Banou spend her days writing to her brother and father. Sometimes she arrange to send them things that is make from Tang. While at home things are rather peaceful. Lady Peng is summon almost daily into the palace. Each time she return with pain in her private region. Banou almost feel sorry for the young girl. She is treated like a toy. Wang MoMo advise Banou not to be close to Lady Peng as they still don't know who is she royal to.
As the snow melts Spring is here again. Ajax and together with seven of his friends are trying the uniform before they are officially starting work in the border. Li Cheng bought them a residence within the city. Inside, they decided to make their own beds, tables and chairs like what they had back in Greece. This will take over a few months to complete since they need to stand guard at the border. Ajax and his friends start to tidy up their apperances and tie up their hair properly. Li Xin is surprise to see a clean shaven Ajax standing infront of her. With his deep set of almond shaped blue eyes, long straight bridge nose with symmetrical lips along with a long face. He looks equally as attractive as Li Xing. The day they officially start work, they put on the uniform and walk to the mansion to meetup with Li Cheng. Their appearance cause a commotion in the busy street. With the ice melting, they seems to radiant with heat as they walk towards the Prince's mansion. They are invited into the mansion while waiting for the Prince. Li Xin is waiting with them in the hall. She wakes up early just to meet Ajax. Li Cheng appear and invite them for breakfast before heading off to the border. Together with his sons and new men, they eat their meals with talking. The dining hall is fill with people who are talking and laughing. Even the in-laws of Baekje are delighted to see a rumour of a race of men who are born with hay as their hair. Their body are built with muscles of the horses. The skin is smooth like jade. They realised that rumours are not entirely the truth yet not entirely the fake. Mr Kim take notes mentally and to write down on his book of travels. One day hopefully he will publish it in his home country.
Li Cheng ordered the number of horses for his men and sons. The ordinary citizens watching on the street are shock to see so many tall men coming out of the Prince mansion. Some are even yellow hair and today they either braid it or tie it up high. Li Cheng ask them to pick a horse and get on. Li Nan say good bye to his mother and siblings. The twins ask for one last spin around. He oblige and spin with them holding on his arms. The other adopted sons bid their goodbye to Banou and the rest of the family members. Lin Xin say his goodbye to his little son. He bow deeply to his in-laws. He hug his mother as usual. He give a hand slap to his brother-in-law. Two of Li Cheng's assistance bow to Banou to inform her that they are leaving with the Prince and she does not need to be worry and they smile after they get on their own horse. Banou who is carrying her daughter smile with tears in her eyes as she watch the men in her family ride off.
Banou's in-laws stay with them for awhile till their son starts school and the snow completely melted off. Banou ask them to stay for the mansion have enough rooms to put up with. They decline as they wish to return to the home that Li Xin had built for them. Besides that the gravel of their daughter is nearby, they can visit her anytime. The grandson, is to stay with behind in the Prince mansion since it is safer here. When he is older, he can make the decision where he wants to live in. Banou agree as she is fond of the little boy. Together, they entrust Banou with their son and grandson. They left with a deep bow. Inside the carriage, Mr Kim comfort his wife who is crying.
"Don't cry. It is the best.The Consort Princess will take care of our son and grandson well enough."
"If only MinJin is alive..."
"This is her fate. She can't avoid. She marry well and she leave us a good son-in-law and in-laws that are willing to open their hearts to accept us."
With that she cry even harder and feel the heartache for her daughter. In a few months rumours of Baekje and Silla going on war starts to spread. Mr Kim who is standing outside the porch of his house over looking the mountains, sigh. Li Xing was right after all. The war will come and Baekje will probably cannot win with the aggressive Silla marching in. Moving here was the right step to take.
While at the border, Ajax and his friends have sometime to adjust with the style of the Chinese army. In turn the Chinese generals also learn military tactics from the Greek. Ajax learn that the enemy that they are pushing back are the XiongNu. He learn about them using brute force to attack and as well as how fast they can ride on their horses. Ajax and his friends capture some wild horses and study them in the stables. They discuss further with the generals on this. Li Xing is impress with Ajax and his friends. Together, he feel that they will cover more lands and push the XiongNu out soon.
Banou at the mansion is alone playing with the two daughters, Li Mian and Li Kai and grandson Li Han. When Her twins returning from school come running in from the carriage and greet her. They hurry off to their bedroom. She watch them after cleaning up and change of clothes running off to have their meals. She watch them running off to the study room and later running off outside the mansion. When dinner time is close they will come running in the dinning hall. Banou note that this is their style of rushing in and out everyday. Sometime they question her what she have been doing in the day time. Till one day, she stop them.
"Can you both tell me what mischief are you both doing outside?"