Here's another update, hope you like!!!!
Mulan frowned, shifting restlessly from foot to foot; she tried to entertain herself with looking at the crowds below. She was on guard duty, guarding the entrance to the palace. It was one of the few jobs soldiers hated doing and she knew who was behind delegating this task to her. Chi Fu. She always got strange looks from people as they realise that the soldier close up was in fact the legendary Mulan, warrior woman on guard duty!
Growling to herself she noticed a speeding carriage heading her way, casting a look at the other soldier who on duty with her, they both placed a hand on their sword, ready for anything.
"Get out the way!" the carriage driver yelled as he forced his horses to gallop on, the creaking wheels told Mulan that they had no plans to stop.
"Make ready!" Mulan yelled, causing the sentries on the towers to notch their arrows in case of an attack.
"Move it you fools." The driver yelled louder. Mulan held out her hand in gesture to stop them. Foot troops ran out to stand by her, lances drawn.
"I've an important passenger!" the driver shouted and cursed as he pulled with all his might to stop his team of horses.
"Who could be more important than the emperor? Even the emperor stops for inspection." Mulan retorted. The carriage jerked abruptly to a halt.
"Orders sir." The driver hoped down, Mulan signalled with her fingers and he was seized at once much to his surprise.
"Who orders would they be?" Mulan interrogated.
"Mine!" a woman snapped. Leaning her head out the carriage door, Mulan could see that it was the same woman she met earlier in the palace.
"Ah Wu Li, would you mind telling me why you ordered this man to force your way through the palace guards?" Mulan walked over to Wu Li and peered inside the carriage. She could see Zhang Bao inside seated, looking bored and Li looked offended.
"I'm the emperor guest and I'm not to be subjected to such stops by a man like you." Li shrilled back at Mulan who smiled.
The soldiers around her started chuckling as the carriage driver looked uneasy as he realised his mistake.
"You just made a mistake." Mulan replied.
"I think not you brute now let me through before I take this further with the emperor." Li demanded.
"I have my orders from the emperor to not let anyone in until they are checked, even his highness himself is stopped." Mulan yelled, making Li shrink back. She went to open her mouth but Mulan pointed her finger threatenly and retorted "And don't disgrace yourself further by calling me a man!"
"Alright Mulan that is enough." A voice boomed. Mulan lowered her finger and turned to see Shang riding up on his horse looking very angry.
"Mulan?!" Li exclaimed. "So you're the one would dressed as a man and fought in her father's place. I don't believe it, I'm standing before China's biggest humiliating farce!" Li spat.
The soldiers growled as they squared their shoulders up, no one offends their comrade whether she was a female or not.
"Mulan step away!" Shang shouted but he was too late, Mulan sprang herself onto the unaware woman, knocking her to the ground and pinned her to the floor. The soldiers yelled and cheered Mulan on as Mulan screamed down at the sobbing woman "How dare you!"
In one blow, Mulan was knocked off Li and sent sprawling across the mud. She looked across, stunned to see Shang standing over Li helping the sobbing woman to her feet and Bao running out to them both in horror.
"You hit her!" A soldier hissed.
Mulan realised what Shang done and felt tears threatening to flow. She tried to stand up in the mud with the little dignity she had but landed in her face again much to Li amusement who snorted.
Blood dripped onto her hand and she realised Shang has hit her across her face, causing her nose to bleed. Some soldiers helped her to her feet and stood by her as Shang looked up from checking Li over.
"What were you thinking?" He yelled, she never seen him so angry before, his face red with anger as he screw his hands up in tight balls.
"Nothing sir." Mulan whispered.
"You must have thought something to launch an attack on Li like that. It was uncalled for! Get back to your barracks and you can bet I'll be reporting this." Shang yelled, Mulan looked up and for a moment Shang seem to shrink back as he realised what he has done. He cleared his throat and said warningly, "Move it soldier."
Mulan spun on her heels and stomped off back to the palace. Her hair straggly in mud and it was smeared all over her face and armour which where both mingled with blood from her still bleeding nose.
Soldiers watched her go, stunned to see her looking as if she was on a warpath. She was. Shang has made the biggest mistake of his life and he'll be regretting it.
She just got to her room in the palace when Chi Fu called her; he looked surprised to see Mulan in such a state and enquired what happened. She quickly informed him and to her surprise he turned around and said, "If it wasn't you who'd punched her, I would have because she caused me so much grief since she arrived."
"What did she do?" Mulan asked.
