Three years come and go. Er Yin is now officially the in-charge of the female troops. She doesn't need to report to the Duke on everything. She is left on her own to decide a lot of things. Most of the time, she trains along side with Luo Ming. They form a bond like family. While with the Duke because of the conversation with the Dowager, she doesn't talk much to him. She constantly bow and only talks when necessary. However he always find time especially in the night to make her stay with him in the tent. His excuse is to teach her to read and write which she cannot refuse. Er Yin takes the chance to learn as much as she can. Every night alone in his tent with him, she try not to get to close with him. The Duke understand it is part of what his grandmother have said and install in her. He did not want to argue with his grandmother on this. He just wants to be near her and see that she is safe with him.
In the following months, the empress and the Dowager is pressing for the Duke to get marry. They are afraid that a war might break out anytime and the Duke is still not marry. Thus every few days the eunuch arrives at camp and stay to pester the Duke and hurry with the betrothal gifts. He ignore the small man who follows him around and talk non stop. He concentrate on whatever that needs his attention. War might come but it might not as the delegation envoy from both side of the countries are in talk, hoping there is peace after that. The Duke is hoping for the best as he doesn't want to see another bloody war.
Finally after months of nagging, he sent his betrothal gifts. His nanny who is living in the mansion with him and the matchmaker had arranged everything in order and sent to the mansion of Minister Hong. One day out of no where he ask her for a hair wash. She agree and prepare his bottles for it. Half way through the wash, his wife-to-be appear in camp. She demanded to enter the camp and the soldiers have to let her in. She walk into his tent to see Er Yin who have roll up her pants, bare footed sitting on a seat and washing the hair of her fiancé. He is laying in a tub with warm water and his eyes closed. Er Yin stop washing and stare at the Lady. She bow with her hands full of water and ashes.
"What are you doing?!"
"Your grace, i am ... washing his hair?"
"You you you.... should not touch him at all! Get out!"
"Get out Lady Hong!"
"I am your wife! I won't allow another woman..."
Er Yin stand up and the Duke hear that she get up from the tall chair. He turn around in the tub and look at Er Yin with his fierce eyes. Er Yin swallow her saliva. She decide to listen to the Duke as she got her pay from him and not her. She sit down slowly and look at Lady Hong who is standing with her fist shaking. She sigh in her mind.
"Who is she to me, is none of your business! Now get out! If you still want me to marry you, stay in your mansion and wait till the wedding day."
"How ... i don't understand!"
"There is nothing to understand. Just go home."
There is a strange heavy silence in the air. Behind Lady Hong, the guards look at each other and wonder what they should do. Er Yin who is staring at the ground look up and see a beauty crying in silence. Her face is wet with tears. Er Yin feels bad. She wants to say something but she decided to keep quiet. Finally Lady Hong walk away. The guards hurry to follow her.
"Go outside and get a few soldiers to escort her back into her mansion. It's late... it might not be safe."
Er Yin bow and walk out of the tent. She hurry to look for four soldiers to follow her carriage. She watch them scramble to look for their horses and chase after the carriage. Er Yin walk back to the tent to report. She see the Duke covering his face with his big hands.
"Your highness, i have 4 men escorting her back into the city."
"Call me Han! How many times... forget it. Complete my wash. I need to write a letter."
Er Yin hurry to continue washing his hair. After she is done, she goes outside to lay his papers and brush on the writing desk. She even pour water on the ink pad and slowly grind it to produce ink. The Duke walk out asking for a towel. Er Yin hands him a towel without looking at him. She walks to the bath area to clean it out. She look through the screen to see him siting down and begin to write. She keep her silence and continue her work. After that she stands outside his tent and watch the surroundings. As she watch her minds wonders what was said between the Duke and the Lady. It seems like the Duke did not like the Lady that much. How are they going to get marry? Before the sunrises, Luo Ming walks over to take over the shift work. Er Yin is yawning and shaking from the cold wind. She takes a peek inside the tent and she see the Duke is reading at his desk. Luo Ming goes in to greet him and pick up the letter to be hand deliver to the Minister Hong. Er Yin roughly understands that the Duke must have written a letter of complain to minster Hong on his daughter.
Another seven months pass and the wedding is set. As the wedding day moves closer, Er Yin changes the shift work. At night she stands guard at the tower or patrol while the Duke is consistently moving back and forth from his mansion, the palace and camp. Most of the time when he returns, he is unhappy and he have no one to complaint. He drinks alone at night in his tent and drown himself in his paperwork when he is awake. He started to look like an old man with his beard and unkept hair. Er Yin feels sad for a man who is force to do something he doesn't like however there is nothing she can do.
Weeks before his big day, she takes a month off and return home. The winter is almost here. She sits alone on her rooftop and watch the mountains in a distance. With a bottle of Chinese Wine in her hands, she drink alone almost everyday. One day while walking alone along the stream, she hear a horse riding approaching where she is standing. Her eyes are blur with the alcohol in her hands. She cannot stand without swaying in the wind. Her long hair is untie and along with her new dress in yellow, they fly along with the wind. She sees a figure walking to her, she smile.
"Friend or foe!"
She yells as she point towards the figure. A familiar smell linger in the air as the figure moves near. She cannot see anything and keep rubbing her eyes. When the figure moves near to her, he wraps his arm around her. The wind continues to blows and they did not move. Her arms slowly move up and hug his waist. She lay on his chest to hear the heart beating strongly.