Finally, they reached the end of the long road and arrived at the study. However, when they opened the door, they were only able to see the dead bodies of her mother and siblings. YuQiao was heartbroken; her prayers weren’t answered while her brother was too stunned to even move as he looked upon the bloody scene that was laid in front of him.

And then a small voice was heard in the midst of the room. It was from her mother calling out to them, “Children”.

They both rushed into the room and kneeled by their mother’s side. Her brother hoisted her up from the ground and laid her in his arms. “Mother,” they both called out to her. Mistress Sun touched YuWei’s face first and then she looked at YuQiao and asked her, “Are they dead?” as she pointed towards her other children. YuQiao looked at her brother. Her brother was signalling with his eyes to lie to their mother.

But Mistress Sun knew like all mothers do, she knew and understand her children’s gentle and kind nature which would make them lie for her sake.

“Tell me the truth,” she told. YuQiao took another look at her siblings, she was hoping for a miracle, but they were cold, lifeless and had already passed on so with effort she faced her mother and nodded solemnly before she began to weep.

Even though, she could no longer see with her eyes that were beginning to look cloudy and empty, she turned her head to look at her son. She uses her last strength, with great pains she managed to say to her son, “Daughters are more fragile and delicate. They need more protection than boys. Take care of your sister in my stead. Take care both of you. You are the only children that I have left.”

With her last words said she passed away peacefully as her children watched over her.

“Mother! Mother!” YuQiao called out to her, sobbing and her brother began tearing up. Her brother placed their mother on the floor and with his sleeves he wiped off his own tears and facing YuQiao, he began to wipe away her tears as well. “We need to live. We are the only lefts from her brood,” said her brother gently. YuQiao began to gain back her composure and she stood up and with her brother they began looking for father’s switch to a secret passage.

But luck was not on their side, the sounds of marching footsteps were being heard in the corridor outside. In all their rushing, they had forgotten to close the door. YuQiao started to panic, but her brother was quick to act, he looked around the room and when he saw father’s cupboard. He went towards it and with a key he opened the lock on the cupboard and took out two huge vases inside. YuQiao who was beside him all along was then pushed into the cupboard.

As he gathered up her skirt and placed it into his sister’s lap, YuQiao was resisting her brother’s plan. 

“Brother, no I do not want to stay here. Let me stay by your side.”

“Did not you hear what mother said,” her brother said sternly. “At least one of us must survive.”

YuQiao could not argue with her brother anymore and sat quietly in the cupboard, but before her brother was able to lock the cupboard door the soldiers were already entering into the room. With quick reflexes, he draws out his sword and began fighting the men, slowly and inconspicuously he moved away from the cupboard in order to hide YuQiao’s presence.