Er Yin have to personally check on the weapons that are delivered. She make sure that all the girls are comfortable and there is no dispute. Bathrrooms that is specially made for the women are made in camp. Some cheeky men might try to take a peek but they will be send fly off with the other men laughing at them. For the first time, they can take a shower and take a bath scrubbing themselves clean. After their bath, the men always smell the fresh flowers in the air. It makes the women smile when the men look at them. Serving the nation is one thing. Being acknowledge as a woman is more important.
The Duke return to camp three days later, He looks grumpy and he did not talk very much. He sits in his tent reading all the documents submit to him. Er Yin sees a grumpy man in the big tent goes into the kitchen and find some pastry for him. She even cut up watermelon slices for him. She walk into his tent and quietly put down everything and she is about to walk off. He call her back.
"Your highness..."
"Wash my hair tonight after dinner. I feel ... i need a massage."
She bow and agree.
That night, quietly she scrub and massage. He is laying in his tub and she sits behind him. This time, she is aware that he knows that she is a woman. Thus she is not siting close. However he is not in the mood to talk. He wants to be near Er Yin and enjoy the quietness between them. Er Yin attend to him like as always. The night moves with the sound of their breathing and soon the water turns cold. She is about to get up from her seat to fetch more warm water when he stop her but reaching out her hand.
"Don't move just keep touching my head."
"The water is cold. You will catch cold ..."
"Just ... sit and massage my head. Please."
She obey his command and sit down. She wet her hands and continue to add pressure on his temple points. She look at his forehead and his eyes that are close.
"Are you ... feeling good?"
"Hmm"
"Did something happen that you are ... unhappy?"
"Why... why did you take such a long time to ... ask me?"
He open his eyes and look up to her. Er Yin look at him and stop pressing his pressure points.
"Ahhh ... Your highness, i am just a humble solider under your command. I ..."
"Do you ever ... think of me?"
"Of course! You are my master! I ... do think of you and your wellbeing."
"i don't mean that way.."
Before she stands up again. He reach out from the water to hold one of her arm. The water drips over all and Er Yin looks around. She starts panicking. An ideal is forming in her mind, she hope that he won't say things that will be awkward between them.
Before he say anything, a solider comes in to announce that there is a visitor at the gate. The Duke frown and stare through the screen. He ask who is the visitor that is here in the middle of the night.
"She said her name is ... Hong Ying Ying."
Er Yin hurry to stand up. The Duke stands up in his bath tub and ask for a towel to wipe himself dry. She hurry to look for it. She don't understand why is he in his underwear again since he knows that she is a female. Er Yin look for his inner and outer wear garments and pass to him. The Duke look at her and ask for assistance. She stare at him with her eyes force open wide.
"Your highness, i cannot ..."
"Just do whatever you can."
At that moment Luo Ming walk in. He wants to report that he will be going to bed since he is off duty and he have check everything is in order. Er Yin drag him into the bath area and ask him to assist. At that moment while fusing at the back of the screen, Hong Ying Ying appear in the tent. Er Yin rush out and they look at each other. Er Yin bow with the small tub of items in it. Hong Ying Ying a classic beauty stare at her and return her bow. After awhile, The Duke and Luo Ming walk out from behind the screen. Some how Sheng Ying Ying look relief and bow to them. Er Yin hurry to walk out of the tent not wanting to stay inside. Luo Ming come running out. He catch up with Er Yin and talk about the things to do on the next day. She nod her head as they walk back to their tent.
"Ah why did the Duchess come here in the middle of the night."
"... i don't know...?"
She is busy packing while Luo Ming is just talking by his own. Er Yin's mind is wondering off as her hands got busy. She did not listen to a single word what he said and just say that she will go out to do her rounds of inspection.
As she walk around with a two female soldiers, they look at the carriage that is park outside of the camp. It is a big beautiful carriage with ribbons hanging and connecting from all four sides of the top. There are four horses pulling this big carriages. Normally there are only two horses but having four horses is to show off the wealth of the household. Er Yin all her life never sit in a carriage always envy those noble ladies who travel in style. However she knows that in this life she only can sit on a horse and ride alone. There is no carriage that she can sit in but maybe a cart with the farm's harvest in it. She understands this much and won't pray the gods for this. For awhile the three woman did not move till Er Yin remind them that they have to continue the patrol. They start walking away from the carriage and check with every corner and soldiers who are guarding. The night goes on as usual. In the morning before the sun rises, Er Yin who is siting at the tower yawn and stretch, she see a woman in colourful dress step out of the Duke's tent. She know that it is the future Duchess. They look at each other in a distance. The Duchess gives her a small smile and Er Yin bow in return. She watch the future Duchess board her carriage and move away. She stretch again this time twisting her waist and she turn to see the Duke standing outside his tent with his eye sight fix in her direction. He point at her and point to the ground in front of him. She sigh and knows that he is going to lecture her. She pat the solider who is fast sleep on the platform. He wakes up in a shock. She whisper she needs to go off. He nod his head and rub his eyes. She reach the ground and run to the Duke who is standing with both his hand on his hips.
"Why are you up there?"
"Watching the sun rise, your highness."
"Aren't you suppose to guard me?!"
"Yes but i have assign four other men to stay put near your tent, your highness."
"Why?"
"Because... i ..."
"The sun rising is more important?!"
"No sir..."
"Go inside. Wash all my clothes. hang them and clean my boots. You only can go back to sleep when the clothes are dry and kept back in my cabinet!"
She bow and hurry off inside. Sleep time is precious in the morning for her. She pick up the clothes in the bucket and run off.
After she wash the clothes and hang them at the back of his tent. She peep into the tent to see him fast asleep. She hurry off to Lou Ming and ask him for a favour. She then run back to her tent to sleep. Without eating her breakfast, she lay on her bed and sleep rather well. When she wakes up it was nearly sunset. In her goggly state, she look around to see no one. She undo her bun as it was siding down. The women return from the shower room and everyone is taking. The smell of the flower scent wakes her up. She decided to take a shower too. Picking everything up, she goes to the shower room and take her bath. She scrub and clean herself. Wearing a clean uniform, she step out with her long hair. She feels happy but in front of her stands the Duke with his arms cross with unreadable face.