It takes me three days to get every prepare for the celebration. Lots of different type of meat vegetables and drinks. The cooks in camp are delighted and stress out to see so much food in the storage. I asked the cooks in the mansion to go help in camp. They express their unhappiness. In return i agree to give them more money and days off as compensation on the hard work they are working on.
For those three days, dingbat have been sleeping in camp. I heard that the moral in camp is very high. Everyone is happy and excited to have a eat out. Even though there is no dancer nor entertainment. I even order some warm basic inner clothes with socks for the soldiers to wear. Wrapping each set with a red ribbon and tie different lucky ornaments. Along with the maids, we managed to do everything. It is tiring but it is fun. We have a good time laughing and talking nonsense. Even granny Li help out too. She organise on delivering the blankets and the wraps up garments to camp before the day of celebration.
On the day it's self, the whole mansion in the morning is in chaos. Who to stay who to go along to the camp. Forgetting things. People shouting. For me, I just sit in the carriage patiently while fiddling with a small bottle in my hands.
"Madame why are you smiling on your own?"
"It's nothing. Just thinking of tonight. I'm just happy. Are we leaving yet?"
It takes about 3hours to get there. When the carriage arrives, the soldiers guarding the main gate is delighted to see us. Some who are walking around come running to greet us. In this army, soldiers are as young as fifteen and the old are in their thirty. For those men whom had lost some of their body parts, dingbat did not dismiss them but give them a choice to stay or leave. Most of them stay behind. What can they do? Most of them who lost their arms or legs decided to work in the store to maintain the weapons inventory. Those who are blind had no choice but to leave soon they are well enough. However from what i hear they are compensate with lots of coins, food and clothes. If should they have a problem in terms of livelihood, they are allow to return to camp to seek help. Therefore they are given a special tag for this. Even though they are leaving soon, i give them the new clothes and blankets.
The celebration starts as soon as the sun goes down. Most of the soldiers except for those on guard duty are at the center of the camp making a bon fire. The meat are skewer on sticks to be roasted over the fire. sauce are glazed over the meat for great taste. Vegetable whether is raw or cooked are place on a long table. Rice is cooked in a huge bin thus someone is assign to distribute. While the drink there is a choice of tea, grape juice or alcohol. Personally, i am handling all the alcohol to anyone who wants a sip of it. There is joy and happiness. in the air.
Dingbat is sitting at the center of the table with his men laughing and crying at the same time. He stands up suddenly with the cup in his hand. The noise soon die down and most of the men stands up. All of them raise their cups. He raise it up with his loud voice. "To my men who fought with me, thank you for trusting me. To my men who managed to stay alive, i thank you from the bottom of my heart. To my men who have gone to join the after life, this is for you!" He pour the drink on the ground in a straight line so did the rest of his men. At that moment i see general Tang is standing next to him. It is a good time to serve more drinks. Quickly i grab the jar and head towards their table.
While he is talking, i approached the table. He look at me and raised the cup and i fill it up with the alcohol. I even offer to general Tang and of course she takes it. They keep drinking.
Midnight, everyone fall asleep. Only the sound of wild animals occasionally heard. With all my strength, i lift up dingbat up and drag him to general Tang's tent. Inside she is asleep. I drop him on her bed and left them in the tent.
Outside as i walk away, i look up to the clear night sky. The gentle moon and stars in the sky are shining bright. A light breeze blows gently. I feel that i have done a good job. I just simply walk back slowly to the main tent. Slip into the warm cosy blanket and just fall asleep.
Again, in the morning i wake up before the sun is up. To my surprise, i find dingbat next to me. He is wide awake and laying on his side, staring at me. He did not have an angry look. Instead, he comb my hair back with his hand. "Are you awake? Want to explain to me what you did last night?"