Father
Captain Li Shang of the Imperial Army. General Li Shang of the Imperial Army. It still didn't sound right. He knew he hadn't gotten the title just because of his achievements, but because his father had a way of persuading certain people to find certain loopholes. Li Shang should've been promoted from Lieutenant to Captain, because of this he felt like a horrible, spoiled child. Men who came from poor backgrounds and worked hard as him-maybe even harder- deserved the position too. But no, they never get promoted as fast as him. What could take ten years could take ten weeks for Li Shang. At least that what the rumors say about him and his elder brothers.
When he was younger, most boys would boast about their father. When his brothers, younger sister, and he were asked the question, none of them spoke a word. Most people found odd because he would boast about General Li Dong, not Li Dong. Why? There was really nothing to be grateful for, and when he says that he means that there was nothing unique between his father and him to be grateful for. All the other things like roof over his head, motherly/s to take care of him, food to eat, warm clothing, etc…of course he was thankful for that. But Li Shang knew that if he was another man's son wealthy or not, he'd most likely have the same things.
All of Li Dong's children were accidents. He impregnated one woman and he had to marry to cover up the whole situation. Dong cheated on her first brother's mother, and impregnated his second brother's mother. They married, but she was more of a concubine than a wife to him. Li Shang's parents actually fell in love, married, and had him. The polygamist got tired of Shang's mother. He traveled for a mission and cheated on her with his sister's mother who was a courtesan at a brothel in Japan. He didn't marry her, and left her pregnant. Five years later, he had her come live at the Li household as his fourth and final wife.
He was very strict with his wives and children. Dong wanted to be the perfect family living a perfect life. He hardly talked to his four kids, and if he were to talk to them it would be: "Get away from me. Can't you see I'm working hard to make you comfortable? Are you asking to sleep in a doghouse tonight?" or "Hello my child. I hope you're working hard. Say…would you like to do some errands for Father?" They mostly played with each other. And if there were a new wife and child, the child would receive a bullying, a cold shoulder, and hatred for the wives and child before for a few years. The wife would receive tricks, rumors about her, and slips of abortion medicine in her tea from the wives, but minimal amount of hatred for child because they appeared sweet to them.
So why should Shang have to be grateful to and lie about his childhood? The man was cold and had caused his mother to cry a number of times. Some things the man did during his lifetime were unforgivable. That's Shang pledged to be a better father.
Shang, drunk with almost one empty bottle in his hand, placed his free hand on the growing stomach of China's heroine. He had told Mulan all of the misery his father caused just now. His wife just nodded between pauses. Shang could see the look of worry and concern when she glanced at the many bottles on the floor.
"Li Mulan?" Shang smiled at the sound of Li Mulan. He got down and kissed her stomach twice, "Why haven't you said a word? You should try to comfort me."
Mulan sighed and gently pushed his head away from her stomach, "I can't really say anything to help." She yawned, mumbling something about her weariness.
"Tired huh?" He asked. Mulan nodded, "Go sleep. I'll come up when I'm ready."
"I can't leave you here alone," His wife said, "with all these sharp objects." The heroine was very cautious when Shang or any of her male in-law siblings were drinking. They had a high alcohol tolerance, and were always able to do something reckless in a blink of an eye. Mulan was tired right now that she hadn't even noticed Shang drinking a new bottle of it.
"Dìyù Mulan! I'm not a child!" He yelled in anger, "I should have the right to kill myself when all I have done is suffered my whole life."
She was not about to deal with his attitude. Mulan was too tired for this. "Zìsī de húndàn," She retorted, "you just talked about how terrible your relationship with your father was. Now you want to leave a child fatherless." She paused, "What-what are you doing? Li Shang?" This was the first time Mulan had ever seen him doing this or anyone of the Li men doing this…he was crying heavily. Usually he were to cry, he would turn away and let tears fall in silence. Here he was, letting tears flow freely down his face on her lap. Usually insults such as hers never left Shang so hurt like this, but her insults were most likely not the problem.
He spoke some Japanese he learned from his sister, "Watashi wa anata ga urayamashī. I wouldn't even think about trying to save my father from war if I was in your position. You're right. You can't say anything to help because it wouldn't have much effect on me. After all, you were able to save your father frrom war and I…"
Li Shang didn't cry when he first found out his father was dead because he had a war to fight in. When he did cry it was for General Li Dong of the Imperial Army, not Li Dong, father of four. To him, Dong was a better general than father and husband.
His mother asked him one day: "Why don't you feel pain and sadness over your father's death?" He replied.
"How can you return love when you've never received it?"
Yes I decided that for the father part, I would do Shang. I mean the movie kind of showed how Mulan felt with her dad with matchmaker and war problem. And it's kind of cute with the Mulan=Mother and Shang=Father…get it? No? Alright .
Anyway, I used some Google translating. Please correct me if it's wrong.
Dìyù– Hell (this phrase changes when you use a name with it apparently so this is the 'use a name with it' version)
Zìsī de húndàn- Selfish bastard
Watashi wa anata ga urayamashī- I envy you (Alright. I've been trying pin down the dynasties for China, Japan, and Korea because this is related to a future Mulan fanfiction and there are characters for Japan and Korea. Since the movie is set in the Han dynasty a.k.a The Golden Age, the period during that was Yayoi period for the Japanese. I found out they spoke either Old Japanese or Japanese. I thought it was probably Old Japanese. Google didn't have it and I couldn't find an Old Japanese translator so I used Japanese. Again, please correct me if I'm wrong.)
I don't even know why I put the curse words in a different language. It just seemed nicer. Anyway I'm sorry it's so late. I'm like a half an hour away from this day ending so…
*Thanks to aurora-inked for correcting me.