"She had unsettled a lot of the court members and changed a lot of rules and traditions for her sake. The pompous cow. I applaud you for what you done though you may get punished. I'll see if I can sway the matter. Where did you get that from?" He indicated to her nose.
"Shang."
"He punched you?!" Chi Fu looked appalled. He said no more when Shang appeared, waiting for them at the doorway to the throne room. The emperor no doubt knew of this.
Shang tried to look at Mulan but she would only stare at the door, Chi Fu muttering next to her on him being a disgrace.
The guards opened the door to reveal a sobbing Li and an angry Bao atthe foot of the emperor who was stroking his beard.
He looked momentarily over Mulan as his eyes narrowed. He wasn't happy, he liked to think himself as a friend of Mulan and seeing her in such a state challenged his anger, which was brewing dangerously.
"What happened here?" he asked, Li wailing grew louder and he rolled his eyes, he had just about enough of the woman.
Mulan went to reply but Shang interrupted. "This soldier here flew into a fit of rage and launched an unprovoked attack on Li."
"Mulan?" The emperor looked at her as she swallowed her growing hatred for Shang.
"I was provoked." She calmly said, though inside she was on fire.
"Provoked indeed!" Li's outburst seemed to trigger the emperor who stood up, "Everyone leave apart from Chi Fu, Mulan and Shang."
"I insist I stay to see how the matter is dealt with." Li sweetly disobeyed.
"I order you to leave, how I deal with this situation will be between me and the rest of those I asked to remain now take your leave before I have you forcibly removed." The emperor commanded, Li reluctantly bowed and strode away from the room, rudely elbowing Mulan on the way.
Mulan gritted her teeth and stared ahead. This woman was trying her patience.
"What happened Mulan?" the emperor asked once again when the doors were closed.
"I was on duty at the gates and your orders were to stop all those who enter the palace grounds to search them. Li's carriage came towards the gate at great speed and refused to stop despite me telling them it was the law. I found that the carriage driver was ordered to drive on and not stop by Wu Li. I asked why should she do that. She insisted that she was more priority and that she shouldn't stop. After calling me names associated to those of a man, she provoked me by saying that I was a disgrace to China. I leapt at her. I knew it was wrong but I wanted to tell her to be quiet and respect others. I didn't hurt her intentionally and if I did do so, it was accidental." Mulan replied, only staring at the emperor who listened closely to her story.
"What happened then?"
"Shang intervened and the fight was split up."
"How did you get that?" The emperor pointed to Mulan's nose which to her annoyance still bleeding.
Mulan's reluctance to reply was detected by Chi Fu, "Shang punched her."
The emperor stood up then forced himself to sit back down.
"Is this true?" he looked at Shang who shifted uncomfortably.
"It is." He replied.
The emperor sighed and looked at them both. "Mulan what you did was under my orders and I understand that you followed them. That was until you attacked Wu Li. I also understand that you were provoked, this was an equal fault, Li's for saying things and you for reacting to them. Normally I won't punish this act, but because of another member of the imperial court involvement I have to, regrettably punish you." The emperor said solemnly.
"Shang your act has further disgraced you in this court, not only have you attacked a soldier acting under you, you injured a woman. If you insist on dragging your name through dirt any further, I will banish you from this court. Not only have you injured your comrade, you've injured your friendship and I wouldn't blame Mulan for any hurtful feelings she has towards you. Therefore I will punish you as well." The emperor signalled to Chi Fu to take note.
"You two will be forced to share a single accommodation together. This way you two can fight each other in private. Until you two have learnt your lesson, I will not be lifting this punishment till I have seen some improvement. No further action will be taken for now and I will encourage all involved to put this behind them. Mulan you are dismissed."
Mulan obeyed and left the room. The emperor stood up and looked at Shang who looked ashamed.
"I can't keep protecting you Shang. Its your fault Mulan is in this mess and that this incident has happened. Wu Li and Zhang Bao is not the most welcomed guest here and I will be hurrying this investigation into this affair for their hasty removal. I'm ashamed of you. Mulan was your closest friend and you have hurt her very deeply. You may walk away without her friendship. I will take your duty as a soldier away from you as of now so your efforts will be focused into saving your friendship with Mulan and clearing you're name. Don't disappoint me again Shang." The emperor warned him, Shang bowed his head and left the room.
"Do you think this matter will be rectified soon?|" Chi Fu asked.
The emperor shook his head, "I have my suspicions that Shang is somewhat innocent and I do not want to see two people who are unaware they love each other tear each other to shreds."
