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Chapter 8:
Change of Mind
Shang excused himself and left Mulan resting inside his room quietly. He
glanced at his sister as she was now pacing back and forth, intensely. She
was furious! Seeing her brother in there with Mulan, who only had a blanket
around her. "Tang......."
"Shang, how could you? Why?" She asked.
"Tang she needed my help, it was the right thing to do."
"Oh....I can see that you really needed to help her!" Tang said
sarcastically.
Shang looked at his sister in hurt. "Tang she was being blamed for
something that she didn't do and......."
Tang interrupted him; "Oh....so you bring her here, let her handle her own
problems!" She snapped at him.
"Listen to me! The night she stayed at the Emperor's, the Emperor was
killed they blamed her, she didn't do it though." Shang said trying to
explain.
"How do you know?" Tang asked folding her arms across her chest.
"Tang, do you truly believe that Mulan would do such a thing?" He looked at
Tang but saw no guilt or shame in her eyes for Mulan, he couldn't believe
that his sister was acting this way. "Fine, believe what you want to
believe but she was tortured to just say that she did do it, and I had to
save her, that is why what you saw in there was not what you think. I was
only trying to treat her wounds that all, nothing happened ok?"
Tang began to soften up a bit, just hearing those words, beaten were harsh
to her ears, now to come to think of it she felt a little bad about the
whole thing, but she wanted to be shown proof. "Show me"
As both Tang and Shang quietly came in the room to see Mulan and to prove
that Mulan was truly beaten, they noticed that Mulan was now wearing a robe
(Shang "borrowed" from his sister) and trying to lay comfortable on the
bed. As she groaned in pain, Shang quickly went to her side and helped her
up in a sitting position and told her that he wanted to show Tang her cuts
on her back. Mulan nodded and turned around slowly, then lifting only the
back of her shirt. As Tang took a glance at her back she noticed that her
brother wasn't kidding, Mulan had more slash marks then she could count, it
was all red and sore and Tang began to feel really bad for the things that
she thought about her.
Tang bit her lower lip and looked at her brother who gave her a look as if
to say that he told her so. She looked back at Mulan and said, "Are you
ok?"
Mulan turned around covering her back again, "I'm fine except for the
pain."
"So...um...you didn't kill the Emperor?" asked Tang.
Mulan looked at her in sadness, "When I got there it was already too late
and the guards had come in with Chi Fu and the prince saying that I had
killed him." Mulan paused. "But I swear on my life that I didn't do it, I
tried to save him but when I got up it was to late...." Mulan lowered her
head and began to weep. Shang sat next to her and put his arms around her
to comfort her.
Tang watched as she continued to cry, "Should I trust her, should I trust
my brother is he right about all this?" She asked herself. As she continued
to look at both Mulan and Shang she realized that he was in love with her
and knew her better than she did, and he would know if she was lying or
not. The marks on her back made her rely even more to the fact she was
innocent. She wanted to do something, she felt so bad for doubting her.
"I'm going to make you some tea. Ok?" said Shang. " I want you to relax
and think of pleasant things." Mulan nodded wiping away her tears. Shang
got up and walked to the kitchen, Tang followed. Tang stayed quiet as he
began to make her some tea.
"Shang....I'm sorry I........" Shang raised his hand up for her to stop
there.
"I know, it's hard to rely on truth when you weren't there and plus you
really didn't know her so....I can see why you acted that way." explained
Shang. Tang nodded in agreement.
"But....I mean I know you're just trying to help but you really shouldn't
get into it you know.....I mean they could find out that you're hiding her
and then you can get punished."
"Yes, your right but...I care about her and if I didn't save her she would
have died, and I don't know what I would have done." Tang knew that his
feelings were growing more and more for Mulan. She smiled at the thought.
"But I have to ask you to do something for me."
"Sure what is it?"
"I need you to go to her house and tell her parents that she is all right."
Tang smile turned into a frown.
"What?"
"It's not hard, and it's not that far either."
"But I can't, I wouldn't know what to do or what to say. Why don't you go
instead?" asked Tang.
"Because I got to watch her I'm really the only one that she knows and who
could protect her. Please Tang I need you to do this for me." Shang pleaded
giving her those to die for eyes. "Besides, it would look even more
suspicious if someone sees me going to the Fa House.I really don't want
them to get into trouble. They are really descent people."
Tang couldn't take it any longer he looked so innocent when he did that
kind of stuff to her even if he was older and bigger then her, "Ah....Fine
but you owe me!"
"Thanks"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As Tang rode up to the Fa family house hold on Shang's white stallion, she
admired the beauty of it, and how they had gardens all around. Even though
it was a small farm it was quiet well taken care of and beautiful. She
walked the stallion up to the front door then got off and tied the reins to
a pole. She made her way up to the door and knocked on it and began to wait
patiently.
As the door opened a small old lady came out, "May I help you, young lady?"
asked the grandmother.
"Um...yes I am Tang, Shang's little sister he sent me to talk to you, if
that is all right with you?" said Tang very politely.
"Of course, come in" Grandmother Fa opened the door wider and let Tang in.
"Would you like anything to drink?" she asked kindly.
"No I'm fine, thank you." She then looked up to see Fa Zhou and Fa Li
looking at her. "Hi, you must be Mulan's parents?" She asked as she bowed
down. Tang noticed certain uneasiness, probably because they were expecting
their daughter to be home three days ago.
"Yes we are," Fa Zhou replied politely, "and you would be?"
"Oh...I am Tang, Li Shang's sister. He sent her here but for what I do not
know." said Grandmother Fa.
"Um....please sit down." said Tang carefully and nicely. As they sat down
waiting for Tang, they had wondered why she was sent. "Well I came to tell
you that...um....the Emperor has been murdered and Mulan was the one that
they suspected that killed him."
Fa Li and Grandmother Fa gasped.
"How could this be? She wouldn't! Where is she now?" asked Fa Zhou.
"I know, but she was beaten by Chi Fu and some guard and they made her say
that she was the one that killed him. When Shang saw her he at first didn't
know what to do or who to believe but in his heart I guess he believed her
so...that night he rescued her, so now she is safe."
Fa Zhou sighed and looked at his wife who was in fear. "How is she?" He
asked.
"She is doing better I think."
"Well we thank you for doing this but Shang did not have to risk his own
honor and life just to get her, I mean we are more then grateful that he
did but we just don't want to see him get caught and get punished."
explained Fa Zhou.
"My brother is very fond of your daughter, sir," Tang said, "And one of his
qualities is that he has always been fair, he knows she doesn't deserve a
punishment for a crime she wouldn't dare even to think of."
Fa Zhou nodded and Tang assured, "She will be safe with us. My brother
would let nothing happen to her." She turned to the ladies of the Fa house,
"I beg you not to worry."
"We really appreciate what you do for my daughter," thanked Fa Zhou with a
bow.
"Well, I must be leaving," announced Tang.
"Wouldn't you like to eat with us?" Fa Li offered, "Please, after all you
and your brother are friends to the Fa family."
Tang felt very grateful to these people. As a matter of fact, she had never
really got to relate with the village people. She was a wealthy girl
accustomed to the life of the Imperial City. Tang never thought the people
of the villages could be so kind so she accepted to stay over and have
lunch with the Fa Family.
