True enough, the whole village turn up for Mei Mei's Li Ji. Everything is arrange according to how the rich families conduct their children's coming of age ceremony. Er Yin did not spare any expenses for the whole ceremony. Mei Mei who is shy by nature is shock to see so many people in the village head's hall. San Cai and Meng Bao brings along a few bachelors from the office. The young men are nervous and excited. They come along as they heard of Er Yin's fame. The first female solider to lead the team of women. The only female from the military that have seen and talk to the emperor. With encouragement from their family members, they came to this celebration hoping that this is a chance for them to move further in life as a junior officer. Halfway through the celebration, a majestic cart is push to the front gate of Er Yin's home. She come out to see and greet a solider who is ordered by the dowager to deliver her gifts to Mei Mei. This brings a double joy for the Zhang family.
That night Bei Ming is drunk and he is snoring loudly. Mei Mei have follow Si Bao to her residence. While Er Yin is alone at her rooftop drinking the wine. She is half crying and hall drinking. One of the soldiers had handled her a letter from the Yan Duchess. In it, she wrote her thanks to Er Yin for taking care of the Duke. It is almost two months since they have all return home. The Duchess wrote that she might be pregnant. She is delighted and she wants to share the news with Er Yin. Er Yin feels the sorrow and bitterness in her. However this is the life she have chosen to take. She cannot turn back the time nor want to spend her time blaming on someone. She drink without getting drunk. She watch the sparkling sky as if they are talking to her. The wind howling in her ears are the wise words that they are conveying to her. She nod her head as she drinks. She laugh to herself and cry quietly. That morning she open her eyes to find herself at the rooftop with three jars of empty wine. She crawl towards the edge of the rooftop. Bei Ming is awake and he is holding a blade in his hands.
"What are you doing my husband?"
"Oh good morning! I have to shave my beard and hair. I dont have much hair now. So it's better to shave everything off. I look cleaner too."
She place her two hands under her chin and look at him. Her husband grins like a young man and turn around staring to shave his head.
"Husband after this, we need to clean up the courtyard."
"Understand."
"Then if we have time, we can walk to the temple."
He turn around and look up in horror.
"Walk? It will take hours!"
"Just two hours. It's an easy walk. Nothing to it."
"Not me. I can't... i am old and tired ... "
"No excuse. Come on a slow walk, just us."
They take the whole morning to do the clean up and after that, they walk towards the temple over two mountains. Bei Ming who doesn't have good stamina keep requesting for rest. Er Yin gives him the rest he needs. By the time they reach the temple, he is hungry and tired. Under the tree, he takes a nap while Er Yin goes in the temple and pray. She look across from where she is kneeling, she see that her husband is still asleep. She turn around and continue to pray.
A blink of eye, two years have pass. Mei Mei have married a nice young man from a nearby village. Er Yin's new son-in-law is working as a scribe in the courthouse. He is a quiet man who doesn't talk much. Somehow alike in character with Mei Mei that they are both polite and shy. Bei Ming sobbing as he watch the bridal sedan take his only daughter away. Er Yin pat his shoulders gently. While he wipe his tear with his sleeves. His new son-in-law bow politely and promised to visit soon with his new wife.
Er Yin now spend more time to help Bei Ming in his stall in town. However the way she handles the chopping scare people around. Blood of the animal spatter around and one chop from her, no matter how thick the meat is, it is separated well. Her husband sometimes watch Er Yin work in the stall. Most of the time she looks like every other wife but when there is a weapon in her hands, there is a sort of madness in her eyes. He wonder if it is because of her all those years working as a solider that make her this way.
Another two years pass and Bei Ming get really sick. Er Yin did not open the stall and take care of him every day. He used to be a chubby man but now he is thin. However the cheerful and humours man is still in that weak body. He smile to cheer his sad wife.
"My wife, we barely got married ... spend a lot of time away from each other. Now you are back here... i cannot stay with you for another few more years..."
Er Yin pat his back gently.
