Er Yin wakes up in the afternoon. She is still in the same room that she is bought in for medical. She look around and see no one. It is dead silence while the curtain on the tent window is gently flapping about. She move to her side and try to push herself up. She sit on the bed and see that she have a bandage on her thigh. She try to recall what had happen. Her memories remind her that the last person she saw was the Duke. He was carrying her with the bright sky behind him.
For a long time no one comes into this room and she is getting hungry and thirsty. Er Yin look at the table and cabinet. Each with a label yet she cannot fully read all the words. She only have basic education, she knows only this much. Suddenly the curtain is push aside and the physician walks in. They look at each other and they bow to each other. The physician puts down a bottle on the table and walk over to a huge barrel, he move the lid and scoop out a bowl. He walk to Er Yin and hand her a bowl of water.
"Here drink this. You must be thirsty."
"Thank you sir. May i know your name?"
"My name is Meng Hun Feng."
"Physician Meng, thank you for saving my life."
"This is my duty as a doctor."
Er Yin smile and drink the bowl of water in a hurry. So satisfy that she wipe her out with her sleeve. The physician continue to look at her after he drag a chair and sit in front of her. He look at her gravely and take the bowl from her hands. Er Yin looking at his face expression, she knows that he will say something important.
"After you recover, it is best that you resign from your post."
"Why am i going to die?"
"No..."
"Just because i got injured while at work?"
"No...."
"Well i ..."
"Listen to me girl."
She became quiet and understand that he knows her secret and is alike her father. They probably have the same thing to say to her.
"Your identity as a female is dangerous. Since now no one knows about you, Whatever the reason now that you are doing, it is better that you leave. If this is known to the emperor, you whole family with be complicated along with you and probably beheaded."
Er Yin sit there with her hands trembling. She look down and breath deeply.
"I am not doing this for myself. I have a daughter who is older than you. I probably knows what your father is thinking every day and night. He will worry everyday when will the family be arrested. When you return home, that heart will be better and he will able to sleep at night. Don't make your father worry."
"Physician Meng, i understand what you are saying. I will, resign after my wounds are better. Thank you for your good advise."
The old man smile and feel that he save a life. He stand up and put the chair back. He told Er Yin he will go get some food for her. He walk out and she look at the window and the curtain. She smile and think quietly. Maybe its better that she return home. If one day her identity as woman is exposed. There are many lives at stake. It is better she leaves once she is better.
Physician Meng had stop visitors to see Yi Jin. He lied that she is still asleep and haven't wake up fully. He give Er Yin a chance to clean up herself and make a firm decision on leaving. While the Duke and the prince is rather worry for Yi Jin who risk his life to safe them all. They linger around the tent that Yi Jin should be in however the imperial carriage soon arrive to pick up the prince. He promise to ask for a promotion for the soldiers who safe his life. The Duke watch the carriage leave with the imperial guards. He goes back to his tent to organise the daily activities. He sit at his desk and look through his paper works. His eye falls on the box of arrow head and name tag. He pick up the name tag with the whole in it. He look at it for a long time and place it back into the box.
"Luo Ming!"
The young man come running in and bow.
"Collect my clothes into the trunk, we will return to the capital within ... days. Go check with Physician Meng when will Yi Jin recover."
"Yes your highness."
He wave and Luo Ming walk out of the tent. He look at the letter that the crown prince had sent him days after the news of the prince being rescue.
'Brother Han , If it is possible return to the capital within days. We have much to discuss in person.' the seal with the crown prince is imprinted at the bottom as a sign off. He keep the letter and attend to his paper work.
While Luo Ming is searching for Physician Meng, he walk in the tent to see Er Yin sitting on the bed with one leg swinging and chewing on a sweet potato.
"Hey! You are fine now?"
"Ming ger, I am on the road to recovery. "
"That is a brave thing to do but stupid. You nearly die!"
"I am a blessed person. Or rather i am the grim reaper himself. Or maybe the king of hell doesn't accept me thus I cannot die yet."
She laugh and Luo Ming give her a push.
"Seeing you well! I am satisfied!"
"Don't worry."
"Oh by the way, we are returning to the capital with the Duke."
"You are leaving?"
"That is 'We' are leaving."
"We? Me too? Why am i going?"
"I am not sure... maybe cause you are in-charge of the night shift.... it continues when we are in the capital."
Her heart sink. She knows she have to talk to the Duke soon about this. However she must see Physician Meng first they must cook up a health issue they have so that she can leave this job.