Chapter 3:

Coincidence

Shang turned to the other side of his bed. He had been home for a week now,

and things started to settle down. Tang shut the door behind her and watched

her brother asleep. It was strange to find him sleeping at such late hours

in the morning, but what was even stranger was to hear him calling Mulan's

name aloud. Tang was tempted to wake him up, but she decided it would be

more fun to listen to what he said. A smile spread across his features. Tang

burst into giggles which then turned into laughter loud enough to wake him

up.

Rubbing his eyes, Shang inquired, "What are you laughing at?" He seemed

totally unaware to the fact he had been dreaming of Mulan, or maybe he was

just pretending he had not; that made Tang laugh even more. She let herself

fall on the bed crouching.

Shang moved towards his sister and asked, "Sister is there something wrong

with you? Did you drink wine or something? Answer me."

She finally caught her breath and replied, "No, actually I'm not the one

calling Mulan in my dreams."

Shang feigned surprise quirking his right brow, although it was impossible

to conceal the guilty inside of him, blushing like a shy little boy

embarrassed when talking to a stranger. "Me? I never talk when I'm asleep,"

he denied, "and I wasn't calling Mulan's name."

"She was in your dreams, am I wrong?"

"Of, course you're wrong," he stuttered.

Tang rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly," she said, sitting up and

straightening her skirt, "It's not like if I were going to yell it in the

streets."

Yumei, the maid knocked on the door excusing herself for intruding. Tang

rushed to open the door greeting her.

The servant bowed and addressed Shang, "Master Li, there's a man outside

waiting for you. He said he bears news from the emperor."

"Thanks, Yumei, I'll be there in a moment."

Yumei bowed respectfully and left the room.

"I wonder what kind of news he sends," Shang thought aloud, rubbing his

chin, "Probably an invitation for the New Year's Day Celebration." He didn't

sound quite enthusiastic.

"You don't wanna go?" Tang eyed him suspiciously, "Not even if Mulan goes?"

"Politics and wine," Shang skipped the subject, "not a good combination." He

put on his robe and fixed his black hair into his perfectly tidy bun, and

then he ran to meet the messenger in the front door.

He wasn't amused by the fact it was Chi Fu, that silly, pompous man.

"Greetings, Li Shang," his squeaky voice said.

"Good morning, Chi Fu," Shang replied politely. Sometimes the counsel gave

him the impression that he envied him for something he had, the question

that always hung in the air was what did he envy from the young captain?

Chi Fu handed a scroll to Shang and parted without bidding fair well.

Shang unrolled the scroll and read to himself, he was right, it was an

invitation to attend the New Year's Day Festival and Banquet. `New Year's

Day already,' he thought. All the worries of war and now the death of his

father had kept his mind busy from the festivities. He stared at the scroll

pensively. New Year's Day was the only day his father had free to spend it

with them. Sadly, he faced the fact that their father wouldn't be there the

following New Year's Days in their lives. He didn't know how things would

be, he didn't know the way Tang would face things.

Just then, Tang snatched the scroll from Shang's hands. She jumped up and

down exclaiming "Yay! New Year's Day is coming! We must get prepared!" Tang

hugged her brother leaving him no choice but to reply her embrace although

not as tight as she was squeezing him. `Nothing new' Shang told himself,

`Every year's the same.' When she pulled away, she asked, "What will you get

me for New Year's Day?"

Shang shrugged. He hadn't had time to think of his sister's gift. "Something

special, I guess."

Tang kissed his cheek. "Thank you. You're the best brother in the whole wide

world!" She stayed quiet for a brief moment, the next thing Shang new was

that her eyes sparkled mischievously like blinking stars. "Do you think

we'll get to see Mulan there?"

Shang decided to pretend he didn't hear her but his red ears proved the

opposite. "Aren't you hungry? I really am. Why don't we go check what Yumei

prepared for us?"

Tang patted Shang's arm and grinned. "Shanggy, you never change," she

whispered.

Brother and sister headed back into the house to have breakfast.

+***********************************************************************+

Two days went by. Shang and Tang were outside their home praying in the Li

family's shrine, saying a plea for their father, a place to rest his weary

soul of years of worries and loneliness without their mother.

"Shang," Tang called softly. Tears streamed down her cheeks like the waters

flowing in the river. "Do you think Father has finally met our mother in the

heavens?"

Shang smiled lopsidedly, a knot tied inside his throat making it hard for

him to expel the answer. His heart wanted to then and there with his sister,

but his brain did not allow him to simply drop the heavy load inside of him

restraining the tears. Shang lifted Tang's chin and assured, "They are happy

away from the struggle and pain of this world."

