Er Yin start to get use to the life style in camp. Since she volunter for night shift, she feels better. Her nights are not fill with terror since she is guarding the gate with a fellow men. She only return to her tent to sleep when the sun is rising. She finds that she can sleep better when the light welcome the land that she lay on.
The nights are cold thus the men gather around a fire they build. They all take turns to go up the tower to watch over the dark night before them. While the other three will be standing by the fire to warm themselves up. Er Yin brings a hot water bottle with her. She tuck it in her shirt. At least her chest feels warm. Her hands within twenty mixtures are cold. She watch the pitch darkness while shivering in the cold. By the time an hour is up, another man comes up to switch with her. She climb down slowly and walk to the fire. While rubbing and getting her hands warm up, the Duke walk to them with Luo Ming behind him. He offer them some light wine to warm themselves up. Er Yin drink a bit to feel better. After that Luo Ming take back the bottles and leave with the Duke. Er Yin continue to guard with the other three men. She welcome the daylight at the watch tower. A new group of men comes to take over the duty of guarding the tower. She drags her feet to the tent and tuck herself in the blanket. She falls asleep even thought outside is noisy. In her world suddenly its peaceful and no more drums beating in a distance.
She wakes up at the late afternoon. Feeling refresh, she stretch and look around. No one is in the tent. Outside there there noise of people talking and laughing. One of her colleague walk in. He sit down and remove his boots. It stink up the tent but she is not to complaint. He look at Er Yin.
"Yi Jin, you wake up should go clean yourself before dinner. Look at you, how many days haven't you taken a bath?"
"Oh i thought of going to a nearby lake to ... swim and i can take a bath there too."
"Then go. Still laying around. Wash your uniform. It stink!"
Er Yin roll her eye ... who's the stinky one. She slowly gets up and pick up her clothes in a bucket. She walk out to receive the sunlight. She look around everywhere is peaceful. With a smile she walk out to the lake. She look around and doesn't seem to have anyone around. She remove her armour and place them on the ground. She slowly undo the tie at her waist. She hear noise and turn around.
Five of her fellow colleagues stand before her with their buckets in hand. The wind in the forest blows strong and the leaves flitter. She stare at them as they all walk up to her.
"Ha what do we have here. It's Yi Jin or one piece of gold."
"Fellow brothers."
She bow politely to all five men as not to cause a fight. These men are a-bit of a bully but they are never too bad to her.
"Yi Jin here to take a bath?"
"Yes and a swim but first i want to wash my clothes."
"Ah we are here to wash our clothes too... since you mentioned about swimming... maybe we should all have a bit of fun here."
"Yes you should..."
"Hey Yi ger, since you are going to wash clothes, how about washing mine?"
The rest of the men who hear this scold him for pushing away his job to wash his own clothes. That man looks angry. She hurry to say it's fine.. She is willing to do so. In the end, she have to wash five men's clothes all in the bucket.
"I am willing but my brothers i may not wash very clean..."
"I don't mind as long as it it washed and doesn't smell. I don't care."
"Me too."
"Yeah me too."
The rest of the men ensure that they will not be angry with her as they strip to swim in the lake. She hurry to look away and pick up one of the bucket first. She pour in the plant ashes that is provide per soldier in the army. With water and a wooden beater on hand. She hurry to wash all five men and her clothes as fast as she can. While the men are enjoying the swim in a distance, yelling and laughing. By the time she is done, she leave them all in their own bucket and hurry to wash her own clothes. The men comes up from the lake when the sun is setting. They collect their clothes and say their thanks to her. Each walk away feeling good and having a fun conversations. She listen to their voice echo further from her. She hurry to take out her small towel. She wet it and wet her arms and neck and apply pastes on her skin. She hurry to scrub herself. She wanted to remove her clothes to bath properly but the chances that someone comes by is high. So not taking a chance, she hurry to wash the exposed part of herself. After that she wet her legs and feet. Furiously scrub herself clean. She rub her face too and leave her hair alone since it will take a long time to dry. She leave the washing of her hair on day that she gets the whole day to herself. She plan to go somewhere to do an entire body wash. After take care of herself, she takes care of her clothes. The sun is setting the and dinner time is approaching. She wash them furiously and smell them before she feels that it is good enough.
By the time the sun have set, darkness is sweeping in slowly, Er Yin stand up and stretch herself. Her body is achy after squaring for a long time washing. She put on her boots and turn around to see the Duke standing in a distance with his arm cross and looking at her. She feels at that moment, she is going to get into trouble.
"Late for dinner. Go run thirty laps around the camp."
He said that with a cold and monotonous tone. His small beady eyes stare at her while the wind is blowing and his long pony tail fly in the air.