Er Yin spend her days recovery from her wound. She wait for the right time to apply medicine at her wound. She usually do it in the late afternoon when it's very quiet in the mansion. She look around the corridor to make sure no one is walking around. Especially those maids who are cleaning the area. On the fourth day, she have to change the bandage and double check to make sure no one is around. She close the door with a stool behind it so that anyone who opens it, she will hear the sound immediately. She pop herself on the bed with a tray of medical supply she needs. She undo the bandage and look at the sore red flesh which physician Meng said that she is healing. She winces at the pain when she apply the medicine on it. Before that, she place a piece of cloth in her mouth to chew down tightly. Slowly she bandage it back. The sweat on her fore head drips on her shirt and she wipe it off with her long sleeves. Laying down on the bed she sigh. No amount of pain will compare to the fear of being discover that she is a girl. She shut her eyes and doze off to sleep.
When she wake up, the room is slight in darkness. The tray is now on the table near the bed. She is also cover with a blanket. Her thigh is aching with the fresh new medicine. Pushing herself up, she move her injured leg slowly.
"Awake?"
She look around the dark room and see a figure walk in and appear in front of the screen. He look at her and smile.
"Hungry?"
She nod her head. He walk out and disappear for awhile. She stand up slowly with the help of the cane, she walk and sit down at the table. With a lighter she lit up the candle on the table. Just then the Duke comes in with a bowl of vegetable noodles.
"Here. It's hot be careful."
She hurry to eat it as she have miss her lunch while asleep. The Duke watch her as she eats everything up. Er Yin look up and slowly down her chewing.
"It is good enough for you? It is satisfying."
"Your highness, aren't you going to eat?"
"I had dinner hours ago. The whole mansion only you haven't have dinner yet."
"Thank you... for making me this bowl of noodles."
"You are welcome. In fact... i should be the one saying thank you."
"It's part of the job, there is nothing to ..."
"I am not referring about the recent rescue job. I am referring about a few years ago on the battle field, MuYe."
She stop chewing and stare at his face. His small slant eyes, that straight nose and thin lips. She don't recall if she meet or know anyone in that mess up battle field. Did he know who she is?
"You might not remember me but i remember you... You see, that day was a day that i nearly die. I was leading my calvary out. The enemies surround us with bows and arrows. My men are defending and attacking. Commander Zhen on the other hand is leading his men who are recruits into the battle ground. The clash of men screaming is in the air. I was swinging my sword and slamming the enemies to the ground on my horse..."
The Duke as he speaks, she notice his trembling fingers that he have place on the table. At that point, she knows that they both have suffer the same aftermath of a fierce fight. A guilt of a survivor.
"At some point, an arrow landed on my chest. It pierce through me. I was push off my horse as well. The enemies surround me. I had my sword up and swing it around in pain. Most of them fall with screams and pain. However a few got up and they pick up their weapons and walk back to me. I cannot move much i only can watch they come towards me. At that moment, i want to close my eyes and give up. Suddenly a solider comes rushing and jump over me. He kick and push back three of the enemies. He swing his spear and hit them mercilessly. His strength was unbearable. He continue to swing his spear till he throw it to spear the oncoming enemy. He come back to me and ask if i can understand what he is going to say. At that time, my mind is in a haze and my ears are block. I only can stare at the face in front of me. I look at the badge and read the character."
He pour himself a cup of tea and drink it. He pour another and repeat it. While Er Yin have already stop chewing, her food stay in her mouth as she continue to hear what he is going to say.
"You drag me off the battle field. I tried to walk but my leg is in pain too. Thus, you had a hard time. You put me at the place where i can see most of our injured men are laying there. You said something but i don't understand. I presume that you are asking me to stay here. I watch you run off into the field and pull out the spear. I soon close my eyes. When i open my eyes, a week have pass. I am in the medical tent. Men are walking around. I look for you and wanting to say thank you. However i cannot move and Luo Ming is injured too. By the time i can sit up, i look around. There is no familiar faces. But i remember the Chinese character Xie. Base on the color of your badge, i know where to look for your information. It took me nearly one year at the same time the emperor wanted new recruits and soldiers with experience on the battle ground. That is when i depoly my men to search around the YangTze river. Thus, i only want to recruit you on special terms just to thank you for saving my life."
The chopstick drop from her hands. Unbelievable is written on her face. He pick up the chopstick and hand to her.
"What if i am the wrong Xie that you are looking for?"
"Well it cannot be. Base on the records there is only five families with Xie as the surnames. The other four doesn't fit the description so they cannot be."
Er Yin remember that day, that solider comes to the door asking for Yi Jin and she is the one who told him that her bother is not in. So it is not possible that he thinks that he got the correct person.
"But the solider who came to look for ...me. I am not in at that time how are you sure that i am the Xie..."
"That is because the other Xie the only men left in the families are either an elderly grandfather, older man , handicapped boy and a baby. So there is not other men that fits the description except you. When i saw you that day in my mansion. I am sure it is you. We are about the same height and those bright eyes. That solider have to be you."