The story of Ban Nu

The items that Li Jun bought for Banou have arrived in the mansion. Every delivery man is demanding money and caused a chaos in the main door. Aylin inform Banou of the number of people at the main door and they both run there. Banou see the number of crate arrive and the content, she realised that it is the items that they have seen two days ago. 

"I think it's the things that master are looking at the day before yesterday."

"Why are they sent here now? Just because he touch it? Or it is spoilt?"

"I don't know. Let's watch."

"Those man are talking really fast. I can't understand." Aylin whisper 

Gou butler come running out. "Please please have order. What is going on here?"

"Prince Jun was at my shop yesterday and he order these garments for .... them!"

He point to Banou and Aylin. Everyone focus turn on the foreign women. The two women suddenly got frighten. The man takes out some papers. 

"Look, we have these written down and Prince Jun sign and stamp on it. There is proof! Now pay!"

Soon other men to take out their papers and show it. He take all the papers that are stuff right up to his face. He smile and show his winkle face. 

"To all delivery man, i will let the madame to see and pay you all. Please stay here and we will pay you all. Please stay here and be quiet."

He bow and walk fast into the inner quarter. Banou walk around the crate and look what is inside. She think back what she have been doing with Li Jun. Then she realised that she is taken to a tailor shop to make garments. She follow him to a cosmetic shop and there is now a delivery of all sorts of fancy beautiful bottles. Finally she follow him to the jewellery shop. There is a small box that the delivery man is still holding. The delivery men all look at her with curiosity in their eyes. At that moment consort Wu come out, she doesn't look too happy. Nevertheless , she pay them and ask them to leave. They each take the payment bow and leave. She look at all those crates. She look up and stare at Banou, she had a frowning mouth. Banou immediately whisper to Aylin. "Later when i clap my hand and laugh, you do that too." Aylin's eyes open wide and stare at Banou and slowly nod her head. While Banou walk up to the smallest box and open it. Inside, as expected is the jewellery. She pick up the necklace and walk up to consort Wu. She put it on her neck and consort Wu got a fright, She turn around and look at Banou with her eyes open wide. Banou walk back and smile. She have an expression of consort Wu wearing it looking beautiful. She clap her hands "Clap your hands!" Aylin immediately do the same thing and smile at the consort.

The rest of the servants and Guo butler clap right away.

"Madame does look beautiful with it! "

"Really?!" She smile and touch the necklace. Looking satisfy, she hold Banou's hand. "Next time, i bring you to a nicer place to buy jewellery that aren't so expensive and they are fashionable too." Banou trying to understand what she said just smile. "Come on, move those crates into their courtyard. Get Ah Mu to arrange where they should go. I need to talk to Prince Jun on his spending. If this goes on we all be eating vegetables for a long time." While they are moving the crates, consort Wu ask Guo Butler if any teacher is engaged to teach Banou and Aylin. "In replying to consort Wu, we have asked the Persian family in recommendation. Maybe we can bring the Persian Women to meet them. :

"Well i will ask Li Jun to do that. I am not use to see that family. They are nice but strange customs. Anyway, Where is Prince Jun?"

"He is in the palace. He will return to the trade union bureau after that."

"Let me know when he is back. I am going back to my quarter. I see you later Ban Nu at dinner."

Guo Butler bow deep and consort Wu walk off. Bonou and Aylin place their hands over the chest and bow to her. While Guo butler smile at them and hand gesture them to follow him. 

That evening, Banou and Aylin is shown to the main dinning hall. Everyone have their own table and chair. They are shown to the left side of where Consort Wu is sitting. Black and gold colour chopsticks and spoons are laid on the table. There are tea on the table too. Banou and Aylin sit down and soon other ladies are noisy walking in. The moment they see Banou and Aylin, they stare and keep silence. They take their seats on the right side. The children walk in order. The youngest who saw Banou days ago come running up to her.

"Jie jie. Pretty sister is here today?"

"Xiao Ping, come here! Don't be rude." 

"To respond to mother, I am not rude. Jie jie sees me before. She likes me."

Banou touch her hair and smooth is down. The little one smile and she run up to her mother. The older children are given a table each. While the ones below five will have either the nanny or the mother to feed them.

Looking infront of her, she is reminded how meals in Persian culture is like. Unlike the individual tables, they have long table on the left and right side with a cushion to each person and the table is laid with golden thread cloth. While the sultan and his imperial consort are sitting in-between at the far end of the tables. The sons on the left and the daughter on the right. Once a daughter is married off, they are allow to move up. while the sons usually gets to move up with someone pass away or they are deemed to become a normal citizen. The Sultan only require the family to sit together for lunch. Other than that, everyone eats i their own living quarter. Banou knows that some brothers and sisters do have dinner together but she is not invited thus she have her meals alone in the courtyard with the birds singing. During meal time, they are not allow to talk nor cough nor sneeze. Not mentioned burped or farting. If any of it angers the Sultan, they will be drag out to the under ground cage for a day. It's a small hole with the bars above the head. All the person can see is either the sky or someone walking pass. Also that person can't sit as it's for standing. Banou try not to do anything stupid infront of her father. She eats slowly and chew slowly. So that she won't cough nor make noises in the room. As the window is all big and round, the sun always shines in and the sons of the Sultan will suffer the heat on their back. Thus they always wants to eat in a hurry and sometimes make noises. When they complete the meal, they all have to sit and wait for the Sultan to allow them to leave. When Banou is always the last one to finish her meals, she got death stares from her siblings. As always, she is the last to get up and leave the room.

When most of the plates of food is on the table, Li Jun appear with Li Cheng. 

"What is this? I love this picture. Happy family! Isn't it brother!"

Li Cheng smile and nod his head. Everyone get up and bow. Banou and Aylin follow the custum. Aylin get up to allow Li Cheng to take over the table. Banou finds Li Cheng siting beside her, she smile. Li Jun frown but he try to smile.