"The Han Emperor indeed wanted to take your father to the capital, but I did something before that," Aunt Yue admitted hesitantly.
"What did you do?" Yao Ling asked. Somehow, she felt that from the somber atmosphere that there was more to it.
"Your father... didn't go to the capital... he's still here... right beside me," Aunt Yue said briefly.
"What do you mean?!" Yao Ling asked in surprise.
Aunt Yue answered, "Do you remember about how I said Little Qiu kept helping our people back then?"
"Errr... Little Qiu?" Yao Ling didn't seem to remember this person. But a figure fleeted in her mind... was it Uncle Qiu? Xiao Fang's godfather?
Aunt Yue nodded. "He was sent to retrieve the soil as well..."
Yao Ling gasped in surprise... "Grandmother, do you mean...?"
Yao Ling remembered that her grandmother had said... everyone was dead after the expedition --- including, the one that was able to come back.
Aunt Yue nodded. "The real Little Qiu was dead at that time!"