A month after the wedding, the Duke returns to camp. Er Yin and Luo Ming is managing the camp without him and when he returns, the Duke is in a dark mood. He hardly smile nor talk much. He always ask to be left alone. HIs nights are always quite and alone in the tent. He even did not want to talk. Er Yin constantly walk around his tent. She wonder if she should walk in and talk to him. In the end, she make a plate of fruits with his favourite tea. She takes in a deep breath and walk into his tent. Inside, it is in a mess. Plus it smells like he haven't have a bath for a long time. His dirty clothes are pile up in a corner. His documents on the table are open to mark as he have read them. Bottles of wine are laying on the ground in a corner. While he is laying on his couch with a book over his face while wearing just a robe over his pants. Er Yin quietly put down the plate. She walk over to remove the book from his face. The moment she is near, he reach out and grab her wrist.
"Go prepare water... i would like to soak in."
She nod and bow. Walking out to fetch water and pour in the tub for him.
Behind the screen, he enters the bath tub and look at Er Yin who is busy tidying up his tent. The night is quiet but he hears the sound of her breath.
"After that can you come here and give me a shave?"
"Yes... your... brother Han."
She look for the items for shaving in his cabinet. She walk in with the bottles and shaver. She arrange her seat and place the face towels on her lap. The Duke who is siting on the opposite side of the tub watch her. When she is done with what she is doing, she look at him. He move nearer to where she is and look intensely at her. Er Yin's heart is beating fast and she swallow her saliva. All of a sudden, he push himself up from the tub. He land his lips on her's. Knowing that she might want to run off, he wrap his arms around her. She struggle for awhile but she knows that this man will not let loose his arms if she move. She stop moving and strangely she feels like she likes it.
The next evening, Er Yin wakes up and have dinner with the women. they talk about a lot of things but Er Yin is all ears when they talk about the men they are interested in. They even talk about their first kiss. Er Yin's ears are all red when they talk about it. She finally at the age close to 40 have her first kiss. Last night's encounter had caused her brain to malfunction. She did not know how to react however when he stand up from the bath tub, she ran out of the tent because he wasn't wearing his usual undergarment. Er Yin maintain her usual poker face and eat her food in peace. However when he appear in front of them, she lower her head with her bow and greet. The Duke sits down with Luo Ming and eat his dinner with them. The women soldiers are happy yet excited to sit next to a Duke. After he left with Luo Ming, they all talk about how easy going he is and he doesn't have an air of arrogance. Each of them envy Er Yin for working directly under his command. Er Yin did not respond much and eat her dinner in silence. She smile but the smile is not from her heart. She quietly eat up and goes on doing her work. She did not go near his tent and randomly check on the supplies. Even though Luo Ming have done it, she still takes the trouble to go and check it again. The night goes on quietly as she alone stay in the warehouse. After she is done, she look at the spear and polish the head. She hears footstep and she look up to see the Duke. His face looks at her tenderly. His hands from his back brings out a fried dough sticks.
"For you. I saw the cook have some dough and i pull it and deep fry it. I know you like these so eat it while it's still warm."
She put down the weapon and take the fried cough. He look at her and smile later he walk away with his hands behind him. As she chew, she hears him whistling a tone.
Everyday, he does something to captivate her heart. Everyday she like him more. However his new wife arrive in camp one of those days. She hand over new warm clothes and boots for the coming winter. Er Yin hide behind her fellow soldiers and look at the new Duchess. She knows that she will never be like her. So there is no point of feeling anything nor dreaming. From that day. she wake up. She holds the warm clothes and boots in her hands and walk away. That cold winter, she return home for the Luna New Year. Her mother told her that she found a man that had accepted the way she is. Er Yin agree to marry since the widower doesn't have much conditions he wants as a wife. He only wants a woman to treat his daughter nicely as if her own child. That Lunar New Year he comes to the Xie's home with his 7 year old daughter. Er Yin learns that he is a local farmer who have his own land and raising pigs for slaughter and sell them in the market. When he learns that Er Yin works in the military, he doesn't mind and is delighted as soldiers are know for royalty. He ask if she will resign and help out the farm if they get marry. Er Yin agree that she will leave if he decide to marry her.
Before she leaves in the heavy snow fall, her future husband, Zhang Bei Ming comes to the Xie's house.
"I will marry you. However when you want to leave the army, it's all up to you. If you would like, i can marry you the coming months."
Er Yin look at the sincere look on Zhang Bei Ming's face. They are in the same age group. Only he is darker, shorter and maybe fat on his tummy but overall he looks like a good man. Plus he accepted the way Er Yin is. She smile and reach out to pat his shoulder. He look surprise but he smiles brightly when he hear what she says.
"Hmm... i can ... marry you anytime."
Her parents who are standing nearby tear as they hear that. Finally the eldest daughter will get marry.
"Mr and Mrs Xie, I will send the betrothal gifts when the snow stops! I want to marry Xie Er Yin!"
"That is a good news!!"
Er Yin's mother is rejoicing by clapping her hands. She invited Zhang Bei Ming inside for a hot cup of tea. While outside, Er Yin look at her mother and her future husband. She look at her father and smile. Her father who is smoking and walking with a clutch walks up to Er Yin.
"Are you sure..."
"Father... he seems nice. Besides that when i return home, mother won't be nagging at me."
"Hmm... yes he is nice. As long as you feel it is right. Then i will support you."
"If he is not nice, i can fight my way out."
He laugh so did she.
"I have to go now father. I cannot be late when return back to camp."
"Hmm. Watch out for slippery roads."
"I will ride slowly. I won't take the roads more like i will ride on the grass."
"Hmm... you know what to do so do what you need to do. We will write to you when is the auspices date for the wedding ceremony."
Er Yin yell out to the rest of the family who are in the house that she is leaving. They come out shivering the cold to wave goodbye to her. She look at Zhang Bei Ming and nod her head after she mount onto her horse. He smile brodly and bow.