave them a letter each. Her sons who have work in the capital she ask them to take care of the family when Li Cheng is not around. She thank Wang MoMo and Min Min for the care given.
"Consort Princess, won't you come back?"
"Wang MoMo. my father the Sultan is old and my brother the crown prince had passed away. My siblings may fight for to be the crown prince. I have to bring the boys back home. It will take a long time for the new crown prince to sit stable in the court. By the time he is ready, my father will be long gone and i am needed to stable the new Sultan. Thus... i have to stay forever in Ottoman Empire."
Wang MoMo cry and she shows that she doesn't want the Consort Princess that she grow found off leave the mansion.
Banou enters the carriage after the heirs enter the carriage. She did not want them to see her cry thus she keep the curtains down. The carriage roll away slowly she hear her grandson crying loudly. The boys look out the city one more time. They want to engrave the picture of Tang in their memories. They know that once they leave, they will never return. Banou engrave the sound and the smell of the food in Tang. Maybe one day she will have the time to day dream of Tang who have given her a new life