Mulan frowned, shifting restlessly from foot to foot; she tried to entertain herself with looking at the crowds below. She was on guard duty, guarding the entrance to the palace. It was one of the few jobs soldiers hated doing and she knew who was behind delegating this task to her. Chi Fu. She always got strange looks from people as they realise that the soldier close up was in fact the legendary Mulan, warrior woman on guard duty!
Growling to herself she noticed a speeding carriage heading her way, casting a look at the other soldier who on duty with her, they both placed a hand on their sword, ready for anything.
"Get out the way!" the carriage driver yelled as he forced his horses to gallop on, the creaking wheels told Mulan that they had no plans to stop.
"Make ready!" Mulan yelled, causing the sentries on the towers to notch their arrows in case of an attack.
"Move it you fools." The driver yelled louder. Mulan held out her hand in gesture to stop them. Foot troops ran out to stand by her, lances drawn.
"I've an important passenger!" the driver shouted and cursed as he pulled with all his might to stop his team of horses.
"Who could be more important than the emperor? Even the emperor stops for inspection." Mulan retorted. The carriage jerked abruptly to a halt.
"Orders sir." The driver hoped down, Mulan signalled with her fingers and he was seized at once much to his surprise.
"Who orders would they be?" Mulan interrogated.
"Mine!" a woman snapped. Leaning her head out the carriage door, Mulan could see that it was the same woman she met earlier in the palace.
"Ah Wu Li, would you mind telling me why you ordered this man to force your way through the palace guards?" Mulan walked over to Wu Li and peered inside the carriage. She could see Zhang Bao inside seated, looking bored and Li looked offended.
"I'm the emperor guest and I'm not to be subjected to such stops by a man like you." Li shrilled back at Mulan who smiled.
The soldiers around her started chuckling as the carriage driver looked uneasy as he realised his mistake.
"You just made a mistake." Mulan replied.
"I think not you brute now let me through before I take this further with the emperor." Li demanded.
"I have my orders from the emperor to not let anyone in until they are checked, even his highness himself is stopped." Mulan yelled, making Li shrink back. She went to open her mouth but Mulan pointed her finger threatenly and retorted "And don't disgrace yourself further by calling me a man!"
"Alright Mulan that is enough." A voice boomed. Mulan lowered her finger and turned to see Shang riding up on his horse looking very angry.
"Mulan?!" Li exclaimed. "So you're the one would dressed as a man and fought in her father's place. I don't believe it, I'm standing before China's biggest humiliating farce!" Li spat.
The soldiers growled as they squared their shoulders up, no one offends their comrade whether she was a female or not.
"Mulan step away!" Shang shouted but he was too late, Mulan sprang herself onto the unaware woman, knocking her to the ground and pinned her to the floor. The soldiers yelled and cheered Mulan on as Mulan screamed down at the sobbing woman "How dare you!"
In one blow, Mulan was knocked off Li and sent sprawling across the mud. She looked across, stunned to see Shang standing over Li helping the sobbing woman to her feet and Bao running out to them both in horror.
"You hit her!" A soldier hissed.
Mulan realised what Shang done and felt tears threatening to flow. She tried to stand up in the mud with the little dignity she had but landed in her face again much to Li amusement who snorted.
Blood dripped onto her hand and she realised Shang has hit her across her face, causing her nose to bleed. Some soldiers helped her to her feet and stood by her as Shang looked up from checking Li over.
"What were you thinking?" He yelled, she never seen him so angry before, his face red with anger as he screw his hands up in tight balls.
"Nothing sir." Mulan whispered.
"You must have thought something to launch an attack on Li like that. It was uncalled for! Get back to your barracks and you can bet I'll be reporting this." Shang yelled, Mulan looked up and for a moment Shang seem to shrink back as he realised what he has done. He cleared his throat and said warningly, "Move it soldier."
Mulan spun on her heels and stomped off back to the palace. Her hair straggly in mud and it was smeared all over her face and armour which where both mingled with blood from her still bleeding nose.
Soldiers watched her go, stunned to see her looking as if she was on a warpath. She was. Shang has made the biggest mistake of his life and he'll be regretting it.
She just got to her room in the palace when Chi Fu called her; he looked surprised to see Mulan in such a state and enquired what happened. She quickly informed him and to her surprise he turned around and said, "If it wasn't you who'd punched her, I would have because she caused me so much grief since she arrived."
"What did she do?" Mulan asked.
