"Ming ge! Are you sure? Are we leaving here!"
She runs after him
"Yin'er the letter is written by Duke Yan. I recognise his hand writing plus there is a stamp of the Yan. It cannot be wrong. The letter states that he was following General Peng to the YongWanFu fortress. It was besieged. The enemy the Mongol had entered the fortress! Our army had fled. Now heading towards YongLe fortress, we need to and meet up with them!"
"Ming ge we only have three hundred men here! How much can we do?!"
"Still we cannot not listen to an order. Duke Yan order us to pack everything we need to defend the final fortress of this dynasty!"
Er Yin without a choice and order the soldiers to together in the open space and tell them what was written in the letter. Luo Ming and Er Yin separate their duties and the whole camp is busy packing up the items that they need.
"Ming ge, what about the Duke's tent?"
"Yin'er can you go and see what is important in his tent. We will take all those along/ Especially stamps! Take them all!"
Er Yin rush inside the tent and find the biggest piece of cloth she can find, she put everything important inside. She look at the scrolls of painting. She cannot allow the enemy to pick these up, thus she finds a bamboo tube and roll the painting together, place inside the tube and seal it. She swing it over her body and continue to search if there are important things to take along with her. She tie up the cloth with letter, stamps and books. She take a final check before she rush out to see chaos. Everyone is packing things that they need and burnt everything down to the ground. Just incase the mongol comes, these things will not land in their hands. Once the fire starts, Everyone on their horses and those in their carts carrying the new weapons watch for awhile till Luo Ming gives the command to march to Yong Le fortress.
Er Yin who remain to be the last watching the place burnt down. Everything they have done is gone to the ground. She turn the horse around and slowly walk away. She see all the men on carriages and some of their livestocks. It will take them a month plus to get from where they are to YongLe fortress. Lucky for them, the weather is kind. There is no heavy rain nor wild animal lurking behind. They met civilians on the way there, they advise them to move away far as the mongols are travelling towards their lands. Luo Ming send a few soldiers to escort them home and help them to move.
"The mongols are known to be fierce fighters. They are all tall and brutal. Their strength is ... thus ... we have to fight them in a distance. The new weapons, She Qiang (Snake head spear) will be come to good use. Don't let them grab anything on our body. Fight from our horse or from a distance. Their hand weapons are those swords that are for close combat. So it will be our advantage. So please, my men remember what i said. Distance combat to stay alive!"
Er Yin look at Luo Ming who is talking non stop since they are stopping for dinner and resting. He is speaking so passional that no one stop him. He goes on about how to combat the enemy if should they encounter them. She look at their tired faces sitting on the grass patch looking him. She feels sorry and look over the cooking pot. The female solider who is cooking gives her nod Er Yin understands and clap her hands.
"Everyone must be hungry. Go line up for dinner. We will talk later. Shall we?"
Everyone rush up to form a line for food. The physicians who are following them have their meals deliver to them privately. While Er Yin console Luo Ming who looks disappointed.
"Come on, they all have listen to heart what you said. So now they need to fill up those tummy of their's. If not we will not able to put a good use to what you said."
With his grouchy face, he join the queue right behind of everyone.
That night, she watch the surrounds with a few soldiers while in the early morning she sleeps with the livestock. Luo Ming tries to stay awake at all times watching everyone moving towards their destinations. Finally after twenty nine days of non stop marching, they arrived outside Yong Le fortress. The gate is open to them when they are marching in about hundred miles. At the tower, the Duke stand there watching his men arriving. He smile when he see the skinny tall silhouette. He also spot Luo Ming waving to him frantically. Another general is standing beside him.
"Your men have arrive in time."
"Yes. They never fail me."
"Hmm... you also have the women army under your command."
"Yes ..."
"Well i hope they live up to ... our expectations. After all women cannot beat the strength of a men."
He laugh and the duke turn and look at him with his small eyes. In his low voice, he whisper.
"But they don't just beat any men with the strength. They beat the enemy with their iron will and wit."
He stop laughing and clear his throat. He knows not to mess with the Duke but he did not erase his unhappiness on his face. He order is men to clear the path way for the soldiers who are entering the fortress. While the Duke turn to look at his army that is marching inwards the fortress.
Er Yin who is watching the flags flying on the fortress and she notice that the look of the soldiers who are staring at the female battalion. She holds her head up and lead them all into the fortress. She decided that she will not allow any other platoon to bully her girls. She gets off her horse, with her long legs swinging over the horse. She pat him gently and take out a carrot for him. She ask the soldier where is the stable. He pointed a direction but he look up and down at her. She look down to him and ask she ask what is his problem. That soldier shake his head and walk off in a hurry.
After the horses are place in the stables, she walk out with her troops. At the same time the Duke who is looking for her. See that she is walking out of the stables. He walk towards her. They walk near to each other and smile. Looking at each other face to face, there isn't any need words from both of them. They stop smiling only when Luo Ming come running.