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
