Meanwhile inside the imperial grounds. The female soldiers are told to kneel in front of the imperial court house. They are not allow to move unless they are allow to. They obey the rule and each sits in in line of three. There is no sound from them. While they can hear that outside the noise from the public and inside the palace court house. While the head eunuch walk up the thousand steps into the imperial court house. Er Yin look up to see Duke Yan in his armour and his cape is flying gently in the wind. He is looking at her as she is looking at him. He give her a small smile and disappear behind the steps as he walk up. Er Yin look down the floor and close her eyes. She chant again for herself, for her sisters, for her family. May this is the day with the final outcome.
After a long time, they are tell to get up and walk up the stairs. The long flight of stairs will make anyone sigh but they have to climb it. They all stand up and prepare to walk up the stair when suddenly the people inside the palace court house walk out. In front stands a man with a long golden color robe and a fancy hat with black beads hanging down half covering his face. He have a very long beard and it is strangely braided up. He have the same small eyes like the Duke but his face is oval a sign that he is living a good life. Behind him the Duke stands looking at his assistant with calmness in his eyes. Er Yin along with the rest of the female soldiers stand and bow deeply. While outside the crowd suddenly when quiet and they remain in kneeling and bow with their heads touching the ground.
"Eunuch Kang... These are all the sinners?"
"Yes, your majesty. They are all here."
"Do they understand the crime that they have committed?"
"Yes i have read them out loud for them to understand."
"Do they have anything to say before i hand them their sentence."
The eunuch hesitate and say no but the Duke walk over the stairs and yell if anyone have something to say. He look at Er Yin with urgency and he look at his cousin, the emperor. At that moment, the sky change to grey and he tremble as the cold wind blows. Every one look up the sky and in their hearts they all believe that the gods are here to listen what is to be said.
Er Yin stand up straight and look towards the emperor. With her hands up she bow. The wind starts to howl as she speaks. Strangely the sound of her voice is bring up to the emperor that is standing far and high.
"Yes we do have something to say."
"Say it now."
The night before, the girls have ask Er Yin who is the oldest among them to say their grief on their behalves. Thus, she is speaking alone with a loud voice.
"Your majesty. We did not commit any crime that ask for our heads! The only crime that we have made was to go into military as men! Your majesty! Do you know why did we all take this risk knowing that one day you will know or die in the battleground? We know it but we did it is all because we cannot bare to see our father, our brothers to go into war. When they return, they are unwell. They will be missing some body parts or worst dead. There was another war and the soldiers goes round asking for our brothers and fathers to go for war. How can they go when they are missing their body parts! Our sins are that we are not born as a male but can i ask you, where did you come from?! Didn't a woman give birth to you?!"
"How dare you!"
"Eunuch Kang, let her speak."
Er Yin continue to say while standing there in fear but today if she don't say it. The ugly truth will never reach the eyes and ears of the emperor. He will never know the suffering of the people in his nation.
"What i say today may sound offending to your majesty but it is the truth. From the beginning of mankind, our ancestors that have been hunting side by side with their husband. They also farm along side with their husband! Never have Yin and Yang separated! Ask any of the astronomical scholars! They know! How can these group of women who is risking everything to anger the gods in heaven! They won't be because we are born from NuWa!"
Immediately everyone who is standing near the emperor all look at one person. The head of Astronomy bureau lower his head. Afraid of looking into the eyes of the emperor. He is the one who had advising the emperor that the failure of capturing those cities and fortress are because of the present of Yin energy. Many years ago he have accidentally come across a female corpse laying on the ground with the uniform on it. Thus an ideal form in his mind that there are female entering the military to disturb the energy flow. Base on the law of men since ancient times, women are not allow into an imperial office. Thus he told the emperor that might be female present in the imperial line of work that cause the unhappiness of the gods. A punishment for their nation. Never in his wildest thoughts that the thorough search from the imperial office down to military line of work there are so many women found. Those who masquerade as male in various bureau are executed along with their family members. Now these soldiers are the next in line. He stands trembling as he knows all these blood are debts that he can never pay back. He only can keep his silence and maintain that heavens is truly anger by the way things are.
"May i ask your majesty, what if one day you realised that the women in your nation is giving birth only to female babies. What will you do? Your soldiers, men are low in numbers and there are so many women who is willing to risk their lives for you, for this nation. Will you accept them or blindly send your men to die in a war! Your majesty, please think of the grand picture! Not because the word of the ancestors that left behind! Those rules might apply to them it might not apply to us now! The law must change! For all of your subjects in your nation, your majesty!"