inside the fortress, Er Yin is receiving care for her bloody nose. Her tired body finally collapsed and Luo Ming carry her into the medical hall. She is still talking in her state of half wake half asleep.
"Because she took the numbing medical before she run out that's why she is now in this state."
"Will she be fine after it?"
"Yes. After the medicine ware off, she will be fine. However she will feel all the pain."
After two hours pass and she is wincing in pain. Her body feels the beat up she had received. She doesn't have any cuts but there are bruises on her tights and arms. Her nose is lucky wasn't injured too badly.
Outside, the rest of the able men are draging and some carry the bodies of the dead into the fortress. There are still some fire burning on some area. The wind at that time is awfully warm yet there is no sun. In the distance there is a cry of a bird. The men quickly work to get what they found into the fortress before the darkness sweep over the entire valley.
At night falls, everyone is eating their dinner quietly. Soon They buried the dead within the fortress with a name tablet set up for them in the temple. Everyone pray including the two monks who live in the temple. Er Yin quietly pray in her heart asking for mercy. Today she did not kill anyone but the last few years her karma for killing the enemies are pile up high. Besides that she is praying for her family and the lands of all Han Chinese.
"Dear god, these lands have been pass down from our ancestors, Please do not allow the Mongol to take over what is not their's. Please take them back where they belong."
She mumble earnestly and kowtow as she pray. With her eyes close, she hope that the buddha can finally listen to her prayers.
The Duke stands behind her and pray by bowing deeply to the buddha. He thank the god for giving them another day to live. He look across the table with the tablets. Those twenty men and women are the ones who have fallen under the Mongol. He feel sorry for them. He did not protect them. The ones who have fallen are mostly young boys and girls who have join the army. They are inexperience and no one can guide them properly in an open ground where the enemies are slaughtering anyone in their way. He walk near as the monks are still chanting. He kneel down and bow to them. He whisper that if there is a next life for them, may they reincarnate into a better times where no more fights existing and that they all live a peaceful life again.
That night, Er Yin and the Duke stand at the battered tower watching over the outside. The sky at that time is fill with stars that are blinking. It is beautiful yet their hearts are heavy. Tomorrow might be another day of fights. Below, Luo Ming is busy blocking the second gate. He and his men are instructed to seal all possible ways that the Mongol might break in. He inspected the stone walls with sweat and a nervous heart, he pray and hope that the Mongol will just go away without fighting again.
Er Yin's team check on the hand bomb supplies and found they only have two crates left. That means only a fifty hand bombs. Their arrows are only five creates. Most of the bows are needed to be repair. Swords, She spears and knife are hastily sharpens. No one is sleeping that night till morning.
The only saving grace they left is that there is a well near the temple is fill with drinkable water. Food supply is getting low. They are trap within the fortress. No way in and no way out.
The next morning, without a good meal, the soldiers are all restless. They are all tired and hungry. Without a choice, the Duke order that the cow and chicken to be slaughter. It will sustain them a day.
The Mongols attacked on the fifth day. It is an easy fight for them and they won. The Duke before had advised the army to surrender if the Mongols managed to get in. That way, most men will not die. They will all be tied up and alive. That night before, they have eaten the last live stock they have. They are only left with four horses in the stable.
The Mongols have tied them up just as the the Duke said. However the women are force to enter one of the buildings. The Duke watch Er Yin and the other women walk into the building. He knows what those Mongols are planning, all men are the same. However he knows that Er Yin is not going to do what they are planning. She will probably fight them to death. Before she step away from the army, she turn to look at the Duke. She give him a look that she knows what to do. He nod his head gently. Luo Ming look at the Han women being pushing by the Mongols. He is fill with rage and try to untie the ropes around him.
Inside the building, the Han women stand in the courtyard. The civilian women are not tied up as per the female soldiers. The Mongols talk in their languages and suddenly one of them rush up and pull one of the civilian. She scream as she been carry away. Soon after, more girls are follow as well. Lastly the female soldiers are standing in the courtyard. Hearing screaming. Er Yin try to calm herself down and think what should she do. The ropes that tie her hands are too tight. She can't undo it. Suddenly a pair of hand come reaching for her neck and pull her. She did not scream but look at her girls who are standing there with the spears facing them. She stare at them hard as if she is sending them a message in her mind. One of them nod her head.
She is drag into a room. She still hear women screaming. She is throw on the ground. She look up to see a big man with hair braided down. He said something that she don't understand. Suddenly they wrestle on the ground as he try to force kiss her. Using her legs, she twist it on his neck. That men slap her tights hard, hoping that she will let go. Unfortunately she have a tight grip and she keep holding on. It cut off his oxygen and he becomes unconscious. She let him go and move back on the floor. She reach for her knife that is hidden in her boots. It is the same knife that her father have given to her many years ago. Er Yin hurry to cut the ropes with the knife sandwich between her knees. With the knife facing her, she slice the rope as fast as she can.
She keep her eyes on the unconscious man as she furiously slicing. Suddenly there is movement from him. She speed up and finally the rope is undone. Before he can wake up with a full clear mind, she stand up and give him a good kick. Immediately, he goes back into his dreamland. After she keep her knife, she quietly open the door and peep outside. There are men walking around. So she goes back into the room. She look at the big man on the floor. She takes the garment from the wardrobe and tie his hands and legs up. Lastly she stuff a handkerchief inside his mouth before she tie another cloth around him. She open the window quietly and look outside. It is facing a stonewall. Thus she climb out as quietly as she can. Leaning from wall to wall, she survey her surroundings.