That night Er Yin sit there quietly She did not know what else to say but to eat her noodles. She did not want to recall the past. Yet the Duke have bought her back to the past that keeps her up the whole night. She did not meant to be a hero or someone who is seeking frame or fortune. She just want to balance out the crazy situation before her. That day after she left her buddy's copse in an open field for the wild animals to feed on it. Guilty runs deep in her soul. She tell herself while fighting to stay alive, she wants to help those who are struggling to stay alive. She saw her commander chop down by an axe as she rush to his aid. So instead, she use her spear to kill his murderer. There is nothing she can do when he is dead on the spot. She left his dead body and help the others who are barely alive. She cannot remember how many men she drag from the battle ground. Or how many horses she set free by letting them go. She pick up the wooden shield she found to block the incoming arrows. She doge and hide when she finds its a better. The fighting did not crease till the darkness sweep in. She lay with the dead so that just incase the enemy decided to come back. The final batch of soldiers came on the second day. They sweep the battle ground. She was alive only have cuts around her arms. She stay at the medical tent for half a day as they don't have enough beds for the wounded. She sleep on the ground with hemp spread around. Daily she retrieve medicine for the pain and creme for the wounds. Just nearly three month, they were told to collect their payout and allow to go back home. So she join the queue and receive her bag of coins along with a sack of rice. The army allow her to take her horse that she ride in the battleground. Thus her spear and her horse belongs to her. The armour was given to her as it is in a bad shape, they did not want it. She wear it not to show off but to hid her chest. It is to shield anyone who notice anything off about her.
"Aren't you going to say anything?"
"I... I got nothing to say, your highness."
"Well, it's ok. Let's concentrate to get better. Want another bowl?"
"Can i?"
"Sure."
"Thank you, your highness!"
She watch him walk out. Outside the flowers are swaying gently. She doesn't understand why he wants to find her. Since this is the kind of fate she have with the Duke, she accept it. When the contracts ends and her leg gets better, she can find another excuse to go home.
Every night, the Duke comes by to talk with her. They chat and talk about other things other than war. They soon find that they are the same age, 28. He is born in early spring while she is born in mid autumn. He soon finds that Yi Jin only can read a few words thus some night the Duke teach him. Er Yin soon know that Duke Yan Sheng have a dream to have his own family and be a stay at home husband. She laugh at his dream while she doesn't have a big dream too. She just want her family to be living and be healthy.
On the third day, Prince Ann the one who was hold hostage comes to the Duke's mansion. He personally comes to thank the solider who safe his life and the others. He gave Er Yin many men's noble clothes and a chest of gold nuggets. She is delighted to see gold more than anything else. That night the Duke order a feast for the Prince. The group have a full meal. The Duke and Prince Ann drink a lot. Luo Ming have to arrange a room for the Prince to sleep in. While Er Yin is trying to finish all the food on the table. It's her rule not to waste food. So she stuff herself and force Luo Ming to eat. She cannot deal with the alcohol but she knows that they can be store again as long as the bottle is not touch by any lips. The maids are told to sleep since it's so late in the night. The Duke walk past the courtyard to see his injured soldier still eating alone. He try to walk in a straight line to Yi Jin. He stumble on the chair and look at Yi Jin who is eating the fish.
"You! Really a glutton! Eat so much!"
"Don't waste food... next time don't ask your kitchen to cook up a storm. We don't have more than fifteen people eating. It's a waste!"
"Some can keep overnight! Why worry!"
"Oh... i know but it's fresh that we eat it now. Here drink some soup. It will help with the alcohol in your stomach."
She scoop a bowl for him to drink. He look at it and attempt to pick it up with his shaky hands. Seeing the Duke dripping the soup she sigh. Wiping her oily hands, she pick up the bowl and lift the spoon up. She slowly feed him.
"Say ahhhh."
"Ahhh"
"Good boy. Now another Ahhh."
"Ahhh"
He look at Yi Jin with his small eyes as he repeat the action. Slowly his mind get clear and strangely he more he stare at his new assistant the more he feels strange. After the bowl of soup is finish. She continue to eat her chicken. While the Duke pop up his hand with his head lay on it. She look at him and show him the chicken. He open his mouth and she peel the meat for him. After that he slowly chew and smile.
"It had been so long that someone feed me."
"It's a nice feeling right?"
"It is. I don't have mother. My father never feed me. Sometimes when i go into the palace, my grandmother will feed me with her hands too."
"Is she still around?"
"Yes but she is not feeding me anymore.. No one feed me since then. Now you feed me. Are you my grandma?"
She stop chewing her food in the mouth. She look at the bowl of soup. She hurry to scoop a bowl and feed him.
"Drink these... the alcohol is still in your brain. Need to wash them out."
Luo Ming walk to them and find his new colleague feeding the Duke. He look at the Duke who have his head resting on a popup arm.
"Ming ger, can you bring the Duke back into his room to rest?"
"Sure but are you going to finish all these?"
"Yes. Don't waste them. I can eat!"
"Don't finish them all. I want some too. Let me bring the Dukeeeee!!!"
He try to lift up the Duke and the tall man's legs are sleep. He cannot stand up. So in the end, Lu Ming bring in a couch with the help of another soldier who is on guard duty. They pop the Duke up in the courtyard beside the feasting table. A blanket is place on him. Luo Ming and Er Yin eat in peace and they distribute the food to those guards on duty that night.
The next morning, the Duke wakes up with a butterfly landing on his cheek. He open his eyes to strong sunlight. He hear the birds chipping in the courtyard. He shield his eyes to see Yi Jin sleeping on the dining table with the chicken bone in his hand. He laugh and Luo Ming wakes up while siting on the stairs and his head leaning on the railing.