"Husband, don't talk about these unlucky things. Here drink your medicine."
He drink it all up and hand her the bowl. He look at his tummy that was once round and heavy. Now the skin of his belly is hanging down. He pinch it.
"Well on the bright side, i have lost a lot of weight. I never think that i will lose that big pack of rice that is in my belly. I was a chubby child and i grow up to be a chubby adult. Now ... i am losing my chubbiness.... Maybe god is granting my wish. "
He smile sincerely. Er Yin wipe his sweaty face. It is true he is losing all those fats that he had accumulated in his life. Now he almost look like another person. His skin are all loose and flabby. Even his thick eyebrows are dropping downwards.
"Hmm... after you get well. I will make you do more exercise with me. They say in the army that to stay healthy one must do some exercise daily. I will make sure..."
"Yin'er ... thank you for marry me... even there is no romantic love between us nut there is royalty and trust. We never hold hands like other couples but you are never uncomfortable with me. I can see that you are trying to accept everything around you. Times when you sit at the rooftop alone and staring into the sky. I know not to disturb your inner peace. I leave you alone. I am also grateful for you to accept Mei Mei and treat her as your own."
Er Yin maintain her silence to listen to her husband. She gentle hold his hands and look at his face.
"She lost her mother shorty after she is born. She never know a lot of things. When i marry you, she got nervous and wonder if you can accept her. When you treat her like your own, she is so happy. Also your parents, they welcome my daughter and i into the family. Especially father-in-law, he is so nice and kind. Even he cannot walk well. He still walk Mei Mei to Si Bao's home. Mei Mei is surrounded by your family members who teach her everything when a uncouth man like me cannot teach her anything. Thus I am grateful for you. "
Er Yin and Bei Ming maintain their marriage for another year before he pass away. Mei Mei was pregnant at that time. After the funeral, she give birth to a baby boy. She name the baby Bei Ming, after her father. While Er Yin alone in the big house decided to sell it off. The stall in town is rented out to for another couple. Er Yin did not charge them a lot only a few copper coins every month. They are just going to sell vegetables everyday. Thus when they have enough to buy over the stall, they will buy it over from Er Yin. The pigs in the pigpen is sold off to a nearby farmer. He is raising and slaughtering pigs for living. Thus it makes sense to sell it to him. Er Yin only keep a male and a female pig for her parents home. When she told Mei Mei about her decision. Mei Mei accepted it calmly but she tears thinking of her childhood home is gone. Er Yin offer to keep the home for her but Mei Mei decided to let it go.
"Your father's tablet will be place at your grandparents' home. Is it fine with you?"
Mei Mei look at Er Yin and she suck in her breath. Her lips purse upwards.
"I thought you will..."
"I don't think it is nice to put his tablet at your mother-in-law's place. I am Bei Ming's wife after all. I am still alive. So he better follow me back to my parents home. Besides that, my eldest brother tablet is there too! He is an easy going man. Bei Ming will have a friend to chat if they haven't reincarnated yet."
"Mother ..."
"Look Mei Mei... this life, you i consider as my daughter. A gift from heavens. I marry late very late thus having a grown up daughter is not a bad thing after all. If you miss your father, come to your grandparents place. Our door is always open. "
Mei Mei wipe her tears with her sleeves and smile with a nod. Just then the baby carry. Er Yin see that Mei Mei's mother-in-law is walking in with the carry child. Er Yin greet the lady. She pass the crying baby to Mei Mei and look at Er Yin. Together they walk outside and talk. Later Er Yin leaves in the evening after carrying the baby to sleep. She walk back slowly to the home of Bei Ming. She watch the golden sunset that makes the field of wheat looking like gold that are glowing. She watch the farmers end their days. Those men who see her walking run up to her and talk. Er Yin knows that this life, she would be lonely. She have plenty of friends and things to do. She continue to ask people to address her as Mrs Zhang. This is to remind herself that she was once a married woman. Not a solider anymore.