Er Yin drag the Duke out of the mess with her might and will. She drop him whenever the enemy approach. She shoot, she stab and she kill. With sweat and blood on her, she is determine to keep her master alive. He is her money banker. She need all the taels that he can give to her. The Duke is groaning with each time she drop him. Soon he regain much strength to move on his own. He grab the nearest spear and defend himself while Er Yin is kicking off enemies. He watch the rest of his men fighting with their might. Taking the opportunity he move nearer to Er Yin.
After a long time, the bandits are mostly dead. The morning comes with the sight of the hideout being half burnt down. Their chief lay half dead under Luo Ming's feet. His spear did not move away and his eyes stare at the half dead man. Er Yin have used all her strength to defend the Duke. She sit on the ground with her master. Looking like a pair of broken dolls. Both of them with their long legs stretch out and their face at blank. A solider come up to them and look at both.
He bow and ask what is the next command from the Duke. He wave his hand and said to tie up those who are still alive. His men hurry to do as they told. They all wants to go back to the capital and have a hot meal to fill up their tummies. Soon they pile up the dead bodies of bandits and set a fire to burnt the bodies along with their hideout. Everything is burnt to the ground and nothing is left. While the ones who are alive watch everything they own burnt and they all sigh as they look away. With their hands tied, they are lead back to the capital. Guarded in front and the back, they walk slowly with their battered bodies. Er Yin on her horse is tired and sleepy but she is holding her eyelid and trying not to fall asleep. While the Duke who have applied all the medicine that his trusted Yi Jin had bring along. His wounds are bandaged along with his clothes. He is not in pain anymore as he is feed with enough pain killer. He look at Yi Jin who is unharmed however his face is stain with the blood of others and the soot from the hideout.
Reaching the capital, the first thing is to lead the bandits to the Justice bureau for them to be jail with heavy guards watching. Right after the delivering is done, the men return to the mansion with their bodies half hungry and half sleepy. Some of them take a bath while the others like Er Yin goes to bed in their full armour. The Duke goes to the palace and report his mission and he return to his mansion with Luo Ming. Both sleepy and tired. He dismissed Luo Ming and he walk to the rooms of his soldiers. What he see is his men all sleeping peacefully. He look at Yi Jin who is sleeping while hugging his pillow. Quietly he walk back to his room and hug his pillow while asleep.
Er Yin wakes up hungry and smelly. She look around and see her fellow colleagues are asleep. She pick up her towel and bucket and walk out in the dark. The corridor are lit with paper lamps so she follow the passageway towards the bath house. She look into the other rooms of the men, they are too asleep. Thus she might able to wash herself clean tonight. She step into the stall for individual men to take their bath. She undress and look around, it does look like she is alone. There is no one around. Finally, she remove all that stinky and bloody clothes. She keep her chest bandages on, just incase if anyone step in. She hurry to scoop the water and wash herself quickly. She is only concern that she have wash off the blood and smell. She is not having the luxury to take a slow bath. Her long hair is tinted with blood as well thus she rinse it. After that she put on her pants in a hurry.
"You are not cleaning yourself properly. No wonder those men complain that you stink."
She pause and swallow her saliva. Judging by the voice, it sound like Luo Ming. She look at the door way and see Luo Ming walking in.He is half naked and holding his bucket. She look to the front and hurry to tie her pants.
"No Ming ger. I bath myself clean."
"Boy, you got to scrub yourself. Why are you still in bandages?"
"I still got a bit of ... wounds for it to heal."
"Not good. It's almost two years. See a physician tomorrow ... wait later in the day time."
"Ohh understand."
She hurry to put on her clean clothes while Luo Ming strip down his pants. Er Yin did not want to see a naked man who is taking bath so she walk like a crab out of the door.
"Hey! You are done!"
"Done! Enjoy your bath!"
She walk back her room but the Duke yell for her in his room. She walk there while complaining but smile when she see him. He is also half naked with only his under pants on. She salute him and ask what does he need while she is looking somewhere else.
"Bath. Wait. Just a clean bucket of water. I will wipe myself. You know how to cook am i rite?"
She nod her head.
"Go see what is available in the kitchen to cook. Anything that is eatable just bring it here. Must be hot and soupy. Understand?"
"Yes, your highness."
Before she walks off, he ask her to enter to his bedroom. He turn around to get a towel on his hand and ask her to turn around. The Duke use the towel to pat dry her pony hair.
"Not young boy anymore but still nee someone to take care of you..."
He mumble as he towel dry the pony tail that is dipping water.
"The water have cause your shirt to be wet and the floor... wait why are you still in bandages?"
"Still have wounds your highness."
"... see the house physician later in the day. It is ridiculous that it takes so long to heal... anyway go cook something ... hungry.. Wait! Clean water first."
She bow and hurry walk back to her room first. She needs to put on her shoes and then she can do the rest.