Mr Hong Zheng Ting begins class the next day. He chose a nice spot near the garden with a open space like balcony. Ah Mu serve drinks and pastry hourly for the teacher and students. They listen and learn. Aylin who have never learn to read nor write before is a fast student. While Banou is slow and steady but she is unhappy that she is not on the same speed as Aylin. Neverless, Teacher Hong teaches them in the same speed and level with interesting topics to talk about. He even teach them to use the chinese brush on writing the characters. Banou learn with her heart and soul. Aylin knows how to write but she scribble and her words are untidy.
After three weeks of daily education. They both learn to speak basic mandarin with the accent sounding odd. However it is acceptable as they have just pick it up and learning at fast speed. However when comes to writing it, it takes they long time to use to the direction and strokes of the characters. Aylin finds that boring while Banou find it interesting and learn with day and night practise. Even Consort Wu is impress with Banou doing so well.
With simple conversation, Banou realise that consort Wu is only seventeen years old. She is younger than Banou who is nineteen.Consort Wu married Li Jun at the age of fifteen. They lived together like brother and sister because of her young age, he never consume the marriage. While his concubines are noble ladies of high society. They are wiling to enter his household as his concubine. Their ages are range from twenty-five to twenty-nine. While Li Jun is twenty-six and father of ten children.The children are ranging from three to twelve. Ah Mu and Aylin are the same age, twenty-two. Banou try hard to understand the information given to her. She pity Consort Wu that she have to marry at a young age and responsible for a large house hold. No wonder she is munching most of the time whether she is sitting the swing or staring at some books with frowning bows. While the other ladies are squabbling most of the time.
Banou is terrify of the nights when Li Jun comes in her bedroom. She understands now that why he have chosen to buy her. Why he wants her to learn the culture and language. He is never bad to her. He is always patience with her. Just that when they are alone, she dislike him stripping his top off. However most of the time, he just lay next to her and hug her to sleep. Even though he just sleep. he keep his hands on her breast which is uncomfortable for her. It keeps her awake. Sometimes, while he is a sleep, one of his hand will slip into her top and get in. Next to her flesh, her nipple is really uncomfortable. She try to move away but his other hand who is holding her waist will keep her near.
Two days later, the weather change it rain. Banou and Aylin never experience so much water coming down from the sky. They run around feeling the rain on their face. They laugh with joy. Some of the children join them in the rain but of course their mothers demand their return to their room. Banou try drinking the rain water. Ah Mu come running with an umbrella to stop her. Aylin who see this also did the same thing. The whole afternoon, they have experience sometime they never feel before and ask Hong Zheng Ting about it. He explain it and tells them a Chinese story about a rain god. Banou is amazed that the story. That night after dinner, she write it down as much as she can remember.
The next day it rain again. This time they watch it from the pavilion. Banou stretch her hand out and feel the drops of rain. Hong Zheng Ting come walking in with an umbrella.
"How are my students today? Yes it's raining. Let's start the class. Let's speak mandarin, shall we?"
The class starts with the rain still pouring. The breeze is gentle and today they are learning to write more characters in different strokes.
After a month, the weather change again, snow comes in gently like cottons floating from the sky to the ground. Banou and Aylin have seen snow in a far distance but it never snow where they are. The coldness of it shock the Persian girls. Consort Wu should them what to wear for the cold season. After two weeks, the ground is fill with snow that they can't tell where is the floor. The water is soon starting to frozen. Every room is cold. Every plant is frozen and because of the snow teacher Hong is not able to come. He said class will resume after the Lunar New Year. Banou starts to dislike the snow, it restrict her from leaving her room. At least Aylin is running around with Ah Mu. They are heating up the rooms with the heat tunnel that is built under ground. While Li Jun is wonder how to serve food to the Persian girls since the vegetables are not able to grown in the snow. Consort Wu suggest that they use the olive oil to cook maybe the Persians can eat. Aylin confirm they use olive oil to cook the meat they have. For the first time, Banou and Aylin have meat other than vegetables and fruits. It is so tasty that Aylin lick the plate.
That snowy night, Banou sleep with Li Jun as usual. She have a dream of a child between them. She begin to worry she doesn't know what is it to be a mother. Her own mother is died when she is three. Her nanny never teach her much except that manners of a princess. Every night Li Jun, try to be gentle with her on the bed. He doesn't want her to cry but to feel the skin pleasure and he talk to her like a fragile doll, whispers into the night. She learn from him the art of undressing in front of her man and how to please him during the long nights. Strangely she begin to accept her life as a kept woman or a sex slave. Over time, she preform as what he wish. It is an exchange for the life she have now.