"She had unsettled a lot of the court members and changed a lot of rules and traditions for her sake. The pompous cow. I applaud you for what you done though you may get punished. I'll see if I can sway the matter. Where did you get that from?" He indicated to her nose.
"Shang."
"He punched you?!" Chi Fu looked appalled. He said no more when Shang appeared, waiting for them at the doorway to the throne room. The emperor no doubt knew of this.
Shang tried to look at Mulan but she would only stare at the door, Chi Fu muttering next to her on him being a disgrace.
The guards opened the door to reveal a sobbing Li and an angry Bao atthe foot of the emperor who was stroking his beard.
He looked momentarily over Mulan as his eyes narrowed. He wasn't happy, he liked to think himself as a friend of Mulan and seeing her in such a state challenged his anger, which was brewing dangerously.
"What happened here?" he asked, Li wailing grew louder and he rolled his eyes, he had just about enough of the woman.
Mulan went to reply but Shang interrupted. "This soldier here flew into a fit of rage and launched an unprovoked attack on Li."
"Mulan?" The emperor looked at her as she swallowed her growing hatred for Shang.
"I was provoked." She calmly said, though inside she was on fire.
"Provoked indeed!" Li's outburst seemed to trigger the emperor who stood up, "Everyone leave apart from Chi Fu, Mulan and Shang."
"I insist I stay to see how the matter is dealt with." Li sweetly disobeyed.
"I order you to leave, how I deal with this situation will be between me and the rest of those I asked to remain now take your leave before I have you forcibly removed." The emperor commanded, Li reluctantly bowed and strode away from the room, rudely elbowing Mulan on the way.
Mulan gritted her teeth and stared ahead. This woman was trying her patience.
"What happened Mulan?" the emperor asked once again when the doors were closed.
"I was on duty at the gates and your orders were to stop all those who enter the palace grounds to search them. Li's carriage came towards the gate at great speed and refused to stop despite me telling them it was the law. I found that the carriage driver was ordered to drive on and not stop by Wu Li. I asked why should she do that. She insisted that she was more priority and that she shouldn't stop. After calling me names associated to those of a man, she provoked me by saying that I was a disgrace to China. I leapt at her. I knew it was wrong but I wanted to tell her to be quiet and respect others. I didn't hurt her intentionally and if I did do so, it was accidental." Mulan replied, only staring at the emperor who listened closely to her story.
"What happened then?"
"Shang intervened and the fight was split up."
"How did you get that?" The emperor pointed to Mulan's nose which to her annoyance still bleeding.
Mulan's reluctance to reply was detected by Chi Fu, "Shang punched her."
The emperor stood up then forced himself to sit back down.
"Is this true?" he looked at Shang who shifted uncomfortably.
"It is." He replied.
The emperor sighed and looked at them both. "Mulan what you did was under my orders and I understand that you followed them. That was until you attacked Wu Li. I also understand that you were provoked, this was an equal fault, Li's for saying things and you for reacting to them. Normally I won't punish this act, but because of another member of the imperial court involvement I have to, regrettably punish you." The emperor said solemnly.
"Shang your act has further disgraced you in this court, not only have you attacked a soldier acting under you, you injured a woman. If you insist on dragging your name through dirt any further, I will banish you from this court. Not only have you injured your comrade, you've injured your friendship and I wouldn't blame Mulan for any hurtful feelings she has towards you. Therefore I will punish you as well." The emperor signalled to Chi Fu to take note.
"You two will be forced to share a single accommodation together. This way you two can fight each other in private. Until you two have learnt your lesson, I will not be lifting this punishment till I have seen some improvement. No further action will be taken for now and I will encourage all involved to put this behind them. Mulan you are dismissed."
Mulan obeyed and left the room. The emperor stood up and looked at Shang who looked ashamed.
"I can't keep protecting you Shang. Its your fault Mulan is in this mess and that this incident has happened. Wu Li and Zhang Bao is not the most welcomed guest here and I will be hurrying this investigation into this affair for their hasty removal. I'm ashamed of you. Mulan was your closest friend and you have hurt her very deeply. You may walk away without her friendship. I will take your duty as a soldier away from you as of now so your efforts will be focused into saving your friendship with Mulan and clearing you're name. Don't disappoint me again Shang." The emperor warned him, Shang bowed his head and left the room.
"Do you think this matter will be rectified soon?|" Chi Fu asked.
The emperor shook his head, "I have my suspicions that Shang is somewhat innocent and I do not want to see two people who are unaware they love each other tear each other to shreds."