She ride her horse slowly up the hill. Her troops have slowly dispersed and return to the direction where their home is at. She just ride her horse on a leisure speed. She look around the fields that are spurting with a harvest. She is back in time to help collect the harvest. As she ride pass, her armour is glittering in the setting sun. She look ahead almost reaching home. She smile broadly.
That night, her amour sits alone on a stand for it to dry. Her spear is place at a corner. The worn out boot is left aside near her armour. Her uniform is hang on the line to dry. She try to wear back the clothes that she used to wear but she cannot fit in. They are too small. Thus in the end, she wears her eldest brothers' clothes for now.
Er Yin is now 24 years old. She is consider an old maid in her time and now her mother is making a fuss to get her marry off. However her father is not happy with the decision that the mother is making, he wants to keep his daughter longer at home. Er Yin who have gone to the army and return home is trying to relax at home. While the twins are 13 years old. They are old enough to help in the fields. Her siblings whom she did not see for along time becomes strangers over that period of time away. They are still polite to her but there is nothing to say.
After dinner she offer an incense to her death sibling. She whisper to him that she have return and she had used his name to earn a good reputation in the army. That night she toss and turn on the bed. She get up and walk to the yard she sit on the chair and look up the sky. In her mind the sound of the drums are beating loudly. Tears fall as she remember the fallen ones. One by one they are slaughtered like animals. Blood spilt from their bodies and fly out of those men she knew and not know. The ground became bloody and unbreathable. Mutilated bodies are piling up all over the field. Blood and mud are gathering in pools. The heat makes everything worst. Her generals command to charge and kill. The drums beats are endless. Her buddy, another girl like her. Pretend to be her younger brother dress like a man. A careless mistake, the sword of the enemy landed into her chest. Er Yin with all her might, fight and slaughter the enemy. For the first time, she slaughter another man. After clearing the men within her area, she drag her combat buddy to safety. She is still breathing. She hurry to use a piece of cloth to press down the wound. Her buddy with her bloody hands and red eyes grab Er Yin's hand.
"Run away... while you can... Leave me here. They must ... not ... know our identity."
"No not yet. I will save you."
"Go back alive... go back as a daughter who is alive... Today i will die for my brother. He will continue to live... Live ... Live for ..."
For a long time there is no sound except the screaming men from the battle ground. Er Yin only can cry and use her hand to sweep the eyes that are open to close. She bow three time while kneeling. After removing the name tag, she use the dagger that her father gave her to cut the hair off. She put it inside her shirt and bow three times again. She stand up and drag the corpse to further away from the battlefield. She is hoping that the wild animals will destroy the body. Her secret will be safe forever and her brother can live longer for their family. She whisper sorry and cry. Wiping her tears with the back of her hands. She look towards the battleground which is still in full swing, the sound of the drums are getting louder and louder. She walk back where she drop her spear. She arm herself with determination to live before she step back into the screaming grounds she pray to god asking for courage and a chance to live to return home again. She open her eyes and scream with her might. Er Yin who is now living as Yi Jin run towards like a grim reaper with her spear.
Er Yin sit there from night to morning. She finally move at some point of time. She practise with her spear before the sun rise and after that she make breakfast for the family. Everyone have a full meal with the meat she bought in the market on the previous day. Additionally she have earn a big bag of silver for the family. They will have enough to live with for at least two years. Er Yin's mother and the twins goes to the field to harvest while Er Yin ride into the city to purchase tiles for the rooftop. She walk around forgetting that she no longer dress like a man. She walk around with her hand behind her back and bought a few clothes for her family members. She stop by a sweet stall to purchase candies for the twins. She waited for the tiles to be ready for her to pick up so she sit at an inn and drink tea with some pastry. This is what she had fight for, a peaceful life.