Er Yin is on the rooftop fixing the tiles on it. This time, the rain won't be slipping into the house. She fix the tiles from morning to evening. She never stop unless for food and drinks. Her father who is cripple is waving baskets to sell them in the market. He looks up at his daughter who is working hard. He feels sorry for a daughter whom suppose to get marry by now. Instead she becomes a son who does all the work for the family. He look at the amour that is resting at the side of the compound, he feels uneasy. Even thou she managed to deceive those men in the military, he fears that one day the secret that she is a girl is known to everyone and the imperial family will be angry. There will be chaos.
That evening, Er Yin mother and younger sister cook dinner. Er Yin walk to the river to wash up. She undo her long hair and wash it. With the rice water in the basin, she wash it carefully and later she dip herself in the lake to rinse her long hair. She sit by the lake and comb her hair. She look in a distance and recall the day she walk to the home of her combat buddy. She hand over the hair and the name tag she had removed in the battleground. Her brother kneel down and cry. With kind words and the last thing that she wants him to do, Er Yin left and walk away.
"Elder sister... please, where can i find you again?"
"There isn't a need but if you have problems with your livelihood, look for me at YangTze river valley. Look for the Xie family. We live at the hill top. My name is ... Xie Er Yin. I live as the name of Xie Yi Jin. Meng Bao, your sister wants you to continue to live for the family. Do as much as you can. Don't let her down."
He bow and cry again.
That night she cannot sleep again. The beat of the drum begins to hunt her. She hears the scream, the cry. Her hands tremble as she walk out of the house and look for the vat of drinkable water. She drink till she is fill. She sit at the chair again and stare at the sky. The stars are twinkling but they are twinkling to the beat of the drums. Her hands keep shaking. She is perspiring dispiate the cool breeze blowing. She hear a foot step she sit up. A ghost of the past is standing in front of her. Full of blood and a stretch of body odour. His hair is untie some stick on his face. He stretch out his hand to reach for her. 'give me back my life!' that is what she hear even though he did not move his mouth. She close her eyes and open again. Her breath is fast and deep. She look around and he disappear. The hand suddenly is around her neck. He is trying to struggle her. She did not resist but her feet is kicking around.
"Er Yin!"
She hear her name call, she struggle and open her eyes. Her father is shaking her. She suddenly turn to her left and lean down to vomit.
The next morning, after her mother and siblings goes off, Her father gives her some coins and ask her to go see a physician in the city. She smile and said no need. She is going to the temple and pray. She maybe will get better. She walk off the trail to the temple. In a short while she reach the foot of the temple. In the past, it takes her awhile. However now without taking breaks, she is able to reach the temple. Inside the temple, she kneel down and pray with honest. She ask god to help her to remove the image and the drums that are giving her terror in the nights. She ask for forgiveness for taking so many innocent lives. Those men are alike her, force to kill for their own country. She pray for their nirvana and wish them the best reincarnation they can receive in the next life. If they should want to take revenge, the next life she is wiling to be kill by them as a payment of debt. She repeatedly pray as she hear the prayers from the monk who is chanting while hitting the wooden bell. She leave the temple before the sun sets. She walk to the river instead of going home. Er Yin stare at the river where the water current is strong. The sound of the drums are still beating in her. Her hands are trembling again. Before she can think, someone call her name loudly. She turn her head to look, her sister who is running to her, stop her footsteps. She see her eldest sister standing there by the lake like a lost soul. She walk slowly to her and reach out to hold her hand. Si Bao is now as tall girl, Er Yin cry on her sister's shoulders. Si Bao did not know how to react. She was told to look for her sister but she did not expect to find her tough looking sister crying at the river. They sit there for awhile till Er Yin stop. Without a word, they get up together. Si Bao hold her sister's hand and they walk home quietly.
Six months pass, Er Yin is getting better. She goes down the fields to help to plant the crops. She is getting better daily. One day, a boy turn up at their home. His is Meng Bao the brother of her combat buddy. Er Yin welcome him along with her family. Since he is the only one left in the house, he was lonely and was kick out by the village head because the village chief wants the land that his family own and Meng Bao is given some coins as compensation. Meng Bao is a young boy studying to take the royal examination next year thus he asked for Er Yin and her family for help. He is welcome into the family. He contributed by giving them the money that the village chief and the military had given him for his 'brother' contribution. With the additional money, Er Yin bought some bricks and make a small room for him. They even make furnitures for him. Everything is peaceful.
That day when it start to snow, an official comes. He ask for Xie Yi Jin.
"My brother is not at home. What do you need?"
"Just tell your brother that the court is ordering all military men to return to camp."
"Is there another war..."
"No there is no war but the court wants the surviving soldiers to return to train the new recruits. The court needs men with experience in battleground to prepare those new recruits."
"Oh so no war. How much is the court paying us to return to work for the military?"
"Five strings of coins every three months."
"That is all?"
"What else do you expect? That is a lot!"
"Five strings of coins. One string is only fifty coins. Four strings only can exchange for two taels. For three months is a bit less..."
"There is no room for negotiation!"
"Well then there is nothing we can talk about. I am sure that my brother will not take the job up. He had done his part for the army and lucky we win this round! If not i won't see him at home!"
That officer left and he return another day. Her parents are at home when he comes knocking on the door. Er Yin run out in the snow to see the same official along with another standing outside asking for Xie Yi Jin.
"We had feedback to the commander. He have change the payment."
"What did the commander said?"
"He will pay every month, four strings of coins."
"Every month... sounds... better, i am sure my brother would like that."
"If he is fine. Ask him to come to the Inn in the city to sign the contract. After the Lunar New Year, he will need to report in the capital city to the commander. Remember to tell him to come to the Inn in the city, first to sign the contract. Remind him to bring his badge."
Which inn?"
"Bai He ker Zan. Understand girl!"
"Yes sir!"
The officers look surprise so did Er Yin. An old habit just come out no where. After they left, she run back inside the house and told them what had happen.
"No no no! You cannot go back into the army again!"
"Two taels every month! It is a lot. We can have those coins and life will be better!"
"Daughter, you mustn't go there."
"Eldest Sister, what if they found out ..."
"Don't worry. They won't. If those 8 years they did not find out i am a girl, why should they find out that now i am a girl. I will be extra cautious. No one will know my secret. The number of of us who lived after the war is not many. I know some of them. They know me well enough as a man who lead the troops when the leader is gone. So i don't think anyone knows that i am a girl. They all think i am a man."
"Still, my daughter... you are a girl and need to get marry before you are too old. If you are over 27 there won't be anyone for you."
"Don't worry mother... I have all of you."
That day she goes into town with light snow falling. She goes into the Inn and look for the officers. There are some recruitments signing up. When it is her turn, she ask in details before she show her badge. A contract is written on the spot. She sign the name as her brother's and ask for a copy of the same contract. She goes home and hand it to her mother. She look at it and cry. Her father sat in the corner is smoking and looking gloomy. This is now done, there is nothing her parents can do except to pray to god and the ancestors.