Volume II of Toji follows the fortunes of Sohi, the eight-year-old daughter and only child of Master Ch'isu, left in a precarious position by his death during the period of Japanese occupation. The evil Cho, a distant cousin of Ch'isu, seeks to secure the House of Ch'oe for himself, a plan that is furthered by an epidemic, which kills Sohi's protectors. The epidemic is followed by a bad harvest and famine, and Cho distributes food from the Ch'oe storehouses to his supporters but not to those of the family. Appalled, Sohi encourages a rebellious mob to take supplies for themselves. Fearing reprisals from the Japanese police, the rebels plan a mass exodus to Chianto, where Koreans have established a secret community in exile, and offer to take Sohi with them. Themes of relationships between children in their early teens, and the lives, loves, and sorrows of the villagers, peasants, and servants contribute to the rich texture of the volume.