That night, the messenger ride into the palace to inform the emperor that the fortress is still safe and still belongs to their dynasty.
While inside the fortress, the injured are treated. Er Yin had endured the arrow that is buried deep inside. Physician Meng operated on her for two hours. A wake and aware of what is going on during the operation. Er Yin hold on to one of her girl's hand for assurance. The Duke meanwhile is found with cuts and unconscious. He is sleeping in the next room. General An and Luo Ming arrange for the dead to be taken back home. While the fortress outside, a huge camp fire is still burning bright. In a far distance, the men in the tower can see that the Mongols have built their base camps. Small fire are surrounding the valley.
The night quietly and safety move into the mornings and the mongols did not attack. In the medical house, the injured are resting and getting their injures treated. Er Yin lay on her chest on the bed. Her back is open with a dressing strap across her left back. A red patch can be seen. The Duke who is awake and have his wounds treated, walk into the room that she is lay in. He sit down on the chair beside her bed. Her hair is untie and all sweep aside. Her blanket only covers her bottom. Yet her legs shows that she have bruises on them. Her white smooth back is somehow well tone with a deep dent that follows her spine. The Duke slowly trace her back spine along the dent. The finger movement cause her to knit her eyebrows together and mumble in her sleep. He smile and touch her cheeks.
Three days later Er Yin wakes up. She notice her bandage on her chest is removed and her top is reverse worn on her. The pain on her back slowly comes back. She doesn't have much of her strength to push herself up. She groan in pain. She sit up with difficulty and she look at her roll up pants. Her legs have a few bruises that are on display. Physician Meng walks in with his assistant.
"Oh you are awake. How are you feeling?"
His assistant shyly look away and put down the medicine box on the table. While Er Yin unconscious cup her breast over her shirt, she nod her head shyly . Physician Meng ignore what she did and ask for her hand so that he can read her pulse.
"Hmm good. Your health is back and healing well enough."
"My wound is painful."
"Good that means you are healing. Your flesh is in a good shape. We need to apply the medical creme and you have to drink the medicine too."
"What is happening outside?"
"For what i know... the officials are planning to speak to those barbarians."
She snort and look annoyed.
Two days later, the Mongols fire another round of fire arrows and this time they bring in a large catapults. The bombs they load on it actually throws far into the fortress and bring the tower wall down. The mongols are delighted and they laugh. While inside the fortress, the generals try to remain calm and was instructed from the palace not to attack but defend. Thus, they did nothing throughout a week. The mongols outside taunts them. Men and women in their leather armour throw in their bombs, fire arrows and rocks. As if a child who is having fun taunting the other side, they laugh and be merry.
Inside the fortress, they hold their anger. The generals want everyone to remain calm. One day when they are all heal, they will attack together. Now they have to concentrate on healing the wounds from the last round. Er Yin who is resting listen from inside her room. She agree with what they said but she too is angry and want to fight back soon. While the Duke constantly visit her. He send her all three meals and plan to feed her but she refused. As her hands and arms are not injured. However raising her hand to feed herself proved that it is too painful for her. Thus the Duke happily help to spoon feed her. Some days when he is free he walk in to assist on applying medicine for her. Of course the women soldiers will chase him out of the room thus he stands outside waiting. However through the window he can see the back of Er Yin as they apply medicine on her. The wound is nicely stitch up by Physician Meng so it is flat and looks neat from a distance. The bruise on her leg, sometimes the Duke will offer to rub it for her. One of those days she gives in and allow him to rub her bruise however Er Yin will howl in pain as he apply lots of strength on it.
Nearly a month. There is not action from both side. The Duke knows that his cousin the emperor is sending a team of officers to Mongol for a talk. It will take time. He watch them from the tower. Those Mongols will listen to their leaders whether to attack or not but those hot headed barbarians are not to be trusted. He and General An watch day and night. While Luo Ming find some way to secure the wooden gate.
After nearly two months, Physician Meng allow Er Yin to leave the room with light duty only. She is trying to wear her clothes when the Duke walk in. She hide behind the folding screen.
"Can you leave?"
"I can help you."
"No the girls can help me. You can't. Besides that, don't you have work to be done?"
"I do have but i think i should check on you before i go back tot he tower."
"There is nothing to check on. Please, just go do your work."
Days gets longer and longer. Everyone is itching for a fight. Occasionally, General An will have an argument with the Mongols. While the Duke will just be lazy and read his books. Er Yin and Luo Ming don't feel like they are in the middle of a war. Everyone is wondering what is going on. They even have time to check why and how did the arrow managed to pierce through the armour. However they have a problem. They are running out of food. Going back up tot he capital is easy to retrieve food but they are ordered to stay within the fortress and no one is allow to leave. A eunuch finally appear in close to two months. He is carrying out the order from the dowager to deliver food. Only three cart of food supplies for five hundred is too little. That eunuch left to return to inform the palace that the fortress supply of food is barely enough. Five hundred soldiers and civilians who refused to leave is too little.
Without a choice, the generals along with Er Yin and Luo Ming decided to have only one meal a day while the rest of the soldiers two meals and the civilians who are older folks are allow three meals a day. Rice is precious not a single grain is wasted. Not a drop of water or wine is wasted too. Day and night is spend on staring at the valley of Mongols who is camping out there. Three months later, the peace talk is unsuccessful. Another one thousand soldiers will be deploy towards Yong Le fortress. The Generals prepare the war with serious talks. The map of the entire valley is laid on the table with mountains and mock toys to represent the Mongols. While talking, the soldiers who are guarding the tower scream and run. Everyone look towards the gate to hear the gate thunder as if a giant is outside knocking the door.