The next morning, Ming asks for his mother's permission to return to the Ming camp. She is already asleep, and Ming asks if she is avoiding him. He tells her that he has been promoted to the rank of "dulling guard" and that she should not forget him when he gets rich. He says that loyalty is his commitment and that he will do his best to keep him from the master. He hears that the pay for a personal guard is twice what he gets as a duke's guard. He wants to keep Ming away from the duke, but he can't stand the sight of him staring at him every day. Ming says that he cannot read his mind, but what is going on in his little head is easy for him to guess