Li Jun soon arrange to have a meetup with the Marquis and discuss about the marriage. The Marquis disagree with his daughter being the other wife to the Duke. He is afraid that she will suffer in the hands of the other wife. Li Jun ensure him that his son will be fair to his two wives and he will sign a contract that no other women besides his two wives. This hopefully will smooth over the anger and ensure that the two women will be treated fairly. After three days, the Marquis reply that he will allow the marriage if the contract is written up for all three families. It takes another fourteen days for the engagement to be final. Two match making ladies are engaged to help in the preparing the wedding. Both the brides will be marry into the Prince mansion. The crowd outside see on daily bases of things send into the mansion. They soon realised that it is the newly appointed Duke is the one getting marry not Prince Jun. While the consort is digging the treasure room for things to give to the new brides. She have headaches every day. Banou try to help out as much as she can. Because of the prestige of the Prince, they cannot give less than what is expected. Lady Ban helps out in writing the wedding invitation cards. She is glad that she is alive and seeing her son hit another mile stone. Hopefully she will see that he becomes a father. That she will be most satisfy with.
Another happy event is announced during the meal time. Li Kang is going to be a father. Lady Ban shoot up from her seat. She point and stare at her son. She then fainted and cause chaos again. Thus because of the pregnancy, the wedding is push ahead. Consort Wu have a new task to find a baby room and items. Li Jun meanwhile is grumbling that he is going to be a grandfather. Banou only can smile and continue to supervise the younger children to do their work with the chaos around them.
The only person in the mansion is not in a joyous mood is Li Ning. She sits alone and read her books. Sometimes, she packs her old books into the trunk. She watch her brother happy and laughing with others. She wonder can she be this happy when she marry off. Banou sometimes come by her room to ask if she would like to take walks with her. Li Ning talks quiet walks with Banou in the garden. Banou understand the complex thoughts that is running through Li Ning's mind. She was once in that position. There is nothing they can do. Once the decree is said, there is no turning back. Banou now hope that the decree will come later after the wedding. So that the close brother and sister is able to spend more time together before she marry off somewhere far.
Unfortunately the royal degree come before the wedding. Everyone is down on their knees. The eunuch announced that Li Ning will marry next year in early summer. After the new year, she will move into the palace to live there while getting lessons on life as a foreign bride. Li Ning have long accepted her fate did not burst into tears. She calmly accept the royal decree and ask the eunuch if she can bring all her belongs. He explained that her belongs will remain in the mansion. The days before she marry off, the eunuch will arrange to pick up all her belongs and bring it in the marriage carriage with her. He inform consort Wu that the bride items the royal palace will provide for it. There is nothing for them to do. Thus is eleven more months she will be marry off. Li Kang looks sadly at his sister and realised that they are spending less time together and she is the only one who is not happy in this entire household.
Li Ning try to help out in the decorations around the mansion. Li Jun and Li Kang goes off to the trade union bureau. While the boys goes off to school. Banou is busy cutting the cut out of Chinese character celebration, happiness and some other animals. She hear the sound of the boys walking in from the main door. Li Gou is talking loudly. Some servants are heard to be yelling. Banou get up and walk towards the group. She see her son in a bruise face.
"What has happen?"
"Respond to Lady Ban Nu. That rascal, have a foul mouth! Li Xing punch him! Then a fight started! I help too!"
"Li Xing! How can you fight in school! You shouldn't do it! Look at you now!"
"But Lady Ban Nu! That rascal, he say bad stuff about you! He doesn't know anything and he said something bad! LI Xing stood up for you!"
"Li An, you always tell the truth. Now tell me what he said."
Li An stand quietly at the side. He is afraid to speak. Li Ning walk up and take out her handkerchief to wipe the blood stain on Li Xing's face.
"In repsond to Lady Ban Nu... Hu Lei was saying that you are a sex slave that sleeps with every men... I am sorry. I shouldn't ..."
Banou tear up. What she fear comes true, her son will face the concequences. She don't know what to say and she stand there to cry. Her son seeing his mother crying, hug her. Li Gou continue to yell and Li An got frighten that he cry too.
"That rascal, tomorrow i bring my stick and beat his mouth! See if he talks nonsense again! How dare he!"
Lady Cui and Lady Lin walk out to check what is going on. They immediately discipline Li Gou and Li An. Li Ning brings Banou and LI Xing to clean up. Banou stay in her room that evening. She wonder how is LI Xing going to do now in school when there are people talking about her. No one is comfortable hearing this. Especially her son. The bruise face and the stretch marks on his arms tells how hard he had fight to defend her. Banou feels bad for her only child.
"Mother..."
She looks up to see her son comes in with a tray in his hands. He brings dinner with him and sits down after he place them on the small table. His left cheeks is puff up with a swollen bruise. Banou cry again when she see him in this state.
"Please cont cry mother. Here eat today's dinner."
"Your voice..."
"it's nothing. Just that the bruise is hindering me from speaking properly."
"Please don't fight next time..."
"Mother, if they are in the wrong, we should not allow them to say baseless things."
"Next time please, talk to a grown up person before you take action. Is your father home?"
He look down and nod his head.
"Did he lecture you and your bothers?"
"No but he said he will personally go to school and talk to those ... who get into the fight. Anyway, they are wrong! You are never a slave! Father also never treated you as a slave! You are bought to society events and to the palace as well! You dress the finest like Consort Wu! Who are they to say you are a slave..."
Banou smooth the hair of Li Xing. He look at his mother and smile with pain on his cheeks. Banou pick up the chopstick and begin to eat her dinner. It maybe cold but it warm her heart.