Tang nodded, and embraced Shang. During their childhood, both siblings had

always been very close, and Tang had always seen in her big brother

protection, a shoulder to lean on and her best friend. She had no memories

from her mother, for she had died when giving birth to her. All these years

raised by a nurse, crying at night for her mother and blaming herself for

her death had molded a very sensible woman. Tang wiped the tears from her

face with her sleeves and changed the subject, "Shang, tomorrow I must take

the matchmaker's test."

Shang's jaw dropped, it couldn't be happening, she was still the little girl

he had to protect. "What?" he claimed incredulously, "but you're not old

enough for this." Being the eldest brother was his right to be a bit too

overprotective.

"Shang I know the past years you've been really into military and you

haven't noticed I've become a woman," she replied, "you know I have no

choice."

Shang placed his hand on his forehead, closing his eyes. Didn't he have

enough worries? He was angry at the law for being so inconsiderate with him;

they didn't know that she needed him. It was so unfair, he had just returned

home from war with the news of his dead father and now he was bound to see

his sister being married off to the sulky son of a wealthy man. "When were

you appointed for this? I didn't know." He started pulling his own hair and

pacing back and forth like an expectant father.

"I was told I had to meet the matchmaker while you were at war," Tang sighed

and went on, "but I didn't want to tell you because you were all melancholic

about Father."

"That doesn't matter, Tang," Shang replied, "you should've told me before,

so I could get prepared."

"The preparations are set. I have the dress and everything," Tang raised her

voice, "Would you calm down and listen?"

"Tang, you're still a girl," Shang repeated dropping his arms to his sides,

"You're my responsibility."

The young maiden placed both hands on her brother's shoulders. "Shang

everything will be all right."

Shang breathed in and exhaled, "Ok."

Tang smiled as a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. "No matter to whom I get

married to, you'll always have your place in my heart no one shall take it

away from you."

"It's not that, sister," he said grimly, "I just want the best for you."

In the morning, Tang was prepared for the matchmaker's test by the servants

of the Li house. Wearing the finest silk garments, her face equal to the

face of a porcelain doll and poise, she was ready.

Shang escorted her to the matchmaker, and on the way she repeated the Final

Admonition about a hundred times. She was so nervous she constantly asked if

the make up was perfect.

"Don't worry," Shang took her hand on his and patted it gently, "You'll

pass." His comforting words were good cheer for his sister, but the last

thing he wanted was his sister to pass the test. He needed her now, maybe

more than she needed him.

The young maiden gracefully made her way up the stairs of the grumpy woman's

house and knocked on the door. The matchmaker opened and let her in. Shang

sighed relieved, the woman seemed to be in a good mood; he watched his

sister close the door behind her and raised his eyes to the heavens.

"Ancestors, please, she deserves to be happy," he prayed.

Half an hour had gone by and it seemed days had passed him by. He had been

pacing around the place impatiently, hoping that the matchmaker would make a

wise decision when matching his little sister. Shang didn't notice someone

was walking across behind him; he took a long step back and crashed with

her. "Forgive me," he offered politely.

The girl raised her eyes to meet his for a brief moment, and then they

turned away from each other's gaze. She smiled, crimsoned blush on her

cheeks. "Mulan," he stuttered, "I didn't see you." He was wearing a fine

silk black Chinese outfit, satisfying her view with his poise and masculine

beauty.

"That's ok," she giggled nervously; "I didn't notice you were coming." And

so, Shang joined her laughing.

Mulan glanced at the matchmaker's house while her gaze was not on him, he

took a moment to admire her beauty, she seemed lost and he could sense some

melancholy on the way she stared at the sturdy building. Shang composed

himself when she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"My sister came to see the matchmaker."

"Oh," said Mulan. A sister; he had never mentioned his sister before.

Noticed the curiosity on Mulan's face, Shang spoke up, "Her name is Tang."

Not knowing what to say, she pointed out, "She must be really proud of you."

Shang smiled sheepishly, what could he tell her? The last thing he wanted

was her to think he was some kind of pompous jerk. He turned his eyes to the

door of the matchmaker's house and thought about something to say. "I heard

the matchmaker is a very strict woman," he began.

"Surely, there's no doubt about it," she replied, "She examines every detail

is perfect. One mistake and you fail."

Raising his brow Shang inquired caught up in the intrigue of the answer,

"Have you been through the matchmaking process?"

The question was asked. Why did he have to come up with that? She was

feeling dreadfully embarrassed to answer that question to him. What would he

think of a girl who failed before the matchmaker? Would the answer destroy

the tiniest hope for a future with him?

"Y-yes," she stammered, nervously biting her lower lip. She couldn't take

him for a fool and lie to him.

He was about to ask one more question but she excused herself right away;

"My parents must be worried now. I'm late. See you."

Mulan walked away leaving Shang wondering what had he said to scare her

away, wanting to strangle himself for not thinking properly before he spoke.

`What if she never wants to speak to me again? He screwed up any hope he had

with her, and that was enough for him to feel the whole weight of the world

on his shoulders, and it was not just